Is conservatism an artifact caused by dissimilarities between the laboratory and the real world?

Human revision of opinion has often been described as a list of heuristics and cognitive biases. The following study examined the possibility that one of these biases, conservatism, is a result of dissimilarities between the laboratory and the real world. In two experiments, participants ranked problems on a psychological scale of realism, solved several realistic and artificial problems and completed a questionnaire to assess their probability knowledge base. Results showed that participants classified problems into different groups according to their level of realism. Whereas their responses to the artificial problems were conservative, their responses to the realistic problems were very close to a Bayesian solution. Other aspects of the problem had a significant effect on participants’ performance as well. Mathematics were used more frequently when problems were artificial. Participants generally used base-rate/likelihood information when it was high, often neglecting to use this information when it was low. Experts’ solutions were not better than those made by novices; however, experts tended to solve the problems mathematically, whereas novices did not use mathematics as frequently. It is proposed that the process of solving realistic and artificial problems may be qualitatively different and therefore results cannot be generalized from one to the other

Special Consideration in Post-Secondary Institutions: Trends at a Canadian University

This study examined trends in the practice of granting special consideration for missed tests and late papers in colleges and universities. We analyzed a database of 4,183 special consideration requests at a large Canadian university between 1998 and 2008. Results show a growing rate of requests per enrolment between 2001 and 2007. Although university officials and faculty are concerned that request making is excessive, an in-depth investigation of request making by the number of requests per student, request rate by course difficulty, grade point average, and illness-related work absences in the general population fails to support suspicions of dishonest behaviour. Furthermore, demographic variables—aside from part-time versus full-time student status, and to a lesser degree socio-economic status—do not distinguish students who made frequent requests from those who made few. We discuss potential explanations for the increase in requests for special consideration.  Cette étude examine les tendances quant à l’octroi de dérogations pour la reprise de tests manqués ou la remise tardive de travaux académiques dans les collèges et universités. Nous avons analysé une base de données compilées entre 1998 et 2008 contenant 4 183 demandes de dérogation provenant d’une grande université canadienne. Les résultats montrent une augmentation du taux de demandes de dérogation par inscription entre 2001 et 2007. Bien que les autorités universitaires et les membres de facultés s’inquiètent que les demandes de dérogation soient excessives, une analyse poussée du nombre de requêtes par étudiant, du taux de requêtes en fonction du niveau de difficulté des cours, de la moyenne cumulative de l’étudiant, et des absences au travail liées aux conditions de santé dans la population générale ne soutient pas l’hypothèse d’un comportement malhonnête. Par ailleurs, mis à part l’opposition des statuts d’étudiants à temps partiel et à temps plein, ainsi que, dans une moindre mesure, le statut socio-économique, les variables démographiques ne permettent pas de distinguer les étudiants qui font de multiples requêtes de ceux qui en font moins. Nous discutons des potentialités expliquant l’augmentation des demandes de dérogations

The “Soluble” Adenylyl Cyclase in Sperm Mediates Multiple Signaling Events Required for Fertilization

SummaryMammalian fertilization is dependent upon a series of bicarbonate-induced, cAMP-dependent processes sperm undergo as they “capacitate,” i.e., acquire the ability to fertilize eggs. Male mice lacking the bicarbonate- and calcium-responsive soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC), the predominant source of cAMP in male germ cells, are infertile, as the sperm are immotile. Membrane-permeable cAMP analogs are reported to rescue the motility defect, but we now show that these “rescued” null sperm were not hyperactive, displayed flagellar angulation, and remained unable to fertilize eggs in vitro. These deficits uncover a requirement for sAC during spermatogenesis and/or epididymal maturation and reveal limitations inherent in studying sAC function using knockout mice. To circumvent this restriction, we identified a specific sAC inhibitor that allowed temporal control over sAC activity. This inhibitor revealed that capacitation is defined by separable events: induction of protein tyrosine phosphorylation and motility are sAC dependent while acrosomal exocytosis is not dependent on sAC

Help-Seeking Preferences and Factors Associated with Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services Among First-Year Undergraduates

