Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age-Related Differences in Working Memory and Creativity: Younger and Older Adults in Comparison

Working memory and creativity are relevant for health and wellbeing in older adults. While age-related decline in working memory has constantly been observed, results for creativity are ambiguous. This study aims to investigate age-related differences in working memory and creativity and potential age-related differences in their relationship. 49 younger adults and 165 older adults performed a digit sorting task (measuring working memory) and the Torrance test of creative thinking (measuring creativity). Younger adults showed higher working memory capacity and were also more creative than older adults. However, no relationship between both measures was observed neither in younger nor in older adults. Results are discussed in line with the common-cause theory as well as other potential reasons for age-related cognitive decline. High levels of cognitive functioning in old age are related to increased wellbeing, life satisfaction and other health factors. Therefore, it is important to expand our knowledge on age-related decline in cognitive functioning, such as working memory and creativity, in order to further promote high levels of mental health and life satisfaction for older adults, for example by investing interventions and training programs. Even though some cognitive functions such as crystalized abilities (e.g., verbal knowledge, semantic memory) stay relatively constant across the years (e.g., Christensen, 2001), other fluid abilities such as episodic memory start to decline around the age of 60 years according to longitudinal studies (Rönnlund, Nyberg, Bäckman, & Nilsson, 2005). High levels of cognitive functioning in old age are related to increased wellbeing, life satisfaction and other health factors. Therefore, it is important to expand our knowledge on age-related decline in cognitive functioning, such as working memory and creativity, in order to further promote high levels of mental health and life satisfaction for older adults, for example by investing interventions and training programs. The main focus of this study is on working memory and creativity. Working memory is crucial for overall health and life satisfaction, since it is a critical cognitive function for several higher-order cognitive abilities, such as everyday planning, problem solving, reason and language comprehension (Baddeley, 1992). Regarding creativity, a comparative study of 300 Americans observed that individuals, who engage in creative activities, improved their general health, reduced the number of visits to the doctor and reduced the need for medication (i.e., Cohen, 2006). However, the relationship between creativity and working memory in younger and older adults has not sufficiently been investigated so far. Since working memory includes the ability to maintain as well as to
Editorial: Using Stress-Based Animal Models to Understand the Mechanisms Underlying Psychiatric and Somatic Disorders

Chronic or repeated stress, particularly psychosocial stress, is an acknowledged risk factor for numerous affective and somatic disorders in modern societies. Thus, there is substantial evidence showing that chronic stress can increase the likelihood of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders, as well as cardiovascular diseases, irritable bowel syndrome and pain syndromes, to name but a few, in vulnerable individuals. Although a number of pharmacological agents are available to treat such stress-related disorders, many patients do not respond to them, and those who do often report a number of side effects. Consequently, a major emphasis in modern basic research is to uncover the underlying etiology of these disorders and to develop novel efficacious treatment strategies. Animal models can be utilized to unravel the biological mechanisms underlying specific disorders and test the efficacy of novel drugs. While animal models cannot mimic psychiatric and somatic disorders in their entirety, assessing the impact of certain risk factors for the disorders will facilitate the understanding of their etiology and treatment options. Consistent with this knowledge, and with clinical evidence purporting chronic stress to be a risk factor for such diseases, recent attempts have focused on the development of adequate stress paradigms. It is believed that psychosocial stress paradigms are more relevant to the human situation than non-social stress paradigms, because the vast majority of stressors reported by patients suffering from psychiatric or somatic disorders are social in nature. Therefore, there is a growing consensus that social stress paradigms are better placed to reveal the behavioral, neuroen-docrine, or immunological mechanisms underlying chronic stress-induced pathology. However, in order to maximize our understanding of the mechanisms underlying stress-related disorders, various different models are necessary, including models employing physical (i.e., footshock) or pharmacological (e.g., corticosterone) stressors. Moreover, there is accumulating evidence suggesting that stress-induced gut dysbiosis and systemic low-grade inflammation play a causal role in the development of stress-associated somatic and affective disorders. Therefore, chronic/repeated stress models that result in reduced gut microbial diversity and/or promote chronic immune activation are of special relevance and importance. In this research topic, we have collated novel research articles (four) and comprehensive review articles (five) from various leaders in the field of stress-based research. The overarching goal of the topic is to reveal how chronic/repeated stress models can help us to better understand the etiology of psychiatric and somatic disorders.
EVIDENCE OF ADAPTIVE DIVERGENCE IN PLASTICITY: DENSITY‐ AND SITE‐DEPENDENT SELECTION ON SHADE‐AVOIDANCE RESPONSES IN IMPATIENS CAPENSIS

