01) and 6-to-12-hour-dwell (p < 0.02) of PD patients with oral pyridoxamine compared with PD patients with learn more no oral pyridoxamine. Conclusion: Pyridoxamine is a potent candidate of a protective agent against progressive deterioration of peritoneal function in PD patients. CHANG JER-MING1, CHEN SZU-CHIA1,2, CHEN HUNG-CHUN1 1Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University Introduction: Neurological complications are prevalent, and contribute

largely to the morbidity and mortality in patients with renal failure. Quantitative

sensory testing (QST) is a reliable test of large and small fiber sensory modalities, documented well by the American Diabetes Association endorsement of QST in 1992 as a valid test in epidemiologic studies and drug trials of diabetic neuropathy.QST can assess and quantify sensory nerve function noninvasively. QST has potential as a neurophysiologic tool. Using QST, sensory deficits may be quantified and the data can be used in parametric Saracatinib statistical analysis. Previous study showed thermal sensation was abnormal in 30% of 64 non-diabetic hemodialysis patients, which was a much higher prevalence than that which has previously been reported. However, the role of small fiber neuropathy remained

uncertain in peritoneal dialysis (PD) population. We evaluated the prevalence and associated risk factors of abnormal thermal sensation in PD. Methods: This study enrolled Dipeptidyl peptidase 19 persistent PD patients. Thermal sensitivity was assessed by QST. Demographic and medical data including age, gender and comorbid conditions were obtained from medical records or interviews with patients. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0 for windows (SPSS Inc. Chicago, USA). Results: The mean age of the 19 patients was 51.3 ± 10.7 years. The median of PD duration was 68.4 months. Thermal sensation was abnormal in 68.4% (13/19) of the patients. Compared with patients with normal thermal sensation, patients with abnormal thermal sensation were found to have older age (54.9 ± 7.6 vs. 43.3 ± 12.7 years; P = 0.023). Conclusion: Our study showed a high prevalence of abnormal thermal sensation in PD. Old age was associated with abnormal thermal sensation. The limited patient number restricted our study power. Future prospective studies were needed to survey the long-term outcomes in large PD population.

Recently, the inhibition of Th17 differentiation by invariant NKT cells was reported using the 2D2 autoimmune encephalitis model 26. However, the mechanism through which the NKT cells regulated Th17 differentiation remains unclear. In this study, we further investigated the direct regulatory role of CD1d-dependent invariant check details NKT cells on CD4+ Th differentiation using an in vitro co-culture system and an in vivo model of organ-specific autoimmune disease. Invariant NKT cells inhibited Th1 differentiation in

an IL-4-dependent manner and suppressed Th17 differentiation predominantly through a contact-dependent manner in co-culture experiments. More severe uveitis and an increased number of IL-17-producing

CD4+ T cells were observed in invariant NKT cell-deficient (CD1d−/− or Jα18−/−) mice compared with WT mice, and the transfer of NKT cells from WT, IL-4−/−, IL-10−/−, or IFN-γ−/− mice into CD1d−/− mice significantly reversed the disease phenotype. Therefore, invariant NKT cells suppressed the progression of uveitis through the cytokine-independent inhibition of Th17 differentiation. Although the potential regulatory functions of NKT cells in organ-specific autoimmune diseases have been described 18, 19, definitive evidence supporting the direct effect of NKT cells on pathogenic effector cells is lacking. We analyzed populations of NKT cells by staining with anti-TCR antibody and CD1d:α-galactosylceramide

