The appraisal similarity effect: how social appraisals influence liking

The effects of cognitive appraisals on interpersonal relationships have hardly been studied. Three experiments examined how empathic social appraisal could influence liking. We tested for the appraisal similarity effect in which perceived similarity in appraisals boosts liking. In Experiment 1, perception of appraisal similarity led participants to express liking by disclosing personal contact information. This effect was replicated using a selfreport measure of liking in Experiments 2 and 3. Also, by independently manipulating attitude similarity, the appraisal similarity effect was deactivated under perceived attitude dissimilarity. Likewise, the robust attitude similarity effect was invalidated under perceived appraisal dissimilarity. In Experiment 3, the perception of validated personal beliefs mediated this interactive effect in a moderated mediation scenario, and the appraisal similarity effect

Population decline in the critically endangered Musschia isambertoi (Campanulaceae) endemic to Desertas Islands (Madeira Archipelago) calls for urgent conservation management

Macaronesian islands display a high degree of plant endemicity and correspond to some of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots due to several human driven impacts such as habitat loss, invasive species, overexploitation or climate change. The conservation status of the largest of the two known population of Musschia isambertoi M. Seq., R. Jardim, Magda Silva and L. Carvalho (Campanulaceae) was assessed recently. Field work was done in June 2018 in “Porto das Moças” Deserta Grande (Madeira Archipelago, Portugal), the locus typicus, where in 2006 close to 30 plants were detected with a high variation of age/size between individuals comprising both fully flowering and non-flowering adult plants as well as seedlings, and thus corresponding to a healthy population. This study assesses population size, age and plant size, and genetic, as well as floristic diversity. The total area of the site corresponds to approximately 1500 square meters. Ten individuals were detected, all corresponding to young seedlings not exceeding 15 cm high, and exhibiting approximately the same size and numbers of leaves (4–8). No adult plants or remains of adult plants were seen. Ecological data and direct herbivory evidence suggest that perennial plants are subjected to elimination during the short summer by the feral goat population. Mo lecular data based on ISSR markers show that the nine sampled individuals (out of ten individuals found) are genetically identical, possibly resulting from one parental plant. Results clearly suggest that Musschia isambertoi is very close to extinction. Urgent conservation measures are imperative and should include the immediate fencing of the population followed by the elimination of feral goats from Deserta Grande. The elimination of feral goats was initiated in 1996 (LIFE95 NAT/P/000125, 383,467.00 €) but stopped due to inappropriate conser vation policies of the former Services of the Natural Park of Madeira.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Global-local visual processing impacts risk taking behaviors, but only at first

We investigated the impact of early visual processing on decision-making during unpredictable, risky situations. Participants undertook Navon’s (1977) task and attended to either global letters or local letters only, following which they completed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). It was observed that global-focused individuals made more balloon pumps during the BART (i.e., took more risk), whereas local-focused individuals took less risk, albeit only initially. The theory of predictive and reactive control systems (PARCS) provides an excellent account of the data. Implications and future directions are discussed

The growth companies puzzle: can growth opportunities measures predict firm growth?

While numerous empirical studies include proxies for growth opportunities in their analyses, there is limited evidence as to the validity of the various growth proxies used. Based on a sample of 1942 firm-years for listed UK companies over the 1990-2004 period, we assess the performance of eight growth opportunities measures. Our results show that while all the growth measures show some ability to predict growth in company sales, total assets, or equity, there are substantial differences between the various models. In particular, Tobin's Q performs poorly while dividend-based measures generally perform best. However, none of the measures has any success in predicting earnings per share growth, even when controlling for mean reversion and other time-series patterns in earnings. We term this the 'growth companies puzzle'. Growth companies do grow, but they do not grow in the key dimension (earnings) theory predicts. Whether the failure of 'growth companies' to deliver superior earnings growth is attributable to increased competition, poor investments, or behavioural biases, it is still a puzzle why growth companies on average fail to deliver superior earnings growth

Putting adversity in perspective: Purpose in life moderates the link between childhood emotional abuse and neglect and adulthood depressive symptoms