We investigated the conditions under which plastic responses to density are adaptive in natural populations of Impatiens capensis and determined whether plasticity has evolved differently in different selective environments. Previous studies showed that a population that evolved in a sunny site exhibited greater plasticity in response to density than did a population that evolved in a woodland site. Using replicate inbred lines in a reciprocal transplant that included a density manipulation, we asked whether such population differentiation was consistent with the hypothesis of adaptive divergence. We hypothesized that plasticity would be more strongly favored in the sunny site than in the woodland site; consequently, we predicted that selection would be more strongly density dependent in the sunny site, favoring the phenotype that was expressed at each density. Selection on internode length and flowering date was consistent with the hypothesis of adaptive divergence in plasticity. Few costs or benefits of plasticity were detected independently from the expressed phenotype, so plasticity was selected primarily through selection on the phenotype. Correlations between phenotypes and their plasticity varied with the environment and would cause indirect selection on plasticity to be environment dependent. We showed that an appropriate plastic response even to a rare environment can greatly increase genotypic fitness when that environment is favorable. Selection on the measured characters contributed to local adaptation and fully accounted for fitness differences between populations in all treatments except the woodland site at natural density.
Comparing Information Extraction Pattern Models

Several recently reported techniques for the automatic acquisition of Information Extraction (IE) systems have used dependency trees as the basis of their extraction pattern representation. These approaches have used a variety of pattern models (schemes for representing IE patterns based on particular parts of the dependency analysis). An appropriate model should be expressive enough to represent the information which is to be extracted from text without being overly complicated. Four previously reported pattern models are evaluated using existing IE evaluation corpora and three dependency parsers. It was found that one model, linked chains, could represent around 95% of the information of interest without generating an unwieldy number of possible patterns.
18F-2-Deoxy-2-Fluoro-D-Glucose Positron Emission Tomography: Computed Tomography for Preoperative Staging in Gastric Cancer Patients

Purpose The use of 18F-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography as a routine preoperative modality is increasing for gastric cancer despite controversy with its usefulness in preoperative staging. In this study we aimed to determine the usefulness of preoperative positron emission tomography-computed tomography scans for staging of gastric cancer. Materials and Methods We retrospectively analyzed 396 patients' positron emission tomography-computed tomography scans acquired for preoperative staging from January to December 2009. Results The sensitivity of positron emission tomography-computed tomography for detecting early gastric cancer was 20.7% and it was 74.2% for advanced gastric cancer. The size of the primary tumor was correlated with sensitivity, and there was a positive correlation between T stage and sensitivity. For regional lymph node metastasis, the sensitivity and specificity of the positron emission tomography-computed tomography were 30.7% and 94.7%, respectively. There was no correlation between T stage and maximum standardized uptake value or between tumor markers and maximum standardized uptake value. Fluorodeoxyglucose uptake was detected by positron emission tomography-computed tomography in 24 lesions other than the primary tumors. Among them, nine cases were found to be malignant, including double primary cancers and metastatic cancers. Only two cases were detected purely by positron emission tomography-computed tomography. Conclusions Positron emission tomography-computed tomography could be useful in detecting metastasis or another primary cancer for preoperative staging in gastric cancer patients, but not for T or N staging. More prospective studies are needed to determine whether positron emission tomography-computed tomography scans should be considered a routine preoperative imaging modality.
Differences between Immigrant and National Students in Motivational Variables and Classroom-Motivational-Climate Perception

The objective of this study is to see whether Immigrant (IM) and Spanish (National) students (SP) need different kinds of help from teachers due to differences in motivation, family expectancies and interests and classroom-motivational-climate perception. A sample of Secondary Students −242 Spanish and 243 Immigrants- completed questionnaires assessing goal orientations and expectancies, family attitudes towards academic work, perception of classroom motivational climate and of its effects, satisfaction, disruptive behavior and achievement. ANOVAs showed differences in many of the motivational variables assessed as well as in family attitudes. In most cases, Immigrant students scored lower than Spanish students in the relevant variables. Regression analyses showed that personal and family differences were related to student's satisfaction, achievement and disruptive behavior. Finally, multi-group analysis of classroom-motivational-climate (CMC) showed similarities and differences in the motivational value attributed by IM and SP to each specific teaching pattern that configure the CMC. IM lower self-esteem could explain these results, whose implications for teaching and research are discussed. El objetivo de este estudio es examinar si los estudiantes inmigrantes (IM) y los (nacionales) españoles (SP) necesitan diferentes tipos de ayudas de sus profesores debido a las diferencias que pueda haber entre ellos en motivación, expectativas familiares, intereses y percepción del clima motivacional de clase. Una muestra de alumnos de Secundaria −242 españoles y 243 inmigrantes- completaron cuestionarios que evaluaban su orientación a metas, sus expectativas, las actitudes familiares hacia el trabajo escolar, la percepción del clima motivacional de clase y sus efectos, su nivel de satisfacción escolar, la conducta disruptiva y los logros académicos. Varios ANOVAs pusieron de manifiesto las diferencias en muchas de las variables motivacionales evaluadas así como en las actitudes familiares. En la mayoría de los casos los inmigrantes puntuaron más bajo que los españoles en las variables relevantes. Asimismo, los análisis de regresión mostraron que las diferencias personales y familiares se relacionaban con la satisfacción de los alumnos, su rendimiento y sus conductas disruptivas. Finalmente, el análisis multigrupo del Clima Motivacional de Clase (CMC) puso de manifiesto las semejanzas y diferencias entre el valor motivacional atribuido por los IM y los SP a cada una de las pautas docentes que configuran el CMC. La menor autoestima de los IM podría explicar estos resultados cuyas implicaciones para la enseñanza se comentan.
Understanding researchers’ intention and habit regarding publishing in open access journals

