bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Finite element modeling of cerebral angioplasty using a structural multi‐mechanism anisotropic damage model
Authors: Li Dalong , Robertson Anne M. , Lin Guoyu , Lovell Michael
Published: June 2012

Arterial progressive damage, softening and non‐recoverable deformation are typical effects of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), induced mechanically by the overstretching and widening of arterial walls during balloon dilatation. In this paper, we model this ‘controlled vessel injury’ in cerebral balloon angioplasty by extending a recently developed structural multi‐mechanism damage model for cerebral arterial tissue in early stage aneurysms. The current constitutive model focuses on arterial mechanical damage and can characterize the wall anisotropy and subfailure damage of the elastin, ground matrix and collagen, represented by the recruitment of collagen fibers, gradual degeneration, failure of arterial components and changes in the tissue mechanical properties. Cyclic uniaxial response of homogeneous artery models is used to validate the numerical implementation of the constitutive model. Cerebral arteries are modeled as a multi‐layer heterogeneous wall model composed of the internal elastic lamina, media and adventitia. Cerebral angioplasty is simulated by contact between the heterogeneous artery model and a simplified balloon model. The states of arterial deformation, tissue damage and wall stress during angioplasty are analyzed, which reproduces the qualitative features of cerebral PTA observed experimentally. The constitutive model and computational methods are demonstrated to be robust in simulating complex tissue response caused by the mechanical intervention of angioplasty, and are applied in more realistic artery‐plaque‐balloon‐stent models. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Theoretical study on angular momentum polarization parameters, branching ratios, and anisotropy parameters of chlorine atoms from Photodissociation of Iodine Monochloride
Authors: Matsuoka Takahide , Oonishi Sayo , Yabushita Satoshi
Published: June 2012

Low‐lying excited state potential energy curves (PECs), nonadiabatic coupling terms, and transition dipole moments of ICl have been obtained by a spin‐orbit configuration interaction method. The angular momentum polarization parameters of photofragments can be calculated from these properties of the molecule. The first‐rank parameter Im[a1(1)(//,⟂)] of the ground state photofragment Cl(2P3/2) in the first absorption band (490–560 nm) is very sensitive to the PECs of the low‐lying excited states, especially the A(1) and B(0+) states. The phase part of the calculated parameter Im[a1(1)(//,⟂)] agrees well with experiment. We further clarify the characteristics of avoided crossing between the X(0+) and B(0+) states. We calculated the product fraction of Cl*(2P1/2) and the anisotropy parameter β to demonstrate the effect of photoabsorption caused by the z(1) state, which supports a recent experimental analysis. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Theoretical estimation of the acidities of alcohols and azoles in gas phase, DMSO, and water
Authors: Seybold Paul G. , Kreye W. C.
Published: June 2012

Most acidities and basicities of chemical compounds are measured in aqueous solution since this solvent is most important for biochemical and environmental applications, but the acidities of compounds in the gas phase and in other solvents can also be of interest. As a polar, aprotic solvent, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) presents a unique environment for acid dissociation, and this solvent offers informative comparisons with both the vacuum and aqueous environments. Here, quantum chemical approaches previously used for the estimation of aqueous pKa values are applied to the estimation of DMSO, aqueous, and gas‐phase acidities for two representative series of compounds: alcohols/phenols and azoles. Calculations were performed using both the semiempirical RM1 method and density functional theory (B3LYP/6‐31+G**). The effectiveness of the SM5.4 and SM8 solvent models in estimating the solution‐phase acidities was also examined. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Increased Glyceride–Glycerol Synthesis in Liver and Brown Adipose Tissue of Rat: In‐Vivo Contribution of Glycolysis and Glyceroneogenesis
Authors: Chaves Valéria E. , Frasson Danúbia , Garófalo Maria A. R. , Navegantes Luiz C. C. , Migliorini Renato H. , Kettelhut Isis C.
Published: June 2012

We have previously shown that a high‐protein, carbohydrate‐free diet can decrease the production of glycerol‐3‐phosphate (G3P) from glucose and increase glyceroneogenesis in both brown (BAT) and epididymal (EAT) adipose tissue. Here, we utilized an in‐vivo approach to examine the hypothesis that there is reciprocal regulation in the G3P synthesis from glucose (via glycolysis) and glyceroneogenesis in BAT, EAT and liver of fasted rats and cafeteria diet‐fed rats. Glyceroneogenesis played a prominent role in the generation of G3P in the liver (~70 %) as well as in BAT and EAT (~80 %) in controls rats. The cafeteria diet induced an increase in the total glyceride‐glycerol synthesis and G3P synthesis from glucose and a decrease in glyceroneogenesis in BAT; this diet did not affect either the total glyceride‐glycerol synthesis or G3P generation from glyceroneogenesis or glycolysis in the liver or EAT. Fasting induced an increase in total glyceride‐glycerol synthesis and glyceroneogenesis and a decrease in G3P synthesis from glucose in the liver but did not affect either the total glyceride‐glycerol synthesis or G3P synthesis from glyceroneogenesis in BAT and EAT, despite a reduction in glycolysis in these tissues. These data demonstrate that reciprocal changes in the G3P generation from glucose and from glyceroneogenesis in the rat liver and BAT occur only when the synthesis of glycerides–glycerol is increased. Further, our data suggest that this increase may be essential for the systemic recycling of fatty acids by the liver from fasted rats and for the maintenance of the thermogenic capacity of BAT from cafeteria diet‐fed rats.
Diverse regulation of AKT and GSK‐3β by O‐GlcNAcylation in various types of cells
Authors: Shi Jianhua , Wu Shiliang , Dai Chun-ling , Li Yi , Grundke-Iqbal Inge , Iqbal Khalid , Liu Fei , Gong Cheng-Xin
Published: June 2012

