Revealed masks: Facial mimicry after oxytocin administration in forensic psychopathic patients.

Facial mimicry serves as an evolutionarily rooted important interpersonal communication process that touches on the concepts of socialization and empathy. Facial electromyography (EMG) of the corrugator muscle and the zygomaticus muscle was recorded while male forensic psychopathic patients and controls watched morphed angry or happy facial expressions. We tested the hypothesis that psychopathic patients would show weaker short latency facial mimicry (that is, within 600 ms after stimulus onset) than controls.

Standardization of facial electromyographic responses.

In behavioral studies, facial electromyographic (EMG) responses to external stimuli or internal events are usually quantified relative to the resting state, presumed to represent a neutral baseline condition. In the large majority of recent studies, EMG responses were expressed as a difference score in terms of microvolts with the resting state. We argue that since EMG activity is measured on a ratio scale rather than on an interval scale, percentage scores should be used instead of difference scores.

A molecular toolbox to study progesterone receptor signaling.

Progesterone receptor (PR) signaling is required for mammary gland development and homeostasis. A major bottleneck in studying PR signaling is the lack of sensitive assays to measure and visualize PR pathway activity both quantitatively and spatially. Here, we develop new tools to study PR signaling in human breast epithelial cells.

Imagine beyond: recent breakthroughs and next challenges in mammary gland biology and breast cancer research.

On 8 December 2022 the organizing committee of the European Network for Breast Development and Cancer labs (ENBDC) held its fifth annual Think Tank meeting in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Here, we embraced the opportunity to look back to identify the most prominent breakthroughs of the past ten years and to reflect on the main challenges that lie ahead for our field in the years to come. The outcomes of these discussions are presented in this position paper, in the hope that it will serve as a summary of the current state of affairs in mammary gland biology and breast cancer research for early career researchers and other newcomers in the field, and as inspiration for scientists and clinicians to move the field forward.