Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Affective Priming by Simple Geometric Shapes: Evidence from Event-related Brain Potentials

Previous work has demonstrated that simple geometric shapes may convey emotional meaning using various experimental paradigms. However, whether affective meaning of simple geometric shapes can be automatically activated and influence the evaluations of subsequent stimulus is still unclear. Thus the present study employed an affective priming paradigm to investigate whether and how two geometric shapes (circle vs. downward triangle) impact on the affective processing of subsequently presented faces (Experiment 1) and words (Experiment 2). At behavioral level, no significant effect of affective congruency was found. However, ERP results in Experiment 1 and 2 showed a typical effect of affective congruency. The LPP elicited by affectively incongruent trials was larger compared to congruent trials. Our results provide support for the notion that downward triangle is perceived as negative and circle as positive and their emotional meaning can be activated automatically and then exert an influence on the electrophysiological processing of subsequent stimuli. The lack of significant congruent effect in behavioral measures and the inversed N400 congruent effect might reveal that the affective meaning of geometric shapes is weak because they are just abstract threatening cues rather than real threat. In addition, because no male participants are included in the present study, our findings are limited to females.
A pragmatic view of the new cholesterol treatment guidelines.

On November 12, 2013, updated guidelines for the treatment of high blood cholesterol levels were released by the American College of Cardiology– American Heart Association (ACC-AHA) Task Force on Practice Guidelines.1 This update represents the first major guideline revision since the National Cholesterol Education Program released its Adult Treatment Panel III report in 2002.2 The previous guidelines were widely accepted and applied with relative consistency. In contrast, the new guidelines have already been the subject of controversy, with some observers arguing that some elements of the recommendations are not evidence-based.3 Nevertheless, these recommendations may have a major effect on the clinical practice of lipid management. We therefore provide here a brief practical summary of the current cholesterol guidelines, indicating the area of dispute.
Accommodating a new identity: Possible selves, identity change and well‐being across two life‐transitions

We examined the role of desired, feared, and expected possible future identity structures in the restructuring of identity after two life transitions. A longitudinal study was conducted on 86 young adults during the transition from school to university and 143 adults during the transition to parenthood. In both samples, pre-transition desires and expectations about the restructuring of identity predicted post-transition actual identity structures. Post-transition emotional well-being was higher among those whose post-transition identity structures more closely matched their initial desires and less closely matched their initial fears, and among those who reported a greater magnitude of identity change. We propose that possible future identity structures play an important role in the identity accommodation process during life-transitions, and that they have significant implications for well-being.
Salivary gland tumors: a clinicopathologic study of 366 cases in southern Iran.

BACKGROUND Salivary gland tumors (SGT) are one of the most complex human neoplasms, demonstrating variations in their clinicopathological profile related to racial and geographic differences. Few studies with large samples have been reported in Iran. We here investigated a large group of patients in southern Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this retrospective study, all cases of primary epithelial salivary gland tumors, which had been recorded in a 5 years period from 2005-2009, were enrolled. Clinical data such as histopathologic type and site of the lesion as well as patients' age and gender were analyzed. RESULTS Data of 366 cases of SGTs were recorded. Pleomorphic adenoma (80.2%) and adenoid cystic carcinoma (46.6%) were the most common benign and malignant neoplasms. Male to female ratio (M/F) and the mean age of patients were 1:1.05 and 37.7 for benign tumors while they were 1.2:1 and 50.6 for malignant tumors, respectively. Parotid and minor salivary glands were involved more frequently. CONCLUSIONS Although the salivary gland tumours encountered were similar in most of their characteristics to those reported in other countries, some differences such as relative frequency and age and gender prevalence were discovered. These findings should help surgeons and pathologists for more accurate diagnosis, management and treatment.
Development of a State Self-Esteem Scale