Protein kinase B (AKT) and glycogen synthase kinase‐3β (GSK‐3β) are major components of insulin–AKT signaling that plays crucial roles in various types of tissue. Recent studies found that these two kinases are modified posttranslationally by O‐GlcNAcylation. Here, we demonstrate that O‐GlcNAcylation regulated phosphorylation/activation of AKT and GSK‐3β in different manners in kidney HEK‐293FT cells, but did not affect these two kinases in hepatic HepG2 cells. In neuronal cells, O‐GlcNAcylation regulated phosphorylation of AKT negatively, but had no effect on GSK‐3β. These results suggest protein‐specific and cell type‐specific regulation of AKT and GSK‐3β by O‐GlcNAcylation. Therefore, studies on the roles of AKT and GSK‐3β O‐GlcNAcylation should be done in a tissue‐ and cell type‐specific manner.
Transcriptome Comparison of Susceptible and Resistant Wheat in Response to Powdery Mildew Infection
Authors: Xin Mingming , Wang Xiangfeng , Peng Huiru , Yao Yingyin , Xie Chaojie , Han Yao , Ni Zhongfu , Sun Qixin
Published: June 2012

Powdery mildew (Pm) caused by the infection of Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) is a worldwide crop disease resulting in significant loss of wheat yield. To profile the genes and pathways responding to the Bgt infection, here, using Affymetrix wheat microarrays, we compared the leaf transcriptomes before and after Bgt inoculation in two wheat genotypes, a Pm-susceptible cultivar Jingdong 8 (S) and its near-isogenic line (R) carrying a single Pm resistant gene Pm30. Our analysis showed that the original gene expression status in the S and R genotypes of wheat was almost identical before Bgt inoculation, since only 60 genes exhibited differential expression by P  = 0.01 cutoff. However, 12 h after Bgt inoculation, 3014 and 2800 genes in the S and R genotype, respectively, responded to infection. A wide range of pathways were involved, including cell wall fortification, flavonoid biosynthesis and metabolic processes. Furthermore, for the first time, we show that sense-antisense pair genes might be participants in wheat-powdery mildew interaction. In addition, the results of qRT-PCR analysis on several candidate genes were consistent with the microarray data in their expression patterns. In summary, this study reveals leaf transcriptome changes before and after powdery mildew infection in wheat near-isogenic lines, suggesting that powdery mildew resistance is a highly complex systematic response involving a large amount of gene regulation.
Searching for Non-Coding RNAs in Genomic Sequences Using ncRNAscout
Authors: Bao Michael , Cervantes Cervantes Miguel , Zhong Ling , Wang Jason T.L.
Published: June 2012

Recently non-coding RNA (ncRNA) genes have been found to serve many important functions in the cell such as regulation of gene expression at the transcriptional level. Potentially there are more ncRNA molecules yet to be found and their possible functions are to be revealed. The discovery of ncRNAs is a difficult task because they lack sequence indicators such as the start and stop codons displayed by protein-coding RNAs. Current methods utilize either sequence motifs or structural parameters to detect novel ncRNAs within genomes. Here, we present an ab initio ncRNA finder, named ncRNAscout, by utilizing both sequence motifs and structural parameters. Specifically, our method has three components: (i) a measure of the frequency of a sequence, (ii) a measure of the structural stability of a sequence contained in a t-score, and (iii) a measure of the frequency of certain patterns within a sequence that may indicate the presence of ncRNA. Experimental results show that, given a genome and a set of known ncRNAs, our method is able to accurately identify and locate a significant number of ncRNA sequences in the genome. The ncRNAscout tool is available for downloading at http://bioinformatics.njit.edu/ncRNAscout.
Comparative Analyses of H3K4 and H3K27 Trimethylations Between the Mouse Cerebrum and Testis
Authors: Cui Peng , Liu Wanfei , Zhao Yuhui , Lin Qiang , Zhang Daoyong , Ding Feng , Xin Chengqi , Zhang Zhang , Song Shuhui , Sun Fanglin , Yu Jun , Hu Songnian
Published: June 2012

