Theory of mind in the social sciences: an experiment on strategic thinking in children

This study investigates mentalizing and strategic thinking in children in elementary school age (from 7 to 12 years old). Drawing from previous literature in behavioral and experiments economics and cognitive science, we conduct experiments in which children of different ages make choices in a series of one-shot, simultaneous move two-person games in normal form. We test the ability of our subjects to reason strategically and compare their behavioral patterns with those of adult players engaged in similar tasks (Di Guida and Devetag 2012). Our results show that even younger children are capable of perspective taking: they seem to grasp the essence of strategic thinking, to recognize similarities across games, and behave consistently. In addition, children are sensitive to the attractive power of focal points (Di Guida and Devetag 2012), which are perceived as natural coordination devices even when they are not part of the game equilibria, in line with previous results. Children are also able to perceive the risk-return tradeoffs implied in strategic decisions, as shown by their preference for “safe” strategies (i.e., strategies yielding an acceptable payoff for any choice of the opponent). Finally, only a minority behaves according to naïve heuristics such as opting for the strategy giving the maximum payoff. Our findings contribute to the interdisciplinary literature on the origin of fairness-based norms within societies and on the cognitive and social determinants of strategic interaction

Theory of mind in the social sciences: an experiment on strategic thinking in children

This study investigates mentalizing and strategic thinking in children in elementary school age (from 7 to 12 years old). Drawing from previous literature in behavioral and experiments economics and cognitive science, we conduct experiments in which children of different ages make choices in a series of one-shot, simultaneous move two-person games in normal form. We test the ability of our subjects to reason strategically and compare their behavioral patterns with those of adult players engaged in similar tasks (Di Guida and Devetag 2012). Our results show that even younger children are capable of perspective taking: they seem to grasp the essence of strategic thinking, to recognize similarities across games, and behave consistently. In addition, children are sensitive to the attractive power of focal points (Di Guida and Devetag 2012), which are perceived as natural coordination devices even when they are not part of the game equilibria, in line with previous results. Children are also able to perceive the risk-return tradeoffs implied in strategic decisions, as shown by their preference for \u201csafe\u201d strategies (i.e., strategies yielding an acceptable payoff for any choice of the opponent). Finally, only a minority behaves according to na\uefve heuristics such as opting for the strategy giving the maximum payoff. Our findings contribute to the interdisciplinary literature on the origin of fairness-based norms within societies and on the cognitive and social determinants of strategic interaction

A sensitivity analysis of the damage behavior of a leading-edge subject to bird strike

This paper aims to investigate the crashworthiness capability of a commercial aircraft metallic sandwich leading edge, subjected to bird strike events. A sensitivity analysis is presented, aimed to assess the influence of the skin parameters (inner and outer faces and core thicknesses) on the leading-edge crashworthiness and to determine, among the configurations able to withstand a bird strike event, the best compromise in terms of weight and structural performances. In order to easily manage the design parameters and the output data, the ModeFrontier code was used in conjunction with the FE code Abaqus/Explicit. A dedicated python routine was developed to define a fully parametric simplified leading-edge model. To fulfill the aerodynamic requirements, the external surfaces were considered fixed during the sensitivity analysis, and, thus, only the internal leading edge’s components were modified to study their influence on the structural response. The total mass of the model, the maximum deformation and the energy dissipated due to material failure and the plastic deformations were monitored and used to compare and assess the behavior of each configuration

Dynamic pulse buckling of composite stanchions in the sub-cargo floor area of a civil regional aircraft

This work is focused on the investigation of the structural behavior of a composite floor beam, located in the cargo zone of a civil aircraft, subjected to cyclical low-frequency compressive loads with different amplitudes. In the first stage, the numerical models able to correctly simulate the investigated phenomenon have been defined. Different analyses have been performed, aimed to an exhaustive evaluation of the structural behavior of the test article. In particular, implicit and explicit analyses have been considered to preliminary assess the capabilities of the numerical model. Then, explicit non-linear analyses under time-dependent loads have been considered, to predict the behavior of the composite structure under cyclic loading conditions. According to the present investigation, low-frequency cyclic loads with peak values lower than the static buckling load value are not capable of triggering significant instability

Disentangling the dyadic dance: Theoretical, methodological and outcomes systematic review of mother-infant dyadic processes

