The Dopamine D4 Receptor (DRD4) Exon 3 VNTR Contributes to Adaptive Personality Differences in an Italian Small Island Population

The search for evolutionary forces shaping the diversity of human personality traits encouraged studies that have found that islanders are relatively closed and introverted, with little interest in the external world. The ‘personality gene flow’ hypothesis was proposed to explain the mechanism underlying this difference, suggesting that the frequency of alleles that influence islander personality traits might progressively increase in the gene pools on islands because of selective emigration of individuals not displaying these alleles. We genotyped 96 individuals from the Italian mainland and 117 from Giglio Island, whose residents were previously assessed regarding their personality traits. We genotyped three polymorphisms: the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) exon 3 repeat region, the serotonin‐transporter SLC6A4 5‐HTTLPR indel and the dopamine transporter SLC6A3 DAT1 3′UTR repeat region. Only the DRD4 exon 3 repeat was hypothesised to show varying allele frequencies because this polymorphism could be associated with human migration and personality traits such as extraversion, openness and novelty seeking. As predicted, no differences in allele frequencies were found for the SLC6A4 and SLC6A3 polymorphisms, whereas significant differences were observed in the frequency of the DRD4 exon 3 alleles. The DRD4.2 repeat was more common in mainlanders, as expected, whereas the DRD4.7 allele was over‐represented among islanders who never emigrated. This last result contradicts the suggested association of this allele with long‐distance migrations. We suggest that emigration might have caused gene flow out the island that resulted in somewhat unpredictable changes in the frequencies of specific alleles, thus influencing islander personality traits. Copyright © 2013 European Association of Personality Psychology     

应重视中草药对华法令药效影响

华法令是治疗房颤及心脏外科术后的常用药,但是其治疗窗窄,剂量个体差异大,易并发各种出血事件,使用时需严格控制国际标准化比率(INR)。中草药在我国应用广泛,研究发现多类中草药会通过多种途径影响华法令代谢,导致血栓形成、脑血管意外等并发症发生。临床须判明各种中草药对华法令功能的影响,保证药物使用安全。华法令是治疗房颤及心脏外科术后的常用药,但是其治疗窗窄,剂量个体差异大,易并发各种出血事件,使用时需严格控制国际标准化比率(INR)。中草药在我国应用广泛,研究发现多类中草药会通过多种途径影响华法令代谢,导致血栓形成、脑血管意外等并发症发生。临床须判明各种中草药对华法令功能的影响,保证药物使用安全。     

A model for 〈c+a〉 dislocation transmission across nano-spaced parallel basal stacking faults in a HCP alloy

We develop a model for recently observed 〈c + a〉 dislocation transmission across nano-spaced parallel basal stacking faults in hexagonal close-packed (HCP) Mg microcrystalline grains. The model theoretically predicts nanospace-dependent yield strength that is in good agreement with experimental data. Additionally, it theoretically predicts activation volume and strain rate sensitivity.     

Left orbital frontal activation in pathological anxiety

Twelve patients with anxiety disorder were studied with respect to regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) using a 32-detector system with the 133 Xe inhalation technique. Measurements were taken during a rest condition and during anxiety induction. Anxiety relevant to the patient's psychological disorder was induced with a projective test, the meta-contrast technique (MCT). Increased blood flow in the orbital frontal region of the left hemisphere was observed in each of the 11 subjects who showed evidence of experiencing anxiety during the procedure. In a second study four additional anxiety patients were studied with a high-resolution (254-detector)Xe rCBF system. In addition to the anxiety and resting conditions, a neutral verbalization condition was added to control for the verbal aspects of the anxiety induction procedure. The results again showed the experience of anxiety to be accompanied by increased blood flow in the left orbital frontal region, with the patients showing this flow increase to be greater in the posterior, paralimbic, areas of the region. These results are consistent with previous suggestions of left hemisphere involvement in anxiety. They also suggest that imaging methods may allow research into what appears to be exaggerated corticolimbic activity in this disorder.     

Door-in-the-Face Technique and Delay to Fulfill the Final Request: An Evaluation With a Request to Give Blood

We tested the Door-in-the-Face technique (DITF) on blood donation with a delay between the acceptance of the request and the real possibility of complying with it. University students were solicited to give blood during a special one-day drive. After the refusal to participate in a long-term donor program, participants were asked for a one unit blood donation. In the control condition, only the latter request was addressed. The participants were either solicited two or three hours before the blood drive (delay) or during the blood drive (no delay). Results showed the DITF technique to be associated with greater verbal compliance with the request. However, the DITF technique with no delay was associated with greater behavioral compliance than were both of the control conditions and the DITF with a delay condition.     