The global features of H3K4 and H3K27 trimethylations (H3K4me3 and H3K27me3) have been well studied in recent years, but most of these studies were performed in mammalian cell lines. In this work, we generated the genome-wide maps of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 of mouse cerebrum and testis using ChIP-seq and their high-coverage transcriptomes using ribominus RNA-seq with SOLiD technology. We examined the global patterns of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 in both tissues and found that modifications are closely-associated with tissue-specific expression, function and development. Moreover, we revealed that H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 rarely occur in silent genes, which contradicts the findings in previous studies. Finally, we observed that bivalent domains, with both H3K4me3 and H3K27me3, existed ubiquitously in both tissues and demonstrated an invariable preference for the regulation of developmentally-related genes. However, the bivalent domains tend towards a “winner-takes-all” approach to regulate the expression of associated genes. We also verified the above results in mouse ES cells. As expected, the results in ES cells are consistent with those in cerebrum and testis. In conclusion, we present two very important findings. One is that H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 rarely occur in silent genes. The other is that bivalent domains may adopt a “winner-takes-all” principle to regulate gene expression.
Diatom-inferred total phosphorus from dystrophic Lake Arapisto, Finland, in relation to Holocene paleoclimate
Authors: Luoto Tomi P. , Nevalainen Liisa , Kauppila Tommi , Tammelin Mira , Sarmaja-Korjonen Kaarina
Published: June 2012

A sediment core from Lake Arapisto, Finland, was examined for fossil diatom assemblages to reconstruct changes in Holocene nutrient availability. Our aim was to investigate the long-term relationship between lake trophic status and climate by comparing the diatom-based phosphorus reconstruction with paleoclimatic proxies. Our results showed that the cold early Holocene was characterized by elevated nutrient conditions concurrent with newly exposed fertile ground. As the climate rapidly warmed and ice sheet further retreated, the catchment vegetation developed, which resulted in decreased nutrient flux into the lake. The Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM), between ~ 8000 and 4000 cal yr BP, was characterized by oligotrophic conditions, which may have been caused by low effective precipitation and stable watershed vegetation. After the HTM, the lake became more productive. There was no particular increase in the trophic state that could be connected to more recent human influence. Although lake productivity has been shown to be affected by temperature, our record indicated that the nutrient dynamics were driven by complex interactions between changes in temperature, precipitation, catchment, and in-lake processes. Understanding of long-term nutrient dynamics and the associated processes can help in resolving relationships between lake productivity and climate during past and present climate changes.
Constraining the onset of the Holocene “Neoglacial” over the central Italy using tephra layers
Authors: Zanchetta Giovanni , Giraudi Carlo , Sulpizio Roberto , Magny Michel , Drysdale Russell N. , Sadori Laura
Published: June 2012

A study of six tephra layers discovered in different deposits between 1600 and 2700 m a.s.l. in the Apennine chain in central Italy allowed precise stratigraphic constraints on environmental and climatic changes between ca. 4.5 and 3.8 cal ka BP. Chemical analyses allowed the correlation of these tephra layers with the eruptions of Agnano Mt Spina (AMST) from Phlegrean Field and Avellino (AVT) from Somma–Vesuvius. Major environmental changes in the high mountains of the Central Apennines occurred just after the deposition of the AMST and predate the deposition of the AVT. At this time, renewed growth of the Calderone Glacier occurred, marking the onset of the Apennine “Neoglacial”. The presence of the AMST and AVT enabled us to make a precise, physical correlation with other archives in central Italy. Synchronization of records between sites showed that the period intervening the deposition of the AMST and AVT layers coincided with environmental changes that were not always exactly in phase. This highlights the fact that stratigraphic correlations using only radiocarbon chronologies (the most common method used for dating archives during the Holocene) could produce erroneous correlation of events, giving rise to oversimplified paleoclimatic reconstructions.
Measurement of Metacognitive Knowledge of Self, Task, and Strategies in Mathematics
Authors: Efklides Anastasia , Vlachopoulos Symeon P.
Published: June 2012

The present study investigated the validity of the Metacognitive Knowledge in Mathematics Questionnaire (MKMQ), which taps the (1) metacognitive knowledge of the self (easiness/fluency vs. difficulty/lack of fluency the person has had in the past in basic mathematical notions); (2) the metacognitive knowledge of tasks (easy/low demands vs. difficult/high demands mathematical tasks), and (3) the metacognitive knowledge of strategies (cognitive/metacognitive strategies, competence-enhancing strategies, and avoidance strategies that serve coping with lack of fluency in mathematical task processing). The MKMQ was first administered to 311 junior high school students (grades 7 and 9) and then to 214 university students for crossvalidation. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the presence of 7-first-order interrelated factors. In both samples the convergent validity was tested correlating the seven factors with measures of self-concept in mathematics and mathematical ability. Predictive ability was tested using regression analyses in which the criterion variables were mean performance and feelings of difficulty in the processing of three mathematical problems. The findings support the theoretical claim that experience of difficulty is playing a critical role in the organization of metacognitive knowledge.
How Much Do We Know About Our Own Cognitive Control?
Authors: Nęcka Edward , Lech Bogumiła , Sobczyk Natalia , Śmieja Magdalena
Published: June 2012

