Lack of support for the association between facial shape and aggression: a reappraisal based on a worldwide population genetics perspective

Antisocial and criminal behaviors are multifactorial traits whose interpretation relies on multiple disciplines. Since these interpretations may have social, moral and legal implications, a constant review of the evidence is necessary before any scientific claim is considered as truth. A recent study proposed that men with wider faces relative to facial height (fWHR) are more likely to develop unethical behaviour mediated by a psychological sense of power. This research was based on reports suggesting that sexual dimorphism and selection would be responsible for a correlation between fWHR and aggression. Here we show that 4,960 individuals from 94 modern human populations belonging to a vast array of genetic and cultural contexts do not display significant amounts of fWHR sexual dimorphism. Further analyses using populations with associated ethnographical records as well as samples of male prisoners of the Mexico City Federal Penitentiary condemned by crimes of variable level of inter-personal aggression (homicide, robbery, and minor faults) did not show significant evidence, suggesting that populations/individuals with higher levels of bellicosity, aggressive behaviour, or power-mediated behaviour display greater fWHR. Finally, a regression analysis of fWHR on individual"s fitness showed no significant correlation between this facial trait and reproductive success. Overall, our results suggest that facial attributes are poor predictors of aggressive behaviour, or at least, that sexual selection was weak enough to leave a signal on patterns of between- and within-sex and population facial variation.

Reliability of P-drive in occupational therapy following a short training session: A promising instrument measuring seniors' on-road driving competencies

Introduction Occupational therapists could play an important role in facilitating driving cessation for ageing drivers. This, however, requires an easy-to-learn, standardised on-road evaluation method. This study therefore investigates whether use of P-drive' could be reliably taught to occupational therapists via a short half-day training session. Method Using the English 26-item version of P-drive, two occupational therapists evaluated the driving ability of 24 home-dwelling drivers aged 70 years or over on a standardised on-road route. Experienced driving instructors' on-road, subjective evaluations were then compared with P-drive scores. Results Following a short half-day training session, P-drive was shown to have almost perfect between-rater reliability (ICC2,1=0.950, 95% CI 0.889 to 0.978). Reliability was stable across sessions including the training phase even if occupational therapists seemed to become slightly less severe in their ratings with experience. P-drive's score was related to the driving instructors' subjective evaluations of driving skills in a non-linear manner (R-2=0.445, p=0.021). Conclusion P-drive is a reliable instrument that can easily be taught to occupational therapists and implemented as a way of standardising the on-road driving test.

Local Salmonella immunostimulation recruits vaccine-specific CD8 T cells and increases regression of bladder tumor.

NlmCategory="UNASSIGNED">The efficacy of antitumoral responses can be increased using combinatorial vaccine strategies. We recently showed that vaccination could be optimized by local administration of diverse molecular or bacterial agents to target and augment antitumoral CD8 T cells in the genital mucosa (GM) and increase regression of cervical cancer in an animal model. Non muscle-invasive bladder cancer is another disease that is easily amenable to local therapies. In contrast to data obtained in the GM, in this study we show that intravesical (IVES) instillation of synthetic toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists only modestly induced recruitment of CD8 T cells to the bladder. However, IVES administration of Ty21a, a live bacterial vaccine against typhoid fever, was much more effective and increased the number of total and vaccine-specific CD8 T cells in the bladder approximately 10 fold. Comparison of chemokines induced in the bladder by either CpG (a TLR-9 agonist) or Ty21a highlighted the preferential increase in complement component 5a, CXCL5, CXCL2, CCL8, and CCL5 by Ty21a, suggesting their involvement in the attraction of T cells to the bladder. IVES treatment with Ty21a after vaccination also significantly increased tumor regression compared to vaccination alone, resulting in 90% survival in an orthotopic murine model of bladder cancer expressing a prototype tumor antigen. Our data demonstrate that combining vaccination with local immunostimulation may be an effective treatment strategy for different types of cancer and also highlight the great potential of the Ty21a vaccine, which is routinely used worldwide, in such combinatorial therapies.

