bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SOME RESULTS ON COMPARING TWO INTEGRAL MEANS FOR ABSOLUTELY CONTINUOUS FUNCTIONS AND APPLICATIONS
Authors: HWANG DAH-YAN , DRAGOMIR SILVESTRU SEVER
Published: April 2014

Some better estimates for the difference between the integral mean of a function and its mean over a subinterval are established. Various applications for special means and probability density functions are also given.
THE QUANTITATIVE DISTRIBUTION OF HECKE EIGENVALUES
Authors: WANG YINGNAN
Published: April 2014

In this paper, we prove that the Sato–Tate conjecture for primitive Maass forms holds on average. We also investigate the rate of convergence in the Sato–Tate conjecture and establish some estimates of the discrepancy with respect to the Sato–Tate measure on the average of primitive Maass forms.
The Emergence of Indigenous Industrialists in Calcutta, Bombay, and Ahmedabad, 1850–1947
Authors: Oonk Gijsbert
Published: April 2014

This article describes and explains three patterns in the entry of Indian entrepreneurs in large-scale industries in South Asia, 1850–1947. It begins with Marwari businessmen in the jute industry in Calcutta. Then I discuss the success of the Parsi community in the Bombay cotton industries, and, finally, Gujarati (mainly Hindu) industrialists in Ahmedabad. I focus on three variables that might explain the timing, degree, and social and cultural variations in the emergence of indigenous industrialists in these cities. These variables concern: first, the colonial attitude towards indigenous industrialists in this field; second, whether or not these men belonged to a (religious) middleman minority; and, finally, their social and, in particular, occupational background.
“The Promise of Partnership”: Indian Business, the State, and the Bombay Plan of 1944
Authors: Kudaisya Medha
Published: April 2014

This article recounts the story of the Bombay Plan of 1944, a bold vision of economic transformation for postwar India put forth by business leaders. The Plan represented a turning point in the history of Indian business. It marked the institutionalization of a long relationship between business and nationalist leadership as well as a historic moment when business groups, for the first time, unhesitatingly aligned themselves with nationalist aspirations. Underlying the Bombay Plan was the idea of a close partnership between business and the state. Yet, within a decade, this optimism died out as the autarchic features of economic policy became increasingly pronounced in independent India. The story of the Bombay Plan provides an insight into the relations between business and state in the context of development planning in India.
Dionysus as Jesus: The Incongruity of a Love Feast in Achilles Tatius'sLeucippe and Clitophon2.2
Authors: Friesen Courtney J. P.
Published: April 2014

A relationship between Achilles Tatius and Christianity has been imagined from at least as early as the tenth century when theSudaclaimed that he had converted to Christianity and been ordained as a bishop. Modern scholarship has found this highly improbable; nevertheless, attempts to explore connections between his late second-centuryc.e.novel,Leucippe and Clitophon, and early Christianity continue. In recent decades, within a context of renewed interest in the ancient novel, scholars of early Christianity have found a wealth of material in the novels to illuminate the generic development and meaning of Christian narratives in the New Testament and beyond. Less attention, however, has been given to the ways in which the novels respond to and incorporate themes from Christianity. Achilles Tatius's etiological myth of wine and its associated harvest festival inLeuc. Clit. 2.2 represent a particularly striking point of contact between Christianity and the Greek novel. In the first section below, I systematically review the narrative and ritual parallels betweenLeuc. Clit. 2.2 and the Christian Eucharist and conclude that they are too striking to be accidental or to have gone unnoticed by an ancient reader with knowledge of Christianity. Although these similarities have been pointed out, their meaning and consequences have received comparatively little attention from scholars either of the novel or of early Christianity. Thus, in the subsequent sections of this study I contextualize these parallels within second-century Christian and non-Christian literary and religious culture. My contention is that an exploration of the relationship betweenLeuc. Clit. 2.2 and the Christian Eucharist will provide valuable insight both into the larger project of Achilles Tatius and into the relationship between early Christianity and its contemporary context, particularly the Second Sophistic.
EDITORIAL FOREWORD
Authors: Baron Beth , Pursley Sara
Published: April 2014

This special issue on the Politics of Benevolence is dedicated to the memory of Mine Ener (1965–2002). She died in tragic circumstances, having succumbed to postpartum depression and taken her own life. Her book Managing Egypt's Poor and the Politics of Benevolence, 1800–1952 (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2003) appeared a few months after her death.
THE END OF THE BAʿTHIST SOCIAL CONTRACT IN BASHAR AL-ASAD'S SYRIA: READING SOCIOPOLITICAL TRANSFORMATIONS THROUGH CHARITIES AND BROADER BENEVOLENT ACTIVISM
Authors: de Elvira Laura Ruiz , Zintl Tina
Published: April 2014