The paper investigates whether self-report and performance measures of executive control yield comparable results. We report an empirical study in which the answers to a self-report questionnaire on executive control were compared with the results of three computerized tests of cognitive control. Both the questionnaire and the computerized tests covered three dimensions of executive control, namely, prepotent response inhibition, task switching, and goal monitoring (goal maintenance). The results are rather surprising and negative: The relationships between performance and self-report measures of executive control were either weak or insignificant. Moreover, they tended to disappear when age of participants was controlled. We conclude that people are basically unable to assess the strength of their own cognitive control. However, the two types of assessment tool might analyze different aspects of individual differences in executive control and should therefore be considered in research and practical applications.
Marital Stability Among Jewish and Mixed Couples Following Immigration to Israel From the Former Soviet Union
Authors: Lavee Yoav , Krivosh Ludmila
Published: June 2012

This research aims to identify factors associated with marital instability among Jewish and mixed (Jewish and non-Jewish) couples following immigration from the former Soviet Union. Based on the Strangeness Theory and the Model of Acculturation, we predicted that non-Jewish immigrants would be less well adjusted personally and socially to Israeli society than Jewish immigrants and that endogamous Jewish couples would have better interpersonal congruence than mixed couples in terms of personal and social adjustment. The sample included 92 Jewish couples and 92 ethnically-mixed couples, of which 82 couples (40 Jewish, 42 mixed) divorced or separated after immigration and 102 couples (52 Jewish, 50 ethnically mixed) remained married. Significant differences were found between Jewish and non-Jewish immigrants in personal adjustment, and between endogamous and ethnically-mixed couples in the congruence between spouses in their personal and social adjustment. Marital instability was best explained by interpersonal disparity in cultural identity and in adjustment to life in Israel. The findings expand the knowledge on marital outcomes of immigration, in general, and immigration of mixed marriages, in particular.
Anticipated and Perceived Intergroup Relations as Predictors of Immigrants’ Identification Patterns
Authors: Anna Mähönen Tuuli , Jasinskaja-Lahti Inga
Published: June 2012

The present study among Ingrian-Finnish remigrants (N = 153) from Russia to Finland examined the effects of anticipated discrimination in the pre-migration stage on the way intergroup relations are perceived and multiple cultural identities are formed in the post-migration stage. First, the results indicated that anticipated discrimination in the pre-migration stage affected perceived discrimination, permeability of group boundaries, and group status legitimacy in the post-migration stage. Second, anticipated discrimination in the pre-migration stage was not directly associated with any of the identities in the post-migration stage, but it was indirectly associated with national identification, via perceived discrimination and permeability of group boundaries. Perceived discrimination and impermeability of group boundaries in the post-migration stage were associated with lower levels of remigrants’ national (Finnish) identification in the new homeland. Third, the perceived legitimacy of Ingrian-Finns’ low status was associated with increased Russian minority identification. The findings extend previous research on the effects of anticipated intergroup contact on actual intergroup encounters on the one hand, and on the effects of perceived discrimination, status legitimacy, and permeability of group boundaries on national and ethnic identification among immigrants, on the other.
Suicidal Ideation and Alcohol Use Among Ethiopian Adolescents in Israel
Authors: Walsh Sophie D. , Edelstein Arnon , Vota Danbulu
Published: June 2012

Recent figures point to alarming rates of suicidal tendencies and risk behaviors among Ethiopian adolescents (first and second generation) in Israel. This study tries to understand this phenomenon through an examination of the relationship between ethnic identity (Israeli and Ethiopian) and parental support with suicidal ideation and alcohol use. Two hundred adolescents aged 15–18 years from the Ethiopian community in Israel completed questionnaires examining the degree to which they felt a sense of (positive) Israeli and Ethiopian identity and parental support as well as suicidal ideation, drinking behavior, and depression. Results showed significant correlations between both Israeli and Ethiopian identities and suicidal ideation and alcohol use and a significant relationship between suicidal ideation and parental support. Regression analysis highlighted the pivotal role of a strong and positive heritage (Ethiopian) identity in lower levels of suicidal ideation and alcohol use. Results suggest the important role of ethnic identity for well-being among immigrant and minority youth, in particular in the ability of minority youth to consolidate a coherent ethnic identity incorporating a positive connection to their heritage culture as providing a protective role against suicidal tendencies and risk behaviors.
Perceived Discrimination of Immigrant Adolescents in Greece
Authors: Motti-Stefanidi Frosso , Asendorpf Jens B.
Published: June 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine whether and how individual differences contribute to the translation of perceived group discrimination into perceived personal discrimination. One hundred forty-five Pontic Greek and 269 Albanian students (mean age 12.9 years) enrolled in Greek urban public schools were assessed in Grade 1 of high school. Albanians reported higher discrimination against their ethnic group, but not higher discrimination against themselves, personally, than Pontic Greeks. Personal discrimination could be predicted by perceived group discrimination as well as from individual characteristics of immigrant students, independently of their ethnicity. Furthermore, when students reported high, but not low, group discrimination, many of their individual characteristics were shown to buffer against translating perceived group discrimination into experiences of personal discrimination. These results highlight the importance of individual differences, in addition to perceptions of group discrimination, for feelings of being discriminated against as an individual and suggest that high group discrimination of immigrants, independently of ethnic background, does not necessarily result in high personal discrimination, if individual protective factors are present.
Is a Trait Really the Mean of States?
Authors: Augustine Adam A , Larsen Randy J.
Published: June 2012

