Priming Conditions Research Articles

The impact of pandemic threats on intertemporal choices in Chinese and Americans

Intertemporal decisions are crucial to survival, especially when humans are exposed to ecological threats. However, it remains unclear whether and how pandemic threats impact intertemporal choices across cultures. We conducted two studies in two cultural contexts (N = 1180). Study 1a found that Chinese who perceived more pandemic threats showed higher temporal discounting rates (i.e., preferred immediate smaller over delayed larger rewards), and this relationship was mediated by negative emotions. Study 1b, using threat priming, revealed that Chinese participants primed with a high-threat condition (depicting a pandemic threat) showed higher temporal discounting rates compared to those primed with a low-threat condition (describing the flu). Differently, Study 2a revealed that perceived pandemic threat levels of Americans did not directly predict temporal discounting rates. Using similar threat priming, Study 2b further confirmed that Americans in the high-threat priming condition showed no significant differences in temporal discounting rates compared to those in the low-threat priming condition. The current research deepens the understanding of the cultural difference in the impact of pandemic threats on intertemporal decision-making and further informs the development of interventions that promote individual future-oriented thinking in the face of pandemics.

Current state and open issues of priming onion seeds

Relevance. In the context of climate change, onion cultivation has become a challenge and innovative solutions are needed to support breeders and seed producers as well as farmers, starting with critical issues of seed quality. Seed priming successfully improves seed viability, which leads to rapid and uniform germination and emergence of onion seedlings.Results. Priming onion seeds can improve viability, especially under unfavorable conditions such as low/high temperatures, reduced water availability and salinity. It is a simple, low-cost and low-risk intervention that can be a useful technology for farmers and have a positive impact on their livelihoods by increasing the rate of seed germination, increasing the rate of plant development, reducing harvest time and increasing yields. Although this method is common for radish, tomato, carrot and cabbage seeds, this method is less popular for onions. This review provides an up-to-date picture of the scientific and technological advances that have contributed to increasing seed germination and vigor in onion plants to date. For large-scale commercial use, optimal priming methods and conditions tailored to different varieties or seed lots will require further extensive experimental work. It cannot be denied that seed priming technology is characterized by ease of operation, low cost and high practical value in industrial and market contexts. It can be foreseen that this technology will have wider prospects in agricultural production and green building. In addition, seed priming can effectively restore or enhance seed viability and ensure successful retention of germplasm resources and subsequent development, especially for onion seeds that rapidly lose viability.

Investigating the Complexity of Cultural Identities in Globalizing Societies

Cultural identity has become increasingly important and complex within many contemporary globalized societies. Consequently, methodological development is needed to expand our conceptualization and measurement of (a) the formation and experiences of multiple nested cultural identities and (b) how such identities relate to psychosocial functioning. In the preregistered and experimental quantitative phase (Study 1), Danish participants ( n = 308) were divided into three subsamples completely at random and exposed to various priming regarding global events (i.e., COVID-19, war in Ukraine, or a control prompt not related to current events). Danish, European, and global cultural identities were all highly endorsed across our sample, and global identity was enhanced by priming related to the war in Ukraine as compared with the other two priming conditions. Danish cultural identity was positively associated with well-being (self-esteem and life satisfaction) both directly and indirectly through self-concept clarity, whereas European identity was negatively associated with self-concept clarity, and global identity was positively associated with self-esteem. In the qualitative phase (Study 2), with a selected subsample of the Study 1 sample ( n = 5), we conducted in-depth semistructured interviews to explore the experience of sociohistorically embedded cultural identities (i.e., shaped by a complex interplay of culture, language, and social practices) within the globalized context of Denmark. Results highlight ideographic understandings of cultural identities and how these identities are politically embedded and shaped through intercultural experiences and events. These results are discussed in terms of how multi-method approaches can enhance our understanding of contemporary complex cultural identities.

