Impression Rating via Speed-Dating: How A Single Communication Event Can Alter Perceptions of Another Individual

The central purpose of this experiment is to scientifically test whether interpersonal communication influences individual perceptions in a dating environment. This study uses interaction appearance theory (IAT) as an empirical foundation for understanding the relationship between communicative outcomes and personal opinions. According to IAT, cognitive impressions of aesthetic appearance are highly fluid and vulnerable to the results of multiple social interactions (Albada, Knapp, & Theune, 2002). While most empirical investigations have provided additional support for this theory, no studies have tested whether IAT applies to various other social constructs. As such, this investigation was designed to address this gap in the literature as it explores the variables of physical attractiveness, intelligence, attitudinal similarity, and background similarity within an attraction-relevant atmosphere. A total of 104 undergraduate students at a large southeastern university engaged in speed-dating in order to ascertain if individual perceptions changed from pre-test to post-test. Study participants were recruited via numerous channels that included but were not limited to campus advertisements, class visits, and the student newspaper. Upon arrival, participants completed a 19-item blended scale that was created by the principal investigator. Next, study participants socially interacted with multiple opposite-sex speed-daters for a time period of three minutes per person. Before departure, the same 19-item blended scale was re-administered to all study participants. The collected data was then subjected to a series of statistical tests that included reliability analyses and 2 x 2 x 2 mixed factorial ANOVAs. Four central conclusions were drawn based on the evidence that emerged from the proposed hypotheses and research questions. First, interpersonal communication can be strategically used by females to increase their level of physical attractiveness. Second, a positive social interaction can make another person appear more intelligent. Third, perceptions of attitudinal similarity are influenced by a mere 180 seconds of communicative behavior. Fourth, the interaction appearance theory of communication can be applied to a single social interaction as well as to multiple other dependent and independent variables. When taken together, these results advance our practical understanding of both interpersonal attraction as well as cognitive processes

American literature

‘Diversity’ is one of the keywords in American mythology and although respect for the nation’s phenomenal differences has often been more evident in political rhetoric than historical reality, the past thirty years have witnessed increasing pluralism on American literature courses. This development includes courses organised by period (from centuries to specific decades, from ‘the Colonial Era’ to ‘Romanticism’, ‘Modernism’ and ‘Postmodernism’), by race and ethnicity (Native American and African-American, Latino and Chicano, Jewish and Irish), by gender and sexuality (women’s writing, gay and lesbian literature), by geography (‘the South’ and ‘the West’, ‘the City’ and ‘the Frontier’), by theme (‘the American Dream’ and ‘Exceptionalism’), by form and genre (‘the Novel’, ‘Poetry’ and ‘Drama’, ‘the Gothic’ and ‘Prison Writing’), by school (‘The Transcendentalists’ and ‘the Wooster Group’), by specific writer and by interdisciplinary combination (‘Noir Film and Fiction’, or ‘the Literature, Music and Movies of Vietnam’). This bibliographical essay could not hope to prepare you for every type of course, but it will aim to provide important leads for the most popular writers and subjects in this increasingly vast and variegated field

Exploring the “At-Risk” Student Label Through the Perspectives of Higher Education Professionals

Institutions of higher education often use the term “at-risk” to label undergraduate students who have a higher likelihood of not persisting. However, it is not clear how the use of this label impacts the perspectives of the higher education professionals who serve and support these students. Our qualitative study explores the descriptions and understandings of higher education professionals who serve and support at-risk students. We use thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006) to interpret our data and develop our themes. These themes include conflicting views of the “at-risk” definition, attempts to normalize at-risk, fostering relationships, and “at-promise.

The effects of maintenance schedules following pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) provides benefit for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in terms of quality of life (QoL) and exercise capacity; however, the effects diminish over time. Our aim was to evaluate a maintenance programme for patients who had completed PR. SETTING: Primary and secondary care PR programmes in Norfolk. PARTICIPANTS: 148 patients with COPD who had completed at least 60% of a standard PR programme were randomised and data are available for 110 patients. Patients had greater than 20 pack year smoking history and less than 80% predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s but no other significant disease or recent respiratory tract infection. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomised to receive a maintenance programme or standard care. The maintenance programme consisted of 2 h (1 h individually tailored exercise training and 1 h education programme) every 3 months for 1 year. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ) (primary outcome), endurance shuttle walk test (ESWT), EuroQol (EQ5D), hospital anxiety and depression score (HADS), body mass index (BMI), body fat, activity levels (overall score and activity diary) and exacerbations were assessed before and after 12 months. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups for the change in CRQ dyspnoea score (primary end point) at 12 months which amounted to 0.19 (-0.26 to 0.64) units or other domains of the CRQ. There was no difference in the ESWT duration (-10.06 (-191.16 to 171.03) seconds), BMI, body fat, EQ5D, MET-minutes, activity rating, HADS, exacerbations or admissions. CONCLUSIONS: A maintenance programme of three monthly 2 h sessions does not improve outcomes in patients with COPD after 12 months. We do not recommend that our maintenance programme is adopted. Other methods of sustaining the benefits of PR are required. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT00925171.This paper presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme (Grant Reference Number PB-PG-0408-16225). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.This is the final published version. It first appeared at http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/3/e005921.full?g=w_thorax_open_tab