La perspectiva narrativa en Nubosidad variable de Carmen Martín Gaite

La publicación en 1992 de Nubosidad variable supuso la reanudación de la actividad novelesca de Carmen Martín Gaite, después de catorce arios dedicados al ensayo y a la historia. En esta obra, el «credo» literario de la novelista no ha variado sustancialmente en relación a otras como Ritmo lento, Retahilas o El cuarto de atrás, pero se ha visto enriquecido con una técnica que acota y fija de forma maestra todo el mundo de significaciones que se proyecta, y que podemos conceptualizar como el flirteo de la autora con la introspección, el recuerdo, y los antojos frente al tiempo pasado de una memoria vulnerable y resbaladiza. La perspectiva narrativa se revela, en este sentido, como el apoyo básico del andamiaje material de la obra.

Bystander responses to a violent incident in an immersive virtual environment

Under what conditions will a bystander intervene to try to stop a violent attack by one person on another? It is generally believed that the greater the size of the crowd of bystanders, the less the chance that any of them will intervene. A complementary model is that social identity is critical as an explanatory variable. For example, when the bystander shares common social identity with the victim the probability of intervention is enhanced, other things being equal. However, it is generally not possible to study such hypotheses experimentally for practical and ethical reasons. Here we show that an experiment that depicts a violent incident at life-size in immersive virtual reality lends support to the social identity explanation. 40 male supporters of Arsenal Football Club in England were recruited for a two-factor between-groups experiment: the victim was either an Arsenal supporter or not (in-group/out-group), and looked towards the participant for help or not during the confrontation. The response variables were the numbers of verbal and physical interventions by the participant during the violent argument. The number of physical interventions had a significantly greater mean in the ingroup condition compared to the out-group. The more that participants perceived that the Victim was looking to them for help the greater the number of interventions in the in-group but not in the out-group. These results are supported by standard statistical analysis of variance, with more detailed findings obtained by a symbolic regression procedure based on genetic programming. Verbal interventions made during their experience, and analysis of post-experiment interview data suggest that in-group members were more prone to confrontational intervention compared to the out-group who were more prone to make statements to try to diffuse the situation.

Systematic analysis of factors associated with progression and regression of ulcerative colitis in 918 patients.

BACKGROUND: Studies that systematically assess change in ulcerative colitis (UC) extent over time in adult patients are scarce. AIM: To assess changes in disease extent over time and to evaluate clinical parameters associated with this change. METHODS: Data from the Swiss IBD cohort study were analysed. We used logistic regression modelling to identify factors associated with a change in disease extent. RESULTS: A total of 918 UC patients (45.3% females) were included. At diagnosis, UC patients presented with the following disease extent: proctitis [199 patients (21.7%)], left-sided colitis [338 patients (36.8%)] and extensive colitis/pancolitis [381 (41.5%)]. During a median disease duration of 9 [4-16] years, progression and regression was documented in 145 patients (15.8%) and 149 patients (16.2%) respectively. In addition, 624 patients (68.0%) had a stable disease extent. The following factors were identified to be associated with disease progression: treatment with systemic glucocorticoids [odds ratio (OR) 1.704, P = 0.025] and calcineurin inhibitors (OR: 2.716, P = 0.005). No specific factors were found to be associated with disease regression. CONCLUSIONS: Over a median disease duration of 9 [4-16] years, about two-thirds of UC patients maintained the initial disease extent; the remaining one-third had experienced either progression or regression of the disease extent.