Exploring the interaction between aminobutyric acid and epigenetics in modulating ash dieback response in european ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

AbstractEuropean ash populations face a significant threat from the invasive fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, leading to ash dieback disease. The absence of resistant individuals and restrictions on biotechnological solutions hinder the ability to combat this widespread illness in the near term. Priming strategies offer an alternative approach to boost stress tolerance not only in this scenario but also in other endangered tree species by triggering plant defense mechanisms. The non-proteinogenic amino acid β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) has demonstrated potential in enhancing resistance to diverse stressors in plants. Despite limited research on forest tree species, the current study evaluated BABA’s effectiveness in mitigating ash dieback disease severity and explored potential correlations between priming treatments and epigenetic modifications. The results indicated that BABA enhanced stress tolerance in ash seedlings following inoculation with Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. BABA effectively decreased the development of necrosis associated with ash dieback disease in seedlings five months post-inoculation. Additionally, treatments involving BABA were linked to observed epigenetic alterations. Elevated levels of the non-canonical deoxynucleosides 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2'-deoxycytidine (5-hmdC) and 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (5-hmdU) were confirmed subsequent to the treatments. This study highlights the potential of BABA and other priming strategies in enhancing disease tolerance in forest tree species like European ash. Short-term improved stress tolerance and epigenetic changes were confirmed. Yet, the exact priming conditions for inducing long-term effects in plants, including long-living forest trees, remain unknown, posing a challenge for applying priming strategies to manage ash dieback and protect many other endangered tree species.

Factors that promote cooperation, learning, and engagement with geoscience concepts when playing educational board games in an entry-level college paleontology lab

Interactive games can invigorate undergraduate curricula, promote collaboration, and engage students, but few studies evaluate which conditions facilitate learning and collaboration during game-based geoscience activities. This study examines educational gains, cooperative learning elements, and enjoyment during two educational board games, “Taphonomy: Dead and Fossilized” and “Reef Survivor,” deployed in two-hour geoscience labs (n = 136 students). Varying conditions (in-person versus online labs, team versus solo play, and an introduction to counter stereotype threat versus a neutral introduction) were assessed to understand effects of playing in teams, use of priming conditions, and class modality. We used pre- and post-lab low-stakes assessments to test knowledge, student perception surveys following gameplay (both described in Martindale et al., 2024; Martindale & Weiss, 2020), and the Kern et al. (2007) cooperative learning observation protocol during lab to document and quantify student behaviors. Although gameplay conditions did not result in significantly different learning gains (no significant differences between student demographic groups), team play was typically related to cooperative learning advantages, including strategizing, group processing, and positive interdependence. Overall, individual accountability was high, and conflict was low no matter the conditions, but cooperative learning was less common during online labs than in-person. Working together may support connections to the material and other students, as well as encourage engaged learning; moreover, students preferred playing in teams. Therefore, when using games or game-based learning, we recommend playing in-person with teams; together, these conditions can support student engagement and cooperative learning during gameplay.

Reindeer prey mobility and seasonal hunting strategies in the late Gravettian mammoth steppe

Reindeer are part of the faunal suite that dominated central Europe during the last glacial cycle. Their importance to Late Gravettian hunters as prey and a source of raw materials (hide, bone, antler) is well attested, however the context of Late Gravettian reindeer predation is lesser understood. This paper presents an investigation of human and reindeer predator-prey interactions at the Late Gravettian kill-butchery site of Lubná VI, Czech Republic. We reconstruct seasonal mobility (87Sr/86Sr, δ18O), diet (δ13C, δ15N) and season of death (dental cementum) of up to nine reindeer prey, to inform on the strategic choices made by Late Gravettian hunters. Results indicate that most hunted reindeer lived year-round in the foothills of the Bohemian-Moravian highlands near where Lubná is located, at altitudes between ~ 200–450 m above present sea level, while a smaller number showed evidence of seasonal migration between this area and the open plains of the Elbe river corridor (Bohemian Cretaceous basin). No evidence for long distance migration of reindeer was detected, indicating that productive local environments were supporting reindeer herds within a single annual territory. Meanwhile, areas higher than ~ 450 m above present sea level were avoided entirely by all analysed individuals, consistent with these areas being topographic barriers to movement due to climate severity. We conclude that hunters visited Lubná as part of a logistically-organised subsistence strategy, deliberately targeting reindeer in late autumn when fat supplies, hides and antler are in prime condition knowing that they would reliably encounter their prey at this location.

