Personality and nonjudging make you happier: Contribution of the Five-Factor Model, mindfulness facets and a mindfulness intervention to subjective well-being

Mindful individuals are able to acknowledge mind wandering and live in the present moment in a nonjudgmental way. Previous studies have found that both mind wandering and mindfulness are associated with subjective well-being. However, the main predictor of happiness is personality; more specifically, happier people are emotionally stable and extraverted. The present study aimed to explore the contribution of the five factors of personality, dispositional mindfulness facets and a mindfulness intervention to happiness. A sample of 372 university students was assessed with the NEO-Five Factor Inventory, and another sample of 217 community adults answered the Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire. Both samples, 589 participants in all, completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Subjective Happiness Scale. Furthermore, 55 participants from the general population sample took a 6-week training course in meditation and developing mindfulness. The regression analyses showed that emotional stability and extraversion traits were the strongest predictors of subjective well-being. Nonetheless, the nonjudging facet, which is nonevaluative/acceptance awareness of thoughts and feelings, still remained a significant predictor of happiness when personality was accounted for. Finally, mindfulness training did not increase subjective well-being. Being nonjudgmental of one’s inner thoughts, feelings and sensations contributes to happiness even when personality is taken into account. Accordingly, it seems reasonable that mindfulness training that intends to improve subjective well-being should focus on noticing thoughts without judging the

Self-reported DSM-5 Anxiety Severity Measures: Evidence of Validity and Reliability in Spanish youths

Background: Very few studies about the psychometric properties of the Anxiety Severity Measures (ASM) proposed in the DSM-5 exist, and none in Spanish-speaking populations. Thus, the aim of the present study was to provide validity and reliability evidence for the Spanish versions of the Agoraphobia, Social Anxiety, Separation Anxiety, Panic, Generalized Anxiety and Specific Phobia Severity measures. Method: Participants included 567 Spaniards (mean age=21.26, SD=3.61; 68.3% women). We performed Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses to test the structure of the scales, Differential Item Functioning (DIF) by sex, Cronbach's alpha and ordinal omega to test reliability, and the Pearson correlations between the ASM and different outcomes to provide evidence for convergent/discriminant (internalizing/externalizing symptoms) and criterion validity (satisfaction, quality of life and personality). Results: Structural analyses supported a one-factor solution for all of the ASM except for the Specific Phobia scale, which was also the only scale that exhibited DIF. Reliability indices ranked from .82 to .93. All six scales showed stronger associations with internalizing than externalizing measures and were also negatively related to criterion measures. Conclusions: The Spanish version of ASM is suitable for assessing anxiety-related symptoms, except the Specific Phobia Scale, which requires further examination.Antecedentes: existen pocos estudios sobre las propiedades psicométricas de las Escalas de Gravedad de la Ansiedad (EGA) del DSM-5, y ninguno en población española. Así, el objetivo del estudio fue aportar evidencias de validez y fiabilidad de la versión española de las escalas para evaluar síntomas de Agorafobia, Ansiedad Social, Ansiedad por Separación, Pánico, Ansiedad Generalizada y Fobia Específi ca. Método: participaron 567 españoles (edad media= 21,26, DT= 3,61; 68,3% mujeres). Se realizaron análisis factoriales exploratorios y confi rmatorios para testar la estructura, Funcionamiento Diferencial de Ítems (FDI) por sexo, alfa de Cronbach y Omega Ordinal para evaluar la fiabilidad y correlaciones de Pearson entre las EGA y otras variables para analizar la validez convergente/discriminante (síntomas internalizados/externalizados) y de criterio (satisfacción, calidad de vida y personalidad). Resultados: los análisis respaldan una estructura unidimensional para las EGA excepto para Fobia Específica, que además fue la única escala que mostró un FDI. Los índices de fi abilidad oscilaron entre 0,82 y 0,93. Las escalas se asociaron más con las conductas internalizadas que externalizadas, y se asociaron negativamente con las variables criterio. Conclusiones: la versión española de las EGA son adecuadas para evaluar síntomas relacionados con la ansiedad, excepto la escala de Fobia Específi ca que requiere más investigación

Development of a 50-Item abridged form of the Junior Spanish version of the NEO questionnaire (JS NEO-A50)

The aim of this psychometric study was to construct an abridged 50-item form, 10 for each of the five factors of personality, of the Junior Spanish version of the NEO-PI-R (JS NEO-A50). Two separate studies were conducted. In Study 1, 400 high school students completed two personality scales to examine the factor structure (exploratory factor analysis), convergent validity, and reliability of the JS NEO-A50. In Study 2, an independent sample of 385 adolescents completed the JS NEO-A50 and several outcome measures to replicate the factor structure (exploratory structural equation model) and examine criterion validity, respectively. The five-factor structure found in Study 1 was satisfactorily replicated in the second, independent sample. Sources of reliability (internal consistency and test-retest) and validity (convergent) were adequate. Also, the outcome measures assessed in Study 2 were related to personality traits in the expected direction. Life satisfaction was significantly predicted by emotional stability; symptoms of behavioral problems were predicted by low scores in both agreeableness and conscientiousness while internalizing emotional symptoms were mainly predicted by emotional instability; finally, academic performance was mainly predicted by conscientiousness. We conclude that the JS NEO-A50 is a sound inventory to measure the five broad personality domains in Spanish-speaking adolescents

Effect of nitrification inhibitors on the growth and activity of Nitrosotalea devanaterra in culture and soil

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Causas y consecuencias psicosociales del uso patológico de videojuegos en adolescentes