Although several definitions exist, a personality trait can be defined as the average or expected value of personality-relevant behaviors. However, recent evidence suggests that, while trait questionnaires and aggregated momentary assessments of personality are highly related, they may also differ in meaningful ways. In this study, we examine the relationship between trait and mean state personality. Results indicate that these two assessment strategies, although highly related, do not show convergence (r = .39–.64) levels that would signify an equity of constructs. In line with this, these two assessment strategies show differential predictive utility. Although the pattern of this differential predictive utility suggests that measurement error may account for differences, the difference between trait and mean state personality predicts affect in a manner consistent with self-discrepancy theory. Thus, although these two constructs are highly related, the differences between trait and mean state personality are meaningful.
Beliefs About the Effects of Alcohol on the Personality of Oneself and Others
Authors: Uusberg Andero , Mõttus René , Kreegipuu Kairi , Allik Jüri
Published: June 2012

The distinction between the effects people expect alcohol to have on themselves and on others is poorly understood. This study employs the Five Factor Model (FFM) of personality for investigating these two types of beliefs. Participants responded to short personality questionnaires with instructions to describe themselves and an average young man while moderately intoxicated; they also described their actual and desired personality trait levels. Intoxication was believed to decrease Conscientiousness and increase Neuroticism as well as Extraversion for actors as well as observers alike, while predictions for Openness and Agreeableness depended on the rating target. Profile similarity analysis revealed that, although both types of beliefs reflected socially undesirable trait levels in domains other than Extraversion, actor-expectations were less undesirable than observer-expectations. Implications of the findings suggest that the FFM can be profitably used to study intoxication-related beliefs.
Attention Tests in Different Stimulus Presentation Modes
Authors: Krumm Stefan , Schmidt-Atzert Lothar , Schmidt Susanne , Zenses Eva-Maria , Stenzel Nikola
Published: June 2012

Tests of attention are frequently used in clinical psychology, neuropsychology, and other applied settings. Depending on the assessment tradition, attention tests are designed and administered differently. Among other aspects, assessment traditions enable testtakers to conduct the tests at either their own pace or at a pace set by the test developer, and apply either rows of stimuli or single stimuli. The current study systematically varied these aspects and examined how these variations affected the structure of attention tests and their correlation with reasoning. A facet model was established that included a facet related to the way attention tests are designed and administered as well as a facet related to the attention ability assessed. Results revealed that both facets explained variance in test performance. Moreover, results revealed that the facet-related test design and administration yielded higher correlations with reasoning than the ability facet. A specific combination of pace and stimulus configuration showed the highest correlations with the applied reasoning tests. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Sleep Duration/Chronotype in Women
Authors: Randler Christoph , Stadler Lisa , Vollmer Christian , Diaz-Morales Juan Francisco
Published: June 2012

There are few studies suggesting that chronotype or morningness-eveningness (M/E) is a predictor of depressive symptoms. A sample of 277 women (university students) of a mean age of 22.25 years ± (SD) 2.47 participated in this study. We used the Composite Scale of Morningness to assess circadian typology, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to assess depressive symptomatology, and – because M/E as well as depressive symptoms are associated with personality – we controlled for personality using a short measure of the Big Five Inventory as well as including a scale to measure hypochondriasis. There were 28 women classified with moderate, one with moderately severe, and three with severe depression. Negative correlations existed between CSM score, average sleep duration, extraversion, conscientiousness, and PHQ-9 scores, and positive correlations between hypochondriasis, neuroticism, and PHQ-9 scores. In a hierarchical regression, the model predicts 28% of variance in the PHQ-9 scores. Personality explained 15%, hypochondriasis accounted for 8%, and sleep duration and M/E added another 5%. The results suggest that the influence of morningness-eveningness (β = –0.102) is weaker than the influence of sleep duration (β = –0.194).
Reinforcement Sensitivity and Conflict Processing
Authors: Leue Anja , Lange Sebastian , Beauducel André
Published: June 2012

The revised reinforcement sensitivity theory relates individual differences in conflict processing to aversive reinforcement. Conflict monitoring was modulated by means of three reinforcement-related conflict levels in a Go/Nogo task. The small conflict level entailed aversive verbal-nonmonetary feedback, the medium conflict level provided verbal and monetary loss feedback, and the high conflict level included verbal and monetary gain and loss feedback. In a sample of N = 91 students, treatment-induced changes of ERP data were reflected by an early N2 factor that occurred in a spatiotemporal principal component analysis including all conflict levels. The results indicate that the Nogo N2 was more negative following verbal-monetary reinforcement compared to verbal-nonmonetary reinforcement, whereas a ceiling effect probably occurred for the gain and loss condition. Low trait-BIS individuals showed more negative N2 scores on this factor in the medium and high compared to the small conflict level, whereas the N2 of high trait-BIS individuals did not change. This indicates that reinforcement as well as individual differences modulate conflict-monitoring intensity.
Discordancy Tests for Outlier Detection in Multi-Item Questionnaires
Authors: Zijlstra Wobbe P. , Van der Ark L. Andries , Sijtsma Klaas
Published: June 2012

