A prevalence of dynamo-generated magnetic fields in the cores of intermediate-mass stars

Magnetic fields play a part in almost all stages of stellar evolution. Most low-mass stars, including the Sun, show surface fields that are generated by dynamo processes in their convective envelopes. Intermediate-mass stars do not have deep convective envelopes, although 10 per cent exhibit strong surface fields that are presumed to be residuals from the star formation process. These stars do have convective cores that might produce internal magnetic fields, and these fields might survive into later stages of stellar evolution, but information has been limited by our inability to measure the fields below the stellar surface. Here we report the strength of dipolar oscillation modes for a sample of 3,600 red giant stars. About 20 per cent of our sample show mode suppression, by strong magnetic fields in the cores, but this fraction is a strong function of mass. Strong core fields occur only in red giants heavier than 1.1 solar masses, and the occurrence rate is at least 50 per cent for intermediate-mass stars (1.6–2.0 solar masses), indicating that powerful dynamos were very common in the previously convective cores of these stars

Organometallic neptunium(III) complexes

Studies of transuranic organometallic complexes provide a particularly valuable insight into covalent contributions to the metal–ligand bonding, in which the subtle differences between the transuranium actinide ions and their lighter lanthanide counterparts are of fundamental importance for the effective remediation of nuclear waste. Unlike the organometallic chemistry of uranium, which has focused strongly on UIII and has seen some spectacular advances, that of the transuranics is significantly technically more challenging and has remained dormant. In the case of neptunium, it is limited mainly to NpIV. Here we report the synthesis of three new NpIII organometallic compounds and the characterization of their molecular and electronic structures. These studies suggest that NpIII complexes could act as single-molecule magnets, and that the lower oxidation state of NpII is chemically accessible. In comparison with lanthanide analogues, significant d- and f-electron contributions to key NpIII orbitals are observed, which shows that fundamental neptunium organometallic chemistry can provide new insights into the behaviour of f-elements

Metabolic pathway alignment between species using a comprehensive and flexible similarity measure

Comparative analysis of metabolic networks in multiple species yields important information on their evolution, and has great practical value in metabolic engineering, human disease analysis, drug design etc. In this work, we aim to systematically search for conserved pathways in two species, quantify their similarities, and focus on the variations between themElectrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc

Asteroseismology and Interferometry

Asteroseismology provides us with a unique opportunity to improve our understanding of stellar structure and evolution. Recent developments, including the first systematic studies of solar-like pulsators, have boosted the impact of this field of research within Astrophysics and have led to a significant increase in the size of the research community. In the present paper we start by reviewing the basic observational and theoretical properties of classical and solar-like pulsators and present results from some of the most recent and outstanding studies of these stars. We centre our review on those classes of pulsators for which interferometric studies are expected to provide a significant input. We discuss current limitations to asteroseismic studies, including difficulties in mode identification and in the accurate determination of global parameters of pulsating stars, and, after a brief review of those aspects of interferometry that are most relevant in this context, anticipate how interferometric observations may contribute to overcome these limitations. Moreover, we present results of recent pilot studies of pulsating stars involving both asteroseismic and interferometric constraints and look into the future, summarizing ongoing efforts concerning the development of future instruments and satellite missions which are expected to have an impact in this field of research.Comment: Version as published in The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review, Volume 14, Issue 3-4, pp. 217-36

Chronic inhibition, self-control and eating behavior: test of a 'resource depletion' model

The current research tested the hypothesis that individuals engaged in long-term efforts to limit food intake (e.g., individuals with high eating restraint) would have reduced capacity to regulate eating when self-control resources are limited. In the current research, body mass index (BMI) was used as a proxy for eating restraint based on the assumption that individuals with high BMI would have elevated levels of chronic eating restraint. A preliminary study (Study 1) aimed to provide evidence for the assumed relationship between eating restraint and BMI. Participants (N = 72) categorized into high or normal-range BMI groups completed the eating restraint scale. Consistent with the hypothesis, results revealed significantly higher scores on the weight fluctuation and concern for dieting subscales of the restraint scale among participants in the high BMI group compared to the normal-range BMI group. The main study (Study 2) aimed to test the hypothesized interactive effect of BMI and diminished self-control resources on eating behavior. Participants (N = 83) classified as having high or normal-range BMI were randomly allocated to receive a challenging counting task that depleted self-control resources (ego-depletion condition) or a non-depleting control task (no depletion condition). Participants then engaged in a second task in which required tasting and rating tempting cookies and candies. Amount of food consumed during the taste-and-rate task constituted the behavioral dependent measure. Regression analyses revealed a significant interaction effect of these variables on amount of food eaten in the taste-and-rate task. Individuals with high BMI had reduced capacity to regulate eating under conditions of self-control resource depletion as predicted. The interactive effects of BMI and self-control resource depletion on eating behavior were independent of trait self-control. Results extend knowledge of the role of self-control in regulating eating behavior and provide support for a limited-resource model of self-control. © 2013 Hagger et al

