Search

During the years 1994–1997, the emulsion target of the CHORUS detector was exposed to the wide-band neutrino beam of the CERN SPS of 27 GeV average neutrino energy. In total about 100 000 charged-current neutrino interactions were located in the nuclear emulsion target and fully reconstructed. From this sample of events which was based on the data acquired by new automatic scanning systems, 1048 charged-current interactions with a D 0 in the final state were selected by a pattern recognition program and confirmed as neutral-particle decays through visual inspection. The ratio of decay branching fractions of the D 0 into four charged particles to two charged particles was measured to be B ( D 0 → V 4 ) / B ( D 0 → V 2 ) = 0.207 ± 0.016 ± 0.004 . The inclusive measurement of the observed production rate of the D 0 with a decay into four charged prongs in combination with external measurements of this topological branching ratio was used to determine the total D 0 production rate by neutrinos without additional assumption on the branching fractions. The value of this rate relative to the charged-current cross-section was found to be σ ( D 0 ) / σ ( CC ) = 0.0269 ± 0.0018 ± 0.0013 . In addition, the same normalization method was used to deduce the inclusive topological decay rate into final states with neutral particles only. A value of 0.218 ± 0.049 ± 0.036 was found for this branching fraction. From an observed number of three charged six-prong events the branching ratio into six charged particles was determined to be ( 1.2 −0.9 +1.3 ± 0.2 ) × 10 −3 . A measurement of the energy dependence of the D 0 production by neutrinos relative to the total charged-current cross-section is also reported. This measurement was used to deduce for m c , the effective charm-quark mass, a value of ( 1.42 ± 0.08 ) GeV / c 2 .

The stroke volume (SV) during exercise is an important index of the heart's functional capacity. A new method has been developed for the non-invasive estimation of exercise SV (SVex). It requires the determination of the slope for the oxygen uptake versus heart rate relationship in the steady state of graded exercise testing (GXT). The product of the slope and a constant (reciprocal of an assumed value of the arterial oxygen content) equals an estimated value for SVex. It was validated in a previous study using invasive measurements while subjects were performing steady-state GXT. However, currently the most commonly used GXT protocols are non-steady state, e.g. protocols with 1-min increment durations. We tested the hypothesis that SVex is the same for steady-state and non-steady-state GXT. A total of 30 subjects (15 males and 15 females) served as subjects for the study. Each subject performed two GXTs on different days with different increment durations - 1 and 4 min. Ventilation and gas exchange were measured with the Vacumed metabolic cart. For the male subjects, the mean (SD) SVex values for the 1- and 4-min GXTs were 155.4 (39.5) and 134.6 (27.5) ml, respectively. The corresponding values for the female subjects were 151.6 (37.6) and 134.3 (36.4) ml. Paired t-test analysis demonstrated that for both genders the mean SVex for the 1-min GXT was significantly larger than the 4-min GXT mean value (P

The inhibition–confrontation model of coping asserts that by disclosing a traumatic event, inhibition is released, reducing the strain on the body and vulnerability to disease. This study questions the parameters of this model by testing whether individual differences in uncertainty orientation will lead to differential physiological reactions to confrontation of past traumatic events. Participants discussed a traumatic and neutral event while skin conductance and heart rate measures were obtained. For those who disclosed a high-intensity trauma, uncertainty-oriented persons exhibited less inhibition (lower skin conductance levels) and a greater increase in arousal (higher heart rate) relative to certainty-oriented persons. These differences were reversed for disclosers of low-intensity traumas. The results suggest that one's orientation to uncertainty is associated with trauma disclosure. They highlight the value of considering individual differences in the clinical setting.

