A highly stable electrochemical sensor with antifouling and antibacterial capabilities for mercury ion detection in seawater.

The monitoring of heavy metal ions in ocean is crucial for environment protection and assessment of seawater quality. However, the detection of heavy metal ions in seawater with electrochemical sensors, especially for long-term monitoring, always faces challenges due to marine biofouling caused by the nonspecific adsorption of microbial and biomolecules. Herein, an electrochemical aptasensor, integrating both antifouling and antibacterial properties, was developed for the detection of Hg2+ in the ocean. In this electrochemical aptasensor, eco-friendly peptides with superior hydrophilicity served as anti-biofouling materials, preventing nonspecific adsorption on the sensing interface, while silver nanoparticles were employed to eliminate bacteria. Subsequently, a ferrocene-modified aptamer was employed for the specific recognition of Hg2+, leveraging the aptamer's ability to fold into a thymine-Hg2+-thymine (T-Hg2+-T) structure upon interaction, and bringing ferrocene nearer to the sensor surface, significantly amplifying the electrochemical response. The prepared electrochemical aptasensor significantly reduced the nonspecific adsorption in seawater while maintaining sensitive electrochemical response. Furthermore, the biosensor exhibited a linear response range of 0.01-100 nM with a detection limit of 2.30 pM, and realized the accurate monitoring of mercury ions in real marine environment. The research results offer new insights into the preparation of marine antifouling sensing devices, and it is expected that sensors with antifouling and antimicrobial capabilities will find broad applications in the monitoring of marine pollutants.

Determination of the FABP5 expression profile in skin lesions of an IMQ-induced psoriasis mouse model using flow cytometry.

The fatty acid-binding protein 5 (FABP5) is a key player in psoriasis development. Therefore, characterizing the expression profile of FABP5 in various cell types within both layers of psoriatic skin is important. Here, we present a protocol that describes steps for an imiquimod-induced psoriasis mouse model and preparation of epidermal and dermal single-cell suspensions. We then detail procedures to detect the FABP5 expression profile in skin keratinocytes and immune cells using intracellular flow cytometry staining. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Hao et al.1.

Cultural differences in neurocognitive mechanisms underlying believing.

Believing as a fundamental mental process influences other cognitive/affective processes and behavior. However, it is unclear whether believing engages distinct neurocognitive mechanisms in people with different cultural experiences. We addressed this issue by scanning Chinese and Danish adults using functional MRI during believing judgments on personality traits of oneself and a celebrity. Drift diffusion model analyses of behavioral performances revealed that speed/quality of information acquisition varied between believing judgments on positive and negative personality traits in Chinese but not in Danes. Chinese adopted a more conservative strategy of decision-making during celebrity- than self-believing judgments whereas an opposite pattern was observed in Danes. Non-decisional processes were longer for celebrity- than for self-believing in Danes but not in Chinese. Believing judgments activated the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in both cultural groups but elicited stronger left anterior insular and ventral frontal activations in Chinese. Greater mPFC activity in Chinese was associated with longer duration of non-decision processes during believing-judgments, which predicted slower retrieval of self-related information in a memory test. Greater mPFC activity in Danes, however, was associated with a less degree of adopting a conservative strategy during believing judgments, which predicted faster retrieval of self-related information. Our findings highlight different neurocognitive processes engaged in believing between individuals from East Asian and Western cultures.

Effect sizes and test-retest reliability of the fMRI-based neurologic pain signature.

Identifying biomarkers that predict mental states with large effect sizes and high test-retest reliability is a growing priority for fMRI research. We examined a well-established multivariate brain measure that tracks pain induced by nociceptive input, the Neurologic Pain Signature (NPS). In N = 295 participants across eight studies, NPS responses showed a very large effect size in predicting within-person single-trial pain reports (d = 1.45) and medium effect size in predicting individual differences in pain reports (d = 0.49). The NPS showed excellent short-term (within-day) test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.84, with average 69.5 trials/person). Reliability scaled with the number of trials within-person, with ≥60 trials required for excellent test-retest reliability. Reliability was tested in two additional studies across 5-day (N = 29, ICC = 0.74, 30 trials/person) and 1-month (N = 40, ICC = 0.46, 5 trials/person) test-retest intervals. The combination of strong within-person correlations and only modest between-person correlations between the NPS and pain reports indicate that the two measures have different sources of between-person variance. The NPS is not a surrogate for individual differences in pain reports but can serve as a reliable measure of pain-related physiology and mechanistic target for interventions.

