Social anxiety symptoms in young children:Investigating the interplay of theory of mind and expressions of shyness

Children’s early onset of social anxiety may be associated with their social understanding, and their ability to express emotions adaptively. We examined whether social anxiety in 48-month-old children (N = 110; 54 boys) was related to: a) a lower level of theory of mind (ToM); b) a lower proclivity to express shyness in a positive way (adaptive); and c) a higher tendency to express shyness in a negative way (non-adaptive). In addition, we investigated to what extent children’s level of social anxiety was predicted by the interaction between ToM and expressions of shyness. Children’s positive and negative expressions of shyness were observed during a performance task. ToM was measured with a validated battery, and social anxiety was assessed using both parents’ reports on questionnaires. Socially anxious children had a lower level of ToM, and displayed more negative and less positive shy expressions. However, children with a lower level of ToM who expressed more positive shyness were less socially anxious. Additional results show that children who displayed shyness only in a negative manner were more socially anxious than children who expressed shyness only in a positive way and children who did not display any shyness. Moreover, children who displayed both positive and negative expressions of shyness were more socially anxious than children who displayed shyness only in a positive way. These findings highlight the importance of ToM development and socio-emotional strategies, and their interaction, on the early development of social anxiety

Rapid Dissemination of SIV Follows Multisite Entry after Rectal Inoculation

Receptive ano-rectal intercourse is a major cause of HIV infection in men having sex with men and in heterosexuals. Current knowledge of the mechanisms of entry and dissemination during HIV rectal transmission is scarce and does not allow the development of preventive strategies. We investigated the early steps of rectal infection in rhesus macaques inoculated with the pathogenic isolate SIVmac251 and necropsied four hours to nine days later. All macaques were positive for SIV. Control macaques inoculated with heat-inactivated virus were consistently negative for SIV. SIV DNA was detected in the rectum as early as four hours post infection by nested PCR for gag in many laser-microdissected samples of lymphoid aggregates and lamina propria but never in follicle-associated epithelium. Scarce SIV antigen positive cells were observed by immunohistofluorescence in the rectum, among intraepithelial and lamina propria cells as well as in clusters in lymphoid aggregates, four hours post infection and onwards. These cells were T cells and non-T cells that were not epithelial cells, CD68+ macrophages, DC-SIGN+ cells or fascin+ dendritic cells. DC-SIGN+ cells carried infectious virus. Detection of Env singly spliced mRNA in the mucosa by nested RT-PCR indicated ongoing viral replication. Strikingly, four hours post infection colic lymph nodes were also infected in all macaques as either SIV DNA or infectious virus was recovered. Rapid SIV entry and dissemination is consistent with trans-epithelial transport. Virions appear to cross the follicle-associated epithelium, and also the digestive epithelium. Viral replication could however be more efficient in lymphoid aggregates. The initial sequence of events differs from both vaginal and oral infections, which implies that prevention strategies for rectal transmission will have to be specific. Microbicides will need to protect both digestive and follicle-associated epithelia. Vaccines will need to induce immunity in lymph nodes as well as in the rectum

Methods used to evaluate the en dehors or turnout of dancers and classical ballet dancers: a literature review

