Early second trimester retinol-binding protein-4 values in cases with or without gestational diabetes mellitus risk factors: A cross-sectional study

Aim: Retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP-4) has been correlated with different degrees of insulin resistance includinggestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Presence of risk factors for GDM is an indication for early screening.We studied RBP-4 values in the early second trimester of pregnancy in pregnant subjects with or without GDMrisk factors and compared the results by routine GDM screening methodology.Methods: Seventy-nine patients with at least one GDM risk factor and 46 patients without any GDM riskfactors were enrolled in the cross-sectional study as risk and control groups, respectively. In the early secondtrimester, RBP-4 values were measured, in addition to fasting plasma glucose and 50-g glucose challenge testin all subjects.Results: The RBP-4 values in 16–18th weeks of pregnancy were not significantly different between risk andcontrol groups (95.3 ± 20.1 vs 103.1 ± 24.4 µg/mL, respectively; P = 0.055) although fasting plasma glucoselevels and 50-g glucose challenge test results were higher in the risk group than the control group (75.3 vs69.3 mg/dL and 112.4 vs 97.5 mg/dL, respectively; P < 0.05).Conclusion: Presence of GDM risk factors does not have an impact on early second trimester RBP-4 values inpregnant subjects

Validation of the Short Version (TLS-15) of the Triangular Love Scale (TLS-45) Across 37 Languages

Love is a phenomenon that occurs across the world and affects many aspects of human life, including the choice of, and process of bonding with, a romantic partner. Thus, developing a reliable and valid measure of love experiences is crucial. One of the most popular tools to quantify love is Sternberg’s 45-item Triangular Love Scale (TLS-45), which measures three love components: intimacy, passion, and commitment. However, our literature review reveals that most studies (64%) use a broad variety of shortened versions of the TLS-45. Here, aiming to achieve scientific consensus and improve the reliability, comparability, and generalizability of results across studies, we developed a short version of the scale—the TLS-15—comprised of 15 items with 5-point, rather than 9-point, response scales. In Study 1 (N = 7,332), we re-analyzed secondary data from a large-scale multinational study that validated the original TLS-45 to establish whether the scale could be truncated. In Study 2 (N = 307), we provided evidence for the three-factor structure of the TLS-15 and its reliability. Study 3 (N = 413) confirmed convergent validity and test–retest stability of the TLS-15. Study 4 (N = 60,311) presented a large-scale validation across 37 linguistic versions of the TLS-15 on a cross-cultural sample spanning every continent of the globe. The overall results provide support for the reliability, validity, and cross-cultural invariance of the TLS-15, which can be used as a measure of love components—either separately or jointly as a three-factor measure

Predictors of Enhancing Human Physical Attractiveness: Data from 93 Countries

People across the world and throughout history have gone to great lengths to enhance their physical appearance. Evolutionary psychologists and ethologists have largely attempted to explain this phenomenon via mating preferences and strategies. Here, we test one of the most popular evolutionary hypotheses for beauty-enhancing behaviors, drawn from mating market and parasite stress perspectives, in a large cross-cultural sample. We also test hypotheses drawn from other influential and non-mutually exclusive theoretical frameworks, from biosocial role theory to a cultural media perspective. Survey data from 93,158 human participants across 93 countries provide evidence that behaviors such as applying makeup or using other cosmetics, hair grooming, clothing style, caring for body hygiene, and exercising or following a specific diet for the specific purpose of improving ones physical attractiveness, are universal. Indeed, 99% of participants reported spending \u3e10 min a day performing beauty-enhancing behaviors. The results largely support evolutionary hypotheses: more time was spent enhancing beauty by women (almost 4 h a day, on average) than by men (3.6 h a day), by the youngest participants (and contrary to predictions, also the oldest), by those with a relatively more severe history of infectious diseases, and by participants currently dating compared to those in established relationships. The strongest predictor of attractiveness-enhancing behaviors was social media usage. Other predictors, in order of effect size, included adhering to traditional gender roles, residing in countries with less gender equality, considering oneself as highly attractive or, conversely, highly unattractive, TV watching time, higher socioeconomic status, right-wing political beliefs, a lower level of education, and personal individualistic attitudes. This study provides novel insight into universal beauty-enhancing behaviors by unifying evolutionary theory with several other complementary perspectives

Utanç ve suçluluk duygularının bilişsel süreçler üzerindeki etkileri

Bu tez çalışmasında, utanç ve suçluluk duygularının perspektif alma bilişsel becerisi üzerindeki etkileri duygu-durum ve eğilim temelinde incelenmiştir. Utanç ve suçluluk, toplumsal bağlamlarda uygunsuz görülen durumlar sonucunda ortaya çıkan öz-biliş duygularıdır. Benzer özelliklere sahip olsalar da bu duygular biliş üzerinde farklı etkilere sahiptirler. Bu farklılaşma şu şekilde açıklanmaktadır: utanç olumsuz durumların benliğe atfedilmesine sebep olmakta ve böylece daha acı verici ve yıkıcı etkiler yaratmaktadır; fakat suçluluk olumsuz durumların o anki davranışa atfedilmesine neden olmakta ve böylece daha az acı verici ve yapıcı etkiler yaratmaktadır (Lewis, 1971). Utanç ve suçluluk arasındaki söz konusu bu farklılaşma eğilim ve duygu-durum temellerinde aynı şekilde vurgulanmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, perspektif alma bilişsel becerisi- utanç ve suçluluk gibi, benlik konseptine sıkıca bağlı olması nedeniyle- utanç ve suçluluk duygularının biliş üzerindeki farklı etkilerini eğilim ve duygu-durum temelinde deneysel olarak test etmek üzere seçilmiştir. Ege Üniversitesinde eğitim görmekte olan 90 kadın öğrenci deneye katılmıştır. Çalışmanın sonucunda; utancın hem duygu-durum hem de eğilim temelinde, perspektif alma başarısı üzerinde olumsuz etkiye sahip olduğu bulunmuştur. Bununla birlikte, utancın duygu-durum ve eğilim temellerinin perspektif alma başarısı üzerinde anlamlı etkileşime sahip olduğu bulunmuştur. Diğer taraftan, suçluluğun perspektif alma başarısı üzerinde eğilim seviyesinde etkisi bulunamazken, duygu-durum seviyesinde utanca kıyasla olumlu, sakinliğe(nötr) kıyasla olumsuz etkisi bulunmuştur.This study is to show how shame and guilt emotions affect perspective taking cognitive ability based on state and trait levels. Shame and guilt are the self-conscious emotions which appear as response to inappropriate situations in social contexts. Despite their similarities, they have different influences on cognition. This difference is explained as follows: shame causes to connect bad events to self and this makes it painful and damaging; but guilt causes to connect bad situation to immediate behavior, and this makes it less painful and beneficial. Also, this distinction between shame and guilt is emphasized in the same direction for both proneness and state levels. In the current research, perspective taking, strongly depends on self concept- was chosen as cognitive task in order to empirically test the different influences of these emotions on cognition at both proneness and state levels. Ninety female university students from Ege University participated in this study. As a result, it was found that shame has negative effects on perspective taking at both proneness and state levels. Also, it was found that proneness and state levels of shame has interaction effect on perspective taking. On the other hand, guilt was found as inefficient on perspective taking at proneness level. Also, it was found that at the state level, guilt has positive effect in respect to shame state whereas it has negative effect in respect to calm(neutral) state

Selenium containing conducting polymer based pyranose oxidase biosensor for glucose detection

A novel amperometric pyranose oxidase (PyOx) biosensor based on a selenium containing conducting polymer has been developed for the glucose detection. For this purpose, a conducting polymer; poly(4,7-bis(thieno[3,2-b]thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5] selenadiazole) (poly(BSeTT)) was synthesized via electropolymerisation on gold electrode to examine its matrix property for glucose detection. For this purpose, PyOx was used as the model enzyme and immobilised via physical adsorption technique. Amperometric detection of consumed oxygen was monitored at -0.7 V vs Ag reference electrode in a phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7.0). K-M(app), I-max, LOD and sensitivity were calculated as 0.229 mM, 42.37 nA, 3.3 x 10 (4) nM and 6.4 nA/mM cm(2), respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) techniques were used to monitor changes in surface morphologies and to run electrochemical characterisations. Finally, the constructed biosensor was applied for the determination of glucose in beverages successfully

Predictors of enhancing human physical attractiveness : data from 93 countries

International audienc

Predictors of enhancing human physical attractiveness: Data from 93 countries

People across the world and throughout history have gone to great lengths to enhance their physical appearance. Evolutionary psychologists and ethologists have largely attempted to explain this phenomenon via mating preferences and strategies. Here, we test one of the most popular evolutionary hypotheses for beauty-enhancing behaviors, drawn from mating market and parasite stress perspectives, in a large cross-cultural sample. We also test hypotheses drawn from other influential and non-mutually exclusive theoretical frameworks, from biosocial role theory to a cultural media perspective. Survey data from 93,158 human participants across 93 countries provide evidence that behaviors such as applying makeup or using other cosmetics, hair grooming, clothing style, caring for body hygiene, and exercising or following a specific diet for the specific purpose of improving ones physical attractiveness, are universal. Indeed, 99% of participants reported spending >10 min a day performing beauty-enhancing behaviors. The results largely support evolutionary hypotheses: more time was spent enhancing beauty by women (almost 4 h a day, on average) than by men (3.6 h a day), by the youngest participants (and contrary to predictions, also the oldest), by those with a relatively more severe history of infectious diseases, and by participants currently dating compared to those in established relationships. The strongest predictor of attractiveness-enhancing behaviors was social media usage. Other predictors, in order of effect size, included adhering to traditional gender roles, residing in countries with less gender equality, considering oneself as highly attractive or, conversely, highly unattractive, TV watching time, higher socioeconomic status, rightwing political beliefs, a lower level of education, and personal individualistic attitudes. This study provides novel insight into universal beauty-enhancing behaviors by unifying evolutionary theory with several other complementary perspectives