This article reads Bashar al-Asad's rule through the prism of social activism and, in particular, through the field of charities. The sociopolitical transformations Syria experienced between 2000 and 2010—the shift in state–society relations, the opening of the civic arena, and economic liberalization—are explored through the activities of charitable associations, including their interactions with other Syrian actors, and we argue that they reflect the unraveling of the old social contract. The Syrian leadership outsourced important state welfare functions to charities while also creating nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) under its own control and supporting developmental NGOs loyal to the regime. These NGOs differed from the existing charities in terms of their social base, financial backgrounds, motivations, modes of institutionalization, and public relations strategies, and enabled the authoritarian regime to pursue a new strategy of divide-and-rule politics. At the same time, subcontracting poor-relief measures to charities eroded the regime's political legitimacy and helped sow the seeds of the 2011 uprising.
THE PROMISE AND PITFALLS OF MEDIEVAL ISLAMIC SOCIAL HISTORY
Authors: Berkey Jonathan P.
Published: April 2014

When I was in graduate school, in the 1980s, one frequently heard complaints about the comparatively unsophisticated nature of the historiography of the medieval Middle East. There was considerable envy of historians in fields like early modern European history, who pushed broader disciplinary limits and whose works were read not just for content but also for historiographical and theoretical inspiration. There were some in our own corner of the profession blazing new methodological trails—Clifford Geertz, for example, who, though not a historian, had much to say to historians, and whose books were read eagerly by historians, and not just in Middle Eastern history; or Fedwa Malti-Douglas, as much at home in feminist literary theory as in medieval Arabic literature. But many graduate students in Middle Eastern history felt a bit underrepresented on the cutting edge of historical thought and practice.
Immune recognition ofOnchocerca volvulusproteins in the human host and animal models of onchocerciasis
Authors: Manchang T.K. , Ajonina-Ekoti I. , Ndjonka D. , Eisenbarth A. , Achukwi M.D. , Renz A. , Brattig N.W. , Liebau E. , Breloer M.
Published: April 2014

Onchocerca volvulusis a tissue-dwelling, vector-borne nematode parasite of humans and is the causative agent of onchocerciasis or river blindness. Natural infections of BALB/c mice withLitomosoides sigmodontisand of cattle withOnchocerca ochengiwere used as models to study the immune responses toO. volvulus-derived recombinant proteins (OvALT-2,OvNLT-1,Ov103 andOv7). The humoral immune response ofO. volvulus-infected humans againstOvALT-2,OvNLT-1 andOv7 revealed pronounced immunoglobulin G (IgG) titres which were, however, significantly lower than against the lysate ofO. volvulusadult female worms. Sera derived from patients displaying the hyperreactive form of onchocerciasis showed a uniform trend of higher IgG reactivity both to the single proteins and theO. volvuluslysate. Sera derived fromL. sigmodontis-infected mice and from calves exposed toO. ochengitransmission in a hyperendemic area also contained IgM and IgG1 specific forO. volvulus-derived recombinant proteins. These results strongly suggest thatL. sigmodontis-specific andO. ochengi-specific immunoglobulins elicited during natural infection of mice and cattle cross-reacted withO. volvulus-derived recombinant antigens. MonitoringO. ochengi-infected calves over a 26-month period, provided a comprehensive kinetic of the humoral response to infection that was strictly correlated with parasite load and occurrence of microfilariae.
The intriguing host innate immune response: novel anti-parasitic defence by neutrophil extracellular traps
Authors: HERMOSILLA CARLOS , CARO TAMARA MUÑOZ , SILVA LILIANA M. R. , RUIZ ANTONIO , TAUBERT ANJA
Published: April 2014

The capacity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and other leucocytes of the innate immune system to expel their DNA in a controlled process into the extracellular environment to trap and kill pathogenic microorganisms led to a paradigm shift in our comprehension of host leucocyte-pathogen interactions. Formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) has recently been recognized as a novel effector mechanism of the host innate immune response against microbial infections. Meanwhile evidence has arisen that NET formation is a widely spread mechanism in vertebrates and invertebrates and extends not only to the entrapment of microbes, fungi and viruses but also to the capture of protozoan and metazoan parasites. PMN produce NETs after stimulation with mitogens, cytokines or pathogens in a controlled process which depends on reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the induction of the Raf-MEK-ERK-mediated signalling pathway cascade. NETs consist of nuclear DNA as a backbone decorated with histones, antimicrobial peptides, and PMN-specific granular enzymes thereby providing an extracellular matrix capable of entrapping and killing invasive pathogens. This review is intended to summarize parasite-related data on NETs. Special attention will be given to NET-associated mechanisms by which parasites, in particular apicomplexa, might be hampered in their ability to reproduce within the host cell and complete the life cycle.
Associations of cannabis and cigarette use with psychotic experiences at age 18: findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children
Authors: Gage S. H. , Hickman M. , Heron J. , Munafò M. R. , Lewis G. , Macleod J. , Zammit S.
Published: April 2014

Background.

A clearer understanding of the basis for the association between cannabis use and psychotic experiences (PEs) is required. Our aim was to examine the extent to which associations between cannabis and cigarette use and PEs are due to confounding.