本研究の目的は状態自尊感情尺度の開発である. 自尊感 情については,多方面から研究が行われているが,近年で は自尊感情を,日常生活の様々な出来事に対応して変動す る自尊感情である“状態自尊感情 (state self-esteem)”と状 況および時間を通じた平均レベルの自尊感情である“特性 自尊感情 (trait self-esteem)”に分けて捉える研究者も増加 している. たとえば Leary, Tambor, Terdal & Downs (1995) は,自尊感情は他者から受容されている程度および拒否さ れている程度を監視するシステムであるという sociometer theoryを検証するための実験を行い,状態自尊感情が受容 経験によって上昇し,拒否経験によって下降することを明 らかにしている. また,小塩 (2002) は自尊感情の変動性と 自己愛傾向の関連に注目し,自己愛傾向の下位側面に自尊 感情レベルを高める要因と抑制する要因があることを指摘 している. このように状態自尊感情に関する研究が増加しているに も関わらず,状態自尊感情を測定する共通のツールは今の ところ存在しない. 状態自尊感情の測定を目的として開発された尺度として は,Heatherton & Polivy (1991) の state self-esteem scaleが あげられる. この尺度は信頼性・妥当性とも確認されてい るものの,広く使用されている Rosenberg (1965) の自尊感 情尺度と異なって,多次元的な尺度であることもあり,現 在のところ広く使用されてはいない. また,専用の尺度を 用いない場合もある. Leary et al. (1995) は不安や抑うつを 測定することで状態自尊感情の指標としており,小塩 (2002) は Rosenberg (1965) の尺度をそのまま用いている. 以上のように,状態自尊感情研究に対する関心は高まっ ているものの,その測定方法は研究者ごとに異なっている というのが現状である. しかしながら,このままでは今後 状態自尊感情の研究が蓄積され,研究知見を比較・統合す るという段階に至って,研究間の比較が困難になる可能性 がある. そこで本研究では,日本語版の状態自尊感情尺度の開発 を試みる. 具体的には,Rosenberg (1965) の self-esteem scaleおよび山本・松井・山成 (1982) の日本語版をもとに, 教示文と項目を改変して状態自尊感情尺度を作成し,信頼 性と妥当性の検討を行う. なお,被調査者としては広範囲 な対象が考えられるが,本研究は尺度開発の初期段階であ るため,大学生に限定して調査を行う. 研究 1
Developing talent with an integrated knowledge-sharing mechanism: an exploratory investigation from the Chinese human resource managers' perspective

Drawing from knowledge sharing and social exchange theory, the paper explores the connection between talent development and knowledge-sharing mechanisms. Based on a preliminary investigation of reviewing the learning experience and career development of 20 Chinese HR practitioners, the findings confirm that incorporating a knowledge-sharing socialization mechanism with talent development programs has a nurturing and supporting effect on learning and development. The mechanism can be used to facilitate organization-wide knowledge sharing and support both organization-led and self-managed talent development programs.
Variables Influencing the Shape of Personal Space

Personal space has been defined as the area surrounding a person’s body into which intruders may not come (Sommer, 1969). As conceived by Sommier, personal space has no fixed geographic reference points but is seen as moving with the individual and expanding or contracting as conditons vary (Sommer, 1958). Much contradictory evidence presently exists concerning the variables which control personal space (Evans and Howard, 19T3; Duke and Nowicki, 19T2). Personal space has been studied using both naturalistic and objective techniques; however, as Evans and Howard (19T3) and Duke and Nowicki (19T2) have noted, results obtained with one method are often in conflict with results obtained with others. In addi-
Discovering Academic Literacy Skills in English of First Year ESL

The purpose of this study is to find out the academic literacy skills in English of ESL first year humanities students from their own point of view. It is motivated by the fact that many lecturers at this university (and perhaps at many other universities elsewhere) often complain about the limited academic literacy skills of their students, especially those who use English as an additional or non-native language. Using both quantitative and qualitative research methods, the views and final examination essays of thirty conveniently sampled students were analyzed. The findings show that the majority of the students rated many of their academic literacy skills ‘average’. In terms of their writing skills, the results indicate that the majority of the students have pragmatic competence which enables them to communicate their intended meaning reasonably well; but what they lack mainly is organizational competence, i.e. the ability to write ideas fluently and accurately. To help the students overcome some of their academic literacy limitations, it is suggested that teachers should first try to understand the students’ practices, and to give written work that fosters a sense of ownership, self-reflection and personal engagement.
Anxiety impairs inhibitory control but not volitional action control