A técnica do ballet clássico exige a realização máxima do en dehors ou turnout, caracterizado pela rotação externa de membros inferiores. Considerando a sua importância, diversos protocolos para a sua avaliação e mensuração têm sido propostos. O objetivo desta revisão foi investigar sistematicamente quais os métodos utilizados para avaliar o turnout de bailarinos clássicos e/ou praticantes de ballet clássico existentes atualmente. A busca foi feita nas bases de dados Scopus, Science Direct e PubMed, no mês de fevereiro de 2016, e os artigos encontrados deveriam: estar redigidos na língua inglesa, avaliar bailarinos clássicos ou dançarinos que praticassem ballet clássico e mensurar o en dehors ou turnout. Foram encontrados 593 artigos, dos quais 25 foram pré-selecionados para esta revisão, apresentando quinze diferentes métodos e instrumentos de mensuração do turnout: cinemetria; inclinômetro; turnout protactor ou transferidor para medir o turnout; goniômetro; Dupuis Tropometer; transferidor original; fotos dos sujeitos; discos rotacionais; teste de flexibilidade de Nicholas; flexímetro; desenho clínico dos pés; sujeito sobre um pedaço de papel ou solo ou quadro branco; ressonância magnética; filmagem do sujeito executando sequência de passos; Dasco Pro Angle Finder. Esta revisão apresenta forte evidência para afirmar que não há, até o presente momento, um método ou instrumento padrão-ouro para mensuração do turnout de bailarinos, de modo que esta costuma ser adaptada e escolhida de acordo com o objetivo de cada estudo.La técnica del ballet clásico exige la realización máxima del en dehors o turnout, caracterizado por la rotación externa de miembros inferiores. Considerando su importancia, varios protocolos para su evaluación y medición han sido propuestos. El objetivo de esta revisión ha sido investigar sistemáticamente los métodos utilizados para evaluar el turnout de bailarines clásicos y/o practicantes de ballet clásico existentes actualmente. Se hizo la búsqueda en las bases de datos Scopus, Science Direct y PubMed, en el mes de febrero de 2016, y los artículos encontrados deberían: estar redactados en la lengua inglesa, evaluar bailarines clásicos o bailarines que practicaran ballet clásico y medir el en dehors o turnout. Se encontraron 593 artículos, de los cuales se preseleccionaron 25 para esta revisión, presentándose 15 diferentes métodos e instrumentos de medición del turnout: cinemetría; inclinómetro; turnout protactor o transferidor para medir el turnout; goniómetro; Dupuis Tropometer; transferidor original; fotos de los sujetos; discos rotacionales; prueba de flexibilidad de Nicholas; flexímetro; diseño clínico de los pies; sujeto sobre un pedazo de papel o suelo o cuadro blanco; resonancia magnética; filmación del sujeto ejecutando secuencia de pasos; Daco Pro Angle Finder. Esta revisión presenta una fuerte evidencia para afirmar que no hay, hasta el momento, un método o instrumento estándar-oro para la medición del turnout de bailarines, de modo que ésta suele ser adaptada y elegida de acuerdo con el objetivo de cada estudio.The classical ballet technique requires the maximum en dehors or turnout, which is the lower limbs external rotation. Considering its importance, several evaluation and measurement protocols have been proposed. This review aims to investigate systematically which methods were used to assess the classical dancers’ or classical ballet practitioners’ turnout. A systematic search was made in the Scopus, Science Direct, and PubMed databases in February 2016 for studies written in English that evaluated classical dancers or ballerinas, and the en dehors or turnout was measured. We found 593 articles, of which 25 were pre-selected for this review, featuring fifteen different methods and instruments for measuring turnout: kinemetry; inclinometer; Turnout Protractor, or protractor to measure the turnout; goniometer; dupuis tropometer; original protractor; subjects photos; rotational discs; Nicholas flexibility test; fleximeter; clinical drawing of the feet; subject standing on a piece of paper, or soil, or whiteboard; magnetic resonance; filming the subject during a sequence of dance steps; Dasco pro angle finder. This review rovides convincing evidence that there is not a method or gold-standard instrument for measuring dancers’ turnout, therefore such measurement is usually adapted and chosen according to each study objectives

Digital game elements, user experience and learning

The primary aim of this paper is to identify and theoretically validate the relationships between core game design elements and mechanics, user motivation and engagement and consequently learning. Additionally, it tries to highlight the moderating role of player personality traits on learning outcomes and acceptance and suggest ways to incorporate them in the game design process. To that end, it outlines the role of narrative, aesthetics and core game mechanics in facilitating higher learning outcomes through intrinsic motivation and engagement. At the same time, it discusses how player goal orientation, openness to experience, conscientiousness, sensation seeking and need for cognition influence the translation of the gameplay experience into valuable learning outcomes and user acceptance of the technology

Shyness, Unsociability, and Socio-Emotional Functioning at Preschool: The Protective Role of Peer Acceptance

In present study, we examined the protective role of peer acceptance in the links between two subtypes of social withdrawal (shyness, unsociability) and indices of young children’s socio-emotional functioning. Participants were N = 112 Italian preschool children (n = 54 boys) aged 36–74 months (M = 56.85 months, SD = 10.14). Multi-source assessments included: (1) parental ratings of children’s shyness and unsociability; (2) teacher ratings of children’s internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and social competence; (3) child interview assessments of preference for solitary play; and (4) peer (sociometric) ratings of peer acceptance. Among the results, shyness was associated with internalizing problems at preschool, whereas unsociability was related to a preference for solitary play. In addition, results from multiple regression analyses indicated significant interactions between peer acceptance and both shyness and unsociability in the association with indices of socio-emotional functioning. For example, at lower levels of peer acceptance, shyness was positively related to children’s preference for solitary play, whereas children’s unsociability was associated with externalizing problems. In contrast, these relations were attenuated at higher levels of peer acceptance. Findings are discussed in term of the potential protective role of young children’s peer acceptance for different subtypes of social withdrawal during early childhood