Genetic and Environmental Influences on the Relationship between Flow Proneness,Locus of Control and Behavioral Inhibition

Flow is a psychological state of high but subjectively effortless attention that typically occurs during active performance of challenging tasks and is accompanied by a sense of automaticity, high control, low self-awareness, and enjoyment. Flow proneness is associated with traits and behaviors related to low neuroticism such as emotional stability, conscientiousness, active coping, self-esteem and life satisfaction. Little is known about the genetic architecture of flow proneness, behavioral inhibition and locus of control – traits also associated with neuroticism – and their interrelation. Here, we hypothesized that individuals low in behavioral inhibition and with an internal locus of control would be more likely to experience flow and explored the genetic and environmental architecture of the relationship between the three variables. Behavioral inhibition and locus of control was measured in a large population sample of 3,375 full twin pairs and 4,527 single twins, about 26% of whom also scored the flow proneness questionnaire. Findings revealed significant but relatively low correlations between the three traits and moderate heritability estimates of .41, .45, and .30 for flow proneness, behavioral inhibition, and locus of control, respectively, with some indication of non-additive genetic influences. For behavioral inhibition we found significant sex differences in heritability, with females showing a higher estimate including significant non-additive genetic influences, while in males the entire heritability was due to additive genetic variance. We also found a mainly genetically mediated relationship between the three traits, suggesting that individuals who are genetically predisposed to experience flow, show less behavioral inhibition (less anxious) and feel that they are in control of their own destiny (internal locus of control). We discuss that some of the genes underlying this relationship may include those influencing the function of dopaminergic neural systems.     

The Relationship between Regular Sports Participation and Vigilance in Male and Female Adolescents

The present study investigated the relationship between regular sport participation (soccer) and vigilance performance. Two groups of male and female adolescents differentiated in terms of their sport participation (athletes, n = 39, and non-athletes, n = 36) took part in the study. In one session, participants performed the Leger Multi-stage fitness test to estimate their aerobic fitness level. In the other session, participants completed the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) to evaluate their vigilance performance. Perceived arousal prior to the task and motivation toward the task were also measured in the PVT session. The results revealed that athletes had better cardiovascular fitness and showed better performance in the PVT. However, correlation analyses did not show any significant relationship between cardiovascular fitness and performance in the PVT. Athletes showed larger scores in motivation and perceived arousal measures with respect to non-athletes, although, once again, these variables were not correlated with PVT performance. Gender differences were observed only in the Leger test, with males showing greater fitness level than females. The major outcome of this research points to a positive relationship between regular sport participation and vigilance during adolescence. This relationship did not seem to be influenced by gender, perceived arousal, motivation toward the task or cardiovascular fitness. We discuss our results in terms of the different hypotheses put forward in the literature to explain the relationship between physical activity and cognitive functioning.     

Relationship between Serum Ferritin Levels and Dyslipidemia in Korean Adolescents

BackgroundFerritin is associated with various cardiometabolic risk factors such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and insulin resistance in adults. We aimed to study the association between serum ferritin levels and dyslipidemia in adolescents, because dyslipidemia is considered an important modifiable cardiovascular risk factor in the young.MethodsWe analyzed 1,879 subjects (1,026 boys and 853 girls) from the 2009–2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV. Subjects were categorized into quartiles according to their lipid parameters, which were classified according to age and gender. Those in the highest quartile groups for total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride concentrations were diagnosed as having dyslipidemia. Those in the lowest quartile for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) values were diagnosed with abnormal levels.ResultsIn boys, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglyceride concentrations were significantly correlated with serum ferritin levels. In both boys and girls, serum ferritin levels were negatively associated with HDL-C values, even after adjusting for all covariates. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between serum ferritin levels and total cholesterol, LDL, and triglyceride concentrations in girls.ConclusionSerum ferritin levels were significantly associated with major dyslipidemia parameters, more prominently in boys than in girls, and this association represents a cardiometabolic risk factor.     