The impact of death priming on climate change denial: a preliminary investigation.

Climate change denial (CCD) has been found to be more pronounced among individuals with a conservative political orientation. Terror Management Theory posits that an individual's worldview serves as a primary defense mechanism in coping with existential threats, such as the reality of climate change. Drawing on these premises, we conducted preliminary research investigating the impact of death priming on CCD from the Terror management theory perspective. We administered a death priming task and measured CCD in its immediate wake or following a delay task. We confirmed among 219 Amazon's MTurk participants that immediately following death priming, CCD was reduced among all participants. In the delayed death priming condition, we acquired preliminary evidence that CCD was heightened among Republican participants. These findings demonstrate the relevance of death priming to CCD tendencies and potentially spawn future research regarding CCD as a particular form of coping with existential threats.

Secure attachment imagery facilitates help-seeking and help-acceptance in psychosis.

People with psychosis delay accessing recommended treatments, resulting in poor healthcare outcomes and increased risk of relapse. Means of improving help-seeking and help-acceptance could reduce duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). This study examined the role of attachment style in help-seeking and help-acceptance in psychosis. We used an experimental design to test the effect of attachment imagery priming on help-seeking and help-acceptance intentions, in a sample with self-reported psychosis. The independent variables were attachment imagery condition (secure vs. avoidant) and time (pre- vs. post-prime). The dependent variables were state paranoia, help-seeking intentions and help-acceptance intentions. We used an online research platform to recruit people with psychosis (n = 61). Participants were randomly allocated to the secure or avoidant attachment priming condition. All completed measures of state paranoia, help-seeking, and help-acceptance, before and after priming. In comparison with the avoidant condition, secure attachment imagery resulted in reduced paranoia and increased help-seeking and acceptance intentions, all with large effect sizes. This is the first study to use an experimental design to assess the role of attachment style in help-seeking and help-acceptance in a clinical sample. Attachment style is causally linked to behavioural intentions that contribute to DUP. Clinicians should assess attachment and help-seeking and acceptance, highlight these in formulation, and prioritise in treatment planning. Interventions that enhance help-seeking and acceptance could improve access to recommended treatments and reduce DUP.

A Study on the Characteristics and Interventions of Interpretation Bias in College Students with Depression Tendency Under Different Emotional Priming Conditions

A Study on the Characteristics and Interventions of Interpretation Bias in College Students with Depression Tendency Under Different Emotional Priming Conditions

When You Think of and Identify Yourself as a Nurse, You Will Become More Deontological and Less Utilitarian.

This study aims to examine how the activation of the role of nursee and professional identification as a nurse can influence moral judgments in terms of deontological and utilitarian inclinations. In Study 1, a priming technique was used to assess the impact of activating the nursing concept on moral reasoning. Participants were randomly assigned to either a nursing prime or neutral prime condition. By using a scrambled-sentence task, participants were prompted to think about nursing-related or neutral thoughts. Following the priming task, participants were asked to respond to 20 moral dilemmas. The process dissociation approach was employed to measure the degree of deontological and utilitarian tendencies in their moral reasoning. In Study 2, participants completed the nursing profession identification scale and the moral orientation scale before engaging in moral judgments similar to those in Study 1. The findings revealed that priming the concept of being a nursee resulted in an increase in deontological clinical inclinations while having no significant effect on utilitarian inclinations. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between identification with the nursing profession and deontological clinical inclinations, whereas a negative correlation was found with utilitarian inclinations. Deliberation orientation acted as a complete mediator in the relationship between nursing professional identification and deontological tendencies and as a partial mediator for utilitarian tendencies.

