Dispositional optimism as a correlate of decision-making styles in adolescence

Despite the numerous psychological areas in which optimism has been studied, including career planning, only a small amount of research has been done to investigate the relationship between optimism and decision-making styles. Consequently, we have investigated the role of dispositional optimism as a correlate of different decision-making styles, in particular, positive for effective styles and negative for ineffective ones (doubtfulness, procrastination, and delegation). Data were gathered through questionnaires administered to 803 Italian adolescents in their last 2 years of high schools with different fields of study, each at the beginning stages of planning for their professional future. A paper questionnaire was completed containing measures of dispositional optimism and career-related decision styles, during a vocational guidance intervention conducted at school. Data were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression. Results supported the proposed model by showing optimism to be a strong correlate of decision-making styles, thereby offering important intervention guidelines aimed at modifying unrealistically negative expectations regarding their future and helping students learn adaptive decision-making skills

Transcriptional Analysis of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 with an Electrode Compared to Fe(III)Citrate or Oxygen as Terminal Electron Acceptor

Shewanella oneidensis is a target of extensive research in the fields of bioelectrochemical systems and bioremediation because of its versatile metabolic capabilities, especially with regard to respiration with extracellular electron acceptors. The physiological activity of S. oneidensis to respire at electrodes is of great interest, but the growth conditions in thin-layer biofilms make physiological analyses experimentally challenging. Here, we took a global approach to evaluate physiological activity with an electrode as terminal electron acceptor for the generation of electric current. We performed expression analysis with DNA microarrays to compare the overall gene expression with an electrode to that with soluble iron(III) or oxygen as the electron acceptor and applied new hierarchical model-based statistics for the differential expression analysis. We confirmed the differential expression of many genes that have previously been reported to be involved in electrode respiration, such as the entire mtr operon. We also formulate hypotheses on other possible gene involvements in electrode respiration, for example, a role of ScyA in inter-protein electron transfer and a regulatory role of the cbb3-type cytochrome c oxidase under anaerobic conditions. Further, we hypothesize that electrode respiration imposes a significant stress on S. oneidensis, resulting in higher energetic costs for electrode respiration than for soluble iron(III) respiration, which fosters a higher metabolic turnover to cover energy needs. Our hypotheses now require experimental verification, but this expression analysis provides a fundamental platform for further studies into the molecular mechanisms of S. oneidensis electron transfer and the physiologically special situation of growth on a poised-potential surface

The needs of foster children and how to satisfy them:A systematic review of the literature

Family foster care deeply influences the needs of children and how these are satisfied. To increase our knowledge of foster children’s needs and how these are conceptualized, this paper presents a systematic literature review. Sixty- four empirical articles from six databases were reviewed and categorized (inter-rater agreement K = .78) into four categories: medical, belongingness, psychological and self-actualization needs. The results give a complete overview of needs that are specific to foster children, and what can be implemented to satisfy these needs. This study shows psychological needs are studied more often compared to the other categories, which specially relates to much attention for mental health problems. Furthermore, most articles focus on how to satisfy the needs of foster children and provide no definition or concrete conceptualization of needs. Strikingly, many articles focus on children’s problems instead of their needs, and some even use these terms interchangeably. This review illustrates that future research should employ a proper conceptualization of needs, which could also initiate a shift in thinking about needs instead of problems

Biofabrication: an overview of the approaches used for printing of living cells

The development of cell printing is vital for establishing biofabrication approaches as clinically relevant tools. Achieving this requires bio-inks which must not only be easily printable, but also allow controllable and reproducible printing of cells. This review outlines the general principles and current progress and compares the advantages and challenges for the most widely used biofabrication techniques for printing cells: extrusion, laser, microvalve, inkjet and tissue fragment printing. It is expected that significant advances in cell printing will result from synergistic combinations of these techniques and lead to optimised resolution, throughput and the overall complexity of printed constructs

Stress experience and performance during an oral exam: the role of self-efficacy, threat appraisals, anxiety, and cortisol

Background and Objectives: High self-efficacy may reduce emotional and physiological stress responses in the context of an examination. The present study investigated how these stress responses develop on an exam day, and sequential indirect effects between self-efficacy, threat appraisals, stress responses and performance. Design and Methods: The sample comprised 92 students (46 women). Self-efficacy, threat appraisals and state anxiety were assessed on a control day one week before an oral exam. Additionally, anxiety was assessed three times on the exam day. Salivary cortisol samples were collected at all time points. Results: Pre-exam anxiety and cortisol decreased until grades were announced. For both responses, greater levels were related to a steeper decline. However, changes in anxiety and cortisol were unrelated. Self-efficacy was negatively related to threat appraisals and anxiety on the control day. Greater threat appraisals were associated with higher pre-exam anxiety and a steeper anxiety decrease on the exam day, which in turn, was related to better performance. Conclusions: High levels of self-efficacy may reduce threat appraisals and anxiety in the lead up to an exam, which are related to the intensity and decline of anxiety on the exam day. A steeper decline of anxiety may be beneficial to performance