Intimate relationships regulate female brain activity in a competitive context: evidence from EEG and functional connectivity analysis.

Competition is common in life, and intimate relationships are essential. Understanding how intimate relationships impact an individual's competitive process is crucial. This study explored the impact of competitor gender on female competition using electroencephalography analysis. The results revealed that females exhibited a smaller median of the absolute value of reaction time difference (DRT) between their partners and their competitors when their partners were absent compared to when their partners were present. Additionally, females showed greater average amplitudes of N2 posterior contralateral component (N2pc) and Late Positive Potential (LPP), increased activation of the alpha frequency band, and enhanced theta frequency band functional connectivity between the central parietal lobe and occipital lobe. Furthermore, when competing with individuals of the same gender as opposed to individuals of the opposite gender, females exhibited greater average amplitudes of percentage of wins and N2pc. A significant negative correlation was noted between the DRT and the average wave amplitudes of N2pc and LPP. These findings suggest that females are more engaged in competitive tasks when partners are not present and have improved decision-making when competing with same-gender individuals. This study provides evidence for the influence of lovers on female competition, helping females adapt to social competition and promoting healthy relationships.

Romantic relationships attenuated competition between lovers: evidence from brain synchronization.

Competition is an essential component of social interaction and is influenced by interpersonal relationships. This study is based on social exchange theory and explores the relationship between brain synchronization and competition in the binary system of romantic relationships through electroencephalogram hyperscanning technology. The results found that females had a greater win rate in the romantic and friend groups. During the early stage (0-200 ms), when the competitive target appeared, the stranger group exhibited greater interbrain synchronicity in the Alpha frequency band. However, during the later stage (600-800 ms), the romantic group showed higher Alpha band interbrain synchrony when the competitive target appeared. Significant interbrain synchronizations were observed in the Theta frequency band of the stranger and friend groups at 400-600 ms and 800-1000 ms. Moreover, these interbrain synchronizations were significantly positively correlated with the winning rates of females in the competition. These findings suggest a close relationship between interpersonal coordination and interbrain synchronization. Furthermore, romantic relationships reduce participants' willingness to compete, affecting their attention regulation, emotional processing, and goal orientation, thus influencing competition. This study investigated the impact of romantic relationships on competition, providing a theoretical foundation for promoting the positive and healthy development of romantic relationships.

The shorter a man is, the more he defends fairness: relative height disadvantage promoting third-party punishment-evidence from inter-brain synchronization.

Third-party punishment occurs in interpersonal interactions to sustain social norms, and is strongly influenced by the characteristics of the interacting individuals. During social interactions, height is the striking physical appearance features first observed, height disadvantage may critically influence men's behavior and mental health. Herein, we explored the influence of height disadvantage on third-party punishment through time-frequency analysis and electroencephalography hyperscanning. Two participants were randomly designated as the recipient and third party after height comparison and instructed to complete third-party punishment task. Compared with when the third party's height is higher than the recipient's height, when the third party's height is lower, the punishment rate and transfer amount were significantly higher. Only for highly unfair offers, the theta power was significantly greater when the third party's height was lower. The inter-brain synchronization between the recipient and the third party was significantly stronger when the third party's height was lower. Compared with the fair and medium unfair offers, the inter-brain synchronization was strongest for highly unfair offers. Our findings indicate that the height disadvantage-induced anger and reputation concern promote third-party punishment and inter-brain synchronization. This study enriches research perspective and expands the application of the theory of Napoleon complex.

Favoritism or bias? Cooperation and competition under different intergroup relationships: evidence from EEG hyperscanning.

Cooperation and competition are the most common forms of social interaction in various social relationships. Intergroup relationships have been posited to influence individuals' interpersonal interactions significantly. Using electroencephalography hyperscanning, this study aimed to establish whether intergroup relationships influence interpersonal cooperation and competition and the underlying neural mechanisms. According to the results, the in-group Coop-index is better than the out-group, whereas the out-group Comp-index is stronger than the in-group. The in-group functional connectivity between the frontal-central region and the right temporoparietal junction in the ß band was stronger in competition than cooperation. The out-group functional connectivity between the frontal-central region and the left temporoparietal junction in the α band was stronger in cooperation than competition. In both cooperation and competition, the in-group exhibited higher interbrain synchronization between the prefrontal cortex and parietal region in the θ band, as well as between the frontal-central region and frontal-central region in the α band, compared to the out-group. The intrabrain phase-locking value in both the α and ß bands can effectively predict performance in competition tasks. Interbrain phase-locking value in both the α and θ bands can be effectively predicted in a performance cooperation task. This study offers neuroscientific evidence for in-group favoritism and out-group bias at an interpersonal level.