Establishment of a high-content compatible platform to assess effects of monocyte-derived factors on neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation

During neuroinflammation, monocytes that infiltrate the central nervous system (CNS) may contribute to regenerative processes depending on their activation status. However, the extent and mechanisms of monocyte-induced CNS repair in patients with neuroinflammatory diseases remain largely unknown, partly due to the lack of a fully human assay platform that can recapitulate monocyte-neural stem cell interactions within the CNS microenvironment. We therefore developed a human model system to assess the impact of monocytic factors on neural stem cells, establishing a high-content compatible assay for screening monocyte-induced neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation. The model combined monocytes isolated from healthy donors and human embryonic stem cell derived neural stem cells and integrated both cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic properties. We identified CNS-mimicking culture media options that induced a monocytic phenotype resembling CNS infiltrating monocytes, while allowing adequate monocyte survival. Monocyte-induced proliferation, gliogenic fate and neurogenic fate of neural stem cells were affected by the conditions of monocytic priming and basal neural stem cell culture as extrinsic factors as well as the neural stem cell passage number as an intrinsic neural stem cell property. We developed a high-content compatible human in vitro assay for the integrated analysis of monocyte-derived factors on CNS repair.

Inequivalent and uncorrelated response priming in motor imagery and execution.

Theoretical considerations on motor imagery and motor execution have long been dominated by the functional equivalence view. Previous empirical works comparing these two modes of actions, however, have largely relied on subjective judgments on the imagery process, which may be exposed to various biases. The current study aims to re-examine the commonality and distinguishable aspects of motor imagery and execution via a response repetition paradigm. This framework aims to offer an alternative approach devoid of self-reporting, opening the opportunity for less subjective evaluation of the disparities and correlations between motor imagery and motor execution. Participants performed manual speeded-choice on prime-probe pairs in each trial under three conditions distinguished by the modes of response on the prime: mere observation (Perceptual), imagining response (Imagery), and actual responses (Execution). Responses to the following probe were all actual execution of button press. While Experiment 1 compared the basic repetition effects in the three prime conditions, Experiment 2 extended the prime duration to enhance the quality of MI and monitored electromyography (EMG) for excluding prime imagery with muscle activities to enhance specificity of the underlying mechanism. In Experiment 1, there was no significant repetition effect after mere observation. However, significant repetition effects were observed in both imagery and execution conditions, respectively, which were also significantly correlated. In Experiment 2, trials with excessive EMG activities were excluded before further statistical analysis. A consistent repetition effect pattern in both Imagery and Execution but not the Perception condition. Now the correlation between Imagery and Execution conditions were not significant. Findings from the current study provide a novel application of a classical paradigm, aiming to minimize the subjectivity inherent in imagery assessments while examining the relationship between motor imagery and motor execution. By highlighting differences and the absence of correlation in repetition effects, the study challenges the functional equivalence hypothesis of imagery and execution. Motor representations of imagery and execution, when measured without subjective judgments, appear to be more distinguishable than traditionally thought. Future studies may examine the neural underpinnings of the response repetition paradigm to further elucidating the common and separable aspects of these two modes of action.

The priming effect of emotional words on body expressions: Two ERP studies

The impact of emotional words on the recognition of body expression and the underlying neurodynamic mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study used a classic supraliminal priming paradigm and event related potential (ERP) to investigate the effect of emotion-label words (experiment 1) and emotional verbs (experiment 2) on the recognition of body expressions. The behavioral results revealed that individuals exhibited a higher accuracy in recognizing happy expressions when presented with a happy-label word condition, in contrast to neutral expressions. Furthermore, it was observed that the accuracy of recognizing happy body expressions was reduced when preceded by angry verb priming, compared to happy and neutral priming conditions. Conversely, the accuracy of recognizing angry body expressions was higher in response to angry verb priming than happy and neutral primings. The ERP results showed that, in the recognition of happy body expressions, the P300 amplitude elicited by angry-label words was more positive, while a congruent verb-expression condition elicited more positive P300 amplitude than an incongruent condition in the left hemisphere and midline. However, in the recognition of angry body expressions, the N400 amplitude elicited by a congruent verb-expression condition was smaller than that elicited by an incongruent condition. These results suggest that both abstract emotion-label words and specific emotional verbs influence the recognition of body expressions. In addition, integrating happy semantic context and body expression might occur at the P300 stage, whereas integrating angry semantic context and body expression might occur at the N400 stage. These findings present novel evidence regarding the criticality of emotional context in the recognition of emotions.

