Paper Session II-B - Performance Status of the Mars Environmental Compatibility Assessment Electrometer

The Mars Environmental Compatibility Assessment electrometer is an instrument intended to fly on a future Mars lander mission. The electrometer was designed primarily to investigate (1) the electrostatic interaction between the Martian soil and five different types of insulators attached to the electrometer, which are to be rubbed over the Martian soil. The MECA Electrometer is also capable of measuring (2) the presence of charged particles in the Martian atmosphere, (3) the local electric field strength, and (4) the local temperature. We have tested and evaluated the measurement capabilities of the MECA Electrometer under simulated Martian surface conditions using facilities located in the Electromagnetic Physics Testbed at KSC. The results of the study have demonstrated that rubbing an insulator over the Martian soil simulant does triboelectrically charge up the insulator\u27s surface. However, the charge buildup on an insulator was found to be as low as 1% of the current maximum range of the electrometer when it is rubbed through Martian soil. This indicates that the overall gain of the MECA Electrometer could be increased by a factor of 50, if measurements at the 50% level of full-range sensitivity are desired. The ion gauge, which detects the presence of charged particles, was also evaluated over the pressure range 13 - 533 mbar, and results will be presented

Complexity of the self-schema and responses to disconfirming feedback

This study focused on complexity of the self-schema as one factor that influences people's responses to social feedback that challenges their established view of self. Complexity refers to the number of independent attributes included in the schema. A card-sorting task (Zajonc, 1960) was used to identify the high- and low-complexity groups. Subjects were given bogus feedback relevant to the targeted domain of self-knowledge, and changes in self-descriptiveness ratings and response latency times were monitored. Results suggest that high-complexity subjects were able to attend to and encode the disconfirming feedback, while low-complexity subjects responded by rejecting the feedback and reasserting positive aspects of the self. The implications of these findings for clarifying the process of self-schema updating, revision, and change are discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44337/1/10608_2006_Article_BF02357222.pd

Vocal Fundamental and Formant Frequencies Affect Perceptions of Speaker Cooperativeness

In recent years, the perception of social traits in faces and voices has received much attention. Facial and vocal masculinity are linked to perceptions of trustworthiness; however, while feminine faces are generally considered to be trustworthy, vocal trustworthiness is associated with masculinized vocal features. Vocal traits such as pitch and formants have previously been associated with perceived social traits such as trustworthiness and dominance, but the link between these measurements and perceptions of cooperativeness have yet to be examined. In Experiment 1, cooperativeness ratings of male and female voices were examined against four vocal measurements: fundamental frequency (F0), pitch variation (F0−SD), formant dispersion (Df), and formant position (Pf). Feminine pitch traits (F0 and F0−SD) and masculine formant traits (Df and Pf) were associated with higher cooperativeness ratings. In Experiment 2, manipulated voices with feminized F0 were found to be more cooperative than voices with masculinized F0, among both male and female speakers, confirming our results from Experiment 1. Feminine pitch qualities may indicate an individual who is friendly and non-threatening, while masculine formant qualities may reflect an individual that is socially dominant or prestigious, and the perception of these associated traits may influence the perceived cooperativeness of the speakers

Development and characterization of a Yucatan miniature biomedical pig permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke model

