Nieuwe kansen voor taalonderwijs aan anderstaligen

Educatio

Working Memory Alterations After a Romantic Relationship Breakup

Experiencing stress can have a disadvantageous effect on mental well-being. Additional to the relation between suffering from chronic stress and depression, both stress (acute and chronic) and depression are associated with cognitive alterations, including working memory. The breakup of a relationship is considered to be a stressful event that can lead to symptoms of depression in otherwise healthy people. Additional to elevated depression scores, stress-related cognitive alterations may occur in this population as well. Therefore, in the present fMRI study we investigated whether experiencing a relationship breakup is associated with working memory alterations and whether this is related to depressive symptom severity. A three workload version of the n-back task (0-back, 1-back, 2-back) was used to measure working memory in subjects who experienced a breakup in the preceding 6 months ("heartbreak group", n = 70) and subjects in a romantic relationship ("relationship group", n = 46). Behavioral task performance was compared between the two groups. Functional MRI scans were analyzed using General Linear Model (GLM) activation analyses. Workload conditions were contrasted to each other and to baseline and group differences were assessed. To investigate whether brain networks are associated with depressive symptom severity within the heartbreak group specifically, a post hoc feature-based Independent Component Analysis was performed on the 2-back > 0-back contrast images to identify brain regions that covaried across subjects. Behaviorally, the heartbreak group performed similar at high workload (i.e., 2-back) and better at moderate workload (i.e., 1-back) than the relationship group. GLM analysis revealed an interaction between group and 2-back > 0-back, 2-back > 1-back and 2-back > baseline; the heartbreak group showed less precuneus activation compared to the relationship group. Furthermore, within the heartbreak group, we found a negative association between depressive symptom severity and a brain network representing mostly the precuneus, anterior cingulate gyrus and supplementary motor cortex. Our findings suggest that the effect of a breakup is accompanied by workload-dependent working memory alterations. Therefore, we propose that this population can potentially be used to investigate the interplay between stress, cognitive functioning and depression

Cooperation in the distribution

Strategic Alliances of SME in the distribution of mens wear in the Netherlands have been studied. The different SA can be characterized on the basis of the degree of control, coordination and cooperation of networkleaders and the entrepreneurs, members of the SA. A11 Strategic Alliances (N=12) in this industry have been studied by interviewing both the networkleaders as well as 234 entrepreneurs, members of the SA. The study encompasses both the formal regulations, entrepreneurial task division and attitudes towards cooperation and control as stated by the networkleadres and as perceived by the participants of the SA’s (the SME’s). By using discriminant analyses it is found that one can make a distinction between three types of SA’s in this industry. Other results indicate that the degree of control and entrepreneurial task division between the SA itself and the participating entrepreneurs are differentially perceived. The more control by SA networkleaders is exerted the less the SME tends to delegate entrepreneurial tasks to the SA. The findings suggest an optimal level of E. task division and task delegation to be most acceptable by SME’s. By comparing (with the use of Anova and Multiple Regression analysis) financial and market performance measures, derived from the Annual financial report, the balance sheet and state of profits and losses, between the SME-members of the different types of SA, this optimal level of task division seems also to be reflected in the financial and market performance measures of the SME’s (Small and Medium Sized Enterprises).As alianças estratégicas (AE) entre PMEs holandesas do sector da distribuição de vestuário masculino, são estudadas neste artigo. As diferentes alianças estratégicas podem ser caracterizadas como base no grau de controlo, coordenação e cooperação dos lideres das redes de distribuição e empresários, membros das AE. Todas as AE (n=12) desta industria foram estudadas através de entrevistas tanto com os lideres das redes quanto com OS 234 empresários, membros das AE. O estudo compreende a regulamentação formal, divisão empresarial do trabalho, e atitudes face à cooperação e controlo, tal como apresentados pelos lideres das redes e percebidos pelos participantes nas AE (as PMEs). Recorrendo à análise discriminante, concluiu-se que, nesta industria, podem ser distinguidos três tipos de alianças estratégicas. Outros resultados indicam que o grau de controlo e a divisão empresarial do trabalho entre a AE e os empresários participantes, são percebidos de maneira diferente. Quanto maior o controlo pelos lideres das redes das AE, menos as PMEs tendem a delegar as tarefas empresariais a AE. OS resultados obtidos sugerem que um nível óptimo de divisão das tarefas empresariais e de delegação b da tarefa, 6 mais facilmente aceite pelas PMEs. Comparando (através do uso de ANOVA e de análise de regressão multipla), medidas de desempenho financeiro e de mercado, retiradas do relatorio financeiro anual, da folha de balanços, da análise de lucros e perdas, entre as PMEs integrantes dos diversos tipos de AE, este nível óptimo de divisão de tarefas, parece também estar reflectido nos indicadores financeiros e de mercado das PMEs

An online version of the Mooney Face Test: phenotypic and genetic associations.

The Mooney Face Test is a widely used test of face perception, but was originally designed to be administered by personal interview. We have developed a three-alternative forced-choice version for online testing. We tested 397 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 42 (M=24 years). There was a wide range of performance (64-100% correct; M=89.6%). We observed a significant sex difference favoring males (.31 standard deviation; p =.004). In addition, independently of sex, higher 2D:4D digit ratios were significantly associated with higher scores (ρ=.14, p=.006). A genome-wide association study (GWAS) for a subset of 370 participants identified an association between Mooney performance and a polymorphism in the RAPGEF5 gene (rs1522280; p=9.68×10(-8)). This association survives a permutation test (p=.031).This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final version of this paper is published by Elsevier in Neuropsychologia here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028393214002747