Business Ethics: The Promise of Neuroscience

Recent advances in cognitive neuroscience research portend well for furthering understanding of many of the fundamental questions in the field of business ethics, both normative and empirical. This article provides an overview of neuroscience methodology and brain structures, and explores the areas in which neuroscience research has contributed findings of value to business ethics, as well as suggesting areas for future research. Neuroscience research is especially capable of providing insight into individual reactions to ethical issues, while also raising challenging normative questions about the nature of moral responsibility, autonomy, intent, and free will. This article also provides a brief summary of the papers included in this special issue, attesting to the richness of scholarly inquiry linking neuroscience and business ethics. We conclude that neuroscience offers considerable promise to the field of business ethics, but we caution against overpromise

Diabetes MILES - Australia (Management and Impact for Long-Term Empowerment and Success) : methods and sample characteristics of a national survey of the psychological aspects of living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in Australian adults

Background Successful management of diabetes requires attention to the behavioural, psychological and social aspects of this progressive condition. The Diabetes MILES (Management and Impact for Long-term Empowerment and Success) Study is an international collaborative. Diabetes MILES-Australia, the first Diabetes MILES initiative to be undertaken, was a national survey of adults living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in Australia. The aim of this study was to gather data that will provide insights into how Australians manage their diabetes, the support they receive and the impact of diabetes on their lives, as well as to use the data to validate new diabetes outcome measures.Methods The survey was designed to include a core set of self-report measures, as well as modules specific to diabetes type or management regimens. Other measures or items were included in only half of the surveys. Cognitive debriefing interviews with 20 participants ensured the survey content was relevant and easily understood. In July 2011, the survey was posted to 15,000 adults (aged 18-70 years) with type 1 or type 2 diabetes selected randomly from the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) database. An online version of the survey was advertised nationally. A total of 3,338 eligible Australians took part; most (70.4%) completed the postal survey. Respondents of both diabetes types and genders, and of all ages, were adequately represented in both the postal and online survey sub-samples. More people with type 2 diabetes than type 1 diabetes took part in Diabetes MILES-Australia (58.8% versus 41.2%). Most respondents spoke English as their main language, were married/in a de facto relationship, had at least a high school education, were occupied in paid work, had an annual household income &gt; $AUS40,000, and lived in metropolitan areas.Discussion A potential limitation of the study is the under-representation of respondents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin). Diabetes MILES-Australia represents a major achievement in the study of diabetes in Australia, where for the first time, the focus is on psychosocial and behavioural aspects of this condition at a national level. <br /

Prefrontal Cortex Based Sex Differences in Tinnitus Perception: Same Tinnitus Intensity, Same Tinnitus Distress, Different Mood

BACKGROUND: Tinnitus refers to auditory phantom sensation. It is estimated that for 2% of the population this auditory phantom percept severely affects the quality of life, due to tinnitus related distress. Although the overall distress levels do not differ between sexes in tinnitus, females are more influenced by distress than males. Typically, pain, sleep, and depression are perceived as significantly more severe by female tinnitus patients. Studies on gender differences in emotional regulation indicate that females with high depressive symptoms show greater attention to emotion, and use less anti-rumination emotional repair strategies than males. METHODOLOGY: The objective of this study was to verify whether the activity and connectivity of the resting brain is different for male and female tinnitus patients using resting-state EEG. CONCLUSIONS: Females had a higher mean score than male tinnitus patients on the BDI-II. Female tinnitus patients differ from male tinnitus patients in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) extending to the frontopolar cortex in beta1 and beta2. The OFC is important for emotional processing of sounds. Increased functional alpha connectivity is found between the OFC, insula, subgenual anterior cingulate (sgACC), parahippocampal (PHC) areas and the auditory cortex in females. Our data suggest increased functional connectivity that binds tinnitus-related auditory cortex activity to auditory emotion-related areas via the PHC-sgACC connections resulting in a more depressive state even though the tinnitus intensity and tinnitus-related distress are not different from men. Comparing male tinnitus patients to a control group of males significant differences could be found for beta3 in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). The PCC might be related to cognitive and memory-related aspects of the tinnitus percept. Our results propose that sex influences in tinnitus research cannot be ignored and should be taken into account in functional imaging studies related to tinnitus

