Are Girls More Ambitious Than Boys? Vocational Interests Partly Explain Gender Differences in Occupational Aspirations

Previous research suggests that girls have higher occupational aspirations than boys before entering the labor market. We investigate whether this gender gap in occupational aspirations generalizes to secondary school students in Germany and illuminate the possible mechanisms behind these purported gender differences. For this purpose, we used a large and representative sample of ninth graders (N = 10,743) from the German National Educational Panel Study. Adolescents' occupational aspirations were coded on the International Socio-Economic Index of Occupational Status (ISEI) according to the socioeconomic status of the aspired occupation. Results showed that girls’ occupational aspirations were 6.5 ISEI points higher than boys' (Cohen's d = .36). Mediation analyses further revealed that gender differences in vocational interest could explain one-half of the gender gap in occupational aspirations. This suggests that girls' higher occupational aspirations reflect their specific vocational interests rather than a general striving for higher status and prestige compared to boys

Disentangling the Motivation-Achievement Paradox of Immigrant Students

Students with an immigration background tend to show similar or sometimes even higher intrinsic motivation compared to their native peers (Kigel, McElvany, & Becker, 2015, Miyamoto, Pfost, & Artelt, 2018; Villiger, Wandeler, & Niggli, 2014). Despite relatively strong learning orientations, immigrant students tend to have, on average, significantly lower reading achievement compared to their native peers, even after controlling for families’ educational and socio-economic backgrounds (OECD, 2010). The motivation-achievement paradox, or a seemingly weaker relationship between intrinsic motivation and reading competence for immigrant students in comparison to their native peers, is a puzzling phenomenon. Although a similar phenomenon has been reported for related constructs in previous research (e.g., Hill & Torres, 2010 for aspiration-achievement paradox; Mickelson, 1990 for attitude-achievement paradox), few research has investigated possible mechanisms behind this phenomenon. In addition, it is important to disentangle this paradox as there may be practical implications with the aim of helping immigrant students improve their reading achievement. Thus, the goal of my dissertation is to provide a theoretical and empirical explanation for a reason why immigrant students may have more difficulties in translating their relatively strong intrinsic motivation into their reading achievement compared to their native peers. In order to achieve this goal, three empirical studies were conducted. Study 1 investigated the measurement invariance of intrinsic motivation between native and immigrant students as well as the directionality of the relationship between intrinsic motivation and reading competence for native and immigrant students. The study confirms the (configural and metric) measurement invariance of intrinsic motivation between native and immigrant students, which is a necessary condition for comparing the strength of the relationship between intrinsic motivation and reading competence across these groups. The measurement invariance of intrinsic motivation between native and immigrant students supports the conceptual similarity of the construct between groups, indicating that these groups do not seem to differ in their interpretations of the items measuring intrinsic motivation. The study also provides strong empirical support for the reciprocal relationship between intrinsic motivation and reading competence for students without an immigration background. This is in line with previous research (McElvany, Kortenbruck, & Becker, 2008; Schiefele, Stutz, & Schaffner, 2016) which showed that higher intrinsic motivation tends to lead to an increase in reading competence, while greater reading competence also tends to foster intrinsic motivation (i.e., the reciprocal effects model). In contrast, within the immigrant sample, the relationship between intrinsic motivation and reading competence was not found to be reciprocal. Although there was a positive and significant effect of earlier reading competence on later intrinsic motivation, initial intrinsic motivation did not significantly predict subsequent reading competence. This finding indicates that, for immigrant students, higher reading competence may facilitate intrinsic motivation while promoting intrinsic motivation may not substantially contribute to the development of reading competence (i.e., the skill-development model). Study 2 examined the mediating processes of how intrinsic motivation is transformed into reading achievement through the amount of reading and metacognitive knowledge of strategy use. In addition, the study tested whether these mediating processes can be generalized to the students with an immigration background. The study provides strong empirical evidence for the mediating roles of reading amount and metacognitive knowledge of strategy use in the relationship between intrinsic motivation and reading competence. Importantly, these mediating effects were also found for students with an immigration background, indicating that the mediating processes of how intrinsic motivation transforms into reading achievement can be generalized to students with an immigration background. The finding suggests that intrinsically motivated students tend to improve their reading competence by spending more time on reading activities and using more effective strategies, and these mechanisms seem to be true regardless of students’ immigration background. Study 3 investigated the role of destination language exposure as a key to account for the observed ethnic differences in the relationship between intrinsic motivation and reading competence. The study confirms a significant positive interaction effect between intrinsic motivation and exposure to the destination language on reading achievement, while also taking into account cognitive ability, gender, age, and educational levels as well as socio-economic background of parents. The result suggests that the more immigrant students are exposed to the destination language at home, the more successful they seem to turn intrinsic motivation into reading achievement. In addition, the initially weaker link between intrinsic motivation and reading achievement for Turkish and FSU students compared to Polish students became no longer significant after including the interaction effect between intrinsic motivation and exposure to the destination language in the model. The finding indicates that the observed ethnic differences in the relationship between intrinsic motivation and reading achievement, at least partly, can be attributed to the differences in the amount of destination language exposure. In other words, the motivation-achievement paradox of immigrant students may be partially explained by their limited opportunities to use the destination language outside school. competence. Within the framework of the German National Educational Panel Study, 4,619 secondary school students were included in the analyses. The present study confirmed the reciprocal cross-lagged effects between intrinsic reading motivation and reading competence from grades 5 to 7 for native students. In addition, the effect of grade 5 intrinsic reading motivation on grade 7 reading competence was mediated by grade 6 reading amount. However, for immigrant students, although the cross-lagged effect of grade 5 reading competence on grade 7 intrinsic reading motivation was significant, the reverse effect was not significant. The present findings suggest that intrinsic reading motivation seems to be essential for the development of reading achievement for native students whereas it seems to be of less importance for immigrant students

The developmental trajectory of intrinsic reading motivation: measurement invariance, group variations, and implications for reading proficiency

The goal of the present study is to extend previous research on the developmental trajectory of intrinsic reading motivation during early adolescence. Using large-scale panel data on secondary school students in Germany, we examined: (1) the longitudinal measurement invariance of intrinsic reading motivation, (2) the generalizability of the developmental trajectory of intrinsic reading motivation across students’ gender, parental socioeconomic status (SES), and school tracks (academic vs. vocational), and (3) the associations between the developmental trajectory of intrinsic reading motivation and the developmental trajectory of reading proficiency. The scale we used to measure intrinsic reading motivation showed the (strict) measurement invariance across six occasions of measurement from Grades 5 to 10, indicating the high structural similarity (e.g., factor loadings, intercepts) of intrinsic reading motivation during early adolescence. Our analyses of latent growth curve models also confirm previous findings that students tend to experience a steady and significant linear decline in intrinsic reading motivation from Grades 5 to 10. This developmental decline also seems to be more pronounced in size (Δ = − 0.772, p < .001) than previously reported. The developmental decline in intrinsic reading motivation was observed irrespective of students’ gender, parental SES, and school tracks. Male students expressed lower mean-levels of intrinsic reading motivation across the waves and exhibited a steeper motivational decline compared to female students. Despite mean-level differences across the waves, students showed similar degrees of a motivational decline across parental SES and school tracks. Finally, the larger decline in students’ intrinsic reading motivation was associated with the smaller growth of their reading proficiency from Grades 5 to 10. Our study provides further support for the high prevalence of the developmental decline in intrinsic reading motivation during early adolescence, its generalizability across students’ demographic characteristics, and its implications for the development of reading proficiency

Engineering Cancer/Testis Antigens With Reversible S-Cationization to Evaluate Antigen Spreading

Serum autoantibody to cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) is a critical biomarker that reflects the antitumor immune response. Quantitative and multiplexed anti-CTA detection arrays can assess the immune status in tumors and monitor therapy-induced antitumor immune reactions. Most full-length recombinant CTA proteins tend to aggregate. Cysteine residue-specific S-cationization techniques facilitate the preparation of water-soluble and full-length CTAs. Combined with Luminex technology, we designed a multiple S-cationized antigen-immobilized bead array (MUSCAT) assay system to evaluate multiple serum antibodies to CTAs. Reducible S-alkyl-disulfide-cationized antigens in cytosolic conditions were employed to develop rabbit polyclonal antibodies as positive controls. These control antibodies sensitively detected immobilized antigens on beads and endogenous antigens in human lung cancer-derived cell lines. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies successfully confirmed the dynamic ranges and quantitative MUSCAT assay results. An immune monitoring study was conducted using the serum samples on an adenovirus-mediated REIC/Dkk-3 gene therapy clinical trial that showed a successful clinical response in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Autoantibody responses were closely related to clinical outcomes. Notably, upregulation of anti-CTA responses was monitored before tumor regression. Thus, quantitative monitoring of anti-CTA antibody biomarkers can be used to evaluate the cancer-immunity cycle. A quality-certified serum autoantibody monitoring system is a powerful tool for developing and evaluating cancer immunotherapy

Nanoscale Imaging of Primary Cilia with Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy

Primary cilia are hair-like sensory organelles whose dimensions and location vary with cell type and culture condition. Herein, we employed scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) to visualize the topography of primary cilia from different cell types. By combining SICM with fluorescence imaging, we successfully distinguished between surface cilia that project outward from the cell surface and subsurface cilia that are trapped below it. The nanoscale structure of the ciliary pocket, which cannot be easily identified using a confocal fluorescence microscope, was observed in SICM images. Furthermore, we developed a topographic reconstruction method using current-distance profiles to evaluate the relationship between set point and topographic image and found that a low set point is important for detecting the true topography of a primary cilium using hopping mode SICM

Lifestyle factors and visible skin aging in a population of Japanese elders.

BACKGROUND: The number of studies that use objective and quantitative methods to evaluate facial skin aging in elderly people is extremely limited, especially in Japan. Therefore, in this cross-sectional study we attempted to characterize the condition of facial skin (hyperpigmentation, pores, texture, and wrinkling) in Japanese adults aged 65 years or older by using objective and quantitative imaging methods. In addition, we aimed to identify lifestyle factors significantly associated with these visible signs of aging. METHODS: The study subjects were 802 community-dwelling Japanese men and women aged at least 65 years and living in the town of Kurabuchi (Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan), a mountain community with a population of approximately 4800. The facial skin condition of subjects was assessed quantitatively using a standardized facial imaging system and subsequent computer image analysis. Lifestyle information was collected using a structured questionnaire. The association between skin condition and lifestyle factors was examined using multivariable regression analysis. RESULTS: Among women, the mean values for facial texture, hyperpigmentation, and pores were generally lower than those among age-matched men. There was no significant difference between sexes in the severity of facial wrinkling. Older age was associated with worse skin condition among women only. After adjusting for age, smoking status and topical sun protection were significantly associated with skin condition among both men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed significant differences between sexes in the severity of hyperpigmentation, texture, and pores, but not wrinkling. Smoking status and topical sun protection were significantly associated with signs of visible skin aging in this study population

Na依存性PiトランスポーターNpt2cは、KlothoノックアウトマウスPi恒常性において成長期と成熟期では異なる作用を有する

SLC34A3/NPT2c/NaPi-2c/Npt2c is a growth-related NaPi cotransporter that mediates the uptake of renal sodium-dependent phosphate (Pi). Mutation of human NPT2c causes hereditary hypophosphatemic rickets with hypercalciuria. Mice with Npt2c knockout, however, exhibit normal Pi metabolism. To investigate the role of Npt2c in Pi homeostasis, we generated α-klotho−/−/Npt2c−/− (KL2cDKO) mice and analyzed Pi homeostasis. α-Klotho−/− (KLKO) mice exhibit hyperphosphatemia and markedly increased kidney Npt2c protein levels. Genetic disruption of Npt2c extended the lifespan of KLKO mice similar to that of α-Klotho−/−/Npt2a−/− mice. Adult KL2cDKO mice had hyperphosphatemia, but analysis of Pi metabolism revealed significantly decreased intestinal and renal Pi (re)absorption compared with KLKO mice. The 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 concentration was not reduced in KL2cDKO mice compared with that in KLKO mice. The KL2cDKO mice had less severe soft tissue and vascular calcification compared with KLKO mice. Juvenile KL2cDKO mice had significantly reduced plasma Pi levels, but Pi metabolism was not changed. In Npt2cKO mice, plasma Pi levels began to decrease around the age of 15 days and significant hypophosphatemia developed within 21 days. The findings of the present study suggest that Npt2c contributes to regulating plasma Pi levels in the juvenile stage and affects Pi retention in the soft and vascular tissues in KLKO mice

Non-HDL-C and CVD

Aims: We aimed to investigate the association between non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its subtypes. Methods: In this contemporary cohort study, we analyzed the data of 63,814 Japanese employees aged ≥ 30 years, without known CVD in 2012 and who were followed up for up to 8 years. The non-HDL-C level was divided into 5 groups: ＜110, 110-129, 130-149, 150-169, and ≥ 170 mg/dL. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CVD and its subtypes associated with each non-HDL-C group, considering 130-149 mg/dL as the reference group. Results: During the study period, 271 participants developed CVD, including 78 myocardial infarctions and 193 strokes (102 ischemic strokes, 89 hemorrhagic strokes, and 2 unknowns). A U-shaped association between non-HDL-C and stroke was observed. In the analysis of stroke subtypes, the multivariable-adjusted HR (95% CI) for hemorrhagic stroke was 2.61 (1.19–5.72), 2.02 (0.95–4.29), 2.10 (1.01–4.36), and 1.98 (0.96-4.08), while that for ischemic stroke was 1.54 (0.77-3.07), 0.91 (0.46-1.80), 0.73 (0.38-1.41), and 1.50 (0.87-2.56) in the ＜110, 110-129, 150-169, and ≥ 170 mg/dL groups, respectively. Individuals with elevated non-HDL-C levels had a higher risk of myocardial infarction. Conclusions: High non-HDL-C levels were associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction. Moreover, high and low non-HDL-C levels were associated with a high risk of stroke and its subtypes among Japanese workers