基于主成分分析法探讨人体测量学参数与青少年血糖关系的研究

目的:调查分析人体测量学参数包括体重指数(BMI)、腰围(WC)、臀围(HC)、腰围/臀围比(WHR)及腰围/身高比(WHtR)对南昌地区青少年空腹血糖的影响。方法:在南昌地区进行随机抽样检查731例12-18岁之间的青少年,测量身高、体重、BMI、WC、HC、WHR、WHtR和空腹血糖,用SAS软件进行统计分析。结果:男女性的五项人体测量学指标和空腹血糖间均呈显著正相关,相关系数为0.14-0.38;通过主成分分析得到四个主成分,多重回归分析结果表明联合四个主成分比单独使用其中任何一个更能解释空腹血糖的变异。结论:BMI、WC、HC、WHR、WHtR与男性和女性空腹血糖都有一定相关性,并且联合这五项测量学指标比单独使用其中任何一个能更精确预测空腹血糖。     

Facial Mimicry and Emotion Consistency: Influences of Memory and Context

This study investigates whether mimicry of facial emotions is a stable response or can instead be modulated and influenced by memory of the context in which the emotion was initially observed, and therefore the meaning of the expression. The study manipulated emotion consistency implicitly, where a face expressing smiles or frowns was irrelevant and to be ignored while participants categorised target scenes. Some face identities always expressed emotions consistent with the scene (e.g., smiling with a positive scene), whilst others were always inconsistent (e.g., frowning with a positive scene). During this implicit learning of face identity and emotion consistency there was evidence for encoding of face-scene emotion consistency, with slower RTs, a reduction in trust, and inhibited facial EMG for faces expressing incompatible emotions. However, in a later task where the faces were subsequently viewed expressing emotions with no additional context, there was no evidence for retrieval of prior emotion consistency, as mimicry of emotion was similar for consistent and inconsistent individuals. We conclude that facial mimicry can be influenced by current emotion context, but there is little evidence of learning, as subsequent mimicry of emotionally consistent and inconsistent faces is similar.     

Relationship between Violent Behavior and Repeated Weight-Loss Dieting among Female Adolescents in Japan

Purpose

To examine whether interpersonal violence perpetration and violence toward objects are associated with body mass index (BMI), body weight perception (BWP), and repeated weight-loss dieting in female adolescents.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey using a self-report questionnaire was performed evaluating interpersonal violence perpetration, violence toward objects, the number of diets, BMI, BWP, the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), victimization, substance use, and other psychosocial variables among 9,112 Japanese females aged between 12–18 years. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the contribution of BMI, BWP, and weight-control behavior to the incidence of violent behavior, while controlling for potential confounding factors.

Results

The number of diets was associated with both interpersonal violence perpetration (OR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.08–1.29, p<0.001) and violence toward objects (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.24–1.45, p<0.001), after adjusting for age, BMI, BWP, the GHQ-12 total score, victimization, and substance use. In terms of BMI and BWP, the “overweight” BWP was associated with violence toward objects (OR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.07–1.54, p<0.05). On the other hand, the “Underweight” and “Slightly underweight” BMI were related to violence toward objects [(OR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.01–1.62, p<0.05) and (OR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.07–1.51, p<0.05), respectively]. The “Underweight” BWP was related to interpersonal violence perpetration (OR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.38–3.84, p<0.05).

Conclusions

The cumulative number of diets is associated with violent behavior in female adolescents. In addition, underweight BMI and extreme BWP are associated with violent behavior.     

Estimation of Energy Expenditure from Physical Activity Measures: Determinants of Accuracy

Objective: To describe the determinants, specifically age, body mass index, percentage of body fat, and physical activity (PA) level, associated with over‐ and underestimation of energy expenditure (EE) using PA records and the Stanford Seven‐Day Physical Activity Recall (7DR) compared with doubly labeled water (DLW). Research Methods and Procedures: We collected PA measures on 24 males eating a controlled diet designed to maintain body weight, and we determined EE from DLW and estimated EE from PA records and 7DR. Results: Absolute differences in the estimation of EE between DLW and PA assessment methods were greater for the 7DR (30.6 ± 9.9%) than PA records (7.9 ± 3.2%). In PA records, overestimation of EE was greater with older age and higher body fatness; EE was overestimated by 16.7% among men 50 years and older compared with only 5.3% among men <40 years of age. For percentage of body fat, EE was overestimated by 19.7% among men with a percentage of body fat ≥30% compared with only 5.6% among men with a percentage of body fat <25%. A trend for less overestimation of EE with higher levels of PA (measured by DLW/basal metabolic rate [BMR]) also was observed in the PA records. In the 7DR, the estimates of EE varied widely and no trends were observed by age, percentage of body fat, and PA levels. Discussion: Estimation of EE from the 7DR is considerably more variable than from PA records. Factors related to age and percentage of body fat influenced the accuracy of estimated EE in the PA record. Additional studies are needed to understand factors related to accurate reporting of PA behaviors, which are used to estimate EE in free‐living adults.     