The antisaccade task requires the inhibition of a reflexive saccade toward an abrupt peripheral stimulus, and the rapid generation of a saccade to its mirror position. Accumulating evidence (see Derakshan & Eysenck, 2009) indicates that anxiety results in longer antisaccade latencies, supporting the prediction that anxiety impairs inhibition and efficient top-down attention regulation. However, any observed variance in antisaccade performance permits interpretations of inhibition and saccade generation, questioning direct inferences about these processes in isolation. The current study used a “delayed” antisaccade task where participants were instructed to maintain central fixation despite the onset of the abrupt stimulus and only generate an antisaccade upon hearing a tone. Here, impaired performance reflects a weakness in volitional saccade generation as the simultaneous need to inhibit is eliminated by the delay. High-anxious individuals exhibited comparable antisaccade latencies to low-anxious ones when the delay was introduced suggesting that longer antisaccade latencies previously observed in the high anxious cannot be attributed to impairments in volitional saccade generation, i.e., action control. The findings suggest that anxiety affects inhibition but not volitional action generation.
Young citizens, values and new/s media

The adaptation of market segmentation to political communication is identified here as a neglected explanation for why young people often figure in popular political debates as both the cause and symptom of declining social values and civic participation. New media also contribute to public anxiety because they enable new forms of mediated civic engagement and disrupt the capacity of transmission media to bind nations. Declining engagement with news media is used as an index of young peoples' lack of civic-mindedness but, as research surveyed and reported here shows, this trend away from orthodox news forms is apparent across all age groups, not just youth. This article makes the case for public debate, informed by research that addresses the substantive problems of transforming democracy.
Adipocytokines and blood pressure, lipids and glucose metabolism in hypertensive perimenopausal women.

BACKGROUND The relationship between menopause and hypertension has been a topic of investigation for several years. In the pathogenesis of hypertension after menopause, metabolic disturbances play an important role. AIM To assess the relationship between adipocytokines and blood pressure, lipid and glucose metabolism in middle-aged perimenopausal women with essential hypertension. METHODS The study included 192 women aged 40 to 60 years (mean age 51.73 +/- 1.82 years), 152 with mild and moderate essential hypertension and 40 normotensive age-matched controls. The diagnosis of menopause was based on the data from medical records and confirmed by serum concentrations of the FSH. The study population was stratified according to the menopausal status into four subgroups (normotensive pre- and postmenopausal, and hypertensive pre- and postmenopausal patients). In all subjects anthropometrical measurements and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were performed. Serum levels of leptin, adiponectin and resistin were measured using immunochemical assays. Fasting blood samples were taken for glucose, insulin and serum lipids concentration. RESULTS Postmenopausal women did not differ from premenopausal in respect to mean arterial pressure (normotensive 85.2 +/- +/- 5.6 vs 84.4 +/- 4.9 mm Hg; hypertensive 99.5 +/- 5.9 vs 98.8 +/- 5.3 mm Hg). Menopause had no effects on glucose metabolism. Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were significantly higher in postmenopausal women. In multiple regression analysis, the strongest predictors of hypertension were waist circumference and serum leptin concentration. Adiponectin and resistin levels were not associated with blood pressure values. CONCLUSIONS In hypertensive postmenopausal females increased leptin level may play an important role in the pathogenesis of hypertension, independent of body mass index. Menopause per se does not affect blood pressure values. The influence of menopause on serum lipids may modulate the cardiovascular risk profile in postmenopausal females.
Validade de medidas antropométricas autorreferidas em adolescentes: sua relação com percepção e satisfação corporal