The present study investigates whether Canadian and Japanese university students differ in how they deal with uncertainty. In addition to examining individual differences in uncertainty orientation, Weinstein's measure of unrealistic optimism and Hofstede’s measures of uncertainty avoidance and individualism-collectivism were examined. Participants were 535 Canadian and Japanese undergraduate men and women. In support of the main prediction, Canadian students were found to be more uncertainty oriented (UO) as compared to Japanese students, who were more certainty oriented(CO) ( p< .001). It is interesting to note that significant Uncertainty Orientation Country interactions on the additional measures were also found. Whereas COs showed high levels of unrealistic optimism and uncertainty avoidance and low levels of individualism in Canada, UOs showed this pattern in Japan. These differences are consistent with the theory of uncertainty orientation in terms of whether cultural orientations toward uncertainty match or do not match one’s self-regulatory style

To increase rates of employment and improve overall rehabilitation in methadone maintenance treatment, three prevocational trainings, Vocational Problem Solving, Job Seekers Workshop, and the two combined, were evaluated as adjunctive services. Between March 1995 and April 1998, subjects in treatment were interviewed at baseline, randomly assigned to one of the trainings, and followed up at 6 and 12 months postbaseline. None of the three models produced significantly greater employment or better overall rehabilitation. Experience from the study suggests that closer integration of prevocational training with treatment, individualizing efforts to meet training needs, and providing support during job-finding and early job-holding might improve program effectiveness.

In this paper, we present a mathematical formulation derived from the theory of uncertainty orientation (In R.M. Sorrehtino, & E.T. Higgins (Eds.), the handbook of motivation and cognition: Foundations of social behaviour, Vol. 1 (pp. 379-403). New York: The Guilford press; The uncertain mind: Individual differences in facing the unknown. London: Erlbaum (UK), Taylor & Francis). This formulation integrates affective and informational influences on thought and action. It is a model of self-regulation where the need to maintain clarity and the need to attain clarity are considered as two independent informational tendencies. These informational tendencies are influenced by the degree of self-relevance and the amount of perceived situational uncertainty. In addition, they are multiplicative with affective approach and avoidance tendencies, leading to accentuation or inhibition of behaviours expressed in action. It is further demonstrated that when the nondominant action tendency is instigated, secondary source of motivation are expressed. This model not only accounts for past data, but also permits exploration using computer simulation. In addition, many new and testable hypotheses, including those related to affect and dynamical decision theory, are generated.

El estrés oxidativo y el índice de madurez reticulocitaria (IMR) fueron estudiados en 27 pacientes sometidos a trasplante de médula ósea (TMO). En los pacientes con evolución no favorable, los lipoperóxidos mostraron un incremento entre el día 12-14 postransplante (mediana 1.83 µM rango 0.78-5.82) con respecto al precondicionamiento (mediana 1.05 µM rango 0.36-1.84 p

Adults represent proper names (e.g. ‘Katharine Hepburn’) as referring to unique individuals (i.e. Katharine Hepburn), and studies of children’s proper name learning have been taken to show that children represent proper names in like manner. However, almost all of these studies leave open the possibility that children represent proper names as referring to restricted kinds of highly similar animals. We provide direct evidence against this possibility: both adults and 3-year-old children presented with a novel word for a toy animal (e.g. ‘daxy’) assumed that the animal continued to be referred to with the word, despite a change in the animal’s appearance and location, and despite the introduction at the old location of an animal identical in appearance to the original animal at the time the word was introduced. Participants presented with a simple artifact (e.g. a bottle) did not interpret the word as a proper name, consistent with previous work.

In this study we present the first detailed description of the motor component of the peripheral nervous system of an ascidian showing its three-dimensional organization and the spatial relationships between nerves and contiguous organs. Nerves of the oozooid and blastozooid of the colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri were analyzed using a histochemical method for detecting cholinesterase activity in whole-mount preparations and in sections for light and electron microscopy. Except for the neural gland and gonads, all tissues are well innervated by cholinesterase-reactive neurites. Each blastozooid of the colony possesses an individual nerve plexus which is not in continuity with that of adjacent zooids. The innervation of the mantle, oral and cloacal siphons, branchial basket, heart, and gut are described. Most organs possess a complex network of nerves often with multiple origins from different pathways. A sophisticated pattern is described for the first time in the gut, which receives innervation from the endostyle, the roof of the branchial basket, and the posterior mantle. Dilated axonal regions but no obvious cell bodies were recognized in the peripheral nervous system revealed by cholinesterase activity. The localization of nerves is discussed together with a consideration of their physiological role.