BACKGROUND: Efforts to develop stroke treatments have met with limited success despite an intense need to produce novel treatments. The failed translation of many of these therapies in clinical trials has lead to a close examination of the therapeutic development process. One of the major factors believed to be limiting effective screening of these treatments is the absence of an animal model more predictive of human responses to treatments. The pig may potentially fill this gap with a gyrencephalic brain that is larger in size with a more similar gray-white matter composition to humans than traditional stroke animal models. In this study we develop and characterize a novel pig middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) ischemic stroke model. METHODS: Eleven male pigs underwent MCAO surgery with the first 4 landrace pigs utilized to optimize stroke procedure and 7 additional Yucatan stroked pigs studied over a 90 day period. MRI analysis was done at 24 hrs and 90 days and included T2w, T2w FLAIR, T1w FLAIR and DWI sequences and associated ADC maps. Pigs were sacrificed at 90 days and underwent gross and microscopic histological evaluation. Significance in quantitative changes was determined by two-way analysis of variance and post-hoc Tukey’s Pair-Wise comparisons. RESULTS: MRI analysis of animals that underwent MCAO surgery at 24 hrs had hyperintense regions in T2w and DWI images with corresponding ADC maps having hypointense regions indicating cytotoxic edema consistent with an ischemic stroke. At 90 days, region of interest analysis of T1 FLAIR and ADC maps had an average lesion size of 59.17 cc, a loss of 8% brain matter. Histological examination of pig brains showed atrophy and loss of tissue, consistent with MRI, as well as glial scar formation and macrophage infiltration. CONCLUSIONS: The MCAO procedure led to significant and consistent strokes with high survivability. These results suggest that the pig model is potentially a robust system for the study of stroke pathophysiology and potential diagnostics and therapeutics

A randomised-controlled trial investigating potential underlying mechanisms of a functionality-based approach to improving women’s body image

Focusing on body functionality is a promising technique for improving women's body image. This study replicates prior research in a large novel sample, tests longer-term follow-up effects, and investigates underlying mechanisms of these effects (body complexity and body-self integration). British women (N = 261) aged 18–30 who wanted to improve their body image were randomised to Expand Your Horizon (three online body functionality writing exercises) or an active control. Trait body image was assessed at Pretest, Posttest, 1-week, and 1-month Follow-Up. To explore whether changes in body complexity and body-self integration ‘buffer’ the impact of negative body-related experiences, participants also completed beauty-ideal media exposure. Relative to the control, intervention participants experienced improved appearance satisfaction, functionality satisfaction, body appreciation, and body complexity at Posttest, and at both Follow-Ups. Neither body complexity nor body-self integration mediated intervention effects. Media exposure decreased state body satisfaction among intervention and control participants, but neither body complexity nor body-self integration moderated these effects. The findings underscore the value of focusing on body functionality for improving body image and show that effects persist one month post-intervention

The association between depressive symptoms and executive control impairments in response to emotional and non-emotional information

Depression has been linked with impaired executive control and specific impairments in inhibition of negative material. To date, only a few studies have examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and executive functions in response to emotional information. Using a new paradigm, the Affective Shift Task (AST), the present study examined whether depressive symptoms in general, and rumination specifically, are related to impairments in inhibition and set shifting in response to emotional and non-emotional material. The main finding was that depressive symptoms in general were not related to inhibition. Set-shifting impairments were only observed in moderate to severely depressed individuals. Interestingly, rumination was related to inhibition impairments, specifically when processing negative information, as well as impaired set shifting as reflected in a larger shift cost. These results are discussed in relation to cognitive views on vulnerability for depression

Specific and individuated death reflection fosters identity integration

Identity integration is the process wherein a person assimilates multiple or conflicting identities (e.g., beliefs, values, needs) into a coherent, unified self-concept. Three experiments examined whether contemplating mortality in a specific and individuated manner (i.e., via the death reflection manipulation) facilitated outcomes indicative of identity integration. Participants in the death reflection condition (vs. control conditions) considered positive and negative life experiences as equally important in shaping their current identity (Experiment 1), regarded self-serving values and other-serving values as equally important life principles (Experiment 2), and were equally motivated to pursue growth-oriented and security-oriented needs (Experiment 3). Death reflection motivates individuals to integrate conflicting aspects of their identity into a coherent self-concept. Given that identity integration is associated with higher well-being, the findings have implications for understanding the psychological benefits of existential contemplation

Stellar feedback and triggered star formation in the prototypical bubble RCW 120

Interstellar matter and star formatio

Stellar feedback and triggered star formation in the prototypical bubble RCW 120

Interstellar matter and star formatio