Coix lacryma-jobi Seed Oil Reduces Fat Accumulation in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Inhibiting the Activation of the p-AMPK/SePP1/apoER2 Pathway.

The lipid metabolism disorder is the key role of Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Selenoprotein P plays an important role in the pathological process of lipid accumulation. Coix lacryma-jboi seed oil (CLSO) is an active component extracted from Coix lacryma-jobi seed (CLS) which has been found to be effective of reducing blood fat and antioxidative. But the effect and mechanism of CLSO on NAFLD are not clear. The aim of this study was to explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of CLSO in the treatment of NAFLD. Our result showed that CLSO decreased the liver/body weight ratio, lowered the total cholesterol (TC) and triacylglycerol (TG), and elevated the high density lipoprotein (HDL) in serum. CLSO reduced the lipid deposition in the liver of NAFLD rats. In addition, CLSO could bring down the abnormal expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Moreover, CLSO significantly declined the liver apolipoprotein E (apoE), apolipoprotein E receptor (apoER) and selenoprotein P 1 (SePP1) expression. In vivo, CLSO decreased the lipid droplets and TG level, reduced the protein expression of SePP1, apoER, phosphor-adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) in the cytoplasm of HepG2 cells induced by oleic acid and palmitic acid (OP). At the same time, lipid accumulation was observed in the Sepp1 high expression cells induced by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) activator tunicamycin (Tm). CLSO could identically reduce the protein expression of SePP1, apoER, p-AMPK in the cytoplasm of HepG2 cells induced by Tm. This result not only proved the CLSO had therapeutic effect on NAFLD, but also confirmed its mechanism associated with degrading the phosphorylation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) which led to the decrease of the expression SePP1/apoER2 in order to reduce lipid accumulation. The study suggests CLSO has great medicinal value in treating NAFLD besides its edibility.

Cognitive and neural bases of decision-making causing civilian casualties during intergroup conflict.

Civilian casualties occur during military attacks. Such 'collateral damage' is prohibited by international laws but increases with substantial consequences when intergroup conflict escalates. Here, we investigate cognitive and neural bases of decision-making processes resulting in civilian harm, using a task that simulates punishment decision-making during intergroup conflict. We test two groups of Chinese participants in a laboratory setting, and members of two ethnic groups (Jewish and Palestinian) in Israel. The results dissociate two psychological constructs, harm preference and harm avoidance, which respectively characterize punishment decision-making related to outgroup combatants and outgroup noncombatants during intergroup conflict. In particular, individuals show decreased avoidance of harming outgroup noncombatants when conflict escalates. Brain imaging (functional magnetic resonance imaging) reveals that decreased harm avoidance is predicted by inhibition of the left middle frontal activity during selection of punishment decisions. Our findings provide insight into the cognitive and neural bases of decision-making involving civilian harm during intergroup conflict.

