Dimensions, Measures, and Contexts in Psychological Investigations of Curiosity: A Scoping Review

The study of curiosity as a construct has led to many conceptualisations, comprising of different dimensions. Due to this, various scales of curiosity have also been developed. Moreover, some researchers have conceived of curiosity as a general trait-like, while others have included contexts, such as the workplace, or education when investigating curiosity. This scoping review aims to scope the extant psychological literature on curiosity in order to better understand how it has been studied, specifically with regard to its dimensions, measures, and contexts. A total of 1194 records were identified, with 245 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Results suggest that the majority of curiosity research examined curiosity as having multiple dimensions and analysed the dimensions individually, with a deprivation-type curiosity playing the biggest role. The measure most commonly used was the Epistemic Curiosity Scale, which also consisted of a deprivation-type curiosity as one of the dimensions. Findings also implied that curiosity was most studied in the context of the workplace. Supplementary findings included a lack of representation of non-Western countries, as well as needing to cross-validate a recently developed curiosity scale. This scoping review represents a consolidation of the curiosity literature and how it can further prosper

DNA Penetration into a Lysozyme Layer at the Surface of Aqueous Solutions

The interactions of DNA with lysozyme in the surface layer were studied by performing infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS), ellipsometry, surface tensiometry, surface dilational rheology, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). A concentrated DNA solution was injected into an aqueous subphase underneath a spread lysozyme layer. While the optical properties of the surface layer changed fast after DNA injection, the dynamic dilational surface elasticity almost did not change, thereby indicating no continuous network formation of DNA/lysozyme complexes, unlike the case of DNA interactions with a monolayer of a cationic synthetic polyelectrolyte. A relatively fast increase in optical signals after a DNA injection under a lysozyme layer indicates that DNA penetration is controlled by diffusion. At low surface pressures, the AFM images show the formation of long strands in the surface layer. Increased surface compression does not lead to the formation of a network of DNA/lysozyme aggregates as in the case of a mixed layer of DNA and synthetic polyelectrolytes, but to the appearance of some folds and ridges in the layer. The formation of more disordered aggregates is presumably a consequence of weaker interactions of lysozyme with duplex DNA and the stabilization, at the same time, of loops of unpaired nucleotides at high local lysozyme concentrations in the surface layer

Effects of ultrasonic field in pulse electrodeposition of NiFe film on Cu substrate.

NiFe film was pulse electrodeposited on conductive Cu substrate under galvanostatic mode in the presence of an ultrasonic field. The NiFe film electrodeposited was subjected to structural and surface analyses by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, surface profiling and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The results show that the ultrasonic field has significantly improved the surface roughness, reduced the spherical grain size in the range from 490–575 nm to 90–150 nm, and increased the Ni content from 76.08% to 79.74% in the NiFe film electrodeposited

Spread Layers of Lysozyme Microgel at Liquid Surface

The spread layers of lysozyme (LYS) microgel particles were studied by surface dilational rheology, infrared reflection–absorption spectra, Brewster angle microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. It is shown that the properties of LYS microgel layers differ significantly from those of ß-lactoglobulin (BLG) microgel layers. In the latter case, the spread protein layer is mainly a monolayer, and the interactions between particles lead to the increase in the dynamic surface elasticity by up to 140 mN/m. In contrast, the dynamic elasticity of the LYS microgel layer does not exceed the values for pure protein layers. The compression isotherms also do not exhibit specific features of the layer collapse that are characteristic for the layers of BLG aggregates. LYS aggregates form trough three-dimensional clusters directly during the spreading process, and protein spherulites do not spread further along the interface. As a result, the liquid surface contains large, almost empty regions and some patches of high local concentration of the microgel particles

An oral history of health psychology in the UK.

Purpose: An oral history of the development of health psychology in the United Kingdom. Methods: Standard oral history methods produced interviews with 53 UK health psychologists, averaging 92min in length. All interviewees entered the field from the 1970s to the 2000s, representing all four countries in the United Kingdom. A reconstructive mode of analysis, along with the few existing sources, was used to create a narrative of the history of health psychology in the United Kingdom. Audio recordings and transcripts will be archived for use by future researchers. Findings: In the 1970s, medical schools in London recruited psychologists to teach, while also conducting pragmatic research on issues in healthcare. At the same time, some clinical psychologists began to work with physical health conditions in general hospitals. Partly influenced by developments in the United States and Europe, an identity of ‘health psychology’ developed and spread to researchers and practitioners doing work in psychology and health. In the 1980s, the field continued to attract researchers, including social psychologists working with health behaviours and outcomes, and clinical psychologists working in health care settings. During this time, it became formalized as a scientific field with the creation of the BPS Health Psychology Section, courses, and journals. In the 1990s, the field moved towards professional practice, which was controversial with other BPS divisions. However, it continued to grow and develop through the 2000s and 2010s. Conclusion: Reflections on the development of UK health psychology represent the first historical narrative produced from oral testimony of those who were present at the time. Statement of Contribution What is already known on this subject? Health psychology emerged in the 1970s, initially in the United States following an APA Task Force report. It developed from a range of precursor movements including psychosomatic medicine, while in the United Kingdom medical psychology was an additional precursor. The development of health psychology has been discussed for a range of countries including the United States and others, but historical scholarship relating to the United Kingdom has been limited. What does this study add? From an oral history project, a narrative of UK health psychology’s development is built up. Influences included opportunities at medical schools from the 1970s onward. Growing interest in health behaviours as a test of social psychology theory was important. The experiences of clinical psychologists working in health care settings are demonstrated. Multidisciplinary influences on the emergence and shaping of health psychology are evident

Polymorphisms in Toll-like receptor genes influence antibody responses to cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B vaccine

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Congenital Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is an important medical problem that has yet no current solution. A clinical trial of CMV glycoprotein B (gB) vaccine in young women showed promising efficacy. Improved understanding of the basis for prevention of CMV infection is essential for developing improved vaccines.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We genotyped 142 women previously vaccinated with three doses of CMV gB for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TLR 1-4, 6, 7, 9, and 10, and their associated intracellular signaling genes. SNPs in the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFRA) and integrins were also selected based on their role in binding gB. Specific SNPs in TLR7 and IKBKE (inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit epsilon) were associated with antibody responses to gB vaccine. Homozygous carriers of the minor allele at four SNPs in TLR7 showed higher vaccination-induced antibody responses to gB compared to heterozygotes or homozygotes for the common allele. SNP rs1953090 in IKBKE was associated with changes in antibody level from second to third dose of vaccine; homozygotes for the minor allele exhibited lower antibody responses while homozygotes for the major allele showed increased responses over time.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These data contribute to our understanding of the immunogenetic mechanisms underlying variations in the immune response to CMV vaccine.</p

Macromolecular Crowding Directs Extracellular Matrix Organization and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Behavior

Microenvironments of biological cells are dominated in vivo by macromolecular crowding and resultant excluded volume effects. This feature is absent in dilute in vitro cell culture. Here, we induced macromolecular crowding in vitro by using synthetic macromolecular globules of nm-scