Factorial validity of the Problematic Facebook Use Scale for adolescents and young adults.

Background and aims Recent research on problematic Facebook use has highlighted the need to develop a specific theory-driven measure to assess this potential behavioral addiction. The aim of the present study was to examine the factorial validity of the Problematic Facebook Use Scale (PFUS) adapted from Caplan's Generalized Problematic Internet Scale model. Methods A total of 1,460 Italian adolescents and young adults (aged 14-29 years) participated in the study. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed in order to assess the factorial validity of the scale. Results Results revealed that the factor structure of the PFUS provided a good fit to the data. Furthermore, results of the multiple group analyses supported the invariance of the model across age and gender groups. Discussion and conclusions This study provides evidence supporting the factorial validity of the PFUS. This new scale provides a theory-driven tool to assess problematic use of Facebook among male and female adolescents and young adults

Intelligence measures as diagnostic tools for children with specific learning disabilities

The assessment of intelligence has always been an essential part of the diagnostic process of children with specific learning disabilities (SLD). Recently, emphasis has been placed on the profile of intellectual strengths (e.g. in reasoning) and weaknesses (e.g., in working memory and processing speed). In this study, we compared the WISC-IV intellectual profile of 1383 children with SLD to the normative data for typically developing children; in particular, we analyzed the predictive power of WISC-IV indexes and their discrepancies-especially the general ability index (GAI) vs. the cognitive proficiency index (CPI) or vs. the full-scale (FSIQ)-as markers of the SLD condition. Results showed that the intellectual profile in general, and the GAI-CPI or GAI-FSIQ discrepancy in particular, represents an effective criterion for differentiating between groups. Examining the underlying cognitive profile might be useful when dealing with children who have SLD, as discrepancies could be effectively used to support a diagnosis. © 2017 Elsevier Inc

The Lipopolysaccharide from Capnocytophaga canimorsus Reveals an Unexpected Role of the Core-Oligosaccharide in MD-2 Binding

Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a usual member of dog's mouths flora that causes rare but dramatic human infections after dog bites. We determined the structure of C. canimorsus lipid A. The main features are that it is penta-acylated and composed of a “hybrid backbone” lacking the 4′ phosphate and having a 1 phosphoethanolamine (P-Etn) at 2-amino-2-deoxy-d-glucose (GlcN). C. canimorsus LPS was 100 fold less endotoxic than Escherichia coli LPS. Surprisingly, C. canimorsus lipid A was 20,000 fold less endotoxic than the C. canimorsus lipid A-core. This represents the first example in which the core-oligosaccharide dramatically increases endotoxicity of a low endotoxic lipid A. The binding to human myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD-2) was dramatically increased upon presence of the LPS core on the lipid A, explaining the difference in endotoxicity. Interaction of MD-2, cluster of differentiation antigen 14 (CD14) or LPS-binding protein (LBP) with the negative charge in the 3-deoxy-d-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Kdo) of the core might be needed to form the MD-2 – lipid A complex in case the 4′ phosphate is not present

Attachment and problematic Facebook use in adolescents: The mediating role of metacognitions

Background and aims: Recent research used attachment theory and the metacognitive tenet as frameworks to explain problematic Facebook use (PFU). The current study aims to test, in a single model, the role of different attachment styles and metacognitions in PFU among adolescents. Methods: Two separate studies were conducted in order to establish the link between security (Study 1) and insecurity (Study 2), metacognitions, and PFU. A total of 369 and 442 Italian adolescents (aged 14–20 years) participated in Study 1 and Study 2, respectively. Results: Path analyses revealed the relative importance of different attachment dimensions with mother and father in predicting PFU and the mediating role of metacognitions between attachment styles and PFU. Discussion and Conclusions: In conclusion, since attachment styles and PFU may significantly affect adolescents’ development and well-being, the results of this study may provide some practical indications for researchers and practitioners

Erratum: Correction: Musicians have better memory than nonmusicians: A meta-analysis (PloS one (2017) 12 10 (e0186773))

: [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186773.]

Developing a Simulated Environment to Study Naturalistic Decision Making Processes

Motivation – Combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to develop a simulated environment to study decision-making processes from a NDM perspective. Research approach – Discourse analysis to find interpretative repertoires, use of Visual Analog Scales and ANOVA to validate the reportoires. Findings/Design – Usefulness of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to develop the simulation, importance of a rigorous validation. Research limitations/Implications – Need for comparison with a real website in further studies. Originality/Value – Use of NDM perspective to investigate processes that were studied just from a DM perspective. Take away message – It is possible to study decision-making processes by naturally simulating them, with computer mediated technology, in a laboratory