Biases in Personality Test Results

We studied the differences in perceived accuracy of general and specific personality test results in 89 participants. We hypothesized that participants receiving general feedback would rate their reliability higher than those receiving specific feedback. Each participant took a personality test, received either general or specific results, and then rated the accuracy of those results on a numbered scale. The participants who received general feedback, on average, thought the personality test “got them” the most. These results are important, because they show how people are willing to believe results that are vague because they tend to be more positive

Metadocuments supporting digital library information discovery

Abstract. The World Wide Web is a decentralized, unmanaged, dynamically changing repository of digital documents. Walden’s Paths provides tools that enable authors to collect, organize, annotate, and present Webbased information to reader communities via a linear metadocument called a path. Walden’s Paths includes path authoring and reading interfaces supporting the contextualization of included materials to match authors’ goals as well as enabling browsing off the path to match readers ’ personal interests. It also provides tools to manage these paths of transient Web materials based on the identification and evaluation of changes to the component pages. Experience with Walden’s Paths in educational settings and changes to Web technology as well as the Web-savvyness of users have led to a variety of changes to earlier designs. Current directions of work include the development of methods for evaluating readers ’ understanding via quizzes associated with paths and richer path structures. Keywords: Walden’s Paths – Metadocuments – Hypertext – Path maintenance – Digital library service

Prenatal Hormones in First-Time Expectant Parents: Longitudinal Changes and Within-Couple Correlations

Objectives Expectant mothers experience marked hormone changes throughout the transition to parenthood. Although similar neuroendocrine pathways are thought to support maternal and paternal behavior, much less is known about prenatal hormone changes in expectant fathers, especially in humans. Methods We examined longitudinal changes in salivary testosterone, cortisol, estradiol, and progesterone in 29 first‐time expectant couples (N = 58). Couples were assessed up to four times throughout the prenatal period, at approximately weeks 12, 20, 28, and 36 of pregnancy. We also examined within‐couple correlations in hormones. Data were analyzed using dyadic growth curve modeling. Results As expected, women showed large prenatal increases in all four hormones. Men showed significant prenatal declines in testosterone and estradiol, but there were no detectable changes in men\u27s cortisol or progesterone. Average levels of cortisol and progesterone were significantly positively correlated within couples. Conclusions The current study represents one of the most extensive investigations to date of prenatal hormones in expectant couples. It is also the first study to demonstrate prenatal testosterone changes in expectant fathers and within‐couple correlations in progesterone. We discuss implications of these findings for parental behavior and adjustment

Enzymatically-stable oxetane-based dipeptide hydrogels

Low molecular weight gelators that are not easily degraded by enzymes have a range of potential applications. Here, we report new Fmoc-protected dipeptides in which the amide carbonyl group has been replaced by an oxetane ring. Remarkably one of these peptidomimetics, but not the corresponding dipeptide, is an effective gelator, forming hydrogels at a concentration of 3 mg/mL. On assembly, there is a lack of beta-sheet structure, implying that there is no requirement for this motif in such a gel. Furthermore, the modified dipeptide is also stable to proteolysis compared to the parent dipeptide

A competency framework for librarians involved in systematic reviews

Objective: The project identified a set of core competencies for librarians who are involved in systematic reviews. Methods: A team of seven informationists with broad systematic review experience examined existing systematic review standards, conducted a literature search, and used their own expertise to identify core competencies and skills that are necessary to undertake various roles in systematic review projects. Results: The team identified a total of six competencies for librarian involvement in systematic reviews: “Systematic review foundations,” “Process management and communication,” “Research methodology,” “Comprehensive searching,” “Data management,” and “Reporting.” Within each competency are the associated skills and knowledge pieces (indicators). Competence can be measured using an adaptation of Miller’s Pyramid for Clinical Assessment, either through self-assessment or identification of formal assessment instruments. Conclusions: The Systematic Review Competencies Framework provides a standards-based, flexible way for librarians and organizations to identify areas of competence and areas in need of development to build capacity for systematic review integration. The framework can be used to identify or develop appropriate assessment tools and to target skill development opportunities

The Walden’s Paths Quiz Engine

Abstract: The Walden’s Paths project is developing tools to facilitate the inclusion of Web-based materials in classroom education. It currently includes components to create, present and manage paths that recontextualize information on the Web. In this paper we present the Quiz Engine, a fullfeatured online testing system that extends the repertoire of our tools to include Web-base

Can Common Pool Resource Theory Catalyze Stakeholder-Driven Solutions to the Freshwater Salinization Syndrome?

Freshwater salinity is rising across many regions of the United States as well as globally, a phenomenon called the freshwater salinization syndrome (FSS). The FSS mobilizes organic carbon, nutrients, heavy metals, and other contaminants sequestered in soils and freshwater sediments, alters the structures and functions of soils, streams, and riparian ecosystems, threatens drinking water supplies, and undermines progress toward many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. There is an urgent need to leverage the current understanding of salinization's causes and consequences─in partnership with engineers, social scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders─into locally tailored approaches for balancing our nation's salt budget. In this feature, we propose that the FSS can be understood as a common pool resource problem and explore Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom's social-ecological systems framework as an approach for identifying the conditions under which local actors may work collectively to manage the FSS in the absence of top-down regulatory controls. We adopt as a case study rising sodium concentrations in the Occoquan Reservoir, a critical water supply for up to one million residents in Northern Virginia (USA), to illustrate emerging impacts, underlying causes, possible solutions, and critical research needs