Looking for c(l)ues. How visual cues can help predict personality traits in video interviews.

There is an ongoing trend that asynchronous video interviews are used more and more frequently for their efficiency gain (Brenner, 2019), especially in large scale selection processes (Brandt, Justenhoven & Schöffel, 2020). Visual cues that are present during those video recordings are not yet systematically processed and used, which is a miss under the argument of further efficiency gain (e.g. to measure personality traits). However, in a first step, a framework as well as a systematic visual cue analyses needs to be completed to establish the available data source that can – in a second step – be further used in an automatic scoring process. The purpose of the present study exactly that first step: to outline an approach to capture, categorize and systematically process visual cues to then link them to personality traits which are captured in various other forms as well. As an approach to this topic, the work from Gosling and colleagues (2005) is leveraged and with it Brunswik’s lens model (1956). Ultimately, and postulated as a research question, the aim of this body of research is to find functional achievement between self-rated and observer rated personality traits using the visual cues as elements of the lens. The body of research is structured in three steps. In step 1 visual cues present in research are catalogued, enriched with visual cues captured through various studies with asynchronous video interview data and categorized in five categories: Face, Body, Appearance, Media Properties, and Environment. In step 2 a visual cue inventory is developed that allows a manual systematic cue coding process of the 236 visual cues that are used in this work. In step 3, a dataset with n = 99 participants is generated that includes coding for all of the visual cues, as well as self and observer ratings on the video respondee’ s personality traits. Contrary to the hypotheses, however, little evidence is found that suggest visual cues can be linked both to self-ratings and observer ratings of personality traits. The cues seem to be either valid (i.e. linked to self-ratings) or used (i.e. linked to observer ratings) but generally the results show a very confound picture. Given the present results, it is not recommended to proceed further with the approach to leverage visual cues as a predictor for personality traits in asynchronous video interviews.Es gibt einen anhaltenden Trend, dass asynchrone Videointerviews wegen ihres Effizienzgewinns immer häufiger eingesetzt werden (Brenner, 2019), insbesondere in groß angelegten Auswahlverfahren (Brandt, Justenhoven & Schöffel, 2020). Visuelle Hinweisreize, die während dieser Videoaufnahmen vorhanden sind, werden noch nicht systematisch verarbeitet und verwendet, was unter dem Argument der weiteren Effizienzsteigerung (z. B. zur Messung von Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen) ein Versäumnis ist. In einem ersten Schritt muss jedoch ein Rahmenwerk sowie eine systematische Analyse der visuellen Hinweise geschaffen werden, um die verfügbare Datenquelle zu ermitteln, die in einem zweiten Schritt in einem automatischen Scoring-Prozess weiterverwendet werden kann. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie ist genau dieser erste Schritt: einen Ansatz zur Erfassung, Kategorisierung und systematischen Verarbeitung visueller Hinweise zu skizzieren, um diese dann mit Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen zu verknüpfen, die auch in verschiedenen anderen Formen erfasst werden. Als Grundlage zu diesem Thema wird die Arbeit von Gosling und Kollegen (2005) genutzt und damit das Linsenmodell von Brunswik (1956). Letztlich, und als Forschungsfrage postuliert, ist das Ziel der vorliegenden Forschung, die funktionale Leistung zwischen selbst- und beobachterbewerteten Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen – unter Verwendung der visuellen Hinweise als Elemente der Linse – zu finden. Die Forschungsarbeit ist in drei Schritte gegliedert. In Schritt 1 werden die in der Forschung vorhandenen visuellen Anhaltspunkte katalogisiert, mit visuellen Anhaltspunkten angereichert, die in verschiedenen Studien mit asynchronen Videointerviewdaten erfasst wurden, und in fünf Kategorien kategorisiert: Gesicht, Körper, Erscheinungsbild, Medieneigenschaften und Umgebung. In Schritt 2 wird ein Inventar visueller Hinweisreize entwickelt, das einen manuellen systematischen Kodierungsprozess der 236 visuellen Hinweisreize ermöglicht, die in dieser Arbeit verwendet werden. In Schritt 3 wird ein Datensatz mit n = 99 Teilnehmern generiert, der die Kodierung aller visuellen Hinweisreize sowie Selbst- und Beobachtereinschätzungen zu den Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen des Video-Respondenten enthält. Im Gegensatz zu den Hypothesen finden sich jedoch nur wenige Hinweise darauf, dass visuelle Hinweisreize sowohl mit Selbst- als auch mit Fremdeinschätzungen von Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen verknüpft werden können. Die Hinweisreize scheinen entweder gültig zu sein (d. h. mit Selbsteinschätzungen korrelierend) oder verwendet zu werden (d. h. mit Beobachtereinschätzungen korrelierend), aber im Allgemeinen zeigen die Ergebnisse ein sehr diffuses Bild auf. In Anbetracht der vorliegenden Ergebnisse wird nicht empfohlen, den Ansatz weiter zu verfolgen, visuelle Hinweise als Prädiktor für Persönlichkeitsmerkmale in asynchronen Videointerviews zu nutzen

Statebuilding – Widerspruch zu politischer Selbstbestimmung?