The Relationship between Post-Traumatic Symptoms,Parenting Style,and Resilience among Adolescents in Liaoning,China: A Cross-Sectional Study

BackgroundIn China, a growing number of adolescents have experienced traumatic events that have resulted in PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Post-traumatic symptoms are common psychological problems in adolescents who have experienced traumatic events. However, existing studies tend to focus on the factors influencing PTSD, such as the response styles and social support, and studies on the relationships between parenting style, resilience and post-traumatic symptoms are still rare.ObjectivesTo analyze the relationships between parenting style, resilience and post-traumatic symptoms among adolescents in China.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted from June to December 2013 in the Liaoning Province, China. N = 5765 adolescents (aged 12 to 18 years old) were ultimately chosen to participate. The Chinese version of the Essen Trauma Inventory for Kids and Juveniles (ETI-KJ), a modified version of the Parental Authority Questionnaire, and the Chinese Resilience Scale were used to estimate the post-traumatic symptoms, parenting style, and resilience, respectively. Pearson’s correlations, multiple linear regression analyses and structural equation modeling (SEM) were applied to analyze the data.ResultsOf the adolescents, 39.76% (N = 2292) had been exposed to traumatic events during their lives. The prevalence of probable PTSD at the time of the interview (one-month-prevalence) was 12.65%. Parenting style and resilience were significantly associated with post-traumatic symptoms. According to the SEM, parenting style had a significant direct effect on resilience (0.70, P<0.01) and post-traumatic symptoms (-0.15, P<0.05), and resilience had a significant direct effect on the post-traumatic symptoms (-0.43, P<0.01). Furthermore, parenting style had a significant indirect effect (-0.43×0.70 = -0.30. P<0.01) on the post-traumatic symptoms through resilience. The SEM significantly explained 49% of the variance in resilience and 30% of the variance in post-traumatic symptoms.ConclusionsParenting style and resilience have significant effects on adolescents’ post-traumatic symptoms. Schools and social-related departments could share knowledge on the impact of parenting style with parents enabling them to improve their own parenting style and their children’s resilience and ability to respond effectively to traumatic events.     

Quantitative Estimation of Aluminium Toxicity in Cultured Tobacco Cells: Correlation between Aluminium Uptake and Growth Inhibition

The relationship between aluminium (Al) uptake and growth inhibitionwas studied in tobacco cells (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Samsun;nonchlorophyllic cell line) in suspension culture. Cells atthe logarithmic phase of growth were treated with 100 µMA1C1³ in modified Murashige-Skoog medium prepared without P_iand EDTA (pH 4.0) for up to 21 h. After treatment, the inhibitionof cell growth by Al was estimated from the growth of the Al-treatedcells relative to that of the control cells during post-treatmentculture. Neither Al uptake nor the inhibition of the growthoccurred with less than a 10-h exposure but then both parametersincreased rapidly, reaching maximum values after an 18-h exposure.When cells were treated with AlCl₃ at various concentrationsfor 18 h, the extent of growth inhibition was found to be afunction of the Al content of the cells. The dose-response curve(Al uptake versus growth inhibition) resembled the curve expectedfor "single-hit" kinetics. Extrapolation from the curve suggestedthat the uptake of 1 x 10¹¹ Al atoms per cell is the minimumdose that inhibits cell growth. Cells of stationary phase wereresistant to Al and did not take up Al, an indication that theuptake of Al depends on the active growth of cells. Resultsof several types of experiment (hematoxylin staining, washingwith chelators, digestion of cell walls) indicated that Al wasincorporated inside the cells. Together, therefore, our resultssuggest that the amount of Al absorbed by the cells is a determiningfactor in the inhibition of growth by Al. ¹Present address: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science,Hirosaki University Hirosaki, Aomori, 036 Japan     

The Relationship of Health Outcomes to Improvement in BMI in Children and Adolescents

Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients participating in an outpatient program for managing childhood and adolescent obesity. Research Methods and Procedures: Based on a retrospective chart review, 394 physician‐referred obese youth (BMI > 95th percentile), 5 to 19 years of age, were treated in an interdisciplinary, family‐centered, behavioral weight management program in a hospital‐based outpatient setting. Treatment included group exercise, parent education, and behavioral intervention therapies to improve diet and physical activity. Results: A total of 177 (45%) completed the initial phase of treatment (mean duration = 5.6 months). For the completion group, there were significant improvements (all p < 0.001) in weight (?2.0 ± 4.9 kg), BMI (?1.7 ± 1.9 kg/m²), and BMI z score (?0.15 ± 0.15), without interfering with growth (height, 2.2 ± 1.3 cm; p < 0.001). Significant improvement was also found for blood pressure, total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein (LDL)‐cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, and aerobic fitness. At onset of treatment, 134 (84%) patients had abnormal fasting insulin concentration, 88 (50%) had abnormal total cholesterol, 14 (8%) had abnormal diastolic blood pressure, and 69 (40%) had abnormal LDL‐cholesterol. At the end of treatment, a significant proportion of patients with baseline abnormal blood pressure, total cholesterol, and LDL‐cholesterol had normal values (p < 0.001). A decrease in BMI z score was associated with significant improvements in insulin and lipid values (all p < 0.05). Discussion: We have demonstrated that a modest decrease in BMI in an ongoing clinical pediatric weight management program is accompanied by significant improvements in related health measures. These results may be helpful in counseling families with overweight children and adolescents.     