Many first-year university students experience stressors that impact their adjustment and well-being. Their help-seeking attitudes and preferred sources of support may be associated with various factors. The purpose of the present study was to (1) examine help-seeking preferences amongst first-year university students, (2) explore factors associated with students’ attitudes toward seeking mental health services, and (3) identify perceived barriers associated with accessing formal sources of support. First-year students at a Canadian university (N = 167) completed a survey assessing help-seeking attitudes and preferences, as well as challenges associated with seeking support. Participants also provided information about their perceived levels of social support, personality  characteristics, and their tendency to experience positive and negative affect. Findings suggest that social support and negative affect were significantly associated with positive attitudes toward seeking mental health services. However, students were more inclined to rely on informal sources of support, such as family members and friends, compared to formal sources of support available through on- or off-campus mental health services. For thosestudents who are inclined to access formal mental health support, barriers may impede access to care. Perceived barriers include cost and concerns about the availability of services and their overall effectiveness. These findings call for the creation of more opportunities for on-campus informal support in addition to better access to on-campus mental health services.Plusieurs étudiants en première année d’université vivent des situations stressantes qui auront un impact sur leur bien-être. Leurs attitudes par rapport à la demande d’aide et leurs sources d’assistance privilégiées peuvent être influencées par plusieurs facteurs. Les buts de cette étude étaient les suivants : (1) observer les préférences des étudiants en première année d’université pour obtenir de l’aide; (2) explorer les facteurs associés aux attitudes des étudiants par rapport à la recherche de services en santé mentale; et (3) déterminer les obstacles perçus dans l’accès aux sources officielles d’assistance. Les étudiants (N = 167) de première année d’une université canadienne ont participé à un sondage sur leurs attitudes et leurspréférences en ce qui concerne la demande d’aide et les défis associés. Les participants ont aussi soumis de l’information sur leur perception du niveau de soutien social dont ils bénéficient, leur personnalité et leur tendance à éprouver des affects positifs ou négatifs. Les conclusions de cette étude suggèrent que le soutien social et les affects négatifs sont associés de façon significative à une attitude positive à l’égard de la recherche de services en santé mentale. Cependant, les étudiants sont davantage prédisposés à recourir aux sources de soutien informelles, comme leurs parents ou leurs amis, plutôt qu’aux sources officielles d’aide en santé mentale disponibles sur le campus ou à l’extérieur. Pour certains étudiants qui étaient prédisposés à demander de l’assistance auprès d’une source officielle d’aide en santé mentale sur le campus, certaines contraintes ont pu entraver l’accès aux soins disponibles. Parmi les  contraintes perçues, nous comptons le coût et les préoccupations relatives à la disponibilité et à l’efficacité des services offerts. Ces conclusions appellent à la création de ressources supplémentaires de soutien informel sur les campus, en plus d’un meilleur accès à des services de soins de santé mentale sur place, à l’université

Does Language Type Affect Perceptions of Disability Images? An Experimental Study

The present experimental study examined the impact of language type on perception of disability images with text captions. 204 disability naïve undergraduate students viewed disability images containing one of six disability language captions: disability-first, defiant self-naming, impairment, negative, person-first, and apologetic naming. Participants completed measures of identification, emotion, willingness to help, willingness to include, and perceptions of capabilities and rights. Person-first and apologetic naming did not result in more positive perceptions of disability. Rather, defiant self-naming evoked the most positive emotions and identification, and greater perceived capabilities and willingness to include whereas negative language evoked the most negative perceptions of images. Results suggest that the elimination of negative language and the use of empowering defiant self-naming by people with disabilities, rather than a focus on using person-first and apologetic naming, may be more effective in reducing negative disability stereotypes

Help-Seeking Preferences and Factors Associated with Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services Among First-Year Undergraduates