Statebuilding als Konfliktnachsorge steht unter Legitimationsdruck. Die Kritik entzündet sich an den konzeptionellen Widersprüchen zwischen den Grundideen liberalen statebuildings und ihrer autoritären Durchsetzung durch internationale Akteure. So wurde der eigentlich anzustrebende politische Prozess z. B. in Bosnien untergraben. Staatliche Institutionen werden aufoktroyiert und drücken nicht den Gestaltungs- und Selbstverwaltungswillen der sie tragenden Gesellschaften aus. Dagegen formiert sich z. B. in Afghanistan gewaltsamer Widerstand. Damit steht die Frage im Raum, wie (staats-) ethische Grundpositionen internationaler Akteure im Sinne der Autonomie des Subjekts und Ansprüche politischer Selbstgestaltung vordemokratischer Gesellschaften gegeneinander abgewogen werden können. Hier wird die These vertreten, dass die intervenierenden Akteure sich an den Prinzipien der Subsidiarität und ownership orientieren sowie dem Faktor Zeit eine entscheidendere Rolle gewähren müssen.As a strategy of post conflict treatment, statebuilding is under pressure: The conceptional contradictions criticized are the foundations of liberal statebuilding on one hand and its autocratic implementation by international actors on the other; this was, for instance, how the political process strived for in Bosnia was undermined. State institutions are created against the creative political will of the respective societies that are supposed to be their source; which, for instance, is one strong reason for the violent resistance in Afghanistan. So how to balance the opposing positions of international actors emphasizing the autonomy of the individual on the one hand and the demand for political self-formation of pre-democratic societies on the other? The author argues that the intervening actors should orientate themselves to the principle of subsidiarity and ownership and let time play a more decisive role

Die Institutionalisierung internationaler Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit als Beispiel wachsender internationaler Rechtsstrukturen

[Abstract fehlt

Expression of OATP Family Members in Hormone-Related Cancers: Potential Markers of Progression

The organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP) family of transporters has been implicated in prostate cancer disease progression probably by transporting hormones or drugs. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the expression, frequency, and relevance of OATPs as a biomarker in hormone-dependent cancers. We completed a study examining SLCO1B3, SLCO1B1 and SLCO2B1 mRNA expression in 381 primary, independent patient samples representing 21 cancers and normal tissues. From a separate cohort, protein expression of OATP1B3 was examined in prostate, colon, and bladder tissue. Based on expression frequency, SLCO2B1 was lower in liver cancer (P = 0.04) which also trended lower with decreasing differentiation (P = 0.004) and lower magnitude in pancreatic cancer (P = 0.05). SLCO2B1 also had a higher frequency in thyroid cancer (67%) than normal (0%) and expression increased with stage (P = 0.04). SLCO1B3 was expressed in 52% of cancerous prostate samples and increased SLCO1B3 expression trended with higher Gleason score (P = 0.03). SLCO1B3 expression was also higher in testicular cancer (P = 0.02). SLCO1B1 expression was lower in liver cancer (P = 0.04) which trended lower with liver cancer grade (P = 0.0004) and higher with colon cancer grade (P = 0.05). Protein expression of OATP1B3 was examined in normal and cancerous prostate, colon, and bladder tissue samples from an independent cohort. The results were similar to the transcription data, but showed distinct localization. OATPs correlate to differentiation in certain hormone-dependent cancers, thus may be useful as biomarkers for assessing clinical treatment and stage of disease

Empirical Bayes analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An important goal of whole-genome studies concerned with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is the identification of SNPs associated with a covariate of interest such as the case-control status or the type of cancer. Since these studies often comprise the genotypes of hundreds of thousands of SNPs, methods are required that can cope with the corresponding multiple testing problem. For the analysis of gene expression data, approaches such as the empirical Bayes analysis of microarrays have been developed particularly for the detection of genes associated with the response. However, the empirical Bayes analysis of microarrays has only been suggested for binary responses when considering expression values, i.e. continuous predictors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this paper, we propose a modification of this empirical Bayes analysis that can be used to analyze high-dimensional categorical SNP data. This approach along with a generalized version of the original empirical Bayes method are available in the R package siggenes version 1.10.0 and later that can be downloaded from <url>http://www.bioconductor.org</url>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>As applications to two subsets of the HapMap data show, the empirical Bayes analysis of microarrays cannot only be used to analyze continuous gene expression data, but also be applied to categorical SNP data, where the response is not restricted to be binary. In association studies in which typically several ten to a few hundred SNPs are considered, our approach can furthermore be employed to test interactions of SNPs. Moreover, the posterior probabilities resulting from the empirical Bayes analysis of (prespecified) interactions/genotypes can also be used to quantify the importance of these interactions.</p

