Cognitive consequences of novelty and familiarity: how mere exposure influences level of construal

Two experiments examine whether frequency of exposure influences level of construal. Using subliminal presentation, participants were exposed to neutral, unknown letters 0, 5, 15, or 40 times, and a typical mere exposure effect was found on evaluation. However, we hypothesized and showed in Experiment 1 that novelty enhances Gestalt-like, global perception, whereas familiarity bolsters detail-oriented, local perception. Furthermore, in Experiment 2, we demonstrated that participants generated more abstract solutions for items presented less frequently. These results support a Construal Level Theory (Liberman, Trope, & Stephan, 2007) contention that distance from direct experience is associated with high construal level and global processing. It seems that in order to prepare for novel events, people automatically engage in higher levels of construal. New information needs to be integrated into existing knowledge structures in order to be understood, and abstract categories and global processing may support the process of understanding

Demo: Simulation-as-a-Service to Benchmark Opportunistic Networks

Repeatability, reproducibility, and replicability are essential aspects of experimental and simulation-driven research. Use of benchmarks in such evaluations further assists corroborative performance evaluations. In this work, we present a demonstrator of a simulation service, called ”OPS on the bench” which tackles these challenges in performance evaluations of opportunistic networks

MoleNet: An Underground Sensor Network for Soil Monitoring

With the increasing digitalization worldwide, the demand of information also increases in all areas. MoleNet is a low-power sensing platform which is easy to assemble and use. It offers several options to monitor, for example, the soil moisture and temperature and visualize the data. Several researchers from different countriesare currently working and improving MoleNet for different applications. This demoshows the main application of MoleNet: Monitoring soil conditions in a remote area,transmitting the data and visualizing the current status

How goal-fulfillment decreases aggression

"We suggest that the goal to aggress increases accessibility of aggressive thoughts, and that after goal-fulfillment, accessibility of aggressive content is reduced. Experiment 1 showed an increase in accessibility of aggression after imagining an aggression-eliciting situation compared to non-aggressive content. After goal-fulfillment the accessibility of aggression was reduced, regardless of whether fulfillment was achieved by imagining physical or symbolic revenge. Experiment 2 showed similar effects for a non-aggressive conflict-resolution and, in addition, demonstrated a post-fulfillment reduction in actual aggressive behavior. Experiment 3 demonstrated that aggressive acts that do not constitute goal-fulfillment instead increase accessibility of aggression. Relations between our model and previous views on catharsis of aggression are discussed." [author's abstract

How Love and Lust Change People’s Perception of Partners and Relationships

Because love is related to thoughts in the distant future and sex triggers thoughts related to the present, based on construal level theory, we propose a link between love and a global processing style as well as a link between lust and a local processing style. These processing styles should further expand to partnership evaluations, partially explaining halo phenomena. In Study 1, college students and senior participants were primed by either imagining a walk with a person they were in love with, or a one-night stand. In Study 2, love and lust were primed subliminally. In all studies, love priming enhanced global, holistic processing and halos, whereas lust priming enhanced local, detail oriented processing and reduced halos. Moreover, in Study 1, temporal distance mediated the effects. Implications for research of moods on processing styles, partner perception, and the distinction between love and lust are discussed

Vergleich des zahnmedizinischen Behandlungsbedarf von ambulant und stationär pflegebedürftigen Berliner Senioren