Background: During the last decades, the research on mother-infant dyad has produced a great amount of data, methods and theories, which largely contributed to set a revolution in the way we look at developmental changes during infancy and childhood. Very different constructs depict the different aspects of the "dyadic dance" occurring between a mother and her infant; nonetheless, a comprehensive and consistent systematization of these concepts in a coherent theoretical landscape is still lacking. Aim: In the present work, we aim at disentangling the different theoretical and methodological definitions of 9 dyadic constructs and we highlight their effects on infants' and children developmental outcomes. Methods: A literature search has been conducted on three databases-PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science. Three different reviews are reported here: (1) a review on the theoretical definitions of dyadic constructs; (2) a review of operational definitions, settings and methods of dyadic processes; (3) a systematic review of dyadic processes' outcomes for infants' and children developmental trajectories. Results: Two constructs emerged as wide meta-theoretical concepts (reciprocity and mutuality) and seven described specific processes (attunement, contingency, coordination, matching, mirroring, reparation, synchrony). A global model resuming the relationships among different processes is reported, which highlights the emergence of two specific cycles of dyadic functioning (i.e., matching-mismatching-reparation-synchrony; contingency, coordination, attunement, mirroring). A comprehensive review of the adopted measures is also provided. Finally, all the processes provided significant contributions to infants' behavioral, cognitive, and socio-emotional development during the first 3 years of age, but limited research has been conducted on specific processes (e.g. reparation and mirroring). Conclusion: The present study provides an original research-grounded framework to consider the different nature of mother-infant dyadic processes within a unified dyadic eco-system. Different levels of evidence emerged for the role of diverse mother-infant dyadic processes on infants' and children development. Open questions and future research directions are highlighted

Use of noninvasive imaging in the management of skin cancer

6Purpose of review: To evaluate noninvasive imaging techniques in the management of skin cancers. Recent findings: In the last decades, a wide range of noninvasive imaging methods has been developed in the field of dermatooncology with the aim to detect and assess the several structural and molecular changes that characterize skin cancer development and progression. Summary: In this review, we discuss the current and emerging applications of noninvasive imaging approaches in skin cancer management, such as digital photography, dermoscopy, ultrasound sonography, reflectance confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography, electrical impedance techniques, Raman spectroscopy, multispectral imaging, fluorescence imaging, and multispectral optoacustic tomography.partially_openopenGiuffrida, Roberta; Conforti, Claudio; Di Meo, Nicola; Deinlein, Teresa; Guida, Stefania; Zalaudek, IrisGiuffrida, Roberta; Conforti, Claudio; Di Meo, Nicola; Deinlein, Teresa; Guida, Stefania; Zalaudek, Iri

Perception of the role of food and dietary modifications in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: Impact on lifestyle

Background: Diet has a relevant role in triggering symptoms in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from the patients’ perspective, but there is gap the between patients’ and doctors’ perceptions. Few studies have addressed this topic. The aim of this study was to evaluate food habits and nutrition knowledge in a homogeneous cohort of patients with IBD from southern Italy. Methods: 167 consecutive patients with IBD were recruited. The survey was based on the administration of a semi-structured questionnaire assessing demographics, disease features, dietary behavior, and food intolerance. Results: The majority of patients did not consider food a cause of their disease. However more than 80% changed their diet after the diagnosis and most report an improvement in symptoms. Spiced and seasoned foods, dairy products, vegetables, and fruit were often avoided. A dairy-free diet was adopted by 33.7%. Food choices were based on self-experience and not on medical counselling. Dietary modifications deeply impact on lifestyle. Conclusions: Most of the patients with IBD set diet and lifestyle on self-experience and give up many foods. This has an impact on psychosocial functioning and can lead to nutritional deficiencies. High quality studies are warranted to assess evidence-based dietary strategies and develop patient-targeted dietary recommendations

BEYOND WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE IN AN ADULT MALE POPULATION OF SOUTHERN ITALY: IS THERE ANY ROLE FOR SUBSCAPULAR SKINFOLD THICKNESS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR-1 SYSTEM AND METABOLIC PARAMETERS ?

ABSTRACT Background: Apart from waist circumference, other adiposity measures, such as subscapular skin fold (SST), arouse growing interest due to their relationship to metabolic complications and cardiovascular risk. The Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF)-1 system is deregulated in obese subjects in proportion to their degree of visceral adiposity. Aim : To examine the association among IGF-1, IGF-Binding Protein (BP)1 and 3 levels and different measures of adiposity in a sample of adult male population in Southern Italy. Materials and Methods: A complete database for this analysis was available for 229 (age range 50–82 years) participating at 2002-2004 Olivetti Heart Study follow-up. Results: After adjustment for age, IGF-1 was inversely associated with BMI and waist circumference (p<0.05). IGFBP1 was inversely associated with BMI, waist circumference, SST, Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) index, Fat Mass (FM). HOMA index, age and SST significantly predicted the IGFBP1 plasma levels, with 24% of IGFPB-1 variability explained at a linear regression analysis. Conclusions: IGFBP1 inversely correlated to adiposity and HOMA index. Among adiposity indexes, SST was the best predictor of IGFPB-1 levels. The evaluation of some components of the IGFs system, and simple measures of body adiposity, such as SST, may represent a further tool to better evidence phenotype profiles associated to the pathogenetic mechanism of cardiovascular risk factor clustering in male adults