Method.

A cohort study of 1756 adolescents with data on cannabis use, cigarette use and PEs.

Results.

Cannabis use and cigarette use at age 16 were both associated, to a similar degree, with PEs at age 18 [odds ratio (OR) 1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18–1.86 for cannabis and OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.31–1.98 for cigarettes]. Adjustment for cigarette smoking frequency (OR 1.27, 95% CI 0.91–1.76) or other illicit drug use (OR 1.25, 95% CI 0.91–1.73) substantially attenuated the relationship between cannabis and PEs. The attenuation was to a lesser degree when cannabis use was adjusted for in the cigarette PE association (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.05–1.92). However, almost all of the participants used cannabis with tobacco, including those who classed themselves as non-cigarette smokers.

Conclusions.

Teasing out the effects of cannabis from tobacco is highly complex and may not have been dealt with adequately in studies to date, including this one. Complementary methods are required to robustly examine the independent effects of cannabis, tobacco and other illicit drugs on PEs.
Distributed collaborative 3D pose estimation of robots from heterogeneous relative measurements: an optimization on manifold approach
Authors: Knuth Joseph , Barooah Prabir
Published: April 2014

We propose a distributed algorithm for estimating the 3D pose (position and orientation) of multiple robots with respect to a common frame of reference when Global Positioning System is not available. This algorithm does not rely on the use of any maps, or the ability to recognize landmarks in the environment. Instead, we assume that noisy relative measurements between pairs of robots are intermittently available, which can be any one, or combination, of the following: relative pose, relative orientation, relative position, relative bearing, and relative distance. The additional information about each robot's pose provided by these measurements are used to improve over self-localization estimates. The proposed method is similar to a pose-graph optimization algorithm in spirit: pose estimates are obtained by solving an optimization problem in the underlying Riemannian manifold $(SO(3)\times{\mathcal R}^3)^{n(k)}$. The proposed algorithm is directly applicable to 3D pose estimation, can fuse heterogeneous measurement types, and can handle arbitrary time variation in the neighbor relationships among robots. Simulations show that the errors in the pose estimates obtained using this algorithm are significantly lower than what is achieved when robots estimate their pose without cooperation. Results from experiments with a pair of ground robots with vision-based sensors reinforce these findings. Further, simulations comparing the proposed algorithm with two state-of-the-art existing collaborative localization algorithms identify under what circumstances the proposed algorithm performs better than the existing methods. In addition, the question of trade-offs between cost (of obtaining a certain type of relative measurement) and benefit (improvement in localization accuracy) for various types of relative measurements is considered.
Nutrient regulation of glucagon secretion: involvement in metabolism and diabetes
Authors: Marroquí Laura , Alonso-Magdalena Paloma , Merino Beatriz , Fuentes Esther , Nadal Angel , Quesada Ivan
Published: April 2014

Glucose homeostasis is precisely regulated by glucagon and insulin, which are released by pancreatic α- and β-cells, respectively. While β-cells have been the focus of intense research, less is known about α-cell function and the actions of glucagon. In recent years, the study of this endocrine cell type has experienced a renewed drive. The present review contains a summary of established concepts as well as new information about the regulation of α-cells by glucose, amino acids, fatty acids and other nutrients, focusing especially on glucagon release, glucagon synthesis and α-cell survival. We have also discussed the role of glucagon in glucose homeostasis and in energy and lipid metabolism as well as its potential as a modulator of food intake and body weight. In addition to the well-established action on the liver, we discuss the effects of glucagon in other organs, where the glucagon receptor is expressed. These tissues include the heart, kidneys, adipose tissue, brain, small intestine and the gustatory epithelium. Alterations in α-cell function and abnormal glucagon concentrations are present in diabetes and are thought to aggravate the hyperglycaemic state of diabetic patients. In this respect, several experimental approaches in diabetic models have shown important beneficial results in improving hyperglycaemia after the modulation of glucagon secretion or action. Moreover, glucagon receptor agonism has also been used as a therapeutic strategy to treat obesity.
Foraging behaviour of Brown Boobies Sula leucogaster in Anguilla, Lesser Antilles: Preliminary identification of at-sea distribution using a time-in-area approach
Authors: SOANES LOUISE M. , BRIGHT JENNIFER A. , BOLTON MARK , MILLETT JAMES , MUKHIDA FARAH , GREEN JONATHAN A.
Published: April 2014