The sensitivity and the specificity of four outlier scores were studied for four different discordancy tests. The outlier scores were the Mahalanobis distance, a robust version of the Mahalanobis distance, and two measures tailored to discrete data, known as O+and G+. The discordancy tests were Tukey’s fences (a.k.a. boxplot). Tukey’s fences with adjustment for skewness (adjusted boxplot), the generalized extreme studentized deviate (ESD), and the transformed ESD (ESD-T). Outlier scores O+and G+performed better than the Mahalanobis distance and its robust version. Discordancy tests ESD-T and adjusted boxplot were advocated for high specificity and ESD for high sensitivity.
Skewness and Kurtosis in Real Data Samples
Authors: Blanca María J. , Arnau Jaume , López-Montiel Dolores , Bono Roser , Bendayan Rebecca
Published: June 2012

Parametric statistics are based on the assumption of normality. Recent findings suggest that Type I error and power can be adversely affected when data are non-normal. This paper aims to assess the distributional shape of real data by examining the values of the third and fourth central moments as a measurement of skewness and kurtosis in small samples. The analysis concerned 693 distributions with a sample size ranging from 10 to 30. Measures of cognitive ability and of other psychological variables were included. The results showed that skewness ranged between −2.49 and 2.33. The values of kurtosis ranged between −1.92 and 7.41. Considering skewness and kurtosis together the results indicated that only 5.5% of distributions were close to expected values under normality. Although extreme contamination does not seem to be very frequent, the findings are consistent with previous research suggesting that normality is not the rule with real data.
Covariance Structure Selection and Type I Error Rates in Split-Plot Designs
Authors: Livacic-Rojas Pablo , Vallejo Guillermo , Fernández Paula , Tuero-Herrero Ellián
Published: June 2012

We examined the selection of covariance structures and the Type I error rates of the Criterion Selector Akaike’s (Akaike’s Information Criteria, AIC) and the Correctly Identified Model (CIM). Data were analyzed with a split-plot design through the Monte Carlo simulation method and SAS 9.1 statistical software. We manipulated the following variables: sample size, relation between group size and dispersion matrix size, type of dispersion matrix, and form of the distribution. Our findings suggest that AIC selects heterogeneous covariance structure more frequently than original covariance structure. Specifically, AIC mostly selected heterogeneous covariance structures and displayed slightly higher Type I error rates than the CIM. These were mostly associated with main and interaction effects for the ARH and RC structures and a marked tendency toward liberality. Future research needs to assess the power levels exhibited by covariance structure selectors.
A Power Comparison of Various Tests of Univariate Normality on Ex-Gaussian Distributions
Authors: Marmolejo-Ramos Fernando , González-Burgos Jorge
Published: June 2012

A power analysis of seven normality tests against the Ex-Gaussian distribution (EGd) is presented. The EGd is selected on the basis that it is a particularly well-suited distribution to accommodate positively skewed distributions such as those observed in reaction times data. A pre-assessment of the power of the selected tests across various types of distributions was done via a meta-analysis and a comparison with other power analyses reported in the literature was also performed. General recommendations are given as to which tests should be used to test normality in data suspected to resemble an EG distribution. Additionally, some topics for future research regarding the use of confidence intervals and the computation of accurate critical values are outlined.
A Unique Asymmetrical Stroop Effect in Absolute Pitch Possessors
Authors: Akiva-Kabiri Lilach , Henik Avishai
Published: June 2012

The Stroop task has been employed to study automaticity or failures of selective attention for many years. The effect is known to be asymmetrical, with words affecting color naming but not vice versa. In the current work two auditory-visual Stroop-like tasks were devised in order to study the automaticity of pitch processing in both absolute pitch (AP) possessors and musically trained controls without AP (nAP). In the tone naming task, participants were asked to name the auditory tone while ignoring a visual note name. In the note naming task, participants were asked to read a note name while ignoring the auditory tone. The nAP group showed a significant congruency effect only in the tone naming task, whereas AP possessors showed the reverse pattern, with a significant congruency effect only in the note reading task. Thus, AP possessors were unable to ignore the auditory tone when asked to read the note, but were unaffected by the verbal note name when asked to label the auditory tone. The results suggest that pitch identification in participants endowed with AP ability is automatic and impossible to suppress.
Visuospatial Perceptual Sequence Learning and Eye Movements
Authors: Coomans Daphné , Deroost Natacha , Vandenbossche Jochen , Van den Bussche Eva , Soetens Eric
Published: June 2012