La comunità italiana di eclipse è al suo secondo anno di vita. Essa ha l’intento di sviluppare sinergie e progetti attorno all’open source e quindi attorno ad una comunità di pratica che ha lo scopo di diffondere, migliorare ed utilizzare la piattaforma eclipse. Molti progetti sono in corso nella comunità, ma una delle sfide interessanti sono gli strumenti di comunicazione che questa comunità di pratica può e deve sperimentare per crescere. All’inizio di quest’anno la comunità eclipse italiana ha deciso di investire le proprie energie nella sperimentazione della propria attività in Second Life facendo nascere ECLIPSE-IT-SL. E’ nato così un gruppo di lavoro che si stà occupando delle problematiche e delle attività connesse a questo nuovo paradigma comunicativo. Il lavoro seguente illustra lo stato dell’arte di questo progetto della comunità eclipse italiana in second life. La sperimentazione della struttura è ospitata provvisoriamente nello spazio denominato “Eternal city” di IBM.

Two studies investigated the uncertainty orientation model of self-regulation as it relates to control motivation in moderate depressives and nondepressives. It was hypothesized that moderately depressed persons would be more likely than nondepressed persons to process information when control deprived, as opposed to nondeprived, only if they were uncertainty oriented. Certainty-oriented persons were expected to decrease information processing under these conditions. Participants differing in uncertainty orientation and depression level were assessed for information processing following control deprivation or no deprivation. In Study 1, desire for information about the deprivation task was assessed and participants were given a second performance task. In Study 2, information seeking was measured while reading about social outcomes. The expected three-factor interaction was found to be significant on measures of information seeking and performance in both studies. A model to represent these findings is proposed, as are implications for research on depression, coping, and control.

The present study investigated the relationship between the uncertainty orientation construct (Sorrentino & Short, 1986) and the Big Five personality structure. As predicted, uncertainty orientation was related to only the Openness to Experience factor and not to Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, or Neuroticism. Discriminant and convergent validity for the construct using the Six-Factor Personality Questionnaire (6FPQ; Jackson & Paunonen, in press) was demonstrated. Uncertainty orientation was also positively correlated with the NEO-PI-R Openness measure (Costa & McCrae, 1992). As predicted, both components of uncertainty orientation (need to master uncertainty and Authoritarianism) tapped distinct aspects of personality and provided unique variance in predicting Openness as measured by the 6FPQ. The implications for the nature of the uncertainty orientation construct are discussed.

During the years 1994-1997, the emulsion target of the CHORUS detector was exposed to the wide-band neutrino beam of the CERN SPS of 27 GeV average neutrino energy. In total about 100 000 charged-current neutrino interactions were located in the nuclear emulsion target and fully reconstructed. From this sample of events which was based on the data acquired by new automatic scanning systems, 1048 charged-current interactions with a Do in the final state were selected by a pattern recognition program and confirmed as neutral-particle decays through visual inspection. The ratio of decay branching fractions of the Do into four charged particles to two charged particles was measured to be B(D-0 &RARR; V4)/B(D-0 &RARR; V2) = 0.207 &PLUSMN; 0.016 &PLUSMN; 0.004. The inclusive measurement of the observed production rate of the Do with a decay into four charged prongs in combination with external measurements of this topological branching ratio was used to determine the total Do production rate by neutrinos without additional assumption on the branching fractions. The value of this rate relative to the charged-current cross-section was found to be σ (D-0) / σ (CC) = 0.0269 &PLUSMN; 0.0018 &PLUSMN; 0.0013. In addition, the same normalization method was used to deduce the inclusive topological decay rate into final states with neutral particles only. A value of 0.218 &PLUSMN; 0.049 &PLUSMN; 0.036 was found for this branching fraction. From an observed number of three charged six-prong events the branching ratio into six charged particles was determined to be (1.2(-0.9)(+1.3) &PLUSMN; 0.2) x 10(-3). A measurement of the energy dependence of the D-0 production by neutrinos relative to the total charged-current cross-section is also reported. This measurement was used to deduce for m(c), the effective charm-quark mass, a value of (1.42 &PLUSMN; 0.08) GeV/c(2). © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

