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Nature Materials Apr 2024Microactuators provide controllable driving forces for precise positioning, manipulation and operation at the microscale. Development of microactuators using active...
Microactuators provide controllable driving forces for precise positioning, manipulation and operation at the microscale. Development of microactuators using active materials is often hampered by their fabrication complexity and limited motion at small scales. Here we report light-fuelled artificial goosebumps to actuate passive microstructures, inspired by the natural reaction of hair bristling (piloerection) on biological skin. We use light-responsive liquid crystal elastomers as the responsive artificial skin to move three-dimensionally printed passive polymer microstructures. When exposed to a programmable femtosecond laser, the liquid crystal elastomer skin generates localized artificial goosebumps, resulting in precise actuation of the surrounding microstructures. Such microactuation can tilt micro-mirrors for the controlled manipulation of light reflection and disassemble capillary-force-induced self-assembled microstructures globally and locally. We demonstrate the potential application of the proposed microactuation system for information storage. This methodology provides precise, localized and controllable manipulation of microstructures, opening new possibilities for the development of programmable micromachines.
PubMed: 38336868
DOI: 10.1038/s41563-024-01810-6 -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2023Matricellular proteins are secreted extracellular proteins that bear no primary structural functions but play crucial roles in tissue remodeling during development,... (Review)
Review
Matricellular proteins are secreted extracellular proteins that bear no primary structural functions but play crucial roles in tissue remodeling during development, homeostasis, and aging. Despite their low expression after birth, matricellular proteins within skin compartments support the structural function of many extracellular matrix proteins, such as collagens. In this review, we summarize the function of matricellular proteins in skin stem cell niches that influence stem cells' fate and self-renewal ability. In the epidermal stem cell niche, fibulin 7 promotes epidermal stem cells' heterogeneity and fitness into old age, and the transforming growth factor-β-induced protein ig-h3 (TGFBI)-enhances epidermal stem cell growth and wound healing. In the hair follicle stem cell niche, matricellular proteins such as periostin, tenascin C, SPARC, fibulin 1, CCN2, and R-Spondin 2 and 3 modulate stem cell activity during the hair cycle and may stabilize arrector pili muscle attachment to the hair follicle during piloerections (goosebumps). In skin wound healing, matricellular proteins are upregulated, and their functions have been examined in various gain-and-loss-of-function studies. However, much remains unknown concerning whether these proteins modulate skin stem cell behavior, plasticity, or cell-cell communications during wound healing and aging, leaving a new avenue for future studies.
Topics: Skin Aging; Skin; Epidermis; Homeostasis
PubMed: 37762584
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814274 -
IEEE Transactions on Haptics 2024In this project, we create artificial piloerection using contactless electrostatics to induce tactile sensations in a contactless way. Firstly, we design various...
In this project, we create artificial piloerection using contactless electrostatics to induce tactile sensations in a contactless way. Firstly, we design various high-voltage generators and evaluate them in terms of their static charge, safety and frequency response with different electrodes as well as grounding strategies. Secondly, a psychophysics user study revealed which parts of the upper body are more sensitive to electrostatic piloerection and what adjectives are associated with them. Finally, we combine an electrostatic generator to produce artificial piloerection on the nape with a head-mounted display, this device provides an augmented virtual experience related to fear. We hope that work encourages designers to explore contactless piloerection for enhancing experiences such as music, short movies, video games, or exhibitions.
Topics: Humans; Touch Perception; Static Electricity; Equipment Design; Adult; Male; Female; Young Adult; Touch; Psychophysics; User-Computer Interface
PubMed: 37097797
DOI: 10.1109/TOH.2023.3269885 -
Cutis Nov 2023Dendrocnide moroides (also known as gympie-gympie, mulberrylike stinging tree, or stinger) is arguably the most brutal of stinging plants, even leading to death in dogs,...
Dendrocnide moroides (also known as gympie-gympie, mulberrylike stinging tree, or stinger) is arguably the most brutal of stinging plants, even leading to death in dogs, horses, and humans in rare cases. They can be recognized as shrubs with heart-shaped, serrated, dark green leaves that are covered in what appears to be soft downy fur with red to dark purple raspberries growing on long stems. After contact, there is immediate piloerection and local swelling, which may disappear after 1 hour or last as long as 24 hours, but the subjective pain, pruritus, and burning can persist for months. One can only treat conservatively with symptom management, and the most successful method of removing plant hair is hair removal wax strips, which are considered an essential component of a first aid kit where D moroides is found.