We examined perceptual sequence learning by means of an adapted serial reaction time task in which eye movements were unnecessary for performing the sequence learning task. Participants had to respond to the identity of a target letter pair (“OX” or “XO”) appearing in one of four locations. On the other locations, similar distractor letter pairs (“QY” or “YQ”) were shown. While target identity changed randomly, target location was structured according to a deterministic sequence. To render eye movements superfluous, (1) stimulus letter pairs appeared around a fixation cross with a visual angle of 0.63°, which means that they appeared within the foveal visual area and (2) the letter pairs were presented for only 100 ms, a period too short to allow proper eye movements. Reliable sequence knowledge was acquired under these conditions, as responses were both slower and less accurate when the trained sequence was replaced by an untrained sequence. These results support the notion that perceptual sequence learning can be based on shifts of attention without overt oculomotor movements.
Sequential Difficulty Effects During Strategy Execution
Authors: Uittenhove Kim , Lemaire Patrick
Published: June 2012

In two experiments, we tested the hypothesis that strategy performance on a given trial is influenced by the difficulty of the strategy executed on the immediately preceding trial, an effect that we call strategy sequential difficulty effect. Participants’ task was to provide approximate sums to two-digit addition problems by using cued rounding strategies. Results showed that performance was poorer after a difficult strategy than after an easy strategy. Our results have important theoretical and empirical implications for computational models of strategy choices and for furthering our understanding of strategic variations in arithmetic as well as in human cognition in general.
Effect of Cognitive Load on Working Memory Forgetting in Aging
Authors: Baumans Christine , Adam Stephane , Seron Xavier
Published: June 2012

Functional approaches to working memory (WM) have been proposed recently to better investigate “maintenance” and “processing” mechanisms. The cognitive load (CL) hypothesis presented in the “Time-Based Resource-Sharing” model (Barrouillet & Camos, 2007) suggests that forgetting from WM (maintenance) can be investigated by varying the presentation rate and processing speed (processing). In this study, young and elderly participants were compared on WM tasks in which the difference in processing speed was controlled by CL manipulations. Two main results were found. First, when time constraints (CL) were matched for the two groups, no aging effect was observed. Second, whereas a large variation in CL affected WM performance, a small CL manipulation had no effect on the elderly. This suggests that WM forgetting cannot be completely accounted for by the CL hypothesis. Rather, it highlights the need to explore restoration times in particular, and the nature of the refreshment mechanisms within maintenance.
When Gender Fits Self-Regulatory Preferences
Authors: Sassenberg Kai , Brazy Paige C. , Jonas Kai J. , Shah James Y.
Published: June 2012

Females are perceived to have less power than males. These differences in perceived power might render different self-regulatory strategies appropriate: Women should (as members of other low-power groups) care about security, whereas men should (as members of other high-power groups) strive for accomplishment. These regulatory implications of gender provide the basis for regulatory fit between individuals’ gender and their regulatory focus. Higher fit should lead to stronger gender-based ingroup favoritism: Prevention-focused females and promotion-focused males were expected to show more ingroup favoritism than both sexes in the respective other regulatory focus. According to the regulatory fit hypothesis, this effect should occur for evaluative- but not for stereotype-based ingroup favoritism. Three studies supported these hypotheses.
The Stigma of Being Overweight
Authors: Nestler Steffen , Egloff Boris
Published: June 2012

In a job context, we investigated whether controllability of a stigma influences the self-protective effects of attributions to discrimination. Eighty overweight females read a vignette and imagined being rejected for a job because of their (1) personal abilities, (2) sex, (3) being overweight due to a disease, or (4) being overweight from personal causes. Results showed that when the rejection was gender-based, participants blamed themselves less and had higher performance self-esteem than when it was due to personal abilities. Importantly, when being overweight had a personal background – and was hence controllable – women blamed themselves more for the rejection and reported lower performance self-esteem than did participants in the overweight condition with a disease background. The results support the dependency of self-protective effects of discrimination attributions on controllability.
A Threat in the Classroom
Authors: Neuburger Sarah , Jansen Petra , Heil Martin , Quaiser-Pohl Claudia
Published: June 2012

Females’ performance in a gender-stereotyped domain is impaired when negative gender stereotypes are activated (Nguyen & Ryan, 2008). “Stereotype threat” affects the gender difference in adults’ mental-rotation performance (e.g., Moè & Pazzaglia, 2006). Our study investigated this effect in fourth graders. Two hundred sixteen males and females solved two mental-rotation tests. In between, a gender-difference instruction was given (“boys better,” “girls better,” “no gender difference”). A significant interaction of time and gender was found in the “girls better”-condition and in the “no gender difference”-condition: As expected, the male performance advantage disappeared after these two instructions, because girls improved and boys deteriorated. Thus, the study suggests that the gender effect in mental rotation is affected by stereotype threat and stereotype lift from the very beginning of its occurrence. Results are discussed within a biopsychosocial framework and seem to play an important role with regard to the “hidden curriculum” in schools.
Is Beauty Beastly?
Authors: Braun Susanne , Peus Claudia , Frey Dieter
Published: June 2012