There is less research about homicidal women than about their male counterparts. Women are often considered the gentler sex, and their risk of perpetrating violent acts is underestimated. In attempts to understand violence by women with mental illness, female homicide offenders found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) are an important subpopulation. Understanding common factors in this subpopulation (such as psychosis with religious delusions) may help in preventing severe violence perpetrated by women with mental illness. However, as with other crimes, those with mental illness who commit homicide may often have rational, nonpsychotic motives (such as anger, jealousy, self-defense, money, or criminal intent) and would not be captured in a study of those found NGRI. Further, caution must be used when studying an NGRI population, as there are potential gender biases in findings of insanity.

The present study extends the theory of uncertainty orientation (Sorrentino & Short 1986) to the context of intelligence test performance. The theory assumes that Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test scores will vary as a function of personality and situational determinants. Following a previous assessment of individual differences in uncertainty orientation (an informational variable), and achievement-related motives (an affective variable), subjects (n = 156) were given a shortened version of the Multidimensional Aptitude Battery intelligence test (Jackson 1984). The test was presented as an intelligence test (diagnostic condition) or as exploratory (nondiagnostic condition). Results supported the general hypothesis that IQ scores would differ significantly as a function of subjects' uncertainty orientation and achievement-related motives by interacting with task diagnosticity. Whereas some uncertainty orientation achievement-related motives combinations performed better where the task was perceived as diagnostic, others performed better where the task was perceived as nondiagnostic. Implications of this personality × situation interaction are discussed.

An individual difference dimension, uncertainty orientation, is discussed as it relates to self-evaluation (specifically, self-assessment and self-verification). Research is presented suggesting that uncertainty-oriented people are best described in terms of self assessment motives and that self-verification may be more important for certainty-oriented people. The impact of factors like personal relevance and amount of self-knowledge may also be moderated by the person's uncertainty orientation. Analysis of these motives from an individual differences perspective raises a number of questions about the nature of these self-evaluation motives and suggests that the "who" question is likely to be as important as the "when" question in addressing the relative importance of these different motives.

One of the main problems in the study or industrial application of transesterification processes for vegetable oils is how to measure the methyl ester content. In this work, a quick analytical method was developed for assessing the methyl ester content of purified “fuel grade” transesterification products by applying a simple correlation with viscosity. The correlation was tested on a wide range of samples with various methyl ester contents; the results were in agreement with the values measured by gas-chromatographic analysis. In a defined range of weight fractions the correlation allows for the determination of the methyl ester content of purified transesterification products by a single viscosity measurement. This method is especially suitable for process control purposes as it determines the methyl ester content quickly and simply.

Reducing discrepancies between performance and goals was predicted to motivate uncertainty-oriented people, but maintaining congruence was predicted to be more motivating for certainty-oriented people. Being motivated should lead to better performance when a person is focused on positive outcomes, or to worse performance if he or she is focused on negative outcomes (success-oriented vs. failure-threatened in Studies 1 and 2, ideal vs. ought discrepancy in Study 3). Three studies tested these hypotheses: an experiment that used bogus performance feedback, a field study of examination performance as a function of prior discrepancies from desired grades, and an experimental priming of standards associated with a discrepancy or with no discrepancy. All 3 studies revealed the predicted interaction, supporting the hypothesis that there are individual differences in motivation as a function of goal discrepancy or congruence

Because coping with uncertainty is an important aspect of close relationships and is critical to issues of trust, the authors expected individual differences in uncertainty orientation to play a central role in shaping people's representations of their relationships. For a 3-week period, 77 couples completed a series or questionnaires and kept diaries on their interactions. As expected, certainty-oriented persons'need for cognitive closure resulted in either high or low trust for their partners, whereas uncertainty-oriented persons typically attained only a moderate level of trust. Several other measures indicated that certainty-oriented partners round their relationships most aversive under moderate trust. Memory data indicated that certainty-oriented individuals, but not uncertainty-oriented individuals, used conclusions about trust as a heuristic for reconstructing the past in ways that maintained cognitive clarity. Uncertainty orientation also combined with gender in many interesting ways