Topics: Australia; Pain; Trees; Plant Leaves; Pain Management; Conservative Treatment
PubMed: 38091432
DOI: 10.12788/cutis.0885 -
Psychophysiology May 2024Piloerection (e.g., goosebumps) is an essential thermoregulatory and social signaling mechanism in non-human animals. Although humans also experience piloerection-often...
Piloerection (e.g., goosebumps) is an essential thermoregulatory and social signaling mechanism in non-human animals. Although humans also experience piloerection-often being perceived as an indicator of profound emotional experiences-its comparatively less effective role in thermoregulation and communication might influence our capacity to monitor its occurrence. We present three studies (total N = 617) demonstrating participants' general inability to detect their own piloerection events and their lack of awareness that piloerection occurs with a similar frequency on multiple anatomical locations. Self-reported goosebumps were more frequent than observed piloerection. However, only 31.8% of self-reports coincided with observable piloerection, a bias unrelated to piloerection intensity, anatomical location, heart-rate variability, or interoceptive awareness. We also discovered a self-report bias for the forearm, contradicting the observation that piloerection occurs with equal frequency on multiple anatomical locations. Finally, there was low correspondence between self-reports of being "emotionally moved" and observed piloerection. These counterintuitive findings not only highlight a disconnect between an obvious physiological response and our capacity for self-monitoring, but they underscore a fascinating divergence between human and non-human species. Although piloerection is vital in non-human organisms, the connection between piloerection and psychological experience in humans may be less significant than previously assumed, possibly due to its diminished evolutionary relevance.
PubMed: 38715216
DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14605 -
CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics Sep 2023Ictal piloerection (IP) is an uncommon symptom in focal epilepsy and is associated with autoimmune encephalitis (AE). However, the networks involved in AE-associated IP...
OBJECTIVES
Ictal piloerection (IP) is an uncommon symptom in focal epilepsy and is associated with autoimmune encephalitis (AE). However, the networks involved in AE-associated IP are still unclear. To have a better understanding of IP underlying mechanisms, the current study investigated whole-brain metabolic networks for the analysis of AE-associated IP.
METHODS
Patients with AE and IP diagnosed at our Institute between 2018 and 2022 were selected. We then investigated the brain regions associated with AE-associated IP using positron emission tomography (PET). Anatomometabolic changes (interictal F fluorodeoxyglucose PET) in AE patients with IP were compared with those of AE patients of similar age without IP (p-voxel <0.001, uncorrected).
RESULTS
Sixteen patients showed significant IP. The overall IP prevalence was 4.09% of patients with AE and 12.9% of patients with limbic encephalitis. The most common autoantibodies were against LGI1 (68.8%) followed by GAD65 (6.3%), NMDA (6.3%), GABAb (6.3%), CASPR2 (6.3%), and antibodies recognizing both GAD65 and mGLUR5 (6.3%). Most patients responded well to immunotherapy. Analysis of the imaging results at the voxel level showed that patients with IP had hypermetabolic changes in the right inferior temporal gyrus, suggesting involvement of this brain region in IP.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that IP as an uncommon AE-associated manifestations should be recognized. We observed that the metabolic pattern of IP was conspicuous in the right inferior temporal gyrus.
Topics: Humans; Seizures; Encephalitis; Autoantibodies; Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System
PubMed: 36971194
DOI: 10.1111/cns.14192 -
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical... May 2024Early recognition of perioperative anaphylaxis, a life-threatening, usually IgE-mediated, immediate hypersensitivity, is essential, but bedside diagnosis is not always...
BACKGROUND
Early recognition of perioperative anaphylaxis, a life-threatening, usually IgE-mediated, immediate hypersensitivity, is essential, but bedside diagnosis is not always straightforward because clinical presentation may vary.
OBJECTIVES
To describe early characteristics of perioperative immediate hypersensitivity, with special attention to cutaneous phenotypes, and identify risk factors for IgE-mediated allergy.
METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed data from adults with suspected perioperative immediate hypersensitivity who were investigated in two academic medical centers. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to evaluate associations among patient, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics and IgE-mediated allergy.