Value of next-generation sequencing in early diagnosis of patients with tuberculous meningitis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the value of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology in early diagnosis of patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM). METHODS: 56 patients with clinically suspected TBM who came to Shandong Provincial Chest Hospital from February 2, 2018 to August 2, 2018 were prospectively included, and the clinical diagnosis and treatment outcomes were followed up. NGS was performed for the cerebrospinal fluid specimens submitted for test on the BGISEQ-100 platform of Tianjin Huada Gene Research Institute and the obtained pathogen sequences were compared with the pathogen data to get the final results. The NGS results were positive for detecting the unique matching sequence of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex and negative for no unique matching sequence. Patients confirmed with TBM should have at least one of the following four items: cerebrospinal fluid MTB culture positive, smear positive, Xpert MTB/RIF test positive, or MTB nucleic acid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test positive; clinically diagnosed patients were those with clinically suspected TBM and effective anti-tuberculosis treatment; non-TBM patients were those with other pathogenic basis or clinical exclusion of TBM. The sensitivity and specificity of NGS in early diagnosis of TBM were analyzed. RESULTS: 22 patients were confirmed with TBM, of which 13 were positive for Xpert MTB/RIF test, 6 were positive for cerebrospinal fluid MTB culture, 5 were positive for MTB nucleic acid PCR test, 12 patients were clinically diagnosed with TBM, and there were 16 cases of non-TBM patients. Among confirmed and clinically diagnosed patients, 20 cases of MTB complex were detected by NGS technology, with a sensitivity of 58.8% (20/34) and specificity of 100% (16/16). Among confirmed patients, the sensitivity of NGS was 63.6% (14/22). Of the 50 specimens that were simultaneously subjected to traditional methods, Xpert MTB/RIF test and NGS, the specificity of the three methods was 100% (16/16) based on clinical diagnosis, and the sensitivity was 29.4% (10/34), 38.2% (13/34), and 58.8% (20/34) respectively. The difference of sensitivity between the first two detection methods and NGS was statistically significant (McNemar test, p = 0.013, x2 = 5.786 and p = 0.065, x2 = 3.273). The sensitivity of traditional methods combined with NGS was as high as 82.4% (28/34). CONCLUSIONS: NGS technology could rapidly detect the MTB complex in cerebrospinal fluid with significant sensitivity and specificity, which could be used as an early diagnosis index of TBM. NGS combined with MTB culture could increase the detection rate.

Chinese herbal medicine Baoyuan Jiedu decoction inhibits the accumulation of myeloid derived suppressor cells in pre-metastatic niche of lung via TGF-ß/CCL9 pathway.

Baoyuan Jiedu (BYJD for short) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, is composed of Astragalus, Ginseng, Aconite root, Honeysuckle, Angelica, Licorice, which has the functions of nourishing qi and blood, enhancing immune function, improving quality of life and prolonging survival time of tumor patients. The present study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of BYJD decoction on reversing the pre-metastatic niche. We showed that BYJD decoction could prolong the survival time of 4T1 tumor-bearing mice. Moreover, we found that the BYJD decoction inhibited the formation of lung pre-metastatic niche and inhibited recruitment of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the lung. Mechanistically, we showed that the proteins and genes expression of TGF-ß, Smad2, Smad3, p-Smad2/3, Smad4, CCL9 in the TGF-ß/CCL9 signaling pathway were suppressed by BYJD decoction. In line with the above findings, our results confirm that BYJD decoction inhibits the accumulation of MDSC in pre-metastatic niche of lung via TGF-ß/CCL9 pathway.

A neurobiological association of revenge propensity during intergroup conflict.

Revenge during intergroup conflict is a human universal, but its neurobiological underpinnings remain unclear. We address this by integrating functional MRI and measurements of endogenous oxytocin in participants who view an ingroup and an outgroup member's suffering that is caused mutually (Revenge group) or by a computer (Control group). We show that intergroup conflict encountered by the Revenge group is associated with an increased level of oxytocin in saliva compared to that in the Control group. Furthermore, the medial prefrontal activity in response to ingroup pain in the Revenge group but not in the Control group mediates the association between endogenous oxytocin and the propensity to give painful electric shocks to outgroup members, regardless of whether they were directly involved in the conflict. Our findings highlight an important neurobiological correlate of revenge propensity, which may be implicated in conflict contagion across individuals in the context of intergroup conflict.

Neural dynamics of racial categorization predicts racial bias in face recognition and altruism.

The classification of individuals into different racial groups provides a precondition for racial bias in cognition and behaviour, but how the brain enables spontaneous racial categorization is not fully understood. Here using multimodal brain imaging measures, including electroencephalography, functional magnetic resonance imaging and magnetoencephalography, we probe the neural dynamics of racial categorization by quantifying the repetition suppression of neural responses to faces of different individuals of each racial group (that is, Asian, black or white). We show that categorization of other-race faces engages early two-stage dynamic activities in neural networks consisting of multiple interactive brain regions. Categorization of same-race faces, however, recruits a different and simple network in a later time window. Dynamic neural activities involved in racial categorization predict racial biases in face recognition and altruistic intention. These results suggest that there are distinct neural dynamics by which the brain sorts people into different racial groups as a social ground for cognition and action.