Mustn1 is a vertebrate-specific protein that, in vitro, was showed to be essential for prechondrocyte function and thus it has the potential to regulate chondrogenesis during embryonic development. We use Xenopus laevis as a model to examine Mustn1 involvement in chondrogenesis. Previous work suggests that Mustn1 is necessary but not sufficient for chondrogenic proliferation and differentiation, as well as myogenic differentiation in vitro. Mustn1 was quantified and localized in developing Xenopus embryos using RT-PCR and whole mount in situ hybridization. Xenopus embryos were injected with either control morpholinos (Co-MO) or one designed against Mustn1 (Mustn1-MO) at the four cell stage. Embryos were scored for morphological defects and Sox9 was visualized via in situ hybridization. Finally, Mustn1-MO-injected embryos were co-injected with Mustn1-MO resistant mRNA to confirm the specificity of the observed phenotype. Mustn1 is expressed from the mid-neurula stage to the swimming tadpole stages, predominantly in anterior structures including the pharyngeal arches and associated craniofacial tissues, and the developing somites. Targeted knockdown of Mustn1 in craniofacial and dorsal axial tissues resulted in phenotypes characterized by small or absent eye(s), a shortened body axis, and tail kinks. Further, Mustn1 knockdown reduced cranial Sox9 mRNA expression and resulted in the loss of differentiated cartilaginous head structures (e.g. ceratohyal and pharyngeal arches). Reintroduction of MO-resistant Mustn1 mRNA rescued these effects. We conclude that Mustn1 is necessary for normal craniofacial cartilage development in vivo, although the exact molecular mechanism remains unknown.

Objectives To review the normal and pathological development of the posterior membranous area (PMA) in the fetal brain, to define sonographic criteria with which to diagnose a Blake's pouch cyst (BPC) in the fetus and to review the ultrasound features, associations and outcome of 19 cases of BPC seen at our center over the last 5 years. Methods We conducted a MEDLINE search using the terms ‘Blake's pouch’, with or without ‘fourth ventricle’ or ‘4th ventricle’, with or without ‘roof’ and identified articles describing normal and/or abnormal development of the PMA, whether or not they were cited in the limited clinical literature on BPC. A description of the normal and abnormal development of BPC was derived by collating these articles. The clinical retrospective study included 19 cases of posterior fossa anomalies with a final diagnosis of BPC seen at our institution. The following variables were assessed: referral indication, gestational age at diagnosis, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, associated anomalies, natural history and pregnancy and neonatal outcome. A transvaginal three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound examination was performed in all cases and 15 cases underwent MRI. To confirm the diagnosis, postnatal MRI, transfontanellar ultrasound or autopsy were available in all cases. Results Among the 19 cases reviewed, referral indications were: suspicion of vermian abnormality in 11 (58%) cases and other non-central nervous system anomaly in eight (42%) cases. Sonographically, all cases showed the following three signs: 1) normal anatomy and size of the vermis; 2) mild/moderate anti-clockwise rotation of the vermis; 3) normal size of the cisterna magna. On 3D ultrasound, the upper wall of the cyst was clearly visible in 11/19 cases, with choroid plexuses on the superolateral margin of the cyst roof. On follow-up, the BPC had disappeared by 24–26 gestational weeks in six of the 11 cases which did not undergo termination of pregnancy (TOP), and remained unaltered until birth in the other five cases. There were associated anomalies in eight (42%) cases, in five of which this consisted of or included congenital heart disease. Karyotype was available in 14 cases, two of which were abnormal (both trisomy 21). Regarding pregnancy outcome, there were eight (42%) TOPs, two (10%) neonatal deaths and nine (48%) survivors. One neonate, in whom the BPC had disappeared by the time of birth, had obstructive hydrocephaly confirmed. Another neonate was diagnosed with Down syndrome after birth. Excluding the Down syndrome baby, neurodevelopmental outcome was normal at the time of writing in all eight cases. Conclusions Based on our analysis of ultrasound features, we propose that for BPC to be diagnosed in a fetus the following three criteria should be fulfilled: 1) normal anatomy and size of the vermis; 2) mild/moderate anti-clockwise rotation of the vermis; 3) normal size of the cisterna magna. Furthermore, we found that BPC can undergo delayed fenestration at 24–26 weeks in more than 50% of cases. Finally, it seems that BPC shows a risk of association with extracardiac anomalies (heart defects in particular) and, to a lesser extent, trisomy 21. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The experiment was designed to determine the influence of uncertainty orientation (R. M. Sorrentino, J. C. Short, 1986) on compliance with a diagnostic health behavior. Ss (N=155) read 1 version of an education essay on a disease and diagnostic response. Threat and efficacy information were manipulated. Consistent with protection motivation theory (R. W. Rogers, 1983), uncertainty-oriented Ss sought more health-related information as threat and efficacy increased. Certainty-oriented Ss, however, sought more health-related information as threat or efficacy, but not both, increased. Individual differences were also found on adaptive measures and ineffective alternative responses