Seabird populations breeding in the UK Overseas Territories remain relatively understudied compared to UK seabird populations, despite their international importance. Here we present results from one of the first seabird tracking studies in the Caribbean region, of Brown Boobies Sula leucogaster breeding on the Important Bird Area (IBA) of Dog Island, Anguilla. Birds were tracked for 5–7 days during the chick-rearing period using GPS data loggers. We assess how representative the at-sea areas of use (utilisation distributions) identified from our sample of 16 birds are likely to be of those of the whole breeding colony, and examined the effect that grid cell size used in the ‘time-in-area’ analytical approach has on these predictions. We also assess the effectiveness of the BirdLife International’s seaward extension approach to marine IBA designation, where terrestrial IBAs are buffered a set distance using existing information on the foraging radii of the same or similar breeding species. Foraging trips were 125.3 ± 54.4 (SD) km long and lasted for 5.6 ± 1.95 hrs on average. Birds travelled into the waters of four neighbouring territories; Saint Martin, Saba, Saint Eustatius and Saint Barthelemy. Our models suggest that many more individuals would need to be tracked to fully identify important at-sea areas for this colony, although this depends on the scale that important areas are defined. Whilst a smaller grid cell size may be necessary for assessing fine-scale habitat use, a larger grid cell size may be more appropriate for marine spatial planning processes. Although the BirdLife Seaward extension approach using maximum foraging distance recorded from Brown Boobies at a Mexican colony predicted a smaller foraging area than that used by Dog Island birds this approach still incorporated at least 99% of their 50% UD, 98% of their 75% UD and 86% of the 95% UD.
Emergency Medical Services in India: The Present and Future
Authors: Sharma Mohit , Brandler Ethan S.
Published: April 2014

India is the second most populous country in the world. Currently, India does not have a centralized body which provides guidelines for training and operation of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Emergency Medical Services are fragmented and not accessible throughout the country. Most people do not know the number to call in case of an emergency; services such as Dial 108/102/1298 Ambulances, Centralized Accident and Trauma Service (CATS), and private ambulance models exist with wide variability in their dispatch and transport capabilities. Variability also exists in EMS education standards with the recent establishment of courses like Emergency Medical Technician-Basic/Advanced, Paramedic, Prehospital Trauma Technician, Diploma Trauma Technician, and Postgraduate Diploma in EMS. This report highlights recommendations that have been put forth to help optimize the Indian prehospital emergency care system, including regionalization of EMS, better training opportunities, budgetary provisions, and improving awareness among the general community. The importance of public and private partnerships in implementing an organized prehospital care system in India discussed in the report may be a reasonable solution for improved EMS in other developing countries.

SharmaM, BrandlerES. Emergency Medical Services in India: the present and future. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(3):1-4.
Neighborhood and Community Factors: Effects on Deviant Behavior and Social Competence
Authors: Fariña Francisca , Arce Ramón , Novo Mercedes
Published: April 2014

Socialization in a neighborhood and community at risk, defined in terms of violence, social alienation, school failure, and disruptive behavior, is a risk factor for the acquisition of antisocial and delinquent behavior. In order to test this hypothesis and examine the underlying mechanisms involved, 346 participants, 155 high-risk and 191 low-risk, aged 11 to 13, that is, under the age of criminal responsibility as established by the Spanish Law 5/2000 were selected. The results reveal that high-risk youngsters had higher rates of antisocial behavior and lower levels of social skills (i.e., greater tendency to externalize attribution of responsibility, fewer conflict resolution strategies, lower self esteem, and a lower degrees of emotional intelligence) in comparison to the lower-risk group. Finally, the results and implications of the study are discussed in the light of designing prevention programs.
Vicarious Intergroup Contact and the Role of Authorities in Prejudice Reduction
Authors: Gómez Ángel , Huici Carmen
Published: April 2014

The present study focuses on the effect of vicarious intergroup contact and the support of an authority figure on the improvement of outgroup and meta-stereotype evaluations. Meta-stereotype refers to the shared beliefs of ingroup members about how they consider outgroup members to perceive their group. Three preliminary studies were carried out to determine desirable and undesirable characteristics for a good basketball performance, the task that best demonstrates the application of these characteristics, and the two groups (basketball teams) that should be involved in the vicarious intergroup contact. Fans of one of the basketball teams participated in the current study. Vicarious intergroup contact improved outgroup and meta-stereotype evaluations as compared with a no contact condition. In addition, the positive effects of vicarious intergroup contact significantly increased when it was supported by an authority figure. More importantly, our study also shows that the improvement of outgroup evaluation was partially mediated by changes on meta-stereotypes.
Relationships among Goal Orientations, Motivational Climate and Flow in Adolescent Athletes: Differences by Gender
Authors: Murcia Juan Antonio Moreno , Gimeno Eduardo Cervelló , Coll David González-Cutre
Published: April 2014

