Investigation of Self-Presentation Among Low Self-Monitors

Low self-monitors are often described as individuals who lack self-presentation concerns. They seem not to adjust their behavior in accordance with situational demands. Instead, their behavior seems to be guided by their inner attitudes, dispositions, and values, and thus their behavior is consistent across time and situations. We question the view that low self-monitors lack self-presentation concerns. In contrast, we argue that low self-monitors care about their self-presentation and that their main self-presentation concern is to appear sincere to others. The purpose of the present research was to examine whether low self-monitors are concerned about self-presentation. More specifically, we were interested in whether low self-monitors are concerned about appearing to be sincere to others. To test the specific hypothesis, we wanted to distinguish between low self-monitors' desire to "appear" to be sincere from their desire to "be" sincere. Two studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. The results of the self-report measure in Study 1 and the results of Study 2 did not demonstrate that low self-monitors are concerned about appearing sincere. On the other hand, the results of the behavioral measure in Study 1 suggest the need for further research into the possibility that the low self-monitors have self-presentation concerns and that those concerns may derive from a desire to appear to be sincere. Results and their implications are discussed in relation to a traditional view of low self-monitors

Absorption of Manganese and Iron in a Mouse Model of Hemochromatosis

Hereditary hemochromatosis, an iron overload disease associated with excessive intestinal iron absorption, is commonly caused by loss of HFE gene function. Both iron and manganese absorption are regulated by iron status, but the relationships between the transport pathways of these metals and how they are affected by HFE-associated hemochromatosis remain poorly understood. Loss of HFE function is known to alter the intestinal expression of DMT1 (divalent metal transporter-1) and Fpn (ferroportin), transporters that have been implicated in absorption of both iron and manganese. Although the influence of HFE deficiency on dietary iron absorption has been characterized, potential effects on manganese metabolism have yet to be explored. To investigate the role of HFE in manganese absorption, we characterized the uptake and distribution of the metal in Hfe−/− knockout mice after intravenous, intragastric, and intranasal administration of 54Mn. These values were compared to intravenous and intragastric administration of 59Fe. Intestinal absorption of 59Fe was increased and clearance of injected 59Fe was also increased in Hfe−/− mice compared to controls. Hfe−/− mice displayed greater intestinal absorption of 54Mn compared to wild-type Hfe+/+ control mice. After intravenous injection, the distribution of 59Fe to heart and liver was greater in Hfe−/− mice but no remarkable differences were observed for 54Mn. Although olfactory absorption of 54Mn into blood was unchanged in Hfe−/− mice, higher levels of intranasally-instilled 54Mn were associated with Hfe−/− brain compared to controls. These results show that manganese transport and metabolism can be modified by HFE deficiency

Characteristics of Korean Suicide: A Case-control Psychological Autopsy Study

Translated from the article published in Korean Journal of Psychology: General, Vol.31, No. 2 (2012), with permission from the Korean Psychological Association.The pattern of psychological and clinical risk factors for suicide among Korean population is an important issue. This study aimed to identify the risk factor characteristics for Korean suicides. This case-control psychological autopsy (PA) study compared 56 suicide deceased with 36 living controls matched by age and gender. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with family members, cohabitants, and the next of kin of the subjects. Data were collected on a wide range of potential risk and protective factors, including demographic, life event, clinical and psychological variables. The relative contribution of these factors to suicide was examined using a binary logistic regression model. As a result, several factors were found to significantly and independently contribute to suicide: adjustment to work and school, trusting people, problem with cohabitants, unhappiness in childhood, history of past suicide attempts, psychiatric illness, psychological stress from life events, and difficulties with life in the aspect of object and duration. Though both case group and control group have life events and difficulties such as financial problem, relationship conflicts, and so on over the ratio of 90%, the level of stress in the case groups was significantly much more severe. Besides, psychological strain was found to play an important role in suicide. Risk factors for suicide in Korea are definitely similar to those in the West, China, and Japan

Resting-State Glucose Metabolism Level Is Associated with the Regional Pattern of Amyloid Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease

It has been suggested that glucose metabolism within the brain's default network is directly associated with—and may even cause—the amyloid pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we performed 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) and [11C]-labeled Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB) positron emission tomography (PET) on cognitively normal elderly subjects and on AD patients and conducted quantitative regional analysis of FDG- and PIB-PET images using an automated region of interest technique. We confirmed that resting glucose metabolism within the posterior components of the brain's default network is high in normal elderly subjects and low in AD patients, which is partially in agreement with the regional pattern of PIB uptake within the default network of AD patients. However, in several regions outside the default network, glucose metabolism was high in normal elderly subjects but was not depressed in AD patients, who exhibited significantly increased PIB uptakes in these regions. In contrast, the level of resting glucose metabolism in the default network and in regions outside the default network in normal elderly subjects was significantly correlated with the level of regional PIB uptake in AD patients. These results are discussed with experimental evidence suggesting that beta amyloid production and amyloid precursor protein regulation are dependent on neuronal activity