Antiplatelet Activity, P2Y1 and P2Y12 Inhibition, and Metabolism in Plasma of Stereoisomers of Diadenosine 5′,5′″-P1,P4-dithio-P2,P3-chloromethylenetetraphosphate

Background: Diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A), a constituent of platelet dense granules, and its P1,P4-dithio and/or P2,P3-chloromethylene analogs, inhibit adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation. We recently reported that these compounds antagonize both platelet ADP receptors, P2Y1 and P2Y12. The most active of those analogs, diadenosine 5′,5″″-P1,P4-dithio-P2,P3-chloromethylenetetraphosphate, (compound 1), exists as a mixture of 4 stereoisomers. Objective: To separate the stereoisomers of compound 1 and determine their effects on platelet aggregation, platelet P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptor antagonism, and their metabolism in human plasma. Methods: We separated the 4 diastereomers of compound 1 by preparative reversed-phase chromatography, and studied their effect on ADP-induced platelet aggregation, P2Y1-mediated changes in cytosolic Ca2+, P2Y12-mediated changes in VASP phosphorylation, and metabolism in human plasma. Results: The inhibition of ADP-induced human platelet aggregation and human platelet P2Y12 receptor, and stability in human plasma strongly depended on the stereo-configuration of the chiral P1- and P4-phosphorothioate groups, the SPSP diastereomer being the most potent inhibitor and completely resistant to degradation in plasma, and the RPRP diastereomer being the least potent inhibitor and with the lowest plasma stability. The inhibitory activity of SPRP diastereomers depended on the configuration of the pseudo-asymmetric carbon of the P2,P3-chloromethylene group, one of the configurations being significantly more active than the other. Their plasma stability did not differ significantly, being intermediate to that of the SPSP and the RPRP diastereomers. Conclusions: The presently-described stereoisomers have utility for structural, mechanistic, and drug development studies of dual antagonists of platelet P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors

CENP-F stabilizes kinetochore-microtubule attachments and limits dynein stripping of corona cargoes

Accurate chromosome segregation demands efficient capture of microtubules by kinetochores and their conversion to stable bioriented attachments that can congress and then segregate chromosomes. An early event is the shedding of the outermost fibrous corona layer of the kinetochore following microtubule attachment. Centromere protein F (CENP-F) is part of the corona, contains two microtubule-binding domains, and physically associates with dynein motor regulators. Here, we have combined CRISPR gene editing and engineered separation-of-function mutants to define how CENP-F contributes to kinetochore function. We show that the two microtubule-binding domains make distinct contributions to attachment stability and force transduction but are dispensable for chromosome congression. We further identify a specialized domain that functions to limit the dynein-mediated stripping of corona cargoes through a direct interaction with Nde1. This antagonistic activity is crucial for maintaining the required corona composition and ensuring efficient kinetochore biorientation

Effective interventions to increase representation of under-served groups in randomised trials in UK and Ireland: a scoping literature review [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Background: Participants in clinical trials often do not reflect the populations that could benefit from the treatments being investigated. There are known barriers to trial participation for under-served groups, but limited evidence on strategies to alleviate these barriers to improve representation. This scoping review aimed to identify effective interventions and design features that improve the representation `of under-served groups in trials, focusing on the UK and Ireland. Methods: We included methodological research studies that reported interventions to improve representation of ethnic minority groups, socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, older people, or those with impaired capacity to consent to randomised controlled trials, conducted in the UK and Ireland, published between 2000–2021. Systematic searches were conducted in November 2021 and data were independently extracted by two authors and narratively synthesised. Results: Seven studies were included: one randomised controlled study embedded in five trials, one mixed-methods study, and five studies reporting ‘lessons learnt’ from one trial. We categorised the 47 reported interventions or strategies into nine broad themes: Recruitment sites, recruitment settings, community engagement, and communication with participants, incentives, inclusion criteria, flexibility, patient documentation, and the consent process. Only 28/47 interventions were evaluated, 23 of which were comparison of recruitment pathways. The randomised study found that a £100 incentive mentioned in the invitation letter increased positive responses overall across drug trials in cardiovascular disease and hypertension, but not for older people or those living in the most deprived areas. Invitation letters via GPs and working with communities were reported as successful recruitment pathways in recruiting different under-served populations. Conclusions: Interventions aiming to improve the recruitment of under-served groups in the UK and Ireland were reported across seven papers, but their effectiveness was rarely rigorously evaluated. Included studies were context specific. Using a variety of recruitment methods is likely to help achieve a more diverse cohort

Polo-like kinase 4 kinase activity limits centrosome overduplication by autoregulating its own stability

Plk4 phosphorylates itself in trans to prevent accumulation and self-limit kinase activity, which may be important for regulating centriole duplication