A Note on Motor Learning Without Post-Response Knowledge of Results

The authors studied the adjustment of the 2 distinct known expressions of gait velocity, the velocity of the center of gravity (CG) and the velocity of the center of foot pressure (CP) at the end of the 1st step in 2 experimental situations: natural gait initiation (the control situation, CS) and heel-off gait initiation (the test situation, TS). Gait was initiated by 7 healthy participants, from an erect spontaneous posture in the CS and from a posture with heels raised in the TS, on a force platform at 3 self-selected speed conditions. Biomechanical data from the force platform were collected in both experimental situations, and the authors used a particular gait analysis based on the differential method of Y. Brenière (2003) in order to approach velocity modulation by means of step length and frequency. Results showed that CG and CP velocities were adjusted differently during heel-off gait initiation than during natural gait initiation. CP velocity, as compared with CG velocity, was overestimated in TS. Results also established the relevance of the expression of step velocity by means of step length and frequency: The central nervous system, taking into account the specific postural constraints of each experimental situation, uses a reference value and a regulating parameter to modulate step velocity. Moreover, the contributions of 1st step length and frequency to the expression of step velocity in TS and CS were different. Thus, a specific locomotor behavior corresponds to a given experimental situation that is characterized by its own initial biomechanical constraints.     

糖尿病血糖控制的理性思考

糖尿病是严重威胁人类健康的疾病之一,其发病率逐年增加。血糖控制是糖尿病治疗的基石。糖尿病的血糖控制要根据不同患者的具体情况,选择适宜的药物和治疗方案,平稳适度的控制血糖,以达到最有利于患者的治疗效果。用认识论和联系的观点对糖尿病血糖控制的依据、措施和目的进行综合分析。     

自身运动认知的神经机制

通过光流信息来指导个体在环境中有效移动是我们视觉神经系统的一项核心任务。在灵长类的大脑皮层, 视觉运动的信息加工是由位于背侧通路的一系列脑区来完成的, 这一信息通路主要参与运动和空间动作的分析。在高级视皮层, 视觉系统很可能利用非视觉信息来补偿因眼动造成的光流模式扭曲, 以重建对自身运动方向的正确表征。根据目前研究进展, MST和VIP这两个位于顶叶的脑区都参与了自身运动认知过程, 并且对精确的自身运动方向判断是不可或缺的。本文系统介绍了近些年来在自身运动认知神经机制研究领域的进展, 尤其是神经生理学家们利用非人灵长类动物模型在自身运动认知皮层处理机制方面的成果。同时也提出了一些深入研究急需解决的关键问题。     

网络游戏成瘾:沉浸的影响及其作用机制

本研究以491名男大学生为被试,考察了沉浸对网络游戏成瘾的影响、沉浸的前因变量和相关作用机制。结果发现:(1)网络游戏中的沉浸与网络游戏成瘾呈显著正相关,与控制、挑战呈显著正相关;挑战和控制与网络游戏成瘾呈显著正相关。(2)挑战通过沉浸的完全中介作用对网络游戏成瘾产生影响,挑战对网络游戏成瘾没有直接效应;控制除了通过沉浸的部分中介作用对网络游戏成瘾产生影响,还对网络游戏成瘾有直接效应。     

Flow Versus Life Satisfaction: A Projective Use of Cartoons to Illustrate the Difference Between the Evaluation Approach and the Intrinsic Motivation Approach to Subjective Quality of Life

In this paper, differences between life satisfaction and intrinsic motivation (flow) are addressed. Theories are presented on evaluation, flow and openness to experience. Data from a Norwegian panel study are analyzed by means of structural equation modeling. Young adults (n = 264) participated in a projective study with cartoon frames showing Donald Duck in challenging situations. Measures of satisfaction with life and the personality trait of openness to experience were added to the analysis. Subjects scoring high on openness rated Donald Duck's feelings as positive. A slightly opposing tendency was found for persons scoring high on satisfaction with life. The results are discussed with reference to the philosophical distinction between hedonism and eudaemonia.