Der steigende Anteil von Betagten und Hochbetagten in der Bevölkerung, die dauerhaft pflegebedürftig sind, erfordert, die Versorgungsstrukturen und deren Defizite zu erfassen, um dann eventuell notwendige Korrekturen durchzuführen. Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, einen Vergleich zwischen stationär und ambulant betreuten SeniorInnen in Hinblick auf deren zahnmedizinischen Behandlungsbedarf (Bb) zu ziehen. Nach zufälliger Auswahl der Pflegeeinrichtungen (PE) und der Studienteilnehmer (ST) per Zufallsstichprobe erfolgte im Jahr 2003 und 2004 für jeden der 95 stationär und 77 ambulant betreuten SeniorInnen eine Befragung und zahnmedizinische Untersuchung. Einerseits gaben 42 % der stationär (ST-sPE) und 30 % der ambulant (ST-aPE) betreuten ST subjektiv einen zahnärztlichen Bb an, andererseits hatten objektiv ermittelt fast 90 % (ST-sPE) bzw. 78 % (ST-aPE) einen zahnärztlichen Bb. Nur 11 % aller ST besaßen relativiert weder subjektiv noch objektiv einen Bb. Der prothetische Bb war bei den ST beider Pflegevarianten hoch bis sehr hoch: im Oberkiefer bei etwa 72 % und im Unterkiefer zwischen 78 und 88 %. Sofern Bedarf bestand, wurde dieser bei abnehmbarem Zahnersatz (ZE) am häufigsten notwendig. Der relativierte parodontale Bb war hoch und lag zwischen 66 % (ST-sPE) und 49 % (ST-aPE). Funktionsstörungen im Mund und Kieferbereich wiesen zwar nur 5 % der ST-sPE auf, aber 17 % der ST-aPE. Die Ergebnisse der Studie ermöglichen einen Überblick über den hohen objektiven Bb der pflegebedürftigen SeniorInnen, wobei gravierende Unterschiede zwischen den PE nicht vorhanden waren. Daher sollten Überlegungen zur Aus-, Fort- und Weiterbildung von Zahnärzten und deren Teams, sowie des Pflegepersonals angestellt werden.:Inhaltsverzeichnis Bibliographische Beschreibung 3 Abkürzungsverzeichnis 4 1 Einleitung 8 2 Bisheriger Kenntnisstand 10 2.1 Überblick über die Mundgesundheit im Alter 10 2.2 Demografische Entwicklung 10 2.2.1 Globale Entwicklung 10 2.2.2 Deutschland 11 2.2.3 Berlin 13 2.3 Pflegesituation 15 2.3.1 Deutschland 15 2.3.2 Berlin 18 2.4 Behandlungsbedarf 21 2.4.1 Subjektiver Behandlungsbedarf 21 2.4.2 Objektiver Behandlungsbedarf 23 Chirurgischer Behandlungsbedarf 23 Prothetischer Behandlungsbedarf 25 Parodontaler Behandlungsbedarf 27 Funktioneller Behandlungsbedarf 29 3 Material und Methode 32 3.1 Vorstellung des Projektes „Gesund im Alter – auch im Mund“ 32 3.2 Auswahl der Einrichtungen 32 3.3 Zahnmedizinisches Interview 33 3.4 Zahnmedizinische Untersuchung 33 3.4.1 Community Periodontal Index (CPI) 34 3.4.2 Modifizierter Community Periodontal Index (mCPI) und CPI-Max 34 3.4.3 Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN) 35 3.4.4 Funktionelle kraniomandibuläre Befunde 36 3.4.5 Behandlungsbedarf 37 3.4.6 Zahnmedizinische funktionelle Kapazität 37 3.5 Statistische Auswertung 38 4 Ergebnisse 40 4.1 Der realisierte Versuchsaufbau 40 4.2 Die Studienteilnehmer 41 4.2.1 Vergleich aller Studienteilnehmer 41 4.2.2 Altersgruppierung 41 4.2.3 Alter 42 4.3 Behandlungsbedarf 42 4.3.1 Subjektiver Behandlungsbedarf 42 4.3.2 Objektiver Behandlungsbedarf 44 4.3.3 Subjektiver versus objektiver Behandlungsbedarf 43 Zahnärztlich-chirurgischer Behandlungsbedarf 44 Prothetischer Behandlungsbedarf 47 Behandlungsbedarf an abnehmbarem Zahnersatz im Ober- und Unterkiefer 48 Parodontaler Behandlungsbedarf 52 Behandlungsbedarf bei Funktionsstörungen 59 4.4 Zusammenfassung der wichtigsten zahnmedizinischen Ergebnisse 63 5 Diskussion 66 5.1 Studiendesign 66 5.2 Kalibrierung der Untersucher/Innen 67 5.3 Verallgemeinerbarkeit der Stichprobe 67 5.3.1 Gerostomatologische Besonderheiten bei den Untersuchungsparametern 68 5.4 Studienteilnehmer 69 5.5 Zahnmedizinische Ergebnisse 69 5.5.1 Subjektiver und objektiver Behandlungsbedarf 69 Zahnärztlich-chirurgischer Behandlungsbedarf 73 Prothetischer Behandlungsbedarf 75 Parodontaler Behandlungsbedarf 79 Behandlungsbedarf bei Funktionsstörungen 82 5.6 Schlussfolgernde Betrachtung 83 6 Zusammenfassung 86 7 Tabellenanhang 94 8 Literaturverzeichnis 120 9 Erklärung über die eigenständige Abfassung der Arbeit 13