Lineage-Specific Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Derived from Human iPSCs Showed Distinct Patterns in Transcriptomic Profile and Extracellular Vesicle Production.

Over the past decades, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been extensively investigated as a potential therapeutic cell source for the treatment of various disorders. Differentiation of MSCs from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iMSCs) has provided a scalable approach for the biomanufacturing of MSCs and related biological products. Although iMSCs shared typical MSC markers and functions as primary MSCs (pMSCs), there is a lack of lineage specificity in many iMSC differentiation protocols. Here, a stepwise hiPSC-to-iMSC differentiation method is employed via intermediate cell stages of neural crest and cytotrophoblast to generate lineage-specific MSCs with varying differentiation efficiencies and gene expression. Through a comprehensive comparison between early developmental cell types (hiPSCs, neural crest, and cytotrophoblast), two lineage-specific iMSCs, and six source-specific pMSCs, are able to not only distinguish the transcriptomic differences between MSCs and early developmental cells, but also determine the transcriptomic similarities of iMSC subtypes to postnatal or perinatal pMSCs. Additionally, it is demonstrated that different iMSC subtypes and priming conditions affected EV production, exosomal protein expression, and cytokine cargo.

Exploring the influence of human values on perceptions of immigration: an experimental approach

Researchers have explored human values can effectively induce changes in attitudes and behaviors toward immigrants. This study compared the impact of different human values (self-transcendence and self-enhancement) on individuals' perceptions toward immigrants. A total of 250 participants were included in the study. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of the following conditions: control condition, priming condition on universalism, benevolence, power, or achievement. All participants completed a Scrambled Sentences Task to prime the value saliency, a Short Schwartz’s Value Survey for the manipulation check, and a questionnaire assessing their perceptions of threat toward immigrants. One-way ANOVAs were conducted between each value priming condition (achievement, benevolence, power, and universalism) and the control condition, along with planned contrasts. The results did not reveal any statistically significant differences between the conditions across the composite scale and subscales (realistic and symbolic threat). Post Hoc tests indicated that individuals who identified as White were more likely to perceive immigrants as threats compared to Blacks and Hispanics, suggesting racial and ethnic background differences in perception. Across all groups, negative correlations were found between threat perceptions and self-transcendent values, while positive correlations were found between threat perceptions and self-enhancement values. Although experimental evidence using Scrambled Sentences Tak for priming human values was not found, the study supports the correlational associations between human values and attitude toward immigrants.

Activation of ASL signs during sentence reading for deaf readers: evidence from eye-tracking

Abstract Bilinguals activate both of their languages as they process written words, regardless of modality (spoken or signed); these effects have primarily been documented in single word reading paradigms. We used eye-tracking to determine whether deaf bilingual readers (n = 23) activate American Sign Language (ASL) translations as they read English sentences. Sentences contained a target word and one of the two possible prime words: a related prime which shared phonological parameters (location, handshape or movement) with the target when translated into ASL or an unrelated prime. The results revealed that first fixation durations and gaze durations (early processing measures) were shorter when target words were preceded by ASL-related primes, but prime condition did not impact later processing measures (e.g., regressions). Further, less-skilled readers showed a larger ASL co-activation effect. Together, the results indicate that ASL co-activation impacts early lexical access and can facilitate reading, particularly for less-skilled deaf readers.

Is Syntactic Priming from Multiple Speakers Stronger?

Syntactic priming in dialogue occurs when exposure to a particular syntactic structure implicitly induces a speaker’s subsequent preference for the same syntactic structures in their own speech. Here, we asked whether this priming effect is boosted when individuals are primed by several different speakers as opposed to one. In an initial baseline session involving a picture description task, we assessed adult participants’ production of double object/DO (vs. prepositional/PO) dative and passive (vs. active) transitive structures. Subsequently, participants played a picture description and verification game, in turns, with six other players (confederates). During verification turns, confederates primed participants by using DO and passive utterances. Crucially, participants were primed either by a single confederate (single-speaker priming condition, SSP) or by five confederates (multi-speaker priming condition, MSP). Across conditions, the same priming stimuli were presented in the same order, leaving speaker source/variation as the only different feature. The degree to which participants were primed for the target structures compared to baseline was measured. Results indicated a robust priming effect in both conditions. Nevertheless, the increase in the target structures’ use did not differ significantly between the SSP and MSP conditions, suggesting that speaker variation did not promote stronger priming.