How Does Emotional Context Modulate Response Inhibition in Alexithymia: Electrophysiological Evidence from an ERP Study

Background

Alexithymia, characterized by difficulties in identifying and describing feelings, is highly indicative of a broad range of psychiatric disorders. Several studies have also discovered the response inhibition ability impairment in alexithymia. However, few studies on alexithymic individuals have specifically examined how emotional context modulates response inhibition procedure. In order to investigate emotion cognition interaction in alexithymia, we analyzed the spatiao-temporal features of such emotional response inhibition by the approaches of event-related potentials and neural source-localization.

Method

The study participants included 15 subjects with high alexithymia scores on the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (alexithymic group) and 15 matched subjects with low alexithymia scores (control group). Subjects were instructed to perform a modified emotional Go/Nogo task while their continuous electroencephalography activities were synchronously recorded. The task includes 3 categories of emotional contexts (positive, negative and neutral) and 2 letters (“M” and “W”) centered in the screen. Participants were told to complete go and nogo actions based on the letters. We tested the influence of alexithymia in this emotional Go/Nogo task both in behavioral level and related neural activities of N2 and P3 ERP components.

Results

We found that negatively valenced context elicited larger central P3 amplitudes of the Nogo–Go difference wave in the alexithymic group than in the control group. Furthermore, source-localization analyses implicated the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as the neural generator of the Nogo-P3.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that difficulties in identifying feelings, particularly in negative emotions, is a major feature of alexithymia, and the ACC plays a critical role in emotion-modulated response inhibition related to alexithymia.     

Validation of the FEEL-KJ: An Instrument to Measure Emotion Regulation Strategies in Children and Adolescents

Although the field of emotion regulation in children and adolescents is growing, there is need for age-adjusted measures that assess a large variety of strategies. An interesting instrument in this respect is the FEEL-KJ because it measures 7 adaptive and 5 maladaptive emotion regulation strategies in response to three different emotions. However, the FEEL-KJ has not yet been validated extensively. Therefore, the current study aims to test the internal structure and validity of the FEEL-KJ in a large sample of Dutch-speaking Belgian children and adolescents (N = 1102, 8–18 years old). The investigation of the internal structure confirms earlier reports of a two-factor structure with Adaptive and Maladaptive Emotion Regulation as overarching categories. However, it also suggests that the two-factor model is more complex than what was previously assumed. The evaluation of the FEEL-KJ validity furthermore provides evidence for its construct and external validity. In sum, the current study confirms that the FEEL-KJ is a valuable and reliable measure of emotion regulation strategies in children and adolescents.     

Ecdysozoa: The Relationship between Cycloneuralia and Panarthropoda

The hypothesis that molting protostomes such as nematodes and arthropods form a monophyletic group known as Ecdysozoa is directly opposed to Articulata, in which some segmented protostomes such as annelids and arthropods form a monophyletic taxon. Ultrastructural and cladistic studies have led to the widely accepted hypothesis that nematodes belong among the protostomes. While early molecular studies suggested that nematodes were basal triploblasts, more recent molecular evidence suggests that this was an artifact of ‘long branch attraction’ and 18S rRNA gene, total evidence and hox gene studies all support the placement of nematodes within Ecdysozoa. The branching pattern within Ecdysozoa has been difficult to elucidate, but it now appears that priapulids and kinorhynchs form the earliest branching clade, followed by nematodes + nematomorphs, and finally the panarthropods. This suggests that Cycloneuralia is paraphyletic and that arthropods are the most derived of the ecdysozoans.     

The Relationship between Lactobacillus mali from Cider and Lactobacillus yamanashiensis from wine

The two species, Lactobacillus mali and L. yamanashiensis have been compared using the following criteria: morphological observations and biochemical tests; amino acids of the cell wall mucopeptides; % G+C ratios and DNA homology. These tests have shown these organisms to be similar but not identical. Their similarity is, however, sufficiently great to consider them as one species. Due to priority of publication L. yamanashiensis is proposed for the specific name and culture No. 239 as the type strain. All organisms previously known as L. mali will in future be called L. yamanashiensis subsp. mali since there are enough differences at a subspecies level to distinguish the wine and cider strains.     