The molecular mechanism underlying GABAergic dysfunction in nucleus accumbens of depression-like behaviours in mice.

Depression is the most frequent psychiatric disorder in the world. Recent evidence has shown that stress-induced GABAergic dysfunction in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) contributed to the pathophysiology of depression. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these pathological changes remain unclear. In this study, mice were constantly treated with the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) till showing depression-like behaviours expression. GABA synthesis, release and uptake in the NAc tissue were assessed by analysing the expression level of genes and proteins of Gad-1, VGAT and GAT-3 by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. The miRNA/mRNA network regulating GABA was constructed based on the bioinformatics prediction software and further validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay in vitro and qRT-PCR in vivo, respectively. Our results showed that the expression level of GAT-3, Gad-1 and VGAT mRNA and protein significantly decreased in the NAc tissue from CUMS-induced depression-like mice than that of control mice. However, miRNA-144-3p, miRNA-879-5p, miR-15b-5p and miRNA-582-5p that directly down-regulated the expression of Gad-1, VGAT and GAT-3 were increased. In the mRNA/miRNA regulatory GABA network, Gad-1 and VGAT were directly regulated by binding seed sequence of miR-144-3p, and miR-15b-5p, miR-879-5p could be served negative post-regulators by binding to the different sites of VGAT 3'-UTR. Chronic stress causes the impaired GABA synthesis, release and uptake by up-regulating miRNAs and down-regulating mRNAs and proteins, which may reveal the molecular mechanisms for the decreased GABA concentrations in the NAc tissue of CUMS-induced depression.

Identification of key genes, pathways, and miRNA/mRNA regulatory networks of CUMS-induced depression in nucleus accumbens by integrated bioinformatics analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a recurrent, devastating mental disorder, which affects >350 million people worldwide, and exerts substantial public health and financial costs to society. Thus, there is a significant need to discover innovative therapeutics to treat depression efficiently. Stress-induced dysfunction in the subtype of neuronal cells and the change of synaptic plasticity and structural plasticity of nucleus accumbens (NAc) are implicated in depression symptomology. However, the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms and stresses to the NAc pathological changes in depression remain elusive. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, treatment group mice were treated continually with the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) until expression of depression-like behaviors were found. Depression was confirmed with sucrose preference, novelty-suppressed feeding, forced swimming, and tail suspension tests. We applied high-throughput RNA sequencing to assess microRNA expression and transcriptional profiles in the NAc tissue from depression-like behaviors mice and control mice. The regulatory network of miRNAs/mRNAs was constructed based on the high-throughput RNA sequence and bioinformatics software predictions. RESULTS: A total of 17 miRNAs and 10 mRNAs were significantly upregulated in the NAc of CUMS-induced mice with depression-like behaviors, and 12 miRNAs and 29 mRNAs were downregulated. A series of bioinformatics analyses showed that these altered miRNAs predicted target mRNA and differentially expressed mRNAs were significantly enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway, GABAergic synapse, dopaminergic synapse, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, axon guidance, regulation of autophagy, and so on. Furthermore, dual luciferase report assay and qRT-PCR results validated the miRNA/mRNA regulatory network. CONCLUSION: The deteriorations of GABAergic synapses, dopaminergic synapses, neurotransmitter synthesis, as well as autophagy-associated apoptotic pathway are associated with the molecular pathological mechanism of CUMS-induced depression.

The Effects of Radix Astragali Water Abstract on Energy Metabolism in Rat Yang-Deficiency Cold Syndrome Model through PPAR Signaling Pathway.