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability of the classification for nutritional status and height-for-age when using self-reported weight and height and its relationships with self-reported data of body image perception and satisfaction among adolescents. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 304 adolescents before they had measured their height and weight, they self-reported these measures, they were asked about their body shape perception and body image classification was obtained by using a body silhouette scale. It was also used specific tests to assess body satisfaction and food behavior. RESULTS: It was found full agreement between height-for-age classification using self-reported and measured height (k = 1.00) and an intermediate level of agreement between body mass index calculated with self-reported and measured data (k < 0.75). However, adolescents who perceived themselves as "skinny" underestimated their self-reported body mass index whereas those who perceived themselves as "fat" overestimated it. Those who perceived themselves as fat in the silhouette scale underestimated their body mass index. Gender was also a factor for unreliable answers, as females tended to underestimate their self-reported body mass index and males to overestimate it. CONCLUSION: The adolescents adequately self-reported weight and height information. However, body shape perception and body image classification were factors affecting answer reliability.
Altered Functional Protein Networks in the Prefrontal Cortex and Amygdala of Victims of Suicide

Probing molecular brain mechanisms related to increased suicide risk is an important issue in biological psychiatry research. Gene expression studies on post mortem brains indicate extensive changes prior to a successful suicide attempt; however, proteomic studies are scarce. Thus, we performed a DIGE proteomic analysis of post mortem tissue samples from the prefrontal cortex and amygdala of suicide victims to identify protein changes and biomarker candidates of suicide. Among our matched spots we found 46 and 16 significant differences in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, respectively; by using the industry standard t test and 1.3 fold change as cut off for significance. Because of the risk of false discoveries (FDR) in these data, we also made FDR adjustment by calculating the q-values for all the t tests performed and by using 0.06 and 0.4 as alpha thresholds we reduced the number of significant spots to 27 and 9 respectively. From these we identified 59 proteins in the cortex and 11 proteins in the amygdala. These proteins are related to biological functions and structures such as metabolism, the redox system, the cytoskeleton, synaptic function, and proteolysis. Thirteen of these proteins (CBR1, DPYSL2, EFHD2, FKBP4, GFAP, GLUL, HSPA8, NEFL, NEFM, PGAM1, PRDX6, SELENBP1 and VIM,) have already been suggested to be biomarkers of psychiatric disorders at protein or genome level. We also pointed out 9 proteins that changed in both the amygdala and the cortex, and from these, GFAP, INA, NEFL, NEFM and TUBA1 are interacting cytoskeletal proteins that have a functional connection to glutamate, GABA, and serotonin receptors. Moreover, ACTB, CTSD and GFAP displayed opposite changes in the two examined brain structures that might be a suitable characteristic for brain imaging studies. The opposite changes of ACTB, CTSD and GFAP in the two brain structures were validated by western blot analysis.
Long‐chain omega‐3 fatty acids regulate bovine whole‐body protein metabolism by promoting muscle insulin signalling to the Akt–mTOR–S6K1 pathway and insulin sensitivity

The ability of the skeletal musculature to use amino acids to build or renew constitutive proteins is gradually lost with age and this is partly due to a decline in skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity. Since long‐chain omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn–3PUFA) from fish oil are known to improve insulin‐mediated glucose metabolism in insulin‐resistant states, their potential role in regulating insulin‐mediated protein metabolism was investigated in this study. Experimental data are based on a switchback design composed of three 5 week experimental periods using six growing steers to compare the effect of a continuous abomasal infusion of LCn–3PUFA‐rich menhaden oil with an iso‐energetic control oil mixture. Clamp and insulin signalling observations were combined with additional data from a second cohort of six steers. We found that enteral LCn–3PUFA potentiate insulin action by increasing the insulin‐stimulated whole‐body disposal of amino acids from 152 to 308 μmol kg−1 h−1 (P= 0.006). The study further showed that in the fed steady‐state, chronic adaptation to LCn–3PUFA induces greater activation (P < 0.05) of the Akt–mTOR–S6K1 signalling pathway. Simultaneously, whole‐body total flux of phenylalanine was reduced from 87 to 67 μmol kg−1 h−1 (P= 0.04) and oxidative metabolism was decreased (P= 0.05). We conclude that chronic feeding of menhaden oil provides a novel nutritional mean to enhance insulin‐sensitive aspects of protein metabolism.
Changes in protein levels of elongation factors, eEF1A-1 and eEF1A-2/S1, in long-term denervated rat muscle.

