Does Ramadan Fasting Alter Body Weight and Blood Lipids and Fasting Blood Glucose in a Healthy Population? A Meta-analysis

In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis of self-controlled cohort studies comparing body weights, blood levels of lipids and fasting blood glucose levels before and after Ramadan taking into account gender differences. Several databases were searched up to June 2012 for studies showing an effect of Ramadan fasting in healthy subjects, yielding 30 articles. The primary finding of this meta-analysis was that after Ramadan fasting, low-density lipoprotein (SMD = ?1.67, 95 % CI = ?2.48 to ?0.86) and fasting blood glucose levels (SMD = ?1.10, 95 % CI = ?1.62 to ?0.58) were decreased in both sex groups and also in the entire group compared to levels prior to Ramadan. In addition, in the female subgroup, body weight (SMD = ?0.04, 95 % CI = ?0.20, 0.12), total cholesterol (SMD = 0.05, 95 % CI = ?0.51 to 0.60), and triglyceride levels (SMD = 0.03, 95 % CI = ?0.31, 0.36) remained unchanged, while HDL levels (SMD = 0.86, 95 % CI = 0.11 to 1.61, p = 0.03) were increased. In males, Ramadan fasting resulted in weight loss (SMD = ?0.24, 95 % CI = ?0.36, ?0.12, p = 0.001). Also, a substantial reduction in total cholesterol (SMD = ?0.44, 95 % CI = ?0.77 to ?0.11) and LDL levels (SMD = ?2.22, 95 % CI = ?3.47 to ?0.96) and a small decrease in triglyceride levels (SMD = ?0.35, 95 % CI = ?0.67 to ?0.02) were observed in males. In conclusion, by looking at this data, it is evident that Ramadan fasting can effectively change body weight and some biochemical parameters in healthy subjects especially in males compared to pre-Ramadan period.     

High-efficiency single-layer organic light-emitting diode based on green fluorescent protein

We have fabricated a molecular organic light-emitting device comprising indium–tin oxide/a molecular organic layer/aluminum in which the organic layer is a green fluorescent protein. The device exhibits peak external quantum and power efficiencies of 8?±?0.2% and 13?±?0.7?lm?W?^??1 at a current of J?=?1.5?A?m^?2, respectively. In addition, the turn-on voltage is 2.5?V for 1?cd?m^?2 and the maximum luminance achieved is 1275?cd?m^?2. This good performance can be explained by the presence of singlet-excited states, leading to a high internal efficiency.     

Memory for faces with emotional expressions in Alzheimer’s disease and healthy older participants: positivity effect is not only due to familiarity

Young individuals better memorize initially seen faces with emotional rather than neutral expressions. Healthy older participants and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients show better memory for faces with positive expressions. The socioemotional selectivity theory postulates that this positivity effect in memory reflects a general age-related preference for positive stimuli, subserving emotion regulation. Another explanation might be that older participants use compensatory strategies, often considering happy faces as previously seen. The question about the existence of this effect in tasks not permitting such compensatory strategies is still open. Thus, we compared the performance of healthy participants and AD patients for positive, neutral, and negative faces in such tasks. Healthy older participants and AD patients showed a positivity effect in memory, but there was no difference between emotional and neutral faces in young participants. Our results suggest that the positivity effect in memory is not entirely due to the sense of familiarity for smiling faces.     

Sensitivity to reward and sensitivity to punishment rating scales: A validation study on the Romanian population

The “BIS/BAS” Scales (Carver & White, 1994) and the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ; Torrubia, Avila, Molto, & Caseras, 2001) are two self-report instruments used for the assessment of Gray’s concepts of impulsivity and anxiety. In this paper, we examined both instruments in terms of their factorial structure and their construct validity using data from 345 Romanian undergraduate students. The results supported the original factor structure of the BIS/BAS scales, but indicated that a three-factor solution is preferable to the original two-factor solution in the case of the SPSRQ. Both instruments demonstrated good construct validity, correlating with other constructs such as Eysenck’s extraversion, neuroticism and some facets from Strelau’s temperament survey in the expected direction.     

An Inkblot for the Implicit Assessment of Personality: The Semantic Misattribution Procedure

Misattributions people make about their own reaction to ambiguous stimuli can be used to measure personality self‐concepts implicitly. On the basis of a semantic misattribution priming paradigm [semantic misattribution procedure (SMP)], we assessed the implicit personality self‐concept related to three dimensions included in the Big‐Five model: conscientiousness, neuroticism, and extraversion. Across three studies (N1 = 98, N2 = 140, and N3 = 135), the SMP was robustly related, in the expected direction, to individual differences in self‐reported personality questionnaires and managed to predict both self‐reported and objectively measured behaviours. The main advantage of SMP over classical explicit measures of personality is its higher resistance to social desirability tendencies, although its psychometric properties are somewhat lower than those pertaining to explicit measures of personality. Finally, comparisons of our results with studies that used other implicit measures of personality self‐concept indicate that the SMP has higher criterion validity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling of dissolution kinetics of thin amorphous chalcogenide films

A theoretical relationship for the dissolution kinetics of thin chalcogenide films is proposed. The influence of light irradiation on the film dissolution is taken into account. The theoretical curves are in good agreement with the experimental dissolution results obtained for As₂S₃ thin amorphous films.     

A preliminary study of sex differences in brain activation during a spatial navigation task in healthy adults

The hippocampus plays a significant role in spatial memory processing, with sex differences being prominent on various spatial tasks. This study examined sex differences in healthy adults, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in areas implicated in spatial processing during navigation of a virtual analogue of the Morris water-maze. There were three conditions: learning, hidden, and visible control. There were no significant differences in performance measures. However, sex differences were found in regional brain activation during learning in the right hippocampus, right parahippocampal gyrus, and the cingulate cortex. During the hidden condition, the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and cingulate cortex were activated in both men and women. Additional brain areas involved in spatial processing may be recruited in women when learning information about the environment, by utilizing external cues (landmarks) more than do men, contributing to the observed sex differences in brain activation.     

Personality characteristics that are valued in teams: Not always “more is better”?

This study investigates the relationships between personality traits and contributions to teamwork that are often assumed to be linear. We use a theory‐driven approach to propose that extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness have inverted U‐shaped relationships with contributions to teamwork. In a sample of 220 participants asked to perform a creative task in teams, we found that extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness were curvilinearly associated with peer‐rated contributions to teamwork in such a way that the associations were positive, with a decreasing slope, up to a peak, and then they became negative as personality scores further increased. We replicated the results concerning the non‐linear association between extraversion, conscientiousness and peer‐rated contributions to teamwork in a sample of 314 participants engaged in a collaborative learning exercise. Our results support recent claims and empirical evidence that explorations of personality–work‐related behaviours relationships should move beyond the linearity assumptions. We conclude by discussing the implications of our research for personnel selection.