Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications.

Many of the links of religiousness with health, well-being, and social behavior may be due to religion's influences on self-control or self-regulation. Using Carver and Scheier's (1998) theory of self-regulation as a framework for organizing the empirical research, the authors review evidence relevant to 6 propositions: (a) that religion can promote self-control; (b) that religion influences how goals are selected, pursued, and organized; (c) that religion facilitates self-monitoring; (d) that religion fosters the development of self-regulatory strength; (e) that religion prescribes and fosters proficiency in a suite of self-regulatory behaviors; and (f) that some of religion's influences on health, well-being, and social behavior may result from religion's influences on self-control and self-regulation. The authors conclude with suggestions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Shyness and children's emotionality, regulation, and coping: contemporaneous, longitudinal, and across-context relations

The relations of teachers' and parents' reports of children's shyness (i.e., social inhibition) at ages 6-8, 8-10, and 10-12 years to dispositional regulation, emotionality, and coping were examined. Shyness was positively related to internalizing negative emotion, coping by doing nothing, and, for parent-rated shyness, behavioral inhibition/nonimpulsivity, attention focusing, and avoidant coping; it was negatively related to positive emotionality, instrumental coping, seeking support from teachers (at younger ages), and for teacher-rated shyness, attentional control. Often prediction held over several years and/or across reporters. Parent-reported internalizing negative emotion at age 4-6 predicted shyness at ages 6-8 and 8-10, but primarily for children low in attention shifting. Teacher-rated shyness was related to low social status; parent-rated shyness correlated with boys' adult-rated social status at age 4-6 and with style of social interaction, particularly for girls. The relation between parent- and teacher-reported shyness decreased with age. The overall pattern of findings was partially consistent with the conclusion that parent-rated shyness reflected primarily social wariness with unfamiliar people (i.e., temperamental shyness), whereas teacher-rated shyness tapped social inhibition due to social evaluative concerns.     

Person, body, cadaver, and back

Because of the small size of their genome, viral genes have been forerunners in helping us understand gene expression. It is also because of their small size that viruses have elaborated the amazing variety of strategies that enables them to produce all the proteins they require for their multiplication. As a consequence, many of the strategies of expression known to occur in cell systems were first demonstrated in viruses. The aim of this review is to highlight the contribution of viruses to our knowledge of cell processes.     

Earnings, education, genetics, and environment

A major and well-recognized difficulty in estimating the effects of education on earnings is that the more educated are likely to be more able, irrespective of education. If ability also determines earnings and is not controlled, ordinary least squares will yield biased estimates of the education coefficient. In this study, we use data on identical twins to control for differences in ability that arise from genetic endowments and family environment. Not controlling for genetics and family environment may cause a large bias, up to two-thirds of the noncontrolled coefficient.     

Synthesis, absolute configuration, and analysis of malathion, malaoxon, and isomalathion enantiomers

Syntheses of the enantiomers of malathion, malaoxon, and isomalathion are reported herein. Malathion enantiomers were prepared from (R)- or (S)-malic acid in three steps. Enantiomers of malathion were converted to the corresponding enantiomers of malaoxon in 52% yield by oxidation with monoperoxyphthalic acid, magnesium salt. The four isomalathion stereoisomers were prepared via two independent pathways using strychnine to resolve the asymmetric phosphorus moiety. The absolute configurations of the four stereoisomers of isomalathion were determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis of an alkaloid salt precursor. A high-performance liquid chromatography technique was developed to resolve the four stereoisomers of isomalathion, and to determine their stereoisomeric ratios.     

Comparative activities of clinafloxacin, grepafloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, ofloxacin, sparfloxacin, and trovafloxacin and nonquinolones linozelid, quinupristin-dalfopristin, gentamicin, and vancomycin against clinical isolates of ciprofloxacin-resistant and -susceptible Staphylococcus aureus strains

The activities of eight fluoroquinolones and linezolid, quinupristin-dalfopristin (Synercid), gentamicin, and vancomycin were tested against 96 ciprofloxacin-susceptible and 205 ciprofloxacin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains. Overall, clinafloxacin, followed by moxifloxacin and trovafloxacin, was the most active quinolone tested. For all isolates, linezolid and quinupristin-dalfopristin showed activities that were at least comparable to vancomycin, with no cross-resistance to any other test compound.     

Cellular adhesiveness, contractility, and traction: stick, grip, and slip control

Translocation of cells over solid substrata depends on generation of motive force, in crawling tissue cells, brought about by regulated contractility of intracellular actomyosin. Intracellular contractile machinery has a direct, structural connection to the cell surface. Hence, regulated adhesiveness of the cell surface provides a mechanism whereby a cell can fine tune the extent of tractional forces that are necessary for effective translocation. Cells are able to control adhesiveness of surfaces (stick), contractility (grip), and the extent of traction exerted on the substratum (slip). Here, I discuss several aspects of local (subcellular) regulation of adhesiveness and contractility and speculate on how cells, given a choice of the substratum, decide on how and where to apply traction.     

Self-esteem, construal, and comparisons with the self, friends, and peers.