[Application value of color Doppler ultrasonography in the diagnosis of ruptured tunica albuginea of the corpus cavernosum penis].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy and value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of ruptured tunica albuginea (RTA) of the corpus cavernosum penis. Factors affecting prognosis were analyzed. METHODS: This retrospective study included 57 cases of RTA of the corpus cavernosum penis ultrasonographically diagnosed and surgically treated in Peking University First Hospital from 2013 to 2021. We analyzed the location, size and number of ruptures and the presence or absence of urethral injury, and compared the intraoperative with the ultrasonographic findings. RESULTS: Of the 57 cases of RTA of the corpus cavernosum penis diagnosed by ultrasonography, 54 (94.7%) were confirmed by surgery. Preoperative ultrasonography indicated 2 cases of bilateral RTA and 6 cases of urethral injury, while surgery revealed 7 cases of bilateral RTA and 13 cases of combined urethral injury. Those with urethral injury developed no urethral stricture or urinary fistula after one-stage urethral repair. And no severe or moderate ED was found in any of the patients during the 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography has a high accuracy in the diagnosis of ruptured tunica albuginea of the corpus cavernosum penis, and contributes to the determination of the site of surgical incision.

Height matters: An EEG study of the relative height disadvantage promoting third-party punishment.

The study employed event-related potential (ERP), time-frequency analysis, and functional connectivity to comprehensively explore the influence of male's relative height on third-party punishment (TPP) and its underlying neural mechanism. The results found that punishment rate and more transfer amount are significantly greater when the height of the third-party is lower than that of the recipient, suggesting that male's height disadvantage promotes TPP. Neural results found that the height disadvantage induced a smaller N1. The height disadvantage also evoked greater P300 amplitude, more theta power, and more alpha power. Furthermore, a significantly stronger wPLI between the rTPJ and the posterior parietal and a significantly stronger wPLI between the DLPFC and the posterior parietal were observed when third-party was at the height disadvantage. These results imply that the height disadvantage causes negative emotions and affects the fairness consideration in the early processing stage; The third-party evaluates the blame of violators and makes an appropriate punishment decision later. Our findings indicate that anger and reputation concern caused by height disadvantage promote TPP. The current study holds significance as it underscores the psychological importance of height in males, broadens the perspective on factors influencing TPP, validates the promoting effect of personal disadvantages on prosocial behavior, enriches our understanding of indirect reciprocity theory, and extends the application of the evolution theory of Napoleon complex.

The absence of one's intimate partner promotes dyadic competition through enhanced interbrain synchronization between opponents.

Competition is a common occurrence in life, but the influence of intimate relationships on people's competitiveness remains unknown. Grounded in Darwin's theory of sexual selection, this study utilized EEG hyperscanning technology to investigate the influence of the presence of romantic partners and the gender of competitors on the interbrain synchronization of female individuals during competitive contexts. The research results showed that in competitive interactions, there was a significant increase in Theta and Alpha frequency band activity between females and their competitors. Interbrain synchronization was strongest when their partners were not nearby and females competed with same gender competitors. The research results indicate that intimate companionship has an impact on the early alertness and late cognitive execution mechanisms of female individuals in competition, and due to intimate relationships, females pay more attention to same-gender competitors. This study demonstrates that the presence of intimate partners can affect a female's competitive state and brain synchronization with opponents of different genders, improving the theoretical explanation of intimate relationships and competitive interactions.

Perphenazine modified pillar[5]arene based nano-assemblies for synergistic photothermal and photodynamic cancer therapy.

Nano-assemblies based on perphenazine modified pillar[5]arene were constructed successfully for synergistic photothermal and photodynamic (I&II) cancer therapy.

H2O2-triggered CO release based on porphyrinic covalent organic polymers for photodynamic/gas synergistic therapy.

A novel H2O2-responsive carbon monoxide nanogenerator was designed by effectively encapsulating a manganese carbonyl prodrug into porphyrinic covalent organic polymers for realizing the combined CO gas and photodynamic therapy under near infrared light irradiation.

Fluorescence-enhanced supra-amphiphiles based on pillar[5]arene: construction, controllable self-assembly and application in cell imaging.

Fluorescence-enhanced supra-amphiphiles based on (WP5)2⊃ENDTn were constructed successfully. When n = 9, they can self-assemble into uniform micelles with an average diameter of about 90 nm and be further applied in cell imaging.

Intimate Relationships Weaken Female Competition: Evidence from Phase-amplitude Coupling and Event-Related Potentials.

Competition, an essential component of social interaction, frequently occurs in daily life, and the impact of intimate relationships on women's competition has not yet been revealed. In this study, the visual target paradigm was used to explore the neural mechanisms underlying the regulation of female competitiveness by intimate relationships using event-related potential (ERP) data, time-frequency analysis, and brain functional connectivity. The research results indicate that, the P1, the N4, and the LPP were sensitive to the impact of intimate relationships on competition. Compared to competition between unfamiliar opposite-gender dyads, the average amplitudes of the N4 and LPP were higher in the late stage of competition between romantic partners. Compared to competition with strangers of the opposite gender, alpha band power was significantly higher when female individuals competed with their romantic partners. In addition, there was a positive correlation between the synchronization of activity in the frontal, parietal, and right temporal lobes of a female's brain and their degree of female engagement in competition. When a female individuals focused on the competition, activity synchronization was higher. The results indicate that competition with unfamiliar individuals of the opposite gender can make female focus on the competitive task, causing synchronous activation of corresponding brain regions. When competing with a romantic partner, women's focus decreases, their willingness to compete decreases, and the synchrony of brain functional connectivity decreases. This study suggests that intimate relationship weakens women's competitiveness, which is of significant importance for understanding high-quality intimate relationship and promoting the development of healthy competition.