While attractiveness has many positive effects in everyday life, it has been shown to negatively affect selection of female leaders, the so-called “beauty is beastly” effect. Yet, an impact on more profound variables, such as followers’ trust in and loyalty toward female leaders, remains unclear, as does its interaction with different leadership styles: transformational (characterized by charismatic behavior aimed at inspiring and motivating followers) versus transactional (characterized by a strong focus on task completion and respective rewards or punishments). We have therefore made the first empirical attempt to test the interaction effects of leader gender, leader attractiveness, and leadership style on followers’ trust and loyalty. Results from a laboratory experiment provide clear empirical support for the negative effects of attractiveness for female (but not male) leaders with a transformational leadership style. Attractiveness did not influence trust and loyalty toward male and female leaders with a transactional leadership style. The negative influence of leader attractiveness on trust and loyalty toward female transformational leaders was mediated by ascribed leader communion.
When Will They Blow My Cover?
Authors: Jöstl Gregor , Bergsmann Evelyn , Lüftenegger Marko , Schober Barbara , Spiel Christiane
Published: June 2012

This study contributes to explaining psychological barriers in female university careers by examining the relation between the impostor phenomenon and research self-efficacy in the university context. The impostor phenomenon refers to people who are objectively competent but feel the opposite and therefore fear being unmasked. So far, there have been no data from German-speaking countries concerning the impostor phenomenon at universities; thus, the impostor phenomenon was examined in a sample of 631 (389 female) Austrian doctoral students. One-third of the sample reported moderate to strong impostor feelings. Female doctoral students both suffer more from impostor feelings and show lower research self-efficacy than male doctoral students do. Furthermore, the impostor phenomenon and research self-efficacy are associated with faculty membership. The most important finding is that the impostor phenomenon is negatively related to research self-efficacy. Research self-efficacy is an important indicator for successful university careers; hence, the impostor phenomenon was shown to be a psychological barrier for female university careers. Implications for support programs for female doctoral students are discussed.
Re-Conceptualizing “Sex” and “Gender” in the Human Brain
Authors: Kaiser Anelis
Published: June 2012

When is an observed dissimilarity between brains of females and males a “sex” difference and when is it a “gender” difference? The aim of this conceptual paper is to pinpoint the understandings of “sex” and “gender” within neuropsychological research, as these terms implicitly lead to overlapping and nonspecific associations when variables concerning female and male characteristics are operationalized. Also, it is argued, following a central approach within gender studies, that it is impossible for the variables of “sex” and “gender” to be categorized as solely biological or solely social components or to be measured or recorded as such, and for this reason, they should in fact be regarded as a unity and designated as sex/gender.
The Study of Sex Differences
Authors: Campbell Anne
Published: June 2012

The rise of research in behavior genetics, endocrinology, neurotransmitter systems, brain imaging, and evolutionary psychology bears witness to psychology’s increasingly biological stance. This approach has been fiercely opposed by some academic feminists. This paper examines and responds to three of their key objections: determinism (the brain as an evolved organ is unresponsive to its environment), politics (the demonstration of sex differences obstructs the goal of gender equality), and epistemology (notions of cause and effect should be replaced by the study of the social construction of gender). The second part of the paper suggests some areas of convergence between the interests of feminists and biologically minded researchers. These include the role of neuropeptides in modulating sex differences; male-female conflict at a genetic and behavioral level; the functions and social impact of peer group sex segregation; the evolution and contemporary effects of cultural transmission and the role of higher-order cognitive systems in modulating the expression of evolved emotional adaptations.
On the necessary conditions for bursts of convection within the rapidly rotating cylindrical annulus
Authors: Teed Robert J. , Jones Chris A. , Hollerbach Rainer
Published: June 2012

Zonal flows are often found in rotating convective systems. Not only are these jet-flows driven by the convection, they can also have a profound effect on the nature of the convection. In this work the cylindrical annulus geometry is exploited in order to perform nonlinear simulations seeking to produce strong zonal flows and multiple jets. The parameter regime is extended to Prandtl numbers that are not unity. Multiple jets are found to be spaced according to a Rhines scaling based on the zonal flow speed, not the convective velocity speed. Under certain conditions the nonlinear convection appears in quasi-periodic bursts. A mean field stability analysis is performed around a basic state containing both the zonal flow and the mean temperature gradient found from the nonlinear simulations. The convective growth rates are found to fluctuate with both of these mean quantities suggesting that both are necessary in order for the bursting phenomenon to occur.
Quasilinear transport modelling at low magnetic shear
Authors: Citrin J. , Bourdelle C. , Cottier P. , Escande D. F. , Gürcan Ö. D. , Hatch D. R. , Hogeweij G. M. D. , Jenko F. , Pueschel M. J.
Published: June 2012

Accurate and computationally inexpensive transport models are vital for routine and robust predictions of tokamak turbulent transport. To this end, the QuaLiKiz [Bourdelle et al., Phys. Plasmas 14, 112501 (2007)] quasilinear gyrokinetic transport model has been recently developed. QuaLiKiz flux predictions have been validated by non-linear simulations over a wide range in parameter space. However, a discrepancy is found at low magnetic shear, where the quasilinear fluxes are significantly larger than the non-linear predictions. This discrepancy is found to stem from two distinct sources: the turbulence correlation length in the mixing length rule and an increase in the ratio between the quasilinear and non-linear transport weights, correlated with increased non-linear frequency broadening. Significantly closer agreement between the quasilinear and non-linear predictions is achieved through the development of an improved mixing length rule, whose assumptions are validated by non-linear simulations.