Purpose—Scholarly publishing is the vessel for the dissemination of research articles. Contemporary scholarly publishing is achieved by two main models, open access (OA) and non-open access (non-OA). OA refers to articles that are available at no cost to the end-user; however, authors may incur a fee for accepted manuscripts. Non-OA articles are available at a cost, either via subscriptions or via individual downloads. Governments and funders are increasingly requiring research to be made openly available. This is causing friction in the research community, as the premise of OA is supported but not necessarily the practice. There are several reasons for this, and this dissertation provides four articles with the aim of improving the theoretical and empirical understanding of researchers’ intention and scholarly publishing behavior within an extended theory of planned behavior: a reasoned action approach. The general approach included testing the importance of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs and identifying and developing belief dimensions and constructs pertaining to individual differences. The approach also included a discussion and test of how habit strength (using alternative models) relates to OA and non-OA publishing intentions and behavior. Articles 1 and 2 provided the starting point by investigating how individual differences in innovativeness and personality affect the precursors (e.g., attitudes, perceived quality, and trust) of publishing intentions in a small sample of researchers. Articles 3 and 4 furthered the knowledge obtained in the previous articles and examined factors such as perceived quality and habit strength. The fourth article also assessed the effects of habit strength on both OA and non-OA publishing behavior. Design/methodology/approach—All four articles employed web-based surveys as the main method for data collection. The first two articles relied on data from the Arctic University of Norway (UiT) (n = 322) and the final two articles on data from the major universities in Norway (n = 1588). The samples consisted of researchers who had published or were going to publish scholarly articles. Structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques were used in the analyses, and they were conducted in IBM SPSS and AMOS. Summary of the findings—In the first article, the purpose was to understand how attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control influence the intention to publish
Effects of weight-bearing exercise on a mini-trampoline on foot mobility, plantar pressure and sensation of diabetic neuropathic feet; a preliminary study

ABSTRACT Objective: Foot and ankle exercise has been advocated as a preventative approach in reducing the risk of foot ulceration. However, knowledge about the appropriate types and intensity of exercise program for diabetic foot ulcer prevention is still limited. The current study aimed to examine the effects of an eight-week mini-trampoline exercise on improving foot mobility, plantar pressure and sensation of diabetic neuropathic feet. Methods: Twenty-one people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy who had impaired sensation perception were divided into two groups. The exercise group received a foot-care education program plus an eight-week home exercise program using the mini-trampoline (n = 11); whereas a control group received a foot-care education only (n = 10). Measurements were undertaken at the beginning, at the completion of the eight-week program and at a 20-week follow-up. Results: Both groups were similar prior to the study. Subjects in the exercise group significantly increased the range of the first metatarsophalangeal joint in flexion (left: p = 0.040, right: p = 0.012) and extension (left: p = 0.013) of both feet more than controlled subjects. There was a trend for peak plantar pressure at the medial forefoot to decrease in the exercise group (p = 0.016), but not in the control group. At week 20, the number of subjects in the exercise group who improved their vibration perception in their feet notably increased when compared to the control group (left: p = 0.043; right: p = 0.004). Conclusions: This is a preliminary study to document the improvements in foot mobility, plantar pressure and sensation following weight-bearing exercise on a flexible surface in people with diabetic neuropathic feet. Mini-trampoline exercise may be used as an adjunct to other interventions to reduce risk of foot ulceration. A larger sample size is needed to verify these findings. This trial is registered with COA No. 097.2/55.
Hidden Action or Hidden Information? How Information Gathering Shapes Contract Design