The pragmatic-semiotic construction of male identities in contemporary advertising of male grooming products

[EN] This article aims to unveil how male identities are constructed in a corpus of male toiletry TV ads through a pragmatic and multimodal analysis of a set of implicit assumptions conveyed about the male participants in the ads. The validity of these assumptions is first empirically tested with a group of 10 male informants and then those implied meanings are bundled into thematic cores for their qualitative and quantitative description. Findings reveal that these ads still rely on stereotypical constructs and traditional discourses of what it takes to be a man. For example, men are invited to consume grooming products but reminded to do it the men's way. Men are also reminded of their sexual power to seduce and attract women with the aid of the product. Likewise, by portraying male ad personae in traditional manly activities while emphasizing their toughness and body strength, or their resourcefulness when faced with challenging situations, the ads portray a rather skewed view of contemporary men, which fails to take into account the myriad roles a modern man can play in contemporary societies.I am really grateful to the reviewers for their insightful comments and also to the editor of the journal.Saz Rubio, MMD. (2019). The pragmatic-semiotic construction of male identities in contemporary advertising of male grooming products. Discourse & Communication. 13(2):192-227. https://doi.org/10.1177/1750481318817621S192227132Alexander, S. M. (2003). Stylish Hard Bodies: Branded Masculinity in Men’s Health Magazine. Sociological Perspectives, 46(4), 535-554. doi:10.1525/sop.2003.46.4.535Attwood, F. (2005). ‘Tits and ass and porn and fighting’. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 8(1), 83-100. doi:10.1177/1367877905050165Rubio, M. D. S. (2018). A multimodal approach to the analysis of gender stereotypes in contemporary British TV commercials: «women and men at work». Poznan Studies in Contemporary Linguistics, 54(2), 185-221. doi:10.1515/psicl-2018-0008Del Saz-Rubio, M. M. (2018). Female identities in TV toiletries ads: A pragmatic and multimodal analysis of implied meanings. Journal of Pragmatics, 136, 54-78. doi:10.1016/j.pragma.2018.07.009Barthel, D. (s. f.). When Men put on Appearances: Advertising and the Social Construction of Masculinity. Men, Masculinity, and the Media, 138-153. doi:10.4135/9781483326023.n10Benwell, B. (2003). Introduction: Masculinity and men’s Lifestyle Magazines. The Sociological Review, 51(1_suppl), 6-29. doi:10.1111/j.1467-954x.2003.tb03600.xBrandth, B. (1995). Rural masculinity in transition: Gender images in tractor advertisements. Journal of Rural Studies, 11(2), 123-133. doi:10.1016/0743-0167(95)00007-aBrandth, B., & Haugen, M. S. (2000). From lumberjack to business manager: masculinity in the Norwegian forestry press. Journal of Rural Studies, 16(3), 343-355. doi:10.1016/s0743-0167(00)00002-4Caldas-Coulthard, C. R., & van Leeuwen, T. (2002). 4. Stunning, shimmering, iridescent. Discourse Approaches to Politics, Society and Culture, 91-108. doi:10.1075/dapsac.2.05calCarrigan, T., Connell, B., & Lee, J. (1985). Toward a new sociology of masculinity. Theory and Society, 14(5), 551-604. doi:10.1007/bf00160017Connell, R. W., & Messerschmidt, J. W. (2005). Hegemonic Masculinity. Gender & Society, 19(6), 829-859. doi:10.1177/0891243205278639Craig, S. (s. f.). Considering Men and the Media. Men, Masculinity, and the Media, 2-7. doi:10.4135/9781483326023.n1An, D., & Kim, S. (2007). Relating Hofstede’s masculinity dimension to gender role portrayals in advertising. International Marketing Review, 24(2), 181-207. doi:10.1108/02651330710741811Dick, A., Chakravarti, D., & Biehal, G. (1990). Memory-Based Inferences during Consumer Choice. Journal of Consumer Research, 17(1), 82. doi:10.1086/208539Feasey, R. (2009). Spray more, get more: masculinity, television advertising and the Lynx effect. Journal of Gender Studies, 18(4), 357-368. doi:10.1080/09589230903260027Featherstone, M. (s. f.). The Body in Consumer Culture. The Body: Social Process and Cultural Theory, 170-196. doi:10.4135/9781446280546.n6Firat, A. F., & Venkatesh, A. (1993). Postmodernity: The age of marketing. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 10(3), 227-249. doi:10.1016/0167-8116(93)90009-nFollo, G. (2002). A hero’s journey: young women among males in forestry education. Journal of Rural Studies, 18(3), 293-306. doi:10.1016/s0743-0167(02)00006-2Franzoi, S. L. (1995). The body-as-object versus the body-as-process: Gender differences and gender considerations. Sex Roles, 33(5-6), 417-437. doi:10.1007/bf01954577Gill, R. (2003). Power and the Production of Subjects: A Genealogy of the New Man and the New Lad. The Sociological Review, 51(1_suppl), 34-56. doi:10.1111/j.1467-954x.2003.tb03602.xGill, R., Henwood, K., & McLean, C. (2005). Body Projects and the Regulation of Normative Masculinity. Body & Society, 11(1), 37-62. doi:10.1177/1357034x05049849Grisot, C. (2017). A quantitative approach to conceptual, procedural and pragmatic meaning: Evidence from inter-annotator agreement. Journal of Pragmatics, 117, 245-263. doi:10.1016/j.pragma.2017.06.020Hakala U (2003) Quantitative and qualitative methods of analysing advertising: Content analysis and semiotics. Series Discussion and Working Papers 5. Turku: Turku School of Economics and Business Administration, p. 51.Hall, M., Gough, B., & Seymour-Smith, S. (2012). «I’m METRO, NOT Gay!»: A Discursive Analysis of Men’s Accounts of Makeup Use on YouTube. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 20(3), 209-226. doi:10.3149/jms.2003.209Halliwell, E., & Dittmar, H. (2003). A Qualitative Investigation of Women’s and Men’s Body Image Concerns and Their Attitudes Toward Aging. Sex Roles, 49(11/12), 675-684. doi:10.1023/b:sers.0000003137.71080.97Hanke, R. (1998). Theorizing Masculinity With/In the Media. Communication Theory, 8(2), 183-201. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2885.1998.tb00217.xHarrison, C. (2008). Real men do wear mascara: advertising discourse and masculine identity. Critical Discourse Studies, 5(1), 55-74. doi:10.1080/17405900701768638Holt, D. B., & Thompson, C. J. (2004). Man-of-Action Heroes: The Pursuit of Heroic Masculinity in Everyday Consumption: Figure 1. Journal of Consumer Research, 31(2), 425-440. doi:10.1086/422120Jackson, P. (1994). Black male: Advertising and the cultural politics of masculinity. Gender, Place & Culture, 1(1), 49-59. doi:10.1080/09663699408721200Kacen, J. J. (2000). Girrrl power and boyyy nature: the past, present, and paradisal future of consumer gender identity. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 18(6/7), 345-355. doi:10.1108/02634500010348932Kervin, D. (1990). Advertising Masculinity: The Representation of Males in Esquire Advertisements. Journal of Communication Inquiry, 14(1), 51-70. doi:10.1177/019685999001400106Kress, G. (2006). Reading Images. doi:10.4324/9780203619728Lee, D. H., & Olshavsky, R. W. (1995). Conditions and Consequences of Spontaneous Inference Generation: A Concurrent Protocol Approach. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 61(2), 177-189. doi:10.1006/obhd.1995.1014Levinson, S. C. (2000). Presumptive Meanings. doi:10.7551/mitpress/5526.001.0001Luyt, R. (2012). Constructing hegemonic masculinities in South Africa: The discourse and rhetoric of heteronormativity. Gender and Language, 6(1). doi:10.1558/genl.v6i1.47McNeill, L. S., & Douglas, K. (2011). Retailing masculinity: Gender expectations and social image of male grooming products in New Zealand. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 18(5), 448-454. doi:10.1016/j.jretconser.2011.06.009McNeill, L. S., & Firman, J. L. (2014). Ideal body image: A male perspective on self. Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ), 22(2), 136-143. doi:10.1016/j.ausmj.2014.04.001Moeschler, J. (s. f.). 15. Conversational and conventional implicatures. Cognitive Pragmatics. doi:10.1515/9783110214215.405Morrison, T. G., Morrison, M. A., & Hopkins, C. (2003). Striving for bodily perfection? An exploration of the drive for muscularity in Canadian men. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 4(2), 111-120. doi:10.1037/1524-9220.4.2.111Nixon, S. (1996). Hard Looks. doi:10.1007/978-1-349-61442-4Olivardia, R., Pope, H. G., Borowiecki, J. J., & Cohane, G. H. (2004). Biceps and Body Image: The Relationship Between Muscularity and Self-Esteem, Depression, and Eating Disorder Symptoms. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 5(2), 112-120. doi:10.1037/1524-9220.5.2.112Pascoe, C. J. (2003). Multiple Masculinities? American Behavioral Scientist, 46(10), 1423-1438. doi:10.1177/0002764203046010009Patterson, M., & Elliott, R. (2002). Negotiating Masculinities: Advertising and the Inversion of the Male Gaze. Consumption Markets & Culture, 5(3), 231-249. doi:10.1080/10253860290031631Pennock-Speck, B., & del Saz-Rubio, M. M. (2013). A multimodal analysis of facework strategies in a corpus of charity ads on British television. Journal of Pragmatics, 49(1), 38-56. doi:10.1016/j.pragma.2012.12.010Plakoyiannaki, E., & Zotos, Y. (2009). Female role stereotypes in print advertising. European Journal of Marketing, 43(11/12), 1411-1434. doi:10.1108/03090560910989966Pope, H. G., Gruber, A. J., Mangweth, B., Bureau, B., deCol, C., Jouvent, R., & Hudson, J. I. (2000). Body Image Perception Among Men in Three Countries. American Journal of Psychiatry, 157(8), 1297-1301. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.157.8.1297Renkema, J. (2004). Introduction to Discourse Studies. doi:10.1075/z.124Ringrow, H. (2016). The Language of Cosmetics Advertising. doi:10.1057/978-1-137-55798-8Rohlinger, D. A. (2002). Sex Roles, 46(3/4), 61-74. doi:10.1023/a:1016575909173Rudy, R. M., Popova, L., & Linz, D. G. (2010). The Context of Current Content Analysis of Gender Roles: An Introduction to a Special Issue. Sex Roles, 62(11-12), 705-720. doi:10.1007/s11199-010-9807-1Schroeder, J. E., & Zwick, D. (2004). Mirrors of Masculinity: Representation and Identity in Advertising Images. Consumption Markets & Culture, 7(1), 21-52. doi:10.1080/1025386042000212383Tashakkori, A., & Creswell, J. W. (2007). Editorial: The New Era of Mixed Methods. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1(1), 3-7. doi:10.1177/2345678906293042Thompson, C. J., & Hirschman, E. C. (1995). Understanding the Socialized Body: A Poststructuralist Analysis of Consumers’ Self-Conceptions, Body Images, and Self-Care Practices. Journal of Consumer Research, 22(2), 139. doi:10.1086/209441THOMPSON, E. H., & PLECK, J. H. (1986). The Structure of Male Role Norms. American Behavioral Scientist, 29(5), 531-543. doi:10.1177/000276486029005003Van Dijk, T. A. (2001). Discourse, Ideology and Context. Folia Linguistica, 35(1-2). doi:10.1515/flin.2001.35.1-2.11Van Dijk, T. A. (2005). War rhetoric of a little ally. The Soft Power of War, 4(1), 65-91. doi:10.1075/jlp.4.1.04dijVan Dijk, T. A. (2006). Politics, Ideology, and Discourse. Encyclopedia of Language & Linguistics, 728-740. doi:10.1016/b0-08-044854-2/00722-7Van Leeuwen, T. (2008). Discourse and Practice. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195323306.001.0001Wernick, A. (1991). Promotional Culture. Ideology and Power in the Age of Lenin in Ruins, 260-281. doi:10.1007/978-1-349-22346-6_17Wheaton, B. (2003). Lifestyle Sport Magazines and the Discourses of Sporting Masculinity. The Sociological Review, 51(1_suppl), 193-221. doi:10.1111/j.1467-954x.2003.tb03612.xWodak, R. (2007). Pragmatics and Critical Discourse Analysis. Pragmatics & Cognition, 15(1), 203-225. doi:10.1075/pc.15.1.13wo