El Portafoli de l'alumne com instrument d'autoaprenentatge

Presentem el Projecte d'Innovació Docent que es porta a terme des de la Unitat d'Infermeria de Salut Mental de l'Escola d'Infermeria de la Universitat de Barcelona dins de la formació especialitzada d'Infermeria de Salut Mental. Aquesta especialitat es desenvolupa en règim de residència clínica on el EIR (Enfermero Interno Residente) rep formació des de l'àmbit assistencial i docent. El portafoli de l'alumne es planteja com un instrument d'autoaprenentatge reflexiu que ha de contribuir a facilitar l'adaptació de la formació global del EIR als criteris del Espai Europeu de Formació Superior on el treball de l'alumne (concretat en el crèdit ECTS) és l'eix central de les metodologies docents.

Taloudellinen lisäarvo ja suhdanne-vaihtelut

Tutkimusongelmana oli ratkaista onko taloudellisella lisäarvolla ja suhdannevaihteluilla yhteyttä ja selittääkö suhdannevaihtelut taloudellisen lisäarvon vaihteluja. Empiirisenä aineistona oli 79 suomalaista pörssiyritystä, (kuljetus- ja huolinta, metalli- ja metsäteollisuus sekä auto- ja vähittäiskauppa). Tutkimusperiodina olivat vuodet 1986-2000. Tilastollisena tutkimusmenetelmänä oli regressioanalyysi, jossa selitettävänä muuttujana oli taloudellinen lisäarvo ja selittävänä muuttujana oli bruttokansantuoteprosentti. Analyysit tehtiin toimialamediaanina. Regressiomallin tulosten mukaan suhdannevaihtelut selittävät hyvin kuljetus- ja huolinta-alan yritysten taloudellisen lisäarvon vaihteluita. Metalliteollisuuden- ja autokaupan yritysten taloudelliset lisäarvot korreloivat jonkin verran suhdannevaihteluiden kanssa. Vähittäiskauppa ja metsäteollisuus eivät korreloineet suhdannevaihteluiden kanssa ollenkaan.

Regression-based techniques for statistical decision making in single-case designs

The present study evaluates the performance of four methods for estimating regression coefficients used to make statistical decisions regarding intervention effectiveness in single-case designs. Ordinary least squares estimation is compared to two correction techniques dealing with general trend and one eliminating autocorrelation whenever it is present. Type I error rates and statistical power are studied for experimental conditions defined by the presence or absence of treatment effect (change in level or in slope), general trend, and serial dependence. The results show that empirical Type I error rates do not approximate the nominal ones in presence of autocorrelation or general trend when ordinary and generalized least squares are applied. The techniques controlling trend show lower false alarm rates, but prove to be insufficiently sensitive to existing treatment effects. Consequently, the use of the statistical significance of the regression coefficients for detecting treatment effects is not recommended for short data series.

Serum Vitamin D Concentrations Are Not Associated with Insulin Resistance in Swiss Adults.

BACKGROUND: Low vitamin D status has been associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance (IR), although this has been recently questioned. OBJECTIVE: We examined the association between serum vitamin D metabolites and incident IR. METHODS: This was a prospective, population-based study derived from the CoLaus (Cohorte Lausannoise) study including 3856 participants (aged 51.2 ± 10.4 y; 2217 women) free from diabetes or IR at baseline. IR was defined as a homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index >2.6. Fasting plasma insulin and glucose were measured at baseline and at follow-up to calculate the HOMA index. The association of vitamin D metabolites with incident IR was analyzed by logistic regression, and the results were expressed for each independent variable as ORs and 95% CIs. RESULTS: During the 5.5-y follow-up, 649 (16.9%) incident cases of IR were identified. Participants who developed IR had lower baseline serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3 (25-hydroxycholecalciferol); 45.9 ± 22.8 vs. 49.9 ± 22.6 nmol/L; P < 0.001], total 25(OH)D3 (25(OH)D3 + epi-25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [3-epi-25(OH)D3]; 49.1 ± 24.3 vs. 53.3 ± 24.1 nmol/L; P < 0.001), and 3-epi-25(OH)D3 (4.2 ± 2.9 vs. 4.3 ± 2.5 nmol/L; P = 0.01) but a higher 3-epi- to total 25(OH)D3 ratio (0.09 ± 0.05 vs. 0.08 ± 0.04; P = 0.007). Multivariable analysis adjusting for month of sampling, age, and sex showed an inverse association between 25(OH)D3 and the likelihood of developing IR [ORs (95% CIs): 0.86 (0.68, 1.09), 0.60 (0.46, 0.78), and 0.57 (0.43, 0.75) for the second, third, and fourth quartiles compared with the first 25(OH)D3 quartile; P-trend < 0.001]. Similar associations were found between total 25(OH)D3 and incident IR. There was no significant association between 3-epi-25(OH)D3 and IR, yet a positive association was observed between the 3-epi- to total 25(OH)D3 ratio and incident IR. Further adjustment for body mass index, sedentary status, and smoking attenuated the association between 25(OH)D3, total 25(OH)D3, and the 3-epi- to total 25(OH)D3 ratio and the likelihood of developing IR. CONCLUSION: In the CoLaus study in healthy adults, the risk of incident IR is not associated with serum concentrations of 25(OH)D3 and total 25(OH)D3.