Can Popular Word Search Puzzles Affect Walking Speed in Older Adults?

We examined whether supraliminal word stimuli can affect walking speed of older adults in laboratory settings. The 78 physically active subjects (age >65 years) were randomly assigned to prime and control conditions. All subjects walked 19 m measured distance pre- and post-completing a word search puzzle containing either words associated with early adulthood or neutral ones. Although participants in the prime group went faster in the posttest, the ANOVA did not reveal significant interaction between the subjects’ conditions and walking speed. No significant priming effect of exposure to words on walking speed in older adults was detected in the current study. There is a need for further research, as there is a lack of data in this age cohort. The priming effect could possibly be used to increase the physical activity of seniors and may bias the clinical outputs in gait tests.

High throughput screening of mesenchymal stromal cell morphological response to inflammatory signals for bioreactor-based manufacturing of extracellular vesicles that modulate microglia

Due to their immunomodulatory function, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a promising therapeutic with the potential to treat neuroinflammation associated with neurodegenerative diseases. This function is mediated by secreted extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs). Despite established safety, MSC clinical translation has been unsuccessful due to inconsistent clinical outcomes resulting from functional heterogeneity. Current approaches to mitigate functional heterogeneity include ‘priming’ MSCs with inflammatory signals to enhance function. However, comprehensive evaluation of priming and its effects on MSC-EV function has not been performed. Furthermore, clinical translation of MSC-EV therapies requires significant manufacturing scale-up, yet few studies have investigated the effects of priming in bioreactors. As MSC morphology has been shown to predict their immunomodulatory function, we screened MSC morphological response to an array of priming signals and evaluated MSC-EV identity and potency in response to priming in flasks and bioreactors. We identified unique priming conditions corresponding to distinct morphologies. These conditions demonstrated a range of MSC-EV preparation quality and lipidome, allowing us to discover a novel MSC-EV manufacturing condition, as well as gain insight into potential mechanisms of MSC-EV microglia modulation. Our novel screening approach and application of priming to MSC-EV bioreactor manufacturing informs refinement of larger-scale manufacturing and enhancement of MSC-EV function.

Transcriptome analysis suggests the role of expansin genes in the improved germination of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) seeds after hydropriming

AbstractSunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is widely utilized for seed oil production. Priming seeds prior to sowing is a technique used to enhance the germination rate and uniformity of seedling growth. Priming times of 6 and 18 h were selected to be the optimal and extended durations, respectively. Three biological replicates per treatment were used for next‐generation sequencing via the Illumina platform. In this study, priming conditions decreased the time to 50% radicle emergence, implying earlier and more uniform germination without affecting the final germination percentage. Transcriptome analysis identified 6171 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for 0–6 h, 7241 DEGs for 0–18 h, and 1527 DEGs for 6–18 h. The number of expressed DEGs during the early hours of priming exceeded those identified during the extended priming time, suggesting more metabolic processes were taking place in the earlier priming period. Noteworthy DEGs are related to stress responses, the biosynthesis of metabolites, and the activation of antioxidants and phytohormones. Moreover, these DEGs were significantly enriched in translation, metabolic processes, and biosynthesis for the priming times of 0–6 h and 0–18 h, whereas anaerobic respiration, detection of hypoxia, and lipid transport were differentially expressed between 6 and 18 h. Furthermore, expansin genes, namely, EXPA1, EXPA9, EXPA15, EXLA3, and EXP/Lol pI 3B GAG‐pre‐integrase domain, were significantly expressed. These expansins are cell wall‐loosening proteins that are involved in the processes of physiological development in higher plants, including seed germination. The data obtained in this study contribute toward deciphering the molecular mechanisms associated with seed priming in sunflower seeds.