It has been suggested that the study of the stigma of mental illness should include more behavioral measures and further investigation of the possible importance of implicit evaluations in predicting responses to those with such illness. In the current paper, we report a study testing the relationship of implicit and explicit evaluations to physical proximity and cortisol levels in anticipation of meeting someone with schizophrenia. The results showed that both explicit evaluations and cortisol levels independently predicted physical proximity. Implicit evaluations were not related to either physical proximity or cortisol levels. The findings suggest that there are aspects of emotional response to those with mental illness that are not reflected in explicit measures of evaluation and that these, as well as explicit responses, can contribute to the prediction of behavior.

The use of modern brain imaging techniques could be useful to understand what brain areas are involved in the observation of video clips related to commercial advertising, as well as for the support of political campaigns, and also the areas of Public Service Announcements (PSAs). In this paper we describe the capability of tracking brain activity during the observation of commercials, political spots, and PSAs with advanced high-resolution EEG statistical techniques in time and frequency domains in a group of normal subjects. We analyzed the statistically significant cortical spectral power activity in different frequency bands during the observation of a commercial video clip related to the use of a beer in a group of 13 normal subjects. In addition, a TV speech of the Prime Minister of Italy was analyzed in two groups of swing and “supporter” voters. Results suggested that the cortical activity during the observation of commercial spots could vary consistently across the spot. This fact suggest the possibility to remove the parts of the spot that are not particularly attractive by using those cerebral indexes. The cortical activity during the observation of the political speech indicated a major cortical activity in the supporters group when compared to the swing voters. In this case, it is possible to conclude that the communication proposed has failed to raise attention or interest on swing voters. In conclusions, high-resolution EEG statistical techniques have been proved to able to generate useful insights about the particular fruition of TV messages, related to both commercial as well as political fields.

Three studies to pinpoint the underlying dynamics related to risk-taking in skilled and chance situations are presented. Study 1 is an attempt to demonstrate that cognitive and motivational theories of risk-taking must be combined to account for individual differences in skilled situations. Studies 2 and 3 show that the effect for uncertainty orientation generalizes to chance situations.

Four studies are presented with different samples of students (grade school, high school, university, teachers) from different cultures (Canadian, German, Iranian). Across these samples it was found that, when asked to state their learning preferences, all samples preferred cooperative learning to other types of learning. However, this preference was greater for uncertainty-oriented persons than certainty-oriented persons as predicted by the theory of uncertainty orientation (Sorrentino & Short 1986). Also as predicted, when actually placed in different learning situations, whereas uncertainty-oriented students had a greater preference and performed better in a cooperative situation (the Jigsaw) than a traditional expository situation, certainty-oriented students were more negative and performed worse in the cooperative than traditional learning situation. Student teachers showed similar preferences as a function of their uncertainty orientation. Implications for advocates of cooperative learning, as well as other forms that do not account for individual differences, are discussed.