Radix Astragali (RA) herb with warm property and significant "tonifying qi" effects is indicated for the syndrome of internal cold due to Yang deficiency. The purpose of this research was to explore effects of Radix Astragali (RA) through PPAR signaling pathway on gene expression profiles related to energy metabolism in rats with the Yang-deficiency cold (YDC) syndrome, for identifying the pathological mechanism of Yang-deficiency cold (YDC) syndrome and the effects mechanism of RA. The results indicated that RA could significantly increase body weight (BM), cold and heat tendency (CT), overall temperature (OT), rectum temperature (RT), toe temperature (TT), energy intake (EI), and V(O2)/V(CO2) ratio (which indicates basal metabolism, BM) (P<0.05), enhancing the depressed metabolic function in YDC syndrome model rat. Our data also indicated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to energy metabolism involving lipids, carbohydrates, and amino acids metabolic process; the expression of CPT-1 and FABP4 (ap2) was improved; PPAR, Glycolysis, Wnt, cAMP, MAPK, AMPK, and fatty acid degradation signaling pathway may be related to energy metabolism. However, the Chinese herbal medicine RA plays a certain role in promoting the metabolism of substances and energy in rats by its warming and beneficial effect. Our results suggest that the mechanism underlying the function of RA may take effect through the regulation of PPAR signaling pathway and related gene expression. Lipids, carbohydrates, and amino acids metabolic process may be affected to adjust the reduced metabolic function in the model animals. In general, results indicate that RA could promote energy metabolism in rats with the YDC syndrome via PPAR signaling pathway regulating the expression of CPT-1 and FABP4 (ap2), which reflected the warm and qi tonifying properties of RA.

Neural activation in response to the two sides of emotion.

Emotions are at the core of human cognition and behavior. Traditionally, emotions have been classified dichotomously as being either positive or negative. However, recent behavioral research (An et al., 2017) suggests that emotions contain both positivity and negativity. The current work investigated neural correlates of experiencing positive and negative emotions in response to happy and sad photos. Functional MRI revealed the precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex showed stronger activation when experiencing positivity compared to negativity of sadness, but not happiness, whereas the bilateral cerebellum showed greater response to positivity than negativity regardless of emotion. Results suggest that there are similarities and differences in the neural activation of positivity and negativity of happiness and sadness, consistent with previous findings (An et al., 2017). Emotion from both the neural and psychological perspectives were investigated. Further implications are discussed.

Electroacupunture contributes to recovery of neurological deficits in experimental stroke by activating astrocytes.

BACKGROUND: Neurological deficits is one of the most prevalent clinical manifestation after stroke. The effects of astrocytes activated by electroacupunture (EA) after stroke on the neurological recovery in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats was not clear and definite. OBJECTIVE: Our previous study showed that treatment with EA for 7 days contributed to the activation of astrocytes in MCAO rats. The purposes of this study were to 1) confirm the effects of EA for 14 days on activation of astrocytes in MCAO rats, and 2) test the relationships between activation of astrocytes and neurological functional recovery induced by EA in MCAO rats. METHODS: All rats were randomly divided into five groups: naïve control group, sham control control group, MCAO, MCAO/EAn, MCAO/EAd (n = 8, for each group). Rats in MCAO/EAn group received EA treatment at acupoints of Neiguan (PC06). MCAO/EAd group received EA stimulus at acupoints of Diji (SP08). The primary indicators were locomotor recovery, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: The neurological deficit and histopathological improvements and activation of astrocytes were observed after EA treatment at acupoints PC06. Parametric correlation analyses revealed a cubic correlation relationship between activation of astrocytes and neurological recovery of MCAO rats treated with EA. CONCLUSION: EA treatment at the acupoints of Neiguan involved in the regulation of activation of astrocytes, which our data suggested has a cubic correlation relationship with the neurological recovery of MCAO rats.

Physical coldness enhances racial in-group bias in empathy: Electrophysiological evidence.