Background: Childhood emotional abuse and neglect is linked with a host of adverse outcomes later in life, including depression. However, potential psychological resources that may mitigate the adverse outcomes of childhood emotional abuse and neglect are not well-understood. Aims: Drawing from the insight that having a sense of purpose can help individuals deal with setbacks and difficulties better, we propose that purpose in life can also help sufferers of childhood maltreatment cope more effectively and reduce the onset of depressive symptoms. Methods: Participants were drawn from two large, nationally representative studies comprising a total of 3664 respondents. Purpose in life, childhood emotional abuse and neglect, and depressive symptoms were measured with validated scales. Results: We found convergent evidence that purpose in life attenuates the effect of childhood emotional abuse and neglect on subsequent depressive symptoms across a range of measures of mood and depression. Conclusions: The current study highlights the important role played by purpose in life in building resilience, coping against adverse life events, and psychological well-being

‘Look not at what is contrary to propriety’: A meta-analytic exploration of the association between religiosity and sensitivity to disgust

Previous research has suggested that disgust sensitivity contributes to moral self-regulation. The relationship between religiosity and disgust sensitivity is frequently explored as a moderator of moral-regulating ideologies, such as conservative and traditional ideologies. However, religiosity is suggested to differ from these in moral attitudes against social dominance and racial prejudice. Psychological theories, such as the societal moral intuition and the evolved hazard-perception models, have proposed that there could be reasons to support a distinct relationship between religiosity and disgust sensitivity. These reasons relate to the intuitive pursuit of spiritual purity and the non-secular transcendental emotional-reward value of moral behaviour for religious individuals. In the present manuscript, we conducted the first dedicated meta-analytic review between religiosity and disgust sensitivity. We analysed a summary of forty-seven experimental outcomes, including 48,971 participants. Our analysis revealed a significant positive association (r = .25) between religiosity and disgust sensitivity. This outcome suggests that sensitivity to disgust could have distinct spiritual purity and moral self-regulatory response value for religious individuals

Oligosaccharide and Glycoprotein Microarrays as Tools in HIV Glycobiology Glycan-Dependent gp120/Protein Interactions

AbstractDefining HIV envelope glycoprotein interactions with host factors or binding partners advances our understanding of the infectious process and provides a basis for the design of vaccines and agents that interfere with HIV entry. Here we employ carbohydrate and glycoprotein microarrays to analyze glycan-dependent gp120-protein interactions. In concert with new linking chemistries and synthetic methods, the carbohydrate arrays combine the advantages of microarray technology with the flexibility and precision afforded by organic synthesis. With these microarrays, we individually and competitively determined the binding profiles of five gp120 binding proteins, established the carbohydrate structural requirements for these interactions, and identified a potential strategy for HIV vaccine development

Metaproteomic evidence of changes in protein expression following a change in electrode potential in a robust biocathode microbiome

Microorganisms that respire electrodes may be exploited for biotechnology applications if key pathways for extracellular electron transfer (EET) can be identified and manipulated through bioengineering. To determine whether expression of proposed Biocathode-MCL EET proteins are changed by modulating electrode potential without disrupting the relative distribution of microbial constituents, metaproteomic and 16S rRNA gene expression analyses were performed after switching from an optimal to suboptimal potential based on an expected decrease in electrode respiration. Five hundred and seventy-nine unique proteins were identified across both potentials, the majority of which were assigned to three previously defined Biocathode-MCL metagenomic clusters: a Marinobacter sp., a member of the family Chromatiaceae, and a Labrenzia sp. Statistical analysis of spectral counts using the Fisher's exact test identified 16 proteins associated with the optimal potential, five of which are predicted electron transfer proteins. The majority of proteins associated with the suboptimal potential were involved in protein turnover/turnover, motility, and membrane transport. Unipept and 16S rRNA gene expression analyses indicated that the taxonomic profile of the microbiome did not change after 52 hours at the suboptimal potential. These findings show that protein expression is sensitive to the electrode potential without inducing shifts in community composition, a feature that may be exploited for engineering Biocathode-MCL