Many first-year university students experience stressors that impact their adjustment and well-being. Their help-seeking attitudes and preferred sources of support may be associated with various factors. The purpose of the present study was to (1) examine help-seeking preferences amongst first-year university students, (2) explore factors associated with students’ attitudes toward seeking mental health services, and (3) identify perceived barriers associated with accessing formal sources of support. First-year students at a Canadian university (N = 167) completed a survey assessing help-seeking attitudes and preferences, as well as challenges associated with seeking support. Participants also provided information about their perceived levels of social support, personality  characteristics, and their tendency to experience positive and negative affect. Findings suggest that social support and negative affect were significantly associated with positive attitudes toward seeking mental health services. However, students were more inclined to rely on informal sources of support, such as family members and friends, compared to formal sources of support available through on- or off-campus mental health services. For thosestudents who are inclined to access formal mental health support, barriers may impede access to care. Perceived barriers include cost and concerns about the availability of services and their overall effectiveness. These findings call for the creation of more opportunities for on-campus informal support in addition to better access to on-campus mental health services.Plusieurs étudiants en première année d’université vivent des situations stressantes qui auront un impact sur leur bien-être. Leurs attitudes par rapport à la demande d’aide et leurs sources d’assistance privilégiées peuvent être influencées par plusieurs facteurs. Les buts de cette étude étaient les suivants : (1) observer les préférences des étudiants en première année d’université pour obtenir de l’aide; (2) explorer les facteurs associés aux attitudes des étudiants par rapport à la recherche de services en santé mentale; et (3) déterminer les obstacles perçus dans l’accès aux sources officielles d’assistance. Les étudiants (N = 167) de première année d’une université canadienne ont participé à un sondage sur leurs attitudes et leurs préférences en ce qui concerne la demande d’aide et les défis associés. Les participants ont aussi soumis de l’information sur leur perception du niveau de soutien social dont ils bénéficient, leur personnalité et leur tendance à éprouver des affects positifs ou négatifs. Les conclusions de cette étude suggèrent que le soutien social et les affects négatifs sont associés de façon significative à une attitude positive à l’égard de la recherche de services en santé mentale. Cependant, les étudiants sont davantage prédisposés à recourir aux sources de soutien informelles, comme leurs parents ou leurs amis, plutôt qu’aux sources officielles d’aide en santé mentale disponibles sur le campus ou à l’extérieur. Pour certains étudiants qui étaient prédisposés à demander de l’assistance auprès d’une source officielle d’aide en santé mentale sur le campus, certaines contraintes ont pu entraver l’accès aux soins disponibles. Parmi les  contraintes perçues, nous comptons le coût et les préoccupations relatives à la disponibilité et à l’efficacité des services offerts. Ces conclusions appellent à la création de ressources supplémentaires de soutien informel sur les campus, en plus d’un meilleur accès à des services de soins de santé mentale sur place, à l’université

Improving dendritic cell vaccine immunogenicity by silencing PD-1 ligands using siRNA-lipid nanoparticles combined with antigen mRNA electroporation.

Item does not contain fulltextDendritic cell (DC)-based vaccination boosting antigen-specific immunity is being explored for the treatment of cancer and chronic viral infections. Although DC-based immunotherapy can induce immunological responses, its clinical benefit has been limited, indicating that further improvement of DC vaccine potency is essential. In this study, we explored the generation of a clinical-grade applicable DC vaccine with improved immunogenic potential by combining PD-1 ligand siRNA and target antigen mRNA delivery. We demonstrated that PD-L1 and PD-L2 siRNA delivery using DLin-KC2-DMA-containing lipid nanoparticles (LNP) mediated efficient and specific knockdown of PD-L expression on human monocyte-derived DC. The established siRNA-LNP transfection method did not affect DC phenotype or migratory capacity and resulted in acceptable DC viability. Furthermore, we showed that siRNA-LNP transfection can be successfully combined with both target antigen peptide loading and mRNA electroporation. Finally, we demonstrated that these PD-L-silenced DC loaded with antigen mRNA superiorly boost ex vivo antigen-specific CD8(+) T cell responses from transplanted cancer patients. Together, these findings indicate that our PD-L siRNA-LNP-modified DC are attractive cells for clinical-grade production and in vivo application to induce and boost immune responses not only in transplanted cancer patients, but likely also in other settings.1 februari 201

Hepatic RNA interference: delivery by synthetic vectors

Though the pharmaceutical industry’s infatuation with the therapeutic potential of RNA interference (RNAi) technology has finally come down from its initial lofty levels,[1] hope is by no means lost for the once-burgeoning enterprise, as recent clinical trials are beginning to show efficacy in areas ranging from amyloidosis to hypercholesterolemia to muscular dystrophy. With such resurgence comes a more informed perspective on the needs of such therapeutics: a renewed focus on true RNA drug development, and a desire for enhanced site-specific delivery.[2] In this review, we will discuss the latter with regard to hepatic targeting by synthetic vectors, covering the implications of organ and cellular physiology on conjugate structure, particle morphology, and active targeting. In presenting efficacy in a variety of disease models, we emphasize as well the extraordinary degree to which synthetic formulation improves upon and coordinates efforts with oligonucleotide development. Such advances in the understanding of and the technology behind RNAi have the potential to finally stabilize the long-term prospects RNA therapeutic development