RESULTS
Of 145 enrolled patients, 99 (68.3%) and 46 (31.7%) were respectively categorized in the IgE-mediated allergy and non-allergy groups. Cutaneous vasoconstriction phenotype (pallor, piloerection, thelerethism, and sweating with or without cyanosis) occurring within minutes (or even 1 minute) of drug exposure was strongly associated with IgE-mediated allergy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 28.02; 95% CI, 4.41-305.18). IgE-mediated allergy was always life-threatening in this setting. Other early factors associated with allergy were low end-tidal carbon dioxide 25 mm Hg or less (aOR = 5.45; 95% CI, 2.39-26.45), low mean arterial pressure 60 mm Hg or less (aOR = 3.82; 95% CI, 1.28-17.31), and early cutaneous vasodilation (erythema, urticaria, and/or angioedema) (aOR = 2.78; 95% CI, 0.73-20.54). Late cutaneous vasodilation after restoration of hemodynamics corroborated the diagnosis of allergy (aOR = 23.67; 95% CI, 4.94-205.09). The best-fit model including three readily available variables (cutaneous phenotype involving the three modalities [reference lack of cutaneous signs], low mean arterial pressure, and low end-tidal carbon dioxide) had an area under the curve of 0.91.
CONCLUSIONS
Cutaneous vasoconstriction phenotype is associated with the strongest risk of life-threatening allergy and thus may be regarded as pathognomonic of perioperative IgE-mediated anaphylaxis.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Middle Aged; Immunoglobulin E; Retrospective Studies; Adult; Aged; Perioperative Period; Risk Factors; Anaphylaxis; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Vasoconstriction
PubMed: 38378094
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2024.02.009 -
Annals of the New York Academy of... May 2024While certain musical genres and songs are widely popular, there is still large variability in the music that individuals find rewarding or emotional, even among those...
While certain musical genres and songs are widely popular, there is still large variability in the music that individuals find rewarding or emotional, even among those with a similar musical enculturation. Interestingly, there is one Western genre that is intended to attract minimal attention and evoke a mild emotional response: elevator music. In a series of behavioral experiments, we show that elevator music consistently elicits low pleasure and surprise. Participants reported elevator music as being less pleasurable than music from popular genres, even when participants did not regularly listen to the comparison genre. Participants reported elevator music to be familiar even when they had not explicitly heard the presented song before. Computational and behavioral measures of surprisal showed that elevator music was less surprising, and thus more predictable, than other well-known genres. Elevator music covers of popular songs were rated as less pleasurable, surprising, and arousing than their original counterparts. Finally, we used elevator music as a control for self-selected rewarding songs in a proof-of-concept physiological (electrodermal activity and piloerection) experiment. Our results suggest that elevator music elicits low emotional responses consistently across Western music listeners, making it a unique control stimulus for studying musical novelty, pleasure, and surprise.
Topics: Music; Humans; Reward; Male; Female; Emotions; Adult; Auditory Perception; Pleasure; Young Adult; Acoustic Stimulation
PubMed: 38566486
DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15131 -
Epileptic Disorders : International... Jul 2023Musicogenic epilepsy (ME), a peculiar form of reflex epilepsy, represents a neurological rarity and yet another demonstration of the extraordinary power of music on the...
Musicogenic epilepsy (ME), a peculiar form of reflex epilepsy, represents a neurological rarity and yet another demonstration of the extraordinary power of music on the human brain. Despite the heterogeneity of the reported musical triggers, the patients' emotional response to music is thought to play a crucial role in provoking seizures. Accordingly, the mesial temporal structures (especially of the non-dominant hemisphere) appear most involved in seizure generation, although a more complex fronto-temporal epileptogenic network was documented in some cases. Autoimmune encephalitis has been recently included among the many possible etiologies of ME thanks to few reports of music-induced seizures in patients with anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 antibodies. Here we describe the case of a 25-year-old man, with long-term music education, who suffered from drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy following seronegative limbic encephalitis related to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Along with spontaneous events, the patient also developed musicogenic seizures later in the disease course. After detecting five music-induced episodes via 24-h ambulatory EEG, we performed a prolonged video-EEG monitoring during which the patient presented a right temporal seizure (characterized by déjà-vu, piloerection and gustatory hallucinations) while listening to a hard-rock song (never heard before) through headphones. This observation allowed us to confirm the provoking effect of music on our patient's seizures, despite the lack of any emotional drive, which suggests that a "cognitive" trigger was more likely in this case. Our report further highlights that autoimmune encephalitis should be investigated as a novel potential cause of musicogenic epilepsy, regardless of autoantibody status.
PubMed: 37430419
DOI: 10.1002/epd2.20111 -
Journal of the American Academy of... Jun 2024
PubMed: 38871084
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2024.05.082