Effects of the 80 km/h and variable speed limits on air pollution in the metropolitan area of Barcelona

In 2008 the regional government of Catalonia (Spain) reduced the maximum speed limit on several stretches of congested urban motorway in the Barcelona metropolitan area to 80 km/h, while in 2009 it introduced a variable speed system on other stretches of its metropolitan motorways. We use the differences-in-differences method, which enables a policy impact to be measured under specific conditions, to assess the impact of these policies on emissions of NOx and PM10. Empirical estimation indicate that reducing the speed limit to 80 km h-1 causes a 1.7 to 3.2% increase in NOx and 5.3 to 5.9% in PM10. By contrast, the variable speed policy reduced NOx and PM10 pollution by 7.7 to 17.1% and 14.5 to 17.3%. As such, a variable speed policy appears to be a more effective environmental policy than reducing the speed limit to a maximum of 80 km/h.

TBS reflects trabecular microarchitecture in premenopausal women and men with idiopathic osteoporosis and low-traumatic fractures.

Transiliac bone biopsies, while widely considered to be the standard for the analysis of bone microstructure, are typically restricted to specialized centers. The benefit of Trabecular Bone Score (TBS) in addition to areal bone mineral density (aBMD) for fracture risk assessment has been documented in cross-sectional and prospective studies. The aim of this study was to test if TBS may be useful as a surrogate to histomorphometric trabecular parameters of transiliac bone biopsies. Transiliac bone biopsies from 80 female patients (median age 39.9years-interquartile range, IQR 34.7; 44.3) and 43 male patients (median age 42.7years-IQR 38.9; 49.0) with idiopathic osteoporosis and low traumatic fractures were included. Micro-computed tomography values of bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), structural model index (SMI) as well as serum bone turnover markers (BTMs) sclerostin, intact N-terminal type 1 procollagen propeptide (P1NP) and cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTX) were investigated. TBS values were higher in females (1.282 vs 1.169, p< 0.0001) with no differences in spine aBMD, whereas sclerostin levels (45.5 vs 33.4pmol/L) and aBMD values at the total hip (0.989 vs 0.971g/cm(2), p<0.001 for all) were higher in males. Multiple regression models including: gender, aBMD and BTMs revealed TBS as an independent, discriminative variable with adjusted multiple R(2) values of 69.1% for SMI, 79.5% for Tb.N, 68.4% for Tb.Sp, and 83.3% for BV/TV. In univariate regression models, BTMs showed statistically significant results, whereas in the multiple models only P1NP and CTX were significant for Tb.N. TBS is a practical, non-invasive, surrogate technique for the assessment of cancellous bone microarchitecture and should be implemented as an additional tool for the determination of trabecular bone properties.