Extending the better than average effect, 3 studies examined self-, friend, and peer comparisons of personal attributes. Participants rated themselves as better off than friends, who they rated as superior to generalized peers. The exception was in direct comparisons, where the self and friends were not strongly differentiated on unambiguous negative attributes. Self-esteem and construal played moderating roles, with persons with high self-esteem (HSEs) exploiting both ambiguous positive and ambiguous negative traits to favor themselves. Persons lower in self-esteem exploited ambiguous positive traits in their favor but did not exploit ambiguous negative traits. Across self-esteem level, ratings of friends versus peers were exaggerated when attributes were ambiguous. HSEs seemed to take advantage of ambiguity more consistently to present favorable self-views; people with low self-esteem used ambiguity to favor their friends but were reluctant to minimize their own faults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality, development, and counseling psychology: Depth, ambivalence, and actualization.

Although there is a profound connection between personality and developmental psychology on the one hand and counseling psychology on the other, this relationship has been marked by ambivalence. Reasons for this are discussed, and it is suggested that the relationship is moving in the direction of actualization. Four substantive areas are explored in which personality and developmental psychology both inform and are influenced by counseling psychology: career behavior, cultural identity, psychoanalysis, and adult development. Finally, the "healthy personality" is examined as an area of personality and developmental psychology in which counseling psychology has not fulfilled its promise, and the importance and possible directions of such work are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Blood selenium, vitamin E, vitamin A, and beta-carotene concentrations and udder health, fertility treatments, and fertility

We investigated the activity of glutathione peroxidase in whole blood; concentrations of vitamin E, vitamin A, and beta-carotene in serum; SCC; udder bacterial infections and the incidence of clinical mastitis; fertility treatments; and the success of first AI of 511 dairy cows for 1 yr. The mean Se content in whole blood and the concentrations of vitamin E, vitamin A, and beta-carotene concentrations in serum were 191 micrograms/L, 5.9 mg/L, 0.39 mg/L, and 12.9 mg/L, respectively. An increase in Se concentration in whole blood was associated with a decrease in all infections, including infections by Staphylococcus aureus, Actinomyces pyogenes, and Corynebacterium spp. (-17.7, -31.7, and -70.6%, respectively). There was no association among the different infections or SCC and concentrations of vitamin E, vitamin A, or beta-carotene, but an association existed between vitamin A concentration and SCC. The lower Se concentration in whole blood did not increase incidence of clinical mastitis. The Se concentration in whole blood (200 micrograms/L) was accepted as a target value to optimize udder health. The incidence of fertility disorders (anestrus, subestrus, cystic ovaries, or delayed ovulation) was 34.4%. The pregnancy rate following first insemination was 48.6%. No significant association was observed among Se in whole blood; concentrations of total vitamin E, vitamin A, or beta-carotene in serum; and fertility disorders or success of first AI.     

Relationships between cigarette smoking, oral contraceptives, and plasma vitamins A, E, C, and plasma triglycerides and cholesterol

Plasma vitamins A, E, and C, plasma triglycerides and cholesterol, and leukocyte vitamin C were examined in young healthy adult females who were cigarette and/or oral contraceptive users. It was found that cigarette smoking slightly increased the levels of vitamin A, triglycerides, and cholesterol while oral contraceptives significantly increased these plasma lipids. The effects of cigarette smoking and oral contraceptives on these substances were additive. Neither cigarette smoking nor oral contraceptives had any significant effect on plasma vitamins E and C. Oral contraceptives slightly decreased the level of leukocyte vitamin C in the cigarette smokers. Cigarette smoking did not impart and acute effect on these parameters.     

FDA and EPA setbacks, fetal nicotine, ASH Thailand and UK, tennis shame, Australian documents, Corporate Activity Project, and 2100 quotes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A 38-year-old woman presented with severe intractable pain in the sacral and perirectal areas secondary to metastatic stage I.B. squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. METHODS: An indwelling epidural catheter was placed to control the patient's symptoms after failure of conservative therapies. Finally, an infusion containing isobaric 0.2% ropivacaine with 0.002% preservative-free morphine and 0.0002% epinephrine was started to treat her pain and preserve motor function to preserve quality of life. RESULTS: The patient obtained good pain relief with this regimen and was discharged home. She was able to walk with assistance and maintain good quality of life until her death approximately 7 weeks after the placement of the indwelling epidural catheter. CONCLUSION: The use of ropivacaine in combination with other analgesics, via an intrathecal catheter for patient-controlled analgesia, was an effective treatment for this patient. In the future, ropivacaine administered epidurally or intrathecally alone, or in combination with other analgesics, may become the local anesthetic of choice due to its preservation of motor function. Certainly, further scientific studies are indicated in the cancer patient population.     

Master alloys Al-Sc-Zr, Al-Sc-Ti, and Al-Ti-Zr: Their manufacture, composition, and structure

Ternary master alloys Al-Sc-Zr, Al-Sc-Ti, and Al-Ti-Zr are prepared. The complex aluminides Al₃(Sc _x Zr_1?x ), Al₃(Sc _x Ti_1?x ), and Al₃(Ti _x Zr_1?x ) in them have the L1₂ cubic lattice, which ensures high structural and size matching with the crystal lattice of the matrix of the aluminum alloys modified by these master alloys. The action of low-frequency vibrations on the melts of the ternary master alloys favors the fragmentation of the aluminides down to sizes smaller than 10–30 μm and their uniform distribution in an alloy matrix.