Relationship between Cell Cycle Changes and Variations of the Mitochondrial Membrane Potential Induced by Etoposide

Etoposide, a clinically useful anticancer drug, is a potent inhibitor of topoisomerase II. The DNA strand breaks caused by this epipodophyllotoxin lead to apoptotic death of tumor cells. Flow cytometry was used to investigate the relationship between the effects of the drug on the cell cycle of human leukemia HL-60 cells and the variations of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨ_mt). Three cationic fluorescent probes, DiOC₆, JC-1, and TMRM, were used to measure drug-induced changes of ΔΨ_mt. In all three cases, we found that the arrest in the G2/M phase of the cells treated with 0.5 μM etoposide is associated with an increase in the potential of mitochondrial membranes whereas treatment with a tenfold higher drug concentration trigger massive apoptosis and a collapse of ΔΨ_mt. DNA fragmentation (TUNEL assay) and externalization of phosphatidylserine residues in the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane (annexin V binding) were measured to characterize the apoptotic cell population.     

Myocardial Integrated Backscatter in Obese Adolescents: Associations with Measures of Adiposity and Left Ventricular Deformation

Background

Myocardial fibrosis has been proposed to play an important pathogenetic role in left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in obesity. This study tested the hypothesis that calibrated integrated backscatter (cIB) as a marker of myocardial fibrosis is altered in obese adolescents and explored its associations with adiposity, LV myocardial deformation, and metabolic parameters.

Methods/Principal Findings

Fifty-two obese adolescents and 38 non-obese controls were studied with conventional and speckle tracking echocardiography. The average cIB of ventricular septum and LV posterior wall was measured. In obese subjects, insulin resistance as estimated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) and glucose tolerance were determined. Compared with controls, obese subjects had significantly greater cIB of ventricular septum (-16.8±7.8 dB vs -23.2±7.8 dB, p<0.001), LV posterior wall (-20.5±5.6 dBvs -25.0±5.1 dB, p<0.001) and their average (-18.7±5.7 dB vs -24.1±5.0 dB, p<0.001). For myocardial deformation, obese subjects had significantly reduced LV longitudinal systolic strain rate (SR) (p = 0.045) and early diastolic SR (p = 0.015), and LV circumferential systolic strain (p = 0.008), but greater LV longitudinal late diastolic SR (p<0.001), and radial early (p = 0.037) and late (p = 0.002) diastolic SR than controls. For the entire cohort, myocardial cIB correlated positively with body mass index (r = 0.45, p<0.001) and waist circumference (r = 0.45, p<0.001), but negatively with LV circumferential systolic strain (r = -0.23, p = 0.03) and systolic SR (r = -0.25, p = 0.016). Among obese subjects, cIB tended to correlate with HOMA-IR (r = 0.26, p = 0.07).

Conclusion

Obese adolescents already exhibit evidence of increased myocardial fibrosis, which is associated with measures of adiposity and impaired LV circumferential myocardial deformation.     

甲基毒死蜱对红细胞膜乙酰胆碱酯酶的抑制作用及其与膜脂相互关系

以人红细胞膜为材料,研究了甲基毒死蜱与膜上乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)的相互作用及其与膜脂的关系。结果显示,甲基毒死蜱对人红细胞膜AChE有明显的抑制作用,与膜温育30min,其半数抑制浓度约为0.10 mmol/L。动力学分析表明,其抑制作用为非竞争性。0.2％Triton X-100并不改变AChE对甲基毒死蜱的敏感性,亦即AChE上甲基毒死蜱的作用部位与其所处的脂质微环境无关。     

Inhibition of RNA Synthesis and the Relationship between Nucleolar and Mitotic Cycles in Zea mays Root Meristems

The relationship between nucleolar and mitotic cycles has beendetermined after treatment of root apices of Zea mays with ethidiumbromide. In the meristematic regions of the stele the two cyclesare not much displaced in relation to each other except fora delay in the onset of the disorganization phase. A few nucleolipersist into metaphase and a few nuclei undergo an amitoticdivision. In the cap initials the drug greatly delays the onsetof disorganization of the nucleolus, which normally occurs beforeprophase in this region. It also delays the completion of reorganizationso that fully organized nucleoli are no longer available duringthe last half of telophase. In the quiescent centre the onsetof disorganization and the end of reorganization of the nucleoliare also delayed in relation to mitosis. There is no evidencefor a delay in the onset of reorganization in any region ofthe meristem. Some cells form multiple micronucleoli and this aberrant behaviouroccurs more often in the cap initials than elsewhere as doesamitotic division.