Background: Social psychological research suggests that prediction of behavioural intentions towards those with mental illness could be increased by assessing attitudes towards specific actions or behaviours and by including a measure of perceived normative expectations by others concerning such behaviours. Aims: To investigate whether attitudes towards specific behaviours and perceived normative expectations improve prediction of behavioural intentions towards a person with mental illness. Methods: Two studies were carried out; one with university undergraduates and one with community service club members. Each included assessments of attitudes towards a person described as having a mental illness; attitudes towards specific behaviours reflecting social distance; perceived descriptive and injunctive norms with reference to those behaviours; and behavioural intentions. Results: Attitude towards the specifi c behaviour frequently showed a higher correlation with behavioural intentions than did attitude towards the person. Inclusion of perceived norms also improved prediction of behavioural intention. Conclusions: The prediction of behavioural intentions towards those with mental illness may be improved by increasing the specificity of the attitude measures to the behavioural intentions being predicted and including measures of perceived norms. Furthermore, the effectiveness of efforts to reduce the stigma of mental illness may be increased by addressing their impact on perceived norms.

This case report describes a method for coronally repositioning gingiva for root coverage over the maxillary central incisors while simultaneously performing a frenectomy.The patient was a healthy 43-year-old Brazilian female. Her chief complaint pertained to the unesthetic appearance of the gingival recession involving both maxillary central incisors. Intraoral examination revealed a thick biotype with an adequate band of keratinized gingiva, Miller Class I mucogingival defects, and a broad frenum extending beyond the mucogingival junction. The surgical technique used to treat the areas of recession involved making semilunar incisions over the maxillary central incisors that blended into a frenectomy.Complete root coverage was achieved over the maxillary central incisors that initially presented with 2 mm of recession on the facial surface. The residual frenum no longer attached at a point coronal to the mucogingival margin. Small white scars were detectable at the mucogingival junctions above both incisors but were not an esthetic concern because of the patient's moderate smile line.This case report shows the possibility of applying a combined semilunar coronally repositioned flap with a frenectomy in a case in which maxillary central incisors were impinged upon by a broad aberrant frenum, probed/=3 mm, and presented with Miller Class I mucogingival defects. Further controlled investigations are needed to define the efficacy of this surgical technique.

Among the existing fuel cell technologies, Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) are particularly suitable for both stationary and mobile applications, due to their high energy conversion efficiencies, modularity, high fuel flexibility, low emissions and noise. Moreover, the high working temperatures enable their use for efficient cogeneration applications.SOFCs are entering in a pre‐industrial era and a strong interest for designing tools has growth in the last years. Optimal system configuration, components sizing, control and diagnostic system design require computational tools that meet the conflicting needs of accuracy, affordable computational time, limited experimental efforts and flexibility.The paper gives an overview on control‐oriented modeling of SOFC at both single cell and stack level. Such an approach provides useful simulation tools for designing and controlling SOFC‐APUs destined to a wide application area, ranging from automotive to marine and airplane APUs.

The effect of uncertainty orientation on the processing of expectancy-relevant information was investigated. Uncertainty orientation concerns the extent to which people seek out and integrate information about themselves, others, and their environment. Uncertainty-oriented persons use this information to attain clarity and understanding, whereas certainty-oriented persons use such information to maintain preexisting belief systems. Consistent with previous findings, overall subjects recalled a higher proportion of expectancy-incongruent than expectancy-congruent information. However, the strength of this effect was a function of subjects' uncertainty orientation. As predicted, the advantage in recall for incongruent information occurred for uncertainty-oriented, but not certainty-oriented, people. Establishing a point of interface between the information-processing and individual difference perspectives, these results indicate that personality variables can reflect natural variation in cognitive processes that mediate social phenomena, thereby modifying effects assumed to be characteristic of people in general.