Los videojuegos son uno de los pasatiempos más populares. Una minoría de jugadores, especialmente entre los adolescentes, presentan sintomatología asociada al uso patológico o adicción. Por otra parte, el uso patológico de videojuegos se ha relacionado tanto a problemas externalizantes como internalizantes. Sin embargo, la escasez de estudios longitudinales nos impide conocer la dirección de estas asociaciones. El objetivo del presente estudio es observar las relaciones causales entre el uso patológico de videojuegos y la sintomatología externalizante e internalizante en adolescentes. Un total de 270 jugadores (193 varones), con una media de edad de 13,79 años (DT=1,3) en tiempo 1, fueron seguidos en las dos oleadas. Se evaluó el uso problemático de videojuegos y los problemas psicosociales. Para observar las causas y las consecuencias del uso patológico de videojuegos, se emplearon modelos de ecuación estructural autorregresivos mediante un diseño de panel de retardo cruzado de dos oleadas separadas por un año. La ansiedad social predijo el uso patológico de videojuegos para ambos géneros, mientras que el uso patológico de videojuegos predijo la conducta antisocial en varones. El presente estudio sugiere que los adolescentes con ansiedad social desarrollarían un uso patológico de videojuegos como método de afrontamiento de sus dificultades sociales. Así, en línea con esta idea, diversos estudios han mostrado que la baja competencia social es un factor de riesgo para el futuro desarrollo de uso problemático de videojuegos. Además, este uso patológico podría incrementar la conducta antisocial a largo plazo, deteriorando las relaciones interpersonales de los jugadores.Video games are one of the most popular pastimes. A minority of players, especially among adolescents, show symptomatology related to pathological gaming. On the other hand, pathological gaming has been associated with both externalizing and internalizing problems. Nevertheless, the lack of longitudinal studies prevents from exploring the direction of such relationships. The aim of the current study is to observe the causal relationships between pathological gaming and externalizing and internalizing symptomatology among adolescents. A total of 270 players (193 males) with a mean age of 13.79 years (SD=1.3) at wave 1 were followed one year later at wave 2. Pathological gaming and psychosocial problems were assessed. In order to know the causes and consequences of pathological gaming, a two-wave cross-lagged panel autoregressive model separated by 1-year was employed. Social anxiety predicted pathological gaming for both genders, whereas pathological gaming predicted antisocial behaviors among males. The present study suggests that adolescents with social anxiety may develop a pathological video game use as a coping mechanism to overcome social problems. Thus, in line with this, some studies have found that social competence is a risk factor to develop future pathological gaming. Furthermore, such pathological video gaming could increase long-term antisocial behavior, by disrupting players’ interpersonal relationships

Activation of STING-Dependent Innate Immune Signaling By S-Phase-Specific DNA Damage in Breast Cancer

Background: Previously we identified a DNA damage response–deficient (DDRD) molecular subtype within breast cancer. A 44-gene assay identifying this subtype was validated as predicting benefit from DNA-damaging chemotherapy. This subtype was defined by interferon signaling. In this study, we address the mechanism of this immune response and its possible clinical significance. Methods: We used immunohistochemistry (IHC) to characterize immune infiltration in 184 breast cancer samples, of which 65 were within the DDRD subtype. Isogenic cell lines, which represent DDRD-positive and -negative, were used to study the effects of chemokine release on peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) migration and the mechanism of immune signaling activation. Finally, we studied the association between the DDRD subtype and expression of the immune-checkpoint protein PD-L1 as detected by IHC. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: We found that DDRD breast tumors were associated with CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytic infiltration (Fisher’s exact test P < .001) and that DDRD cells expressed the chemokines CXCL10 and CCL5 3.5- to 11.9-fold more than DNA damage response–proficient cells (P < .01). Conditioned medium from DDRD cells statistically significantly attracted PBMCs when compared with medium from DNA damage response–proficient cells (P < .05), and this was dependent on CXCL10 and CCL5. DDRD cells demonstrated increased cytosolic DNA and constitutive activation of the viral response cGAS/STING/TBK1/IRF3 pathway. Importantly, this pathway was activated in a cell cycle–specific manner. Finally, we demonstrated that S-phase DNA damage activated expression of PD-L1 in a STING-dependent manner. Conclusions: We propose a novel mechanism of immune infiltration in DDRD tumors, independent of neoantigen production. Activation of this pathway and associated PD-L1 expression may explain the paradoxical lack of T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity observed in DDRD tumors. We provide a rationale for exploration of DDRD in the stratification of patients for immune checkpoint–based therapies

Silkworms with Spider Silklike Fibers Using Synthetic Silkworm Chow Containing Calcium Lignosulfonate, Carbon Nanotubes, and Graphene

Silkworm silk has become increasingly relevant for material applications. However, the industry as a whole is retracting because of problems with mass production. One of the key problems is the inconsistent properties of the silk. A means by which to improve the silk material properties is through enhanced sericulture techniques. One possible technique is altering the feed of the silkworms to include single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) or graphene (GR). Recently published results have demonstrated substantial improvement in fiber mechanical properties. However, the effect of the surfactant used to incorporate those materials into the feed on the fiber mechanical properties in comparison to normal silkworm silk has not been studied or reported. Thus, the total effect of feeding the SWNT and GR in the presence of surfactants on silkworms is not understood. Our study focuses on the surfactant [calcium lignosulfonate (LGS)] and demonstrates that it alone results in appreciable improvement of mechanical properties in comparison to nontreated silkworm silk. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that mixing the LGS, SWNT, and GR directly into the artificial diet of silkworms yields improved mechanical properties without decline below the control silk at high doses of SWNT or GR. Combined, we present evidence that mixing surfactants, in this case LGS, directly with the diet of silkworms creates a high-quality fiber product that can exceed 1 GPa in tensile strength. With the addition of nanocarbons, either SWNT or GR, the improvement is even greater and consistently surpasses control fibers. However, feeding LGS alone is a more economical and practical choice to consistently improve the mechanical properties of silkworm fiber