The Effects of Ego Depletion and Deception on Thin-Slicing Accuracy

This study was designed to examine the effects of ego depletion and deception on thin slicing. Experiment 1 examined whether participants could identify a video that contained a lie at an accuracy rate better-than-chance. Fifty-five percent of participants selected the deception video, which provided support that the videos were distinguishable. Experiment 2 assessed whether ego depletion and deception could decrease thin-slicing accuracy. The main effect of deception on deception accuracy was significant, such that participants in the deception condition had lower deception accuracy than participants in the no-deception condition. The main effect of depletion and the interaction of depletion and deception on deception accuracy were not significant. The generalizability of the results was impaired by the failure to successfully manipulate ego depletion and the study being underpowered. Keywords: thin slicing, thin-slicing accuracy, ego depletion, deception, deception detectio

Thank You, Mr. Madison

Reviewing: Jeremy D. Bailey, James Madison and Constitutional Imperfection (Cambridge University Press 2015); Michael J. Klarman, The Framers’ Coup: The Making of the United States Constitution (Oxford University Press 2016)

Using Oribatid Mites as a Measure of Biodiversity

https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/student_scholarship_posters/1241/thumbnail.jp

Reforming the family justice system initiative

Family breakdown is common and brings with it many challenges for parents and their children. These challenges are compounded by the current family justice system, which is adversarial in nature, complex and costly for families. Over the years, the justice community has tried isolated interventions to improve access to justice, and while these projects, reforms and programs have achieved some good, they have not created the system-wide change we desire. We’ve learned from past experience that the only way to bring about meaningful, systemic change is to have a broad collaboration of all the participants in the justice system come together to work collectively to create the change we desire. In the RFJS initiative, we are exploring systemic design processes to address complex problems through systemic change. This case study includes a description of the steps taken to bring together a collaborative alliance made up of approximately 200 individuals and organizations representing ten sectors that work within the broadly defined family justice system. Over the past year, we have held four workshops designed to build community and relationships among the collaborators; to gather information about the focus of concern within our collaborative alliance; to develop an understanding of systemic change and innovative lab processes; and to ensure that there is a shared commitment to change. The main technique and method used throughout this process was Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) developed by Sohail Inayatullah, a futures studies researcher. While our current family justice system is characterized by a focus on family breakdown and legal responses, the space created through CLA enables us to consider solutions that might exist entirely outside the current understanding. Additionally, the language of the mental model and Theory of Change help us to understand and talk about the system in new ways that are much more focused on helping families to thrive, and recognize that family justice issues are primarily social and relationship problems which contain a legal element. This initiative is increasing the knowledge and capacity for systemic change among all participants in the RFJS. We are building an awareness and understanding of innovative approaches, developmental evaluation and collaborative action that has not previously existed among these participants. This project is opening up a space to enable stakeholders (clients, families, and those who work within the system) to reframe the problems that they encounter in family justice. We are creating a culture of learning that allows us to learn as we go forward, and will support continued improvement in the family justice system

Ceilings of treatment: a qualitative study in the emergency department

Background: Decision-making concerning the limitation of potentially life-prolonging treatments is often challenging, particularly in the Emergency Department (ED). Current literature in this area of Emergency Medicine is limited and heterogeneous. We seek to determine the factors that influence ceiling of treatment institution in the ED. Methods: We conducted a phenomenological qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews. Emergency Medicine Consultants were recruited via a sample of convenience from 5 hospitals in the West of Scotland. Data saturation was achieved after 15 interviews. Interviews were recorded, anonymised, transcribed, coded, and an iterative thematic analysis was carried out. Results: A model was created to illustrate the identified themes. Patient wishes are central to decision-making. Acute clinical factors and patient-specific factors lay the foundations of ceiling of treatment decisions. This is heavily contextualised by family input, collateral information, anticipated outcome, and whether the patient is accepted for higher care. This decision-making process flows through a ‘filter’ of cultural and environmental factors. The overarching nature of patient benefit was found to be of key importance, framing all aspects of ceiling of treatment institution. Ultimately, all ceiling of treatment decisions result in one of three common patient pathways: full escalation, limited escalation, and maintenance of current care with the option of palliative care initiation. Conclusions: We present a conceptual model composed of 10 major thematic factors that influence Consultant ceiling of treatment decision-making in the ED. Clinicians should be cognizant of influential factors and associated biases when making these important and challenging decisions

Test-enhanced learning improves learner attendance during a laparoscopic box trainer simulation program

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopy is the gold standard approach for many surgical procedures, but it is a complex skill to learn. Laparoscopic simulation training may help, but it is unclear how to best engage trainees in these programs. Test‐enhanced learning (TEL) uses regular, well‐defined assessments of performance throughout the training phase of learning. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of TEL on a laparoscopic simulation program involving a cohort of medical student volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective cohort study was performed with a convenience sample of 40 medical students. Students were recruited to participate in a ten‐week laparoscopic simulation program. Twenty students participated in a laparoscopic surgical program with TEL (‘TEL group’), and 20 students participated in a standard laparoscopic simulation program (‘control group’). RESULTS: Attendance in the TEL group was significantly higher than in the standard group (71 vs 51.5%, P = 0.03). There was no difference between groups in mean time scores. Four themes were identified in qualitative data drawn from student surveys – personal traits and motivators, training context, clear goals and feedback enabling understanding of one's own performance. CONCLUSION: Testing laparoscopic skills throughout a learning program, in conjunction with individualised feedback and tracking of learning trajectory, increases trainee attendance. Laparoscopic simulation training programs are encouraged to reflect on the pedagogic framework in which their procedural skills training operates

Preservation of the metaproteome: variability of protein preservation in ancient dental calculus.

Proteomic analysis of dental calculus is emerging as a powerful tool for disease and dietary characterisation of archaeological populations. To better understand the variability in protein results from dental calculus, we analysed 21 samples from three Roman-period populations to compare: 1) the quantity of extracted protein; 2) the number of mass spectral queries; and 3) the number of peptide spectral matches and protein identifications. We found little correlation between the quantity of calculus analysed and total protein identifications, as well as no systematic trends between site location and protein preservation. We identified a wide range of individual variability, which may be associated with the mechanisms of calculus formation and/or post-depositional contamination, in addition to taphonomic factors. Our results suggest dental calculus is indeed a stable, long-term reservoir of proteins as previously reported, but further systematic studies are needed to identify mechanisms associated with protein entrapment and survival in dental calculus

Sex-specific effects of N-acetylcysteine in neonatal rats treated with hypothermia after severe hypoxia-ischemia

AbstractApproximately half of moderate to severely hypoxic-ischemic (HI) newborns do not respond to hypothermia, the only proven neuroprotective treatment. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant and glutathione precursor, shows promise for neuroprotection in combination with hypothermia, mitigating post-HI neuroinflammation due to oxidative stress. As mechanisms of HI injury and cell death differ in males and females, sex differences must be considered in translational research of neuroprotection. We assessed the potential toxicity and efficacy of NAC in combination with hypothermia, in male and female neonatal rats after severe HI injury. NAC 50mg/kg/d administered 1h after initiation of hypothermia significantly decreased iNOS expression and caspase 3 activation in the injured hemisphere versus hypothermia alone. However, only females treated with hypothermia +NAC 50mg/kg showed improvement in short-term infarct volumes compared with saline treated animals. Hypothermia alone had no effect in this severe model. When NAC was continued for 6 weeks, significant improvement in long-term neuromotor outcomes over hypothermia treatment alone was observed, controlling for sex. Antioxidants may provide insufficient neuroprotection after HI for neonatal males in the short term, while long-term therapy may benefit both sexes