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationships among perceived motivational climate, individuals' goal orientations, and dispositional flow, with attention to possible gender differences. A sample of 413 young athletes, ages 12 to 16 years, completed the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire-2 (PMCSQ-2) and Perception of Success Questionnaire (POSQ), as well as the Dispositional Flow Scale. Task orientation was positively and significantly related to a perceived task- involving motivational climate and to the disposition to experience flow in the sport. Ego orientation was positively and significantly associated with a perceived ego-involving motivational climate and with dispositional flow. The perceptions of task-involving and ego-involving motivational climates were positively and significantly linked to general dispositional flow. Multiple regression analysis indicated that both task and ego goal orientations and perceived task- and ego-oriented climates predicted dispositional flow. Males displayed a stronger ego orientation, and were more likely to report that they participated in an ego-oriented climate, than did females. To the contrary, the females were more likely to perceive a task-oriented climate than did the males. No meaningful differences were found between males and females in general dispositional flow.
Reputation, Loneliness, Satisfaction with Life and Aggressive Behavior in Adolescence
Authors: Buelga Sofía , Musitu Gonzalo , Murgui Sergio , Pons Javier
Published: April 2014

The present study analyses the relationship between adolescents' perception of reputation and aggressive behavior among peers. The sample is made up of 1319 adolescents aged 11 to 16 years old. Statistical analyses with structural equation modeling were carried out to examine the direct and indirect effect of perception of reputation (real and ideal) on aggressive behavior. Results indicate that adolescents' real and ideal reputations are related both directly and indirectly to aggressive behavior. The indirect effects suggest that loneliness and life satisfaction mediate the relationship between adolescents' reputation and their aggressive behavior. These findings and their implications are discussed.
Morningness-Eveningness in Adolescents
Authors: Díaz-Morales Juan Francisco , Sorroche María Gutiérrez
Published: April 2014

Individual morningness-eveningness differences explain the rhythmic variations of behavioral and biological patterns. Several studies have corroborated that morningness preference increases over adulthood and aging. Adolescents shift their time of day preferences from morningness to eveningness during puberty. The aims of this study were translate to Spanish the Morningness-Eveningness Scale for Children (MESC) and to analyze age and sex differences. A group of 600 adolescents (aged between 12 and 16 years) participated in the study. Psychometric analysis showed that reliability and factor structure were suitable and similar to previous studies. The results indicated a clear decrease of morningness as of 12 years. Boys were more morningness-oriented than girls in several items of the questionnaire. In view of the results, several educational implications are raised.
Poverty, Stressful Life Events, and Coping Strategies
Authors: Lever Joaquina Palomar
Published: April 2014

It was hypothesized that individuals of low socioeconomic status are exposed to a greater number of stressful events and therefore have a higher incidence of psychological disorders. However, the way they interpret, evaluate and cope with these stressful situations may either cause them to maintain, intensify or eliminate their overall stress. Past research indicates that the poorest individuals tend most frequently to falsely minimize or avoid stressful situations, which lowers the probability of resolving their problems. The objective of this study is to discover and compare the situations that have produced a high level of stress in subjects of three different socioeconomic groups over the last three months, as well as the strategies they used to cope, and their perceived effectiveness. The sample included 900 subjects of both sexes living in Mexico City. Among them, 346 were extremely poor, 260 were moderately poor and 312 were not poor. The results indicate that socioeconomic status is related to the frequency with which subjects report certain kinds of stressful situations. It was also found that non-poor subjects use problem-focused coping methods more than the other groups, while the poor use more emotionally-focused coping strategies. This article analyzes the strategies used by each group in each type of stressful situation reported.
Psychological Differences of Patients and Relatives according to Post-Transplantation Anxiety
Authors: Gregorio María Ángeles Pérez San , Rodríguez Agustín Martín , Bernal José Pérez
Published: April 2014

The aim of this investigation is to analyze the psychological differences of patients and their relatives according to the formers' post-transplantation anxiety. We used two groups of participants: transplant patients (n = 166) and close relatives (n = 166). Four questionnaires were applied: a Psychological Survey (to both groups), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Quality of Life Questionnaire (to the transplant patients), and the Leeds Scales for the Self-Assessment of Anxiety and Depression (to the relatives). Participants were assessed twice: post-Intensive Care Unit (ICU; when patients were moved from the ICU to the Transplantation Unit) and post-hospital (one year after transplant). Results showed that high anxiety in patients just after organ transplant was related to an increase of anxiety and depression symptoms both in patients and relatives one year after transplant; it was also related to a decrease in the quality of life of these patients.
Recurrent Criminal Behavior and Executive Dysfunction
Authors: Barbosa Manuel Fernando Santos , Monteiro Luis Manuel Coelho
Published: April 2014

Objective:

To experimentally test the hypothesis that people who repeatedly participate in forms of non-violent crime exhibit an executive deficit detected in tests of high ecological validity, having changes in prefrontal functioning as neurophysiologic basis.

Participants and Methods:

A battery to assess executive dysfunction was administered – the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS) –to an experimental group of 30 inmates convicted of crimes against property (mean age = 39.3, SD =9.98), and a control group of 30 (mean age = 32.7, SD = 11.8), all male.

Results:

The group of recurrent inmates performed significantly worse than the control group in their global scores on the battery, as well as in the majority of subscales.