Parkinson's disease is thought to cause degeneration of melanin-pigmented catecholaminergic neurons throughout the brainstem, but little quantitative information is available on the fate of catecholaminergic neurons associated with the dorsal vagal complex or medullary reticular formation. We therefore examined these neurons in the normal human medulla and in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease, using both a melanin stain and immunohistochemical methods with an antiserum against tyrosine hydroxylase. The greatest numbers of catecholaminergic neurons in the ventrolateral reticular formation (A1/C1 group) were located in the far rostral medulla, whereas the largest populations of catecholaminergic cells in the dorsal vagal complex (A2/C2 group) were found at the level of the area postrema. No loss of cells was observed in the A1/C1 group in the parkinsonian brains. In contrast, the A2/C2 group showed moderate loss of neurons, most marked at the level of the area postrema. This difference was entirely due to the loss of neurons in the medial component of the A2 group, a population that normally is only lightly pigmented, while the heavily pigmented neurons in the ventral and intermediate components of the A2 complex were unaffected. Parkinson's disease causes degeneration only of selected populations of medullary catecholaminergic neurons, without apparent relationship to the extent of melanin pigmentation.

Objectives:To investigate the relation of responses to the Schwartz Value Scale to preferred social distance to a person with either schizophrenia or depression. The influence of personal value priorities on discrimination has been investigated in several contexts, but seldom with reference to social distance towards those with mental illness.Method:University students ( n = 200) completed the Schwartz Value Scale, as well as a measure of beliefs about mental illness and preferred social distance with reference to a vignette describing a person with either schizophrenia or depression.Results:Consistent with past findings, respondents indicated a preference for greater social distance for schizophrenia than depression, and beliefs about likelihood of socially inappropriate behaviour and danger were correlated with social distance. Self-transcendence value orientation was a significant independent predictor of preference for less social distance. These findings were not influenced by a social desirability bias.Conclusions:Value orientation makes a significant contribution to the prediction of social distance towards those with mental illness. Evaluation of value-based interventions to reduce such discrimination appears warranted.

This chapter presents the evolution of motivation and cognition across cultures through different time periods. In the 1970s, a major shift in emphasis began occurring in social psychology; cognition emerged as the dominant force, and motivation declined to a secondary element. The notion of motivational influences on perception and cognition was highly discussed, though always controversial in perception. In the early 1980s, people came to realize that motivation and cognition were important to the study of cross-cultural research in the context of both differences and similarities.

Publisher Summary Uncertainty orientation may be a critical individual difference variable that has important implications for examining differences between and within cultures. Within cultures, people whose predominant style of coping with uncertainty matches that of their society have a better sense of self, perceive more freedom and less anxiety in work situations, and are more realistic about what their future holds than those whose coping style does not match their society's values or beliefs. Matched individuals also are more actively involved and have greater flow and anti-flow emotional experiences than their mismatched counterparts. This chapter examines informational and affective measures such as uncertainty orientation and achievement-related motives at the individual level, contributing to an understanding of how culture may influence the motivation, persistence, performance, and affective experiences of its members. Although controversy currently rages regarding whether individualism and collectivism truly distinguish Eastern and Western societies, or whether they may be more meaningful to speak of an independent versus interdependent self, or whether people have or do not have self-esteem, a plausible major distinction may be that most East–West differences are a function of how these societies cope with uncertainty and how this shapes the behavior of its constituent members. So- called differences in emotional responding and self-esteem may be a function of underlying individual differences in achievement-related motives and whether the individual's means of handling uncertainty are consistent with his or her culture's method of resolving uncertainty.

The present study was conducted in order to assess the effect of distraction on the proof-reading performance of obese restrained and unrestrained eaters. Chronically obese subjects were categorized as restrained or unrestrained and assigned to conditions of distraction and no distraction. Results support the notion that restrained vs unrestrained eaters in the obese class differentially respond to external cues in their non-eating behavior. The pattern of the interaction suggested that distraction facilitates the performance of unrestrained eaters and inhibits the performance of restrained eaters. These results support previous research findings that some characteristics of the obese may be due to the over-representation of restrained eaters in that class. Also, neuroticism was found to be correlated with restraint. Additional analyses indicated that neuroticism moderated the restraint x distraction interaction. The relationship between neuroticism and restraint as well as the therapeutic implications of the study are discussed.