A risk averse agent gathers information on productivity shocks and produces accordingly on behalf of his principal. Information gathering is imperfect so that the agent has either complete or no knowledge at all of those shocks. The model allows for moral hazard in information gathering, private information on productivity shocks and moral hazard on operating effort. Two polar scenarios of the agency literature with either pure hidden action (the agent exerts operating effort not knowing yet the realization of the shock) or pure hidden information (the agent knows that shock when exerting operating effort) arise endogenously with positive probability. An optimal menu of linear contracts mixes high-powered, productivity-dependent screening options following “good news” with a fixed low-powered option that solves a pure moral hazard problem otherwise.
Dopaminergic Modulation of Voltage-Gated Na+ Current in Rat Hippocampal Neurons Requires Anchoring of cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase

Activation of D1-like dopamine (DA) receptors reduces peak Na(+) current in acutely isolated hippocampal neurons via a modulatory mechanism involving phosphorylation of the Na(+) channel alpha subunit by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Peak Na(+) current is reduced 20-50% in the presence of the D1 agonist SKF 81297 or the PKA activator Sp-5,6-dichloro-l-beta-d-ribofuranosyl benzimidazole-3',5'-cyclic monophosphorothionate (cBIMPS). Co-immunoprecipitation experiments show that Na(+) channels are associated with PKA and A-kinase-anchoring protein 15 (AKAP-15), and immunocytochemical labeling reveals their co-localization in the cell bodies and proximal dendrites of hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Anchoring of PKA near the channel by an AKAP, which binds the RII alpha regulatory subunit, is necessary for Na(+) channel modulation in acutely dissociated hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Intracellular dialysis with the anchoring inhibitor peptides Ht31 from a human thyroid AKAP and AP2 from AKAP-15 eliminated the modulation of the Na(+) channel by the D1-agonist SKF 81297 and the PKA activator cBIMPS. In contrast, dialysis with the inactive proline-substituted control peptides Ht31-P and AP2-P had little effect on the D1 and PKA modulation. Therefore, we conclude that modulation of the Na(+) channel by activation of D1-like DA receptors requires targeted localization of PKA near the channel to achieve phosphorylation of the alpha subunit and to modify the functional properties of the channel.
A study of conceptual model uncertainty in large‐scale CO2 storage simulation

In this study, multiscale permeability upscaling is combined with a sensitivity study of model boundary condition to identify an optimal heterogeneity resolution in developing a reservoir model to represent a deep saline aquifer in CO2 storage simulation. A three‐dimensional, fully heterogeneous reservoir model is built for a deep saline aquifer in western Wyoming, where each grid cell is identified by multiple material tags. On the basis of these tags, permeability upscaling is conducted to create three increasingly simpler site models, a facies model, a layered model, and a formation model. Accuracy of upscaling is evaluated first, before CO2 simulation is conducted in all models. Since at the injection site, uncertainty exists in the nature of the reservoir compartment, end‐member boundary conditions are evaluated, whereby brine production is introduced to control formation fluid pressure. The effect of conceptual model uncertainty on model prediction is then assessed for each boundary condition. Results suggest that for the spatial and temporal scales considered, without brine production, optimal complexity of the upscaled model depends on the prediction metric of interest; the facies model is the most accurate for capturing plume shape, fluid pressure, and CO2 mass profiles, while the formation model is adequate for pressure prediction. The layered model is not accurate for predicting most of the performance metrics. Moreover, boundary condition impacts fluid pressure and the amount of CO2 that can be injected. For the boundary conditions tested, brine production can modulate fluid pressure, affect the direction of mobile gas flow, and influence the accuracy of the upscaled models. In particular, the importance of detailed geologic resolution is weakened when viscous force is strengthened in relation to gravity force. When brine production is active, variability of the predictions by the upscaled models becomes smaller and the predictions are more accurate, suggesting a subtle but important interplay between heterogeneity resolution, fluid driving forces, and model predictions.
Personality and Longevity: Knowns, Unknowns, and Implications for Public Health and Personalized Medicine

We review evidence for links between personality traits and longevity. We provide an overview of personality for health scientists, using the primary organizing framework used in the study of personality and longevity. We then review data on various aspects of personality linked to longevity. In general, there is good evidence that higher level of conscientiousness and lower levels of hostility and Type D or “distressed” personality are associated with greater longevity. Limited evidence suggests that extraversion, openness, perceived control, and low levels of emotional suppression may be associated with longer lifespan. Findings regarding neuroticism are mixed, supporting the notion that many component(s) of neuroticism detract from life expectancy, but some components at some levels may be healthy or protective. Overall, evidence suggests various personality traits are significant predictors of longevity and points to several promising directions for further study. We conclude by discussing the implications of these links for epidemiologic research and personalized medicine and lay out a translational research agenda for integrating the psychology of individual differences into public health and medicine.