Conclusion:

Without removing from consideration the fact that sample size was not very large and, primarily, alerting ourselves to the dangerous hypothesis of a “frontal criminogenesis,” the authors interpret criminal recurrence and resistance to penal measures in terms of the scarcity of control that individuals from the experimental group have over their behavior and its respective consequences.
Evaluation of Halpern's “Structural Component” for Improving Critical Thinking
Authors: Nieto Ana Mª , Saiz Carlos
Published: April 2014

Halpern (1998) proposed a four-component model for promoting the transfer of critical thinking. One of them, the “structural component,” focuses on how to organize teaching so that critical thinking skills can be generalized. Here, we assess the efficiency of that type of organization. Thus, one group of university students received instruction following the suggestions specified in that component and their performance was compared with that of other university students who received instruction in the same skills but using a different procedure, and with that of a control group. In comparison with the control group, the performance of both instructed groups was better after training. However, no significant differences were observed between either instruction group; both forms of instruction afforded very similar results.
Psychology of Male and Female Communicative Activity
Authors: Vasyura Svetlana A.
Published: April 2014

The article features a brief overview of theoretical and empirical studies in communication psychology and sociability of men and women, boys and girls. Russian and foreign studies are summarized to point out that girls and women place greater emphasis on communication and interpersonal relations than do boys and men. Moreover, female communication is more emotional. The article presents the results of the author's own empirical study of male and female communicative activity. Communicative activity is viewed as a complex psychological phenomenon, a degree of the subject's willingness to interact. Communicative activity was studied with the test proposed by the Russian psychologist, Krupnov, and designed to detect the following components of communicative activity: dynamic (natural), emotional, motivational, cognitive, regulatory, productive, and two sorts of communication difficulties (operational and personal). Gender differences in communicative activity are shown on a sample of 480 participants aged 18-40 (240 men and 240 women). The article then describes communicative styles of adolescents (130 boys and 130 girls, aged 19-24). Various communicative styles are featured, including “energetic, businesslike,” “conformal, emotional,” “diplomatic, externally oriented” for boys and “energetic, sociable,” “emotional, difficult,” and “complaisant, expressive” for girls. Every person's individuality and gender identity are shown to impact their communicative style.
Reliability and Validity of the Oxford Happiness Inventory among University Students in Iran
Authors: Liaghatdar Mohammad Javad , Jafari Ebrahim , Abedi Mohammad Reza , Samiee Fatemeh
Published: April 2014

The aim of the present study was to examine the internal reliability, content validity, construct validity, and concurrent validity of the Persian translation/Farsi version of the Oxford Happiness Inventory. The Oxford Happiness Inventory and Fordyce Happiness Inventory were completed by a sample of 727 Iranian university students. Findings confirmed the internal reliability, construct, and concurrent validity of the Oxford Happiness Inventory. Thus, it can be recommended for use as a trait-measure of happiness among Iranian samples.
Spanish Adaptation of the Stepparent Role Strain Index
Authors: Fellmann Isabel Espinar , Galán María José Carrasco , Roque Isabel Muñoz San , Galán Inés Carrasco
Published: April 2014

Stepparent role strain refers to the fragile position of these family members in stepfamilies due to the lack of clear social expectations about their roles. This ambiguity facilitates family conflict and a lack of stepparents' integration into the family system. The aim of this paper is to adapt a pioneer measure of stepparent role strain—the Stepparent Role Strain Index of Whitsett and Land (1992)—in a Spanish sample and to analyze its construct validity. The final instrument is made up of 26 items which have good internal consistency (α = .89) and an underlying six-factor structure, explaining 64.50% of the total variance.
The Semantic Component of the Evoked Potential of Differentiation
Authors: Izmailov Chingis A. , Korshunova Svetlana G. , Sokolov Yevgeniy N.
Published: April 2014

This work analyzes data from recordings of (occipital and temporal) cortical evoked potentials (called evoked potentials of differentiation (EPD) occurring in humans in response to an abrupt substitution of stimuli. As stimuli we used three groups of words: the names of the ten basic colors taken from Newton's color circle; the names of seven basic emotions forming Shlossberg's circle of emotions; and seven nonsense words comprised of random combinations of letters. Within each group of word stimuli we constructed a matrix of the differences between the amplitudes of mid-latency components of EPD for each pair of words. This matrix was analyzed using the method of multidimensional scaling. As a result of this analysis we were able to distinguish the semantic and configurational components of EPD amplitude. The semantic component of EPD amplitude was evaluated by comparing structure of the data obtained to the circular structures of emotion and color names. The configurational component was evaluated on the basis of the attribute of word length (number of letters). It was demonstrated that the semantic component of the EPD can only be detected in the left occipital lead at an interpeak amplitude of P120-N180. The configurational component is reflected in the occipital and temporal leads to an identical extent, but only in the amplitude of a later (N180-P230) component of the EPD. The results obtained are discussed in terms of the coding of categorized, configurational, and semantic attributes of a visual stimulus.
Illusory Conjunctions in the Time Domain and the Resulting Time-Course of the Attentional Blink
Authors: Botella Juan , Arend Isabel , Suero Manuel
Published: April 2014

