Twenty years of stereotype threat research: A review of psychological mediators

This systematic literature review appraises critically the mediating variables of stereotype threat. A bibliographic search was conducted across electronic databases between 1995 and 2015. The search identified 45 experiments from 38 articles and 17 unique proposed mediators that were categorized into affective/subjective (n = 6), cognitive (n = 7) and motivational mechanisms (n = 4). Empirical support was accrued for mediators such as anxiety, negative thinking, and mind-wandering, which are suggested to co-opt working memory resources under stereotype threat. Other research points to the assertion that stereotype threatened individuals may be motivated to disconfirm negative stereotypes, which can have a paradoxical effect of hampering performance. However, stereotype threat appears to affect diverse social groups in different ways, with no one mediator providing unequivocal empirical support. Underpinned by the multi-threat framework, the discussion postulates that different forms of stereotype threat may be mediated by distinct mechanisms

Recasting the HIV-risk perception in a socialcontext: The interplay between group-basedinformation and mood

This study was conducted to investigate whether heterosexual perceivers\u2019 appraisal of HIV-risk from unsafe sexual practices could be biased by the availability of groupbased information about high-risk groups (i.e., homosexuals) and by the perceivers\u2019 state of mood (i.e., happy vs. sad mood). Specifically, participants were confronted with cartoons portraying heterosexual vs. homosexual partners who were having anal vs. oral intercourses. Participants\u2019 estimation of the risk of HIV-infection was assessed. Results indicated that participants perceived homosexual partners as much more at risk for HIV-infection than heterosexual partners. This pattern of results was stronger for happy than unhappy participants. Finally, participants judged anal, but not oral, unsafe intercourse to be higher risk for homosexuals than heterosexuals. Results were discussed with respect to their theoretical and practical implication

On the throughput efficiency of greedy maximal scheduling in wireless ad hoc networks

Due to its low complexity, Greedy Maximal Scheduling (GMS), also known as Longest Queue First (LQF), has been studied extensively for wireless networks. However, GMS can result in degraded throughput performance in general wireless networks. In this thesis, we derive performance bounds of GMS for wireless networks under the general k-hop interference model. In particular, we prove that GMS achieves 100% throughput in all networks with eight nodes or less, under the two-hop interference model. Further, the obtained performance bounds improve upon previous results for larger networks up to a certain size. We also provide a simple proof to show that GMS can be implemented using only local neighborhood information in networks of any size

Adequacy in pre-dilution haemofiltration: Kt/V or infusion volume?

Kt/V is the main index of adequacy for diffusive and diffusive-convective methods of extracorporeal depuration, yet there exists no universally acceptable validation of an adequacy index for the solely convective methods such as haemofiltration (HF). The aim of the present study is to analyse which of the parameters of adequacy used in two multicentre HF studies, Kt/V for urea or infusion volume, correlate best with nutritional parameters and can therefore be utilized for the evaluation of treatment dose in on-line pre-dilution HF. Twenty-three clinically stable patients were enrolled in the first study [3 months of haemodialysis (HD)+ 3 months of HF]. In the second study, 24 stable patients were studied in three phases: 6 months in HF, 6 months in HD and a further 6 months in HF; in this study, a target of Kt/V=1.2 in all three periods was pre-established: 15 patients completed the full study. In both studies, we utilized the same monitor (AK 100/200 Ultra, Gambro), the same membrane (polyamide) and the same on-line prepared ultrapure dialysis fluid and sterile infusion solution. In both studies, we ensured that HF fulfilled the following parameters of adequacy: urea kinetics, cardiovascular and blood pressure stability (better in HF than in HD), common haematochemical and nutritional parameters, reduction in β2-microglobulin levels, a good intra- and extra-session clinical outcome, and a good quality of life with morbidity and mortality rates no different from those of HD. HF proved to be an efficacious method of ensuring adequate depuration and a good quality of life for uraemic patients. We have shown that in longer periods of HF, a notable correlation between Kt/V and normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR) and an equally good correlation between total ultrafiltration (UF)/dry weight ratio and nPCR could be achieved. In both studies, the patients showed a good level of epuration adequacy when total UF per session was at least 1.3 times the dry body weight. The total UF/body weight ratio thus seems to be an easy method in HF because of its greater ease of predictability and measurement, also when it is used independently of the Kt/V index

Enhanced heme function and mitochondrial respiration promote the progression of lung cancer cells

© 2013 Hooda et al

On-line predilution hemofiltration versus ultrapure high-flux hemodialysis: a multicenter prospective study in 23 patients

The aims of the present prospective multicenter study were to assess the clinical tolerance and well being, the correlation between nPCr and Kt/V and the pretreatment β2-microglobulin level in patients sequentially treated with high-flux dialysis with ultrapure bicarbonate hemodialysis (HD; phase I) and predilution hemofiltration (HF) with on-line prepared bicarbonate substitution fluid (phase II). The same monitor (Gambro AK 100 ULTRA) and membrane (polyamide) were used. Twenty-three patients, all in a stable clinical condition, entered the study. The treatment was targeted to an equilibrated Kt/V (eqKt/V) of 1.4 for HD and 1.0 for HF. No mortality or relevant morbidity were observed. The number of hypotensive episodes was 1.78 ± 2.8 per patient and month during HD vs. 1.17 ± 3.1 during HF (p = 0.003) and the number of the hypertensive episodes 1.28 ± 2.8 during HD vs. 0.42 ± 0.8 during HF (p = 0.04). Incidences of arrhythmia, muscular cramps and headache were significantly less frequent during HF. Interdialytic cramps, arthralgia and fatigue were also significantly less frequent during the HF period. The average β2-microglobulin level was 27.1 ± 14.7 mg/dl at the start of the study, 22.9 ± 4.9 mg/dl at the beginning of phase II and 22.4 ± 4 mg/dl at the end of phase II (p = 0.01 compared to the start). A significant linear correlation between the normalized protein catabolic rate and eqKt/V was obtained faster during HD than during HF (45 vs. 120 days) indicating that HF affects the nutritional status with mechanisms different from HD. The present study is in agreement with the hypothesis that HF gives an adequate nutritional status with improved clinical stability and well being at a lower Kt/V compared to HD. Both therapies were efficient in controlling the pretreatment β2-microglobulin level.RH release