PURPOSE This study was designed to determine whether the quantitative relationship between the levels of the eEF1A-1(developmental) and eEF1A-2/S1 (adult) isoforms of peptide elongation factor remains stable after denervation of skeletal muscle or whether in response to denervation the relative amount of the developmental form would increase. In normal postnatal rat muscle, eEF1A-2/S1 is the dominant form represented, and levels of eEF1A-1 are extremely low. METHODS One hind limb in young adult rats was permanently denervated. Denervated and corresponding contralateral control muscles were removed for biochemical and morphological analysis from 2 days to 25 months after denervation. RESULTS By one month after denervation, relative levels of eEF1A-1 rose dramatically in relation to those of eEF1A-2/S1, and they remained high throughout the remainder of the 25-month denervation period. Ultrastructural analysis showed a complex mix of muscle fiber atrophy, dying muscle nuclei and muscle fibers, and newly forming muscle fibers in the same tissue. CONCLUSIONS As during muscle regeneration, levels of the developmental eEF1A-1 isoform of peptide elongation factor greatly increased relative to those of the adult eEF1A-2/S1 adult isoform following denervation in rat muscles. However, in contrast to regeneration, the elevated level of eEF1A-1 did not return to the basal minimal level. Since switching from eEF1A-1 to eEF1A-2/S1 is an indicator that terminal differentiated is completed, the failure of eEF1A-1 to return to basal level may be indicative of the persistence of an unstable tissue environment that includes muscle fiber atrophy, degeneration and neomyogenesis. The specific cellular basis for the increase in eEF1A-1 could not be determined from this study.
Verbal Self-Guidance as a Treatment Approach for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Systematic Replication Study

Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) experience many occupational performance difficulties in all areas of daily living. For the most part, research has failed to identify an effective treatment approach for these children. Verbal self-guidance (VSG), a new approach, first explored by Wilcox and Polatajko (1993), appears to have good potential in helping children with DCD become competent in the occupations of their choice. The purpose of this study was to carry out a systematic replication of the first VSG study to determine if a different therapist could achieve similar results. Repeating the VSG procedure with four different children, using a single case study design, a different therapist was able to replicate the earlier findings. This provides further evidence of the potential of VSG as an effective approach for enabling children with DCD to surmount their motor challenges.
Cardiovascular Actions of Vasopressin at the Ventrolateral Medulla

Vasopressin acts at a number of sites in the central nervous system to alter arterial pressure. This study investigated the hypothesis that vasopressin acts at the rostral ventrolateral medulla to increase arterial pressure. The rostral pressor area of the medulla oblongata was exposed in urethane-anesthetized rats prepared for topical application of vasopressin. A 3-minute application of vasopressin (range 10″ to 10″3 M) produced dose-dependent increases in arterial pressure that averaged between 2±1 and 65±11 mm Hg (p < 0.01). Tachycardia was not a consistent response at any concentration of vasopressin. Intravenous administration of a V, vasopressin antagonist did not modify the pressor response produced by topical application of vasopressin (10 M). Application of the Vi antagonist to the rostral pressor area, however, prevented the production of a pressor effect to subsequent topical application of vasopressin (10−4 M). These experiments suggest that vasopressin stimulates the activity of vasomotor neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla by a mechanism that involves a neuronal V, receptor.
Criminality among Second-Generation Immigrants in Western Europe: A Review of the Evidence

Since World War II, and particularly since the 1960s, there has been considerable migration from southern to northern Europe. As a result, a substantial second generation of young immigrants has emerged that has received considerable attention from criminologists in many countries over the last ten years. In this paper, the available literature is reviewed under three aspects: 1) Are immigrant youths subject to differential treatment by the police, prosecutors, or courts? 2) Are they disproportionately involved in crime and delinquency, compared to the native-born youths? 3) What are the factors that favor delinquent involvement among young immigrants? The evidence reviewed does not allow a satisfactory answer to these questions in light of existing methodological problems and inadequacy of data. It does suggest two things, however. The overrepresentation of young immigrants in the police statistics of many countries is not the result of discrimination against them; rather, some segments among the immigrant youths may be disproportionately involved in delinquent activities. The school system's ability to provide young immigrants with adequate educational opportunities and, concomitantly, success in the labor market seems to be most crucial in preventing delinquency among them.