Illusory conjunctions in the time domain are errors made in binding stimulus features presented In the same spatial position in Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) conditions. Botella, Barriopedro, and Suero (2001) devised a model to explain how the distribution of responses originating from stimuli around the target in the series is generated. They proposed two routes consisting of two sequential attempts to make a response. The second attempt (sophisticated guessing) is only employed if the first one (focal attention) fails in producing an integrated perception. This general outline enables specific predictions to be made and tested related to the efficiency of focal attention in generating responses in the first attempt. Participants had to report the single letter in an RSVP stream of letters that was presented in a previously specified color (first target, T1) and then report whether an X (second target, T2) was or was not presented. Performance on T2 showed the typical U-shaped function across the T1-T2 lag that reflects the attentional blink phenomenon. However, as was predicted by Botella, Barriopedro, and Suero's model, the time-course of the interference was shorter for trials with a correct response to T1 than for trials with a T1 error. Furthermore, longer time-courses of interference associated with pre-target and post-target errors to the first target were indistinguishable.
Estimating One's Own and One's Relatives' Multiple Intelligence: A Study from Argentina
Authors: Furnham Adrian , Chamorro-Premuzic Tomas
Published: April 2014

Participants from Argentina (N = 217) estimated their own, their partner's, their parents' and their grandparents' overall and multiple intelligences. The Argentinean data showed that men gave higher overall estimates than women (M = 110.4 vs. 105.1) as well as higher estimates on mathematical and spatial intelligence. Participants thought themselves slightly less bright than their fathers (2 IQ points) but brighter than their mothers (6 points), their grandfathers (8 points), but especially their grandmothers (11 points). Regressions showed that participants thought verbal and mathematical IQ to be the best predictors of overall IQ. Results were broadly in agreement with other studies in the area. A comparison was also made with British data using the same questionnaire. British participants tended to give significantly higher self-estimates than for relatives, though the pattern was generally similar. Results are discussed in terms of the studies in the field.
The Neurophysiological Validation of the Hyperpolarization Theory of Internal Inhibition
Authors: Shulgina Galina I.
Published: April 2014

The experiments in conscious non-immobilized rabbits showed that cessation of the reactions without reinforcement (elaboration of the internal inhibition) is accompanied by an enhanced phasic state, by alternation of activation and inhibition of neuron firing, and by the corresponding slow potential oscillation (SPO). These changes can be either localized, predominantly in the structures of conditioned stimulus, or, under enhancement of the inhibitory state, generalized in the brain structures. On the basis of our experience and published data, it is concluded that the above event results from relative enhancement of the inhibitory hyperpolarizing processes due to increase in reactivity of the inhibitory systems to stimulus, which acquires inhibitory properties during learning. Changes in the excitability and reactivity of neuron populations appearing during enhancement of the hyperpolarizing inhibition, and differing in the various brain structures, play an active role in the execution of the main function of the internal inhibition: limitation of excitation transmission to the effectors. An inhibitory mediator gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) is of great importance in inhibiting the excitation in response to the stimulus which lost its biological significance. These experimental data and their interpretation in the light of published data give the basis for the development of the hyperpolarization theory of internal inhibition.
Fitting Rasch Model using Appropriateness Measure Statistics
Authors: López Pina José Antonio , Montesinos M. Dolores Hidalgo
Published: April 2014

In this paper, the distributional properties and power rates of the Lz, Eci2z, and Eci4z statistics when they are used as item fit statistics were explored. The results were compared to t-transformation of Outfit and Infit mean square. Four sample sizes were selected: 100, 250, 500, and 1000 examinees. The abilities were uniform and normal with mean 0 and standard deviation 1, and uniform and normal with mean –1 and standard deviation 1. The pseudo-guessing parameter was fixed at .25. Two ranges of difficulty parameters were selected: ±1 logits and ±2 logits. Two test lengths were selected: 15 and 30 items. The results showed important differences between the T-infit, T-outfit, Lz, Eci2z, and Eci4z statistics. The T-oufit, T-infit, and Lz statistics showed poor standardization with estimated parameters because their distributional properties were not close to the expected values. However, the Eci2z and Eci4z statistics showed satisfactory standardization on all conditions. Further, the power rates of Eci2z and Eci4z were 5% to 10% higher than the power rates of Lz, T-outfit, and T-infit to detect items that do not fit Rasch model.
Is the DeVries-Rose to Weber Transition Empirically Possible with Sine-Wave Gratings?
Authors: García-Pérez Miguel A.
Published: April 2014