Modeling Lactococcus lactis using a genome-scale flux model

BACKGROUND: Genome-scale flux models are useful tools to represent and analyze microbial metabolism. In this work we reconstructed the metabolic network of the lactic acid bacteria Lactococcus lactis and developed a genome-scale flux model able to simulate and analyze network capabilities and whole-cell function under aerobic and anaerobic continuous cultures. Flux balance analysis (FBA) and minimization of metabolic adjustment (MOMA) were used as modeling frameworks. RESULTS: The metabolic network was reconstructed using the annotated genome sequence from L. lactis ssp. lactis IL1403 together with physiological and biochemical information. The established network comprised a total of 621 reactions and 509 metabolites, representing the overall metabolism of L. lactis. Experimental data reported in the literature was used to fit the model to phenotypic observations. Regulatory constraints had to be included to simulate certain metabolic features, such as the shift from homo to heterolactic fermentation. A minimal medium for in silico growth was identified, indicating the requirement of four amino acids in addition to a sugar. Remarkably, de novo biosynthesis of four other amino acids was observed even when all amino acids were supplied, which is in good agreement with experimental observations. Additionally, enhanced metabolic engineering strategies for improved diacetyl producing strains were designed. CONCLUSION: The L. lactis metabolic network can now be used for a better understanding of lactococcal metabolic capabilities and potential, for the design of enhanced metabolic engineering strategies and for integration with other types of 'omic' data, to assist in finding new information on cellular organization and function

Evolutionary programming as a platform for in silico metabolic engineering.

BACKGROUND: Through genetic engineering it is possible to introduce targeted genetic changes and hereby engineer the metabolism of microbial cells with the objective to obtain desirable phenotypes. However, owing to the complexity of metabolic networks, both in terms of structure and regulation, it is often difficult to predict the effects of genetic modifications on the resulting phenotype. Recently genome-scale metabolic models have been compiled for several different microorganisms where structural and stoichiometric complexity is inherently accounted for. New algorithms are being developed by using genome-scale metabolic models that enable identification of gene knockout strategies for obtaining improved phenotypes. However, the problem of finding optimal gene deletion strategy is combinatorial and consequently the computational time increases exponentially with the size of the problem, and it is therefore interesting to develop new faster algorithms. RESULTS: In this study we report an evolutionary programming based method to rapidly identify gene deletion strategies for optimization of a desired phenotypic objective function. We illustrate the proposed method for two important design parameters in industrial fermentations, one linear and other non-linear, by using a genome-scale model of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Potential metabolic engineering targets for improved production of succinic acid, glycerol and vanillin are identified and underlying flux changes for the predicted mutants are discussed. CONCLUSION: We show that evolutionary programming enables solving large gene knockout problems in relatively short computational time. The proposed algorithm also allows the optimization of non-linear objective functions or incorporation of non-linear constraints and additionally provides a family of close to optimal solutions. The identified metabolic engineering strategies suggest that non-intuitive genetic modifications span several different pathways and may be necessary for solving challenging metabolic engineering problems