Rare Copy Number Variants Observed in Hereditary Breast Cancer Cases Disrupt Genes in Estrogen Signaling and TP53 Tumor Suppression Network

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in developed countries, and the contribution of genetic susceptibility to breast cancer development has been well-recognized. However, a great proportion of these hereditary predisposing factors still remain unidentified. To examine the contribution of rare copy number variants (CNVs) in breast cancer predisposition, high-resolution genome-wide scans were performed on genomic DNA of 103 BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2 mutation negative familial breast cancer cases and 128 geographically matched healthy female controls; for replication an independent cohort of 75 similarly mutation negative young breast cancer patients was used. All observed rare variants were confirmed by independent methods. The studied breast cancer cases showed a consistent increase in the frequency of rare CNVs when compared to controls. Furthermore, the biological networks of the disrupted genes differed between the two groups. In familial cases the observed mutations disrupted genes, which were significantly overrepresented in cellular functions related to maintenance of genomic integrity, including DNA double-strand break repair (P = 0.0211). Biological network analysis in the two independent breast cancer cohorts showed that the disrupted genes were closely related to estrogen signaling and TP53 centered tumor suppressor network. These results suggest that rare CNVs represent an alternative source of genetic variation influencing hereditary risk for breast cancer

Associations between tamoxifen, estrogens, and FSH serum levels during steady state tamoxifen treatment of postmenopausal women with breast cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes 2C19, 2D6, and 3A5 are responsible for converting the selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), tamoxifen to its active metabolites 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen (4OHtam) and 4-hydroxy-<it>N</it>-demethyltamoxifen (4OHNDtam, endoxifen). Inter-individual variations of the activity of these enzymes due to polymorphisms may be predictors of outcome of breast cancer patients during tamoxifen treatment. Since tamoxifen and estrogens are both partly metabolized by these enzymes we hypothesize that a correlation between serum tamoxifen and estrogen levels exists, which in turn may interact with tamoxifen on treatment outcome. Here we examined relationships between the serum levels of tamoxifen, estrogens, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and also determined the genotypes of CYP2C19, 2D6, 3A5, and SULT1A1 in 90 postmenopausal breast cancer patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Tamoxifen and its metabolites were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Estrogen and FSH levels were determined using a sensitive radio- and chemiluminescent immunoassay, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We observed significant correlations between the serum concentrations of tamoxifen, <it>N</it>-dedimethyltamoxifen, and tamoxifen-<it>N</it>-oxide and estrogens (p < 0.05). The genotype predicted CYP2C19 activity influenced the levels of both tamoxifen metabolites and E1.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We have shown an association between tamoxifen and its metabolites and estrogen serum levels. An impact of CYP2C19 predicted activity on tamoxifen, as well as estrogen kinetics may partly explain the observed association between tamoxifen and its metabolites and estrogen serum levels. Since the role of estrogen levels during tamoxifen therapy is still a matter of debate further prospective studies to examine the effect of tamoxifen and estrogen kinetics on treatment outcome are warranted.</p

Dietary intake of folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, genetic polymorphism of related enzymes, and risk of breast cancer: a case-control study in Brazilian women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Several studies have determined that dietary intake of B vitamins may be associated with breast cancer risk as a result of interactions between <it>5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) </it>and <it>methionine synthase </it>(<it>MTR</it>) in the one-carbon metabolism pathway. However, the association between B vitamin intake and breast cancer risk in Brazilian women in particular has not yet been investigated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A case-control study was conducted in São Paulo, Brazil, with 458 age-matched pairs of Brazilian women. Energy-adjusted intakes of folate, vitamin B₆, and vitamin B₁₂were derived from a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Genotyping was completed for <it>MTHFR </it>A1298C and C677T, and <it>MTR </it>A2756G polymorphisms. A logistical regression model was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Neither dietary intake of folate, vitamin B₆, or vitamin B₁₂nor <it>MTHFR </it>polymorphisms were independently associated with breast cancer risk. Analysis stratified by menopausal status showed a significant association between placement in the highest tertile of folate intake and risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women (OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.23–3.83; <it>P</it>_{<it>trend </it>}= 0.010). The <it>MTR </it>2756GG genotype was associated with a higher risk of breast cancer than the 2756AA genotype (OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.01–3.92; <it>P</it>_{<it>trend </it>}= 0.801), and statistically significant interactions with regard to risk were observed between the <it>MTHFR </it>A1298C polymorphism and folate (P = 0.024) or vitamin B₆(P = 0.043), and between the <it>MTHFR </it>C677T polymorphism and folate (P = 0.043) or vitamin B₁₂(P = 0.022).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p><it>MTHFR </it>polymorphisms and dietary intake of folate, vitamin B₆, and vitamin B₁₂had no overall association with breast cancer risk. However, increased risk was observed in total women with the <it>MTR </it>2756GG genotype and in premenopausal women with high folate intake. These findings, as well as significant interactions between <it>MTHFR </it>polymorphisms and B vitamins, warrant further investigation.</p