Visual functioning at various retinal illuminance levels is usually measured either by determining grating acuity as a function of light level or by determining how sensitivity to sine-wave gratings changes with retinal illuminance. The former line of research has shown that grating acuity follows a two-branch relationship with retinal illuminance, with the point of discontinuity occurring at the transition from scotopic to photopic vision. Results of the latter line of research have summarily been described as a transition from the DeVries-Rose law to Weber's law, according to which log sensitivity increases linearly with log illuminance with a slope of 0.5 over a range of low illuminances (the DeVries-Rose range) and then levels off and does not increase with further increases of illuminance (the Weber range). This paper aims at determining the compatibility of the results of these two lines of research. We consider empirical constraints from data bearing on the shape of the surface describing contrast sensitivity to sine-wave gratings as a function of spatial frequency and illuminance simultaneously, in order to determine whether they are consistent with a summary description in terms of DeVries-Rose and Weber's laws. Our analysis indicates that, with sine-wave gratings, the DeVries-Rose law can only hold empirically at low spatial frequencies.
How Impulsivity is Related to Intelligence and Academic Achievement
Authors: Vigil-Coleṭ Andreu , Morales-Vives Fabia
Published: April 2014

This study investigated the relationships between impulsivity, intelligence, and academic failure in a sample of 241 secondary school students who completed Thurstone's (1938) Primary Mental Abilities (PMA) test and Dickman's (1990) and Barratt's (1985) impulsivity questionnaires (DII and BIS-10, respectively). Results show an inverse relationship between impulsivity and intelligence, specific to the scales with higher loadings on crystallized intelligence, and a positive relationship between impulsivity and academic failure. These results indicate that impulsivity is not directly related to intelligence and may act as a moderator variable between individuals' resources and their achievements.
Does Quantity Generate Quality? Testing the Fundamental Principle of Brainstorming
Authors: Adánez Alfredo Muñoz
Published: April 2014

The purpose of this work is to test the chief principle of brainstorming, formulated as “quantity generates quality.” The study is included within a broad program whose goal is to detect the strong and weak points of creative techniques. In a sample of 69 groups, containing between 3 and 8 members, the concurrence of two commonly accepted criteria was established as a quality rule: originality and utility or value. The results fully support the quantity-quality relation (r = .893): the more ideas produced to solve a problem, the better quality of the ideas. The importance of this finding, which supports Osborn's theory, is discussed, and the use of brainstorming is recommended to solve the many open problems faced by our society.
Some Variables Associated with Psychologists' Appraisal of Psychotherapy in Argentina
Authors: García Horacio Daniel
Published: April 2014

The purpose of this research is to provide information about the state of psychotherapy in Argentina, as well as to study some variables involved in psychologists' evaluation of psychotherapy. A survey of 14 items was elaborated ad-hoc for this purpose, and administered to 226 psychologists from all over the country by mail and, in some cases, personally. Results suggest that the predisposition to apply techniques from different frameworks is associated with the amount of experience and with the perception of a bias concerning other theoretical focuses, although it is not related to the evaluation of the state of psychotherapy. On the other hand, in the view of psychologists, personal aspects of the therapeutic relationship are believed to be the most important factor in patients' change and effective progress.
Stereotype Development in Andalusian Children
Authors: de la Peña Almudena Giménez , Ortiz Jesús M. Canto , Berrocal Pablo Fernández , Barrett Martyn
Published: April 2014

Social psychologists have shown a profound interest in intergroup relationships, but there are very few papers focusing on the developmental aspects that explain the psychological mechanisms involved in the construction of group and cultural identity. Our research aims to explore how the self-categorization of Andalusian children evolves. We tried to assess the degree to which they self-identify as Andalusian, Spanish, and European, and how this identification changes with age. We were also interested in the affective evaluation of different groups (French, Italian, English, German, Spanish, Catalonian, and Andalusian) made by Andalusian children. Furthermore, we analyzed the relationship between self-categorization and the evaluation of these groups. Results show that the development of national (autonomous community) identity in these children is influenced by their cognitive development, as well as by the relationships among the regional communities of Spain and the relationships between Spain and other countries. The peculiarity of Andalusians as a group is that they assume both identities: Spanish and Andalusian, from a very early age. In-group favoritism is an extended phenomenon at all ages, and Andalusian children have a negative stereotype of the other Spanish groups and other European communities.
Concerning the Madrid Lecture: The Equivocal Character of Pavlov's Reflexological Objectivism and its Influence on the Distorted Concept of the Physiology-Psychology Relationship
Authors: Fuentes Juan Bautista
Published: April 2014

The aim of this study is to bring to light and make clear the characteristic equivoque Pavlov made when he conceived the neurophysiological circuit involved in conditioned behavior as if this circuit contained or reduced, in its own terms, such behavior. I also wish to point out how this interpretation implies a distorted concept of the relationships between neurophysiology and behavior. As an alternative, it is proposed that behavior, which is always operant behavior, is not at all reducible to its neurophysiological ingredients, but instead acts like an arrow-head for adaptation that, in turn, confers a subordinate function to the neurophysiological ingredients involved. To make this evident, behavior is considered an operant organic activity that takes place in an environment of “remote co-present” texture, and different from its neurophysiological ingredients, which take place within the context of spatial contiguity relationships.