Empathy for others' pain plays a key role in prosocial behavior and is influenced by intergroup relationships. Increasing evidence suggests greater empathy for racial in-group than out-group individuals' pain and the racial in-group bias undergoes sociocultural and biological influences. The present study further investigated whether and how physical environments influence racial in-group bias in empathy by testing the hypothesis that sensory experiences of physical coldness versus warmth enhance differential empathic neural responses to racial in-group vs. out-group individuals' suffering. We recorded event-related brain potentials to painful versus neutral expressions of same-race and other-race faces when participants held a cold or warm pack. We found that brain activity in the N2 (200-340ms) and P3 (400-600ms) time windows over the frontal/central region was positively shifted by painful (vs. neutral) expressions. Moreover, the N2/P3 empathic neural responses were significantly larger for same-race than other-race faces in the cold but not in the warm condition. Moreover, subjective ratings of different temperatures in the cold vs. warm conditions predicted larger changes of racial in-group bias in empathic neural responses in the N2 time window. Our findings suggest that sensory experiences of physical coldness can strengthen emotional resonance with same-race individuals.

Effects of Radix Astragali and Its Split Components on Gene Expression Profiles Related to Water Metabolism in Rats with the Dampness Stagnancy due to Spleen Deficiency Syndrome.

Radix Astragali (RA) with slight sweet and warm property is a significant "qi tonifying" herb; it is indicated for the syndrome of dampness stagnancy due to spleen deficiency (DSSD). The purpose of this research was to explore effects of RA and its split components on gene expression profiles related to water metabolism in rats with the DSSD syndrome for identifying components representing property and flavor of RA. The results indicated that RA and its split components, especially polysaccharides component, significantly increased the body weight and the urine volume and decreased the water load index of model rats. Our data also indicated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to water metabolism involved secretion, ion transport, water homeostasis, regulation of body fluid levels, and water channel activity; the expression of AQP1, AQP3, AQP4, AQP5, AQP6, and AQP8 was improved; calcium, cAMP, MAPK, PPAR, AMPK, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway may be related to water metabolism. In general, results indicate that RA and its split components could promote water metabolism in rats with the DSSD syndrome via regulating the expression of AQPs, which reflected sweet-warm properties of RA. Effects of the polysaccharides component are better than others.

MECHANISMS OF COIX SEED COMPOSITIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF SPLEEN DEFICIENCY AND WET DAMPNESS ZHENG.

BACKGROUND: Coix seed has the functions of fortifying the spleen and inhibiting the dampness. However, it remains unclear which Coix seed compositions is responsible for these functions. Previous investigations have revealed that the main compositions of Coix seed are proteins, polysaccharides, oils and starches. The objectives of this study are to explore which is the most effective compositions in fortifying the spleen and examine how Coix seed works in regulating the water transport on the spleen deficiency and wet dampness (SDWD) rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats used were divided into (i) control group, (ii) model group, (iii) decoction group, (iv) protein group, (v) polysaccharide group, (vi) oil group and (vii) starch group. The urine volume, the drinking volume and the water loading index in each group were calculated. Agilent 8*60K array was used for microarray-based gene expression analysis. The differential mRNAs related to the transport activity were screened. qRT-PCR was used to validate the mRNA microarray. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that all treatment groups could decrease the dampness of SDWD rats. mRNA microarray had significant effect on the protein group and the polysaccharide group in regulating the water transport, among which the most significant mRNA was Fabp6, Slc51a, Slc51b, Slc11a2, Slc4a10 and AQP3 respectively. CONCLUSION: The compositions of proteins and polysaccharides had the most significant effect in regulating the water transport of SDWD rat model. The contributing mRNA focused on Fabp, Slc and AQP family.

Neural correlates of believing.

Beliefs provide a fundamental cognitive basis for human behavior. But how the brain believes remains a mystery. We investigated the neural underpinnings of believing by scanning healthy adults using functional magnetic resonance imaging when they made yes/no responses to the questions whether they believe or think that a trait adjective describes themselves or a celebrity. We found that, relative to thinking, believing was characterized with better memory of self-related adjectives. Moreover, believing (vs. thinking) was associated with stronger activations in the left anterior insula/inferior frontal cortex, stronger functional connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex and left occipital cortex during judgments of one's own personality traits, and stronger intrinsic connectivity between the left occipital cortex and the left anterior insula/inferior frontal cortex. Our findings shed new light on the neurocognitive processes that characterize believing as a mental process in healthy adults.