(α-GalCer) dimer. Although hepatic mononuclear cells (HMNC) from WT C57BL/6 (B6) contained about 20% αβTCR+CD1d:α-GalCer+ cells, only 0.12 Alectinib and 0.2% of HMNC were αβTCR+CD1d:α -GalCer+ cells from CD1d−/− and Ja18−/− mice, respectively MEK inhibitor (Supporting Information Fig. 1). To evaluate the impact of NKT cells on the regulation of CD4+ T-cell differentiation, we used in vitro co-culture experiments in which lymph node cells from NK1.1+-depleted OT-II OVA-specific TCR transgenic mice were stimulated with OVA peptide for 3 days in the presence of FACS-purified NK1.1+αβTCR+ T cells (>98% purity) isolated from HMNC from WT B6, CD1d−/−, or Jα18−/− mice. α-GalCer-stimulated NKT cells from WT, but not CD1d−/− or Jα18−/− mice, dramatically reduced the differentiation of OT-II CD4+ T cells into Th17 cells by more than 80% in the presence of Th17-promoting cytokines (10 ng/mL IL-6 and 5 ng/mL TGF-β) (Fig. 1A). Activated WT NKT cells also decreased the proportion of IFN-γ-producing CD4+ T cells by 60% (Fig. 1B). Th1 and Th17 differentiation was not inhibited with NKT cells when they were not stimulated with α-GalCer (Supporting Information Fig. 2). Cellular proliferation and cytokine production were simultaneously evaluated using CFSE-labeled OT-II CD4+ T cells. CD4+ T-cell proliferation was only minimally affected by the presence of α-GalCer-activated NKT cells under either differentiation condition (Fig.

Immunosuppressive therapy consisted of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, metylprednisolone and basiliximab. The allograft had excellent early function, with an S-Cr level of 1.48 mg/dL 6 weeks before admission. However, one year after transplantation, his S-Cr level rapidly increased to 5.7 mg/dL, and he was admitted to our hospital for further evaluation, including the episode biopsy. The clinical course of the patient is shown in Figure 1. The allograft GPCR Compound Library research buy episode biopsy was performed one year following primary kidney transplantation. In the cortical area, focal interstitial mononuclear

cell infiltration with mild interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy was identified, and moderate tubulitis was observed Ulixertinib molecular weight (Fig. 2). Plasma cells were detected in predominantly (more than 50% of inflammatory cells) the tubulointerstitial area (Fig. 2B). In addition, inflammatory cell infiltration (including neutrophils) was observed in peritubular capillaries (Fig. 2C). Immunohistological studies showed strong, linear, circumferential C4d immunoreactivity in peritubular capillaries. To exclude post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), staining of kappa and lambda was carried out, but monoclonality was not seen. SV40- and

EBER-positive cells were also not evident. Further evaluation for DSAbs using the flow cytometric panel reactive antibody method (Flow PRA) identified those against HLA class I (1.84%) and class II (53.52%). Additional screening with the LABScreen single antigen test (One Lamda, USA) identified anti-DQ4, 9, 7, 8, 2 and 6, but not DR8, DSAbs. Therefore, 2-hydroxyphytanoyl-CoA lyase a donor DQ typing test was required, and we confirmed that our donor had HLA-DQ4 and -DQ6. The mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) values are 2701 for anti-HLA-DQ4 Ab but less than 1579 for anti-HLA-DQ6 Ab. Taken together, these findings indicated that acute AMR occurred due to de novo anti-DQ4 and anti-DQ6 antibodies. Finally, we diagnosed our patient with PCAR accompanied by acute AMR type II. The Banff ‘07 classification was t2, i2, g0, v0, ptc3, ct1, ci1, cg0, cv0, ptcbmml0 and ah0. We treated

him with 3 consecutive days of intravenous steroid pulse therapy (methylprednisolone, 500 mg/day) every 3 weeks and administered intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and plasma exchange (PEX). The S-Cr level gradually decreased from 5.7 to 2.75 mg/dL and did not decrease thereafter. To evaluate the efficacy of the treatment, we performed a second biopsy on day 37. The second biopsy specimen revealed peritubular capillaries with neutrophil infiltration, focal and moderate. Tubulointerstitial inflammatory cells are focal and there were much less plasma cells infiltration compared with previous renal biopsy. We diagnosed the patient with residual AMR type II. The Banff classification was t0, i1, g0, v0, ptc2, ct1, ci1, cg0, cv0, ptcbmml1 and ah0. For treatment of the residual refractory AMR, we performed an additional three sessions of PEX and IVIG.

Stimulation of the Notch 2 receptor pathway could then promote ESAMhi DC differentiation locally. It is interesting to contemplate this issue in light of the very recent finding that the chemokine receptor EBI2 (GPR183) and its ligand 7α,25-dihydroxycholesterol are critical for the positioning of CD4-expressing CD11bhi DCs in the spleen [23]. Finally, as the observations by Beijer et al. were focussed on the spleen, it will be important to examine whether CD11bhi DCs in the lymph nodes or tissues, such as dermal DCs or interstitial

DCs, differentiate with comparable requirements for vitamin A and RA. While the mode-of-action remains to be further PD98059 chemical structure defined, the findings of Beijer et al. [13] presented within this issue of the European Journal of Immunology clearly highlight a previously unappreciated role for RA signaling in regulating the diversity of splenic DCs. Thus, vitamin A appears to play an ever-growing role in DC development, acting in both the intestinal and splenic compartment. The authors would like to thank Dr. Ken Shortman (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) for insightful discussions Y-27632 and sharing of unpublished data. A.T.S. and S.B. are both supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. The authors declare no financial or commercial conflict of interest. “
“A

relatively small number of laboratories in Australia and New Zealand have consistently published on murine models of nematode immunology, and the parasite species principally used are Heligmosomoides bakeri (previously Heligmosomoides polygyrus),

Strongyloides ratti, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and Toxocara canis. These research groups have made significant contributions to both fundamental immunology and more specialized issues in host–parasite relationships. Topics addressed include immune regulation, including the expression and control of Type 2 cytokines and the responses induced, innate and adaptive host-protective mechanisms, antigen expression and immune evasion strategies utilized by parasitic helminths. This review Ceramide glucosyltransferase addresses the last 30 years of research and identifies areas in which major progress can be made, given appropriate resources. Parasites of sheep, cattle and other livestock species have traditionally been a major focus of research into helminths in Australia and New Zealand, in keeping with the economic importance of primary industries to our countries. Although not the subject of this study, some work has been carried out on parasites of humans and domestic livestock in rodent models, for example: Fasciola hepatica (1,2), Echinococcus granulosus (3–5) Schistosoma (6,7) and the nematodes Haemonchus contortus (8), Strongyloides stercoralis (9–11) and Ancylostoma ceylanicum (12,13).

Of note, hepatocytes pulsed in vivo and in vitro with α-GalCer can activate iNKT cells to secrete IL-4 and not IFN-γ [28]. Thus, although not essential, OTX015 price hepatocytes could play a role in iNKT cell activation in actively sensitized wild-type mice. There may simply be a network of CD1d+ cells (e.g. dendritic cells, Kuppfer cells or NKT cells themselves) that activate iNKT cells in vivo, as suggested here and elsewhere, via presentation of rapidly accumulating stimulatory lipids after sensitization [28, 32]. Dendritic cells have recently been shown to be

able to potentiate iNKT cell activation in a CD1d-dependent manner even in the context of low levels of lipid antigen [33]. Important questions remain pertaining to the stimulatory hepatic lipids observed here. It is unclear whether the accumulation of stimulatory lipids is the result of an increase in the quantity Apoptosis Compound Library purchase of stimulatory hepatic lipids, a change in the quality of pre-existing hepatic lipids or a combination. A quantitative difference would imply migration of lipids from an extra-hepatic site, perhaps the skin at the site of sensitization. A qualitative difference would be mediated by chemical or structural modification of lipids native to

the liver. Although our extracts are sensitive to lipase (N. Dey, K. Lau, M. Szczepanik, P.W. Askenase, unpublished observations), the identity of these lipids is as yet unknown. This determination remains for further studies collaborating with glycolipid biochemists. The lipids may represent a subset of endogenous skin-derived self-lipids that have particular iNKT cell–activating potential. They may be released from the skin following sensitization. Alternatively, these may be hepatic lipids that Obeticholic Acid concentration are somehow modified following skin sensitization to provide increased stimulation to iNKT cells. Finally, exogenous glycolipids derived from the host skin microbiota may be involved. While the finding of accumulating stimulatory

hepatic lipids begins to clarify the mystery of rapid iNKT cell response after sensitization, whether the entire role of iNKT cells in CS has been defined remains unclear. For example, we have observed using ELISA assays that serum IFN-γ levels peak approximately 1 day after sensitization in mice (unpublished observations), a finding that remains unexplained in terms of both mechanism and relevance. iNKT cells could potentially account for this. This and other described immune activities of iNKT cells, such as cytotoxicity and influence on regulatory T cells [34], remain unexplored in CS. The implications of these data for other diseases are also unclear and should be investigated further. Finally, these and related data on iNKT cell biology may have implications for a multitude of clinical diseases. For example, IL-4-producing iNKT cells may be therapeutic (e.g. NAFLD) or detrimental (e.g.

Late referral and lack of dialysis access are independent predictors of mortality in elderly patients commencing dialysis. It is important that ongoing studies assess not just days survived but also the QOL of dialysis or non-dialysis management pathways on patients, carers and staff. The elderly can have specific medical issues and needs that are best assessed by an Aged Care Physician. This is recommended particularly when

assessment of cognitive function is a part of the considerations in determining whether dialysis is appropriate or not. One of the key issues in renal medicine is knowing when a patient will have renal dysfunction or symptoms severe enough to warrant dialysis if that is their chosen treatment pathway. A number of models have been tested to help predict the likelihood of progressing to ESKD from earlier stages of CKD. Reasonable but by no means exclusive recommendations are as follows: For CKD stage 3–5 patients: GDC-0980 ic50 The JAMA Kidney Failure Risk Equation in patients with CKD stages 3–5 helps predict progression through CKD stages. For patients being considered for a non-dialysis pathway (particularly the elderly): The clinical score by Couchoud which provides a mortality risk score obtained from nine risk

factors For dialysis selleckchem patients being considered for transition to a non-dialysis pathway (particularly the elderly with co-morbidities): Predictive testing as above, plus The clinical score by Cohen involving a mortality score obtained from combining the answer to the ‘Surprise Question’ with four routine variables – age, serum albumin, presence of dementia and peripheral

vascular disease Patients with ESKD are known to have a worse QOL than an age-matched general population; sometimes this can be helped by better attention to dialysis delivery or anaemia management but in some cases QOL on dialysis remains poor despite every effort to optimize dialysis and ESKD medical management. Without asking the right questions, Cobimetinib mouse or preferably using a validated tool to assess QOL, we will not really know which patients have satisfactory or poor QOL. What constitutes a poor QOL varies from person to person and the potential impact of dialysis on an individual will be unique for each person; it is important that this is discussed openly between the patient and his/her treating clinicians. Commonly reported dimensions of QOL surveys are: physical function, role limitations-physical, bodily pain, vitality, general health perceptions, role limitations-emotional, social function, and mental health. These self-reported dimensions are influenced by a multitude of outside factors such as social situation, environmental factors, financial situation, symptoms experienced, personal values and psychological factors. The SF-36 QOL questionnaire is a suitable tool that can be used in dialysis and non-dialysis patients to assess changes in QOL.

We have carried out the genotyping using fluorescence measurements. We used the Taqman ABI Prism 7000, Applied Biosystems, Applera, Germany GmbH, Darmstadt, with the ABI Prism 7000 sds software v1.1. In the first step, a sequence is amplified by its specific primer pair, which includes

the polymorphism. Two identification probes that are attached to the reaction mixture and which are marked with two different fluorescent dyes, bind to the polymorphism, either as a wild-type probe or as a mutated probe. In heterozygous individuals, both kinds of the probes are binding. The fluorescent dye of the appropriate probe is released if the probe is destroyed by DNA polymerase during the PCR and can be measured. The destruction Inhibitor Library molecular weight of the probe and thus the release see more of the fluorescence dye can only occur if the identification probe and the sequence match. Depending on which of the two fluorescent dyes is released, the existence of a homozygous wild type, the homozygous mutation or a heterozygous polymorphism can be identified. The reaction mixture per sample contained 7.5 μl MasterMixPuffer, consisting of buffer, dNTPs and AmpliTaq Gold® polymerase, TaqMan® SNP Genotyping Assay Set; Applied Biosystems, Darmstadt, Germany, 0.25 μl test kit (identification probes and primers), 5.25 μl aqua dest. and 2 μl DNA. The sequences of primers and identification probes are presented

in Table 1. The typification kit was manufactured by Applied Biosystems, Assays-by-design. The conditions for amplification of the IL-2 and TNF-α gene were one cycle at 50 °C for 2 min and one cycle at 95 °C for 10 min followed by 40 cycles at 95 °C (15 s)

and 60 °C (1 min). The descriptive representation of the IL-2 and TNF-α release was carried out by the arithmetic Pregnenolone mean and standard deviation. According to the level of cytokine release, we grouped the probands into high, medium and low expressor tertiles. The data were reviewed for a Gaussian distribution with the Shapiro–Wilk test. The comparison of the IL-2 and the TNF-α release between the 2000 μm glutamine-supplemented group and the 250 μm glutamine-supplemented group was made with an analysis of variance and the Scheffé test. The significance level was set at 0.05. The distribution of genotypes and the relation of the genotype with the IL-2 and TNF-α tertiles have been reviewed with the χ2 test. The IL-2 release in dependence of glutamine supplementation is shown in Table 2. According to the level of low, medium and high cytokine release, the release was scaled into high, medium and low expressor tertiles. Overall, the range of the IL-2 release in the probands whole blood samples was very wide. When analysing the different expressor tertiles individually, an average increase of 47% of cytokine release in the low expressor group was found, when glutamine was added.

After a single washing step in 1 × PBS and centrifugation, pelleted cells were resuspended in 200 μL PBS with polyclonal anti-CR3-RP antibody (diluted

1 : 100), and mAb OKM1 (diluted 1 : 10). Control samples were resuspended in mAb TIB111 (diluted 1 : 10 in PBS). After 1-h incubation in ice, unbound antibodies were removed by centrifugation and cells were resuspended in a precise volume of YNB medium with amino acids containing 0.9%D-glucose (cell concentration, 107 mL−1). A 100-μL aliquot of this suspension was then applied to 96-well plates R428 to undergo the adherence phase in biofilm formation for 30, 60, 90, and 120 min at 37 °C. At these time points, nonadherent cells were removed, adherent cells were washed with 1 × PBS in three washing steps and the viability of the adherent cells was evaluated by their ability to reduce 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT) sodium salt to water-soluble formazan (Sigma-Aldrich). The parallel experiments were continued; after the adherence phase (90 min), nonadherent

cells were removed and adherent cells washed three times with 1 × PBS. Adherent cells were then overlaid with 100 μL of the new YNB medium and incubation continued at 37 °C for 48 h. The viability of the mature biofilm was evaluated as described above. Every experiment was performed in five parallel Fulvestrant in vitro wells and performed twice. The results were expressed as mean±SD.

Results were calculated as average±SD. Statistical significance in the difference between the samples was compared using Student’s t-test. A P-value of <0.05 was considered Anacetrapib significant, a P-value of <0.01 highly significant and a P-value of <0.001 extremely significant. Although the formation of a biofilm in the environment is a natural process important for the survival of many microorganisms, medical microbiology regards this complex structure as a serious complication during patient treatment or convalescence. Current trends in biofilm studies are aimed at possible ways to eliminate them, mainly via the application of antifungal agents (Kuhn et al., 2002; Al-Fattani & Douglas, 2004; Seidler et al., 2006; Borecká-Melkusová & Bujdáková, 2008). However, some authors have published different thoughts on biofilm treatment, such as photodynamic effects (Müller et al., 2007; Dovigo et al., 2009) or using antibodies (Rodier et al., 2003; Fujibayashi et al., 2009; Maza et al., 2009). In this study, we were focused on two different aspects: whether decreasing the ability of C. albicans to adhere to a plastic surface can reduce the production of the mature biofilm, and whether blocking the C. albicans surface antigen (CR3-RP) participating in adherence can significantly affect adherence, the first stage of biofilm formation. For experiments, one standard strain was selected, together with a C.

29 Interestingly, attenuated CD138+ plasma cell generation and Blimp-1 protein expression were discovered in Cox-2-deficient mouse B cells. This provides further evidence

that B-cell terminal differentiation is Cox-2-dependent. Although both Blimp-1 learn more and CD138 expression are attenuated in mouse B-cell cultures, this does not demonstrate that Blimp-1 is directly responsible for the decrease in the frequency of CD138+ cells. However, in the human B-cell cultures, Blimp-1 decreases early after Cox-2 inhibition and precedes CD38+ plasma cell precursor formation, suggesting that reduced Blimp-1 levels are responsible for decreased generation of human plasma cells. Blimp-1 is considered a master regulator of the plasma cell phenotype. Mice deficient in either Blimp-1 or Xbp-1 fail to generate significant numbers of plasma cells and produce relatively little serum antibody.3,26,30 We previously demonstrated that Cox-2-deficient mice immunized with HPV-16 virus-like particles displayed reduced neutralizing antibody titres and B-cell memory responses.15 Lupu et al.16 Apitolisib provide evidence that Cox-2 selective inhibitors impaired IgG production against T-dependent antigens, namely tetanus and diphtheria toxins. Autoimmune antibody production was also attenuated following treatment with Cox-2 selective inhibitors.31 These observations and our new in vitro results suggest that

impaired in vivo antibody production is a result of decreased B-cell differentiation to antibody-secreting plasma cells. Likewise, our results show reduced human Blimp-1 and Xbp-1 expression in the

presence of Cox-2 inhibitors, which is important in the decreased generation of plasma cell precursors (CD38+ antibody-secreting cells) and overall reduced antibody levels. Our results reveal that Cox-2 is essential for the differentiation B cells to antibody-secreting cells, providing a mechanism for for the involvement of Cox-2 in attenuated antibody production. Use of Cox-2 inhibitors during vaccination or infection could, therefore, impair the generation of plasma cells, which are important regulators of immunity. Without effective generation of plasma cells, patients may be more vulnerable to infections that rely on antibody-mediated immune responses, particularly elderly patients, who often take Cox-2 selective inhibitors and NSAIDs. Ultimately, our findings indicate that taking Cox-2 selective inhibitors or other NSAIDs that inhibit Cox-2 may reduce the efficacy of vaccines, as well as blunt immune responses to invading pathogens. The authors would like to thank Dr Ignacio Sanz and Tam Quach for providing T-cell-depleted human tonsil cells. This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health Grants DE011390, AI071064, ES01247 and the Training Program in Oral Sciences T32-DE007202. The authors have no conflict of interest. “
“Citation Romero R, Kadar N, Vaisbuch E, Hassan SS.

There was a significant main effect of the factor Object, F(1, 53) = 13.551, p = .001, η² = 0.203. The previously uncued objects were fixated significantly longer (mean of 0.414, standard error of 0.015) compared with the previously cued objects (mean of 0.328, standard error of 0.013). No effects were found for Cue Condition and Location. No interaction effects were found,

indicating that head and eye gaze cues yielded similar effects. The same infants that were tested in the eye-tracking experiment were also tested in a subsequent ERP experiment. The final sample PF-562271 manufacturer consisted of 46 infants (26 females) with an average age of 4 months and 16 days (age range: 4 months and 0–29 days; 23 infants for the eye gaze condition, 23 infants for the head condition). Forty-seven infants were excluded because of technical problems (N = 4), fussiness (N = 11) or poor data quality due to movement artifacts, and/or high impedances (N = 28). In the eye gaze condition, infants were presented with the same footage

DNA Damage inhibitor of the person as in the eye-tracking experiment. However, only one object was presented next to the head; therefore, the object was either cued or uncued by the person’s eye gaze. The person looked straight ahead for 1000 ms, then shifted gaze to the side (1000 ms). The last frame was held for 1000 ms. After a brief blank screen period (400–600 ms, on average 500 ms), only the object was presented again at the center of the screen (test phase, 1000 ms; see Figure 1 for an example of a trial). Different objects (N = 80) were used than in the eye-tracking experiment, but the same stimulus descriptions apply. ERPs for the previously cued objects are based on averaging 10–29 Acesulfame Potassium trials (mean of 16 trials), for the previously uncued object on 10–28 trials (mean of 16 trials). The same procedure was used in the head condition. As in the eye-tracking experiment, the person turned her head toward one of the objects while constantly keeping her eyes gazing toward the infant. ERPs are based on 10–30 trials (mean of 16 trials)

for the previously cued objects and on 10–27 trials (mean of 16 trials) for the previously uncued objects. A total of 160 trials were presented on a computer screen using the software Presentation (Neurobehavioural Systems, Inc., Albany, CA). EEG was recorded at 32 channels with a sample rate of 250 Hz using a BrainAmp amplifier (Brain Products GmbH, Munich, Germany). Signals were rereferenced to the linked mastoids, and a bandpass filter of 0.3–30 Hz was applied offline. Electrooculogram (EOG) was recorded bipolarly. ERPs were time-locked to the test phase and were assessed based on 1700 ms long EEG segments (including a 200 ms prestimulus baseline). Automatic artifact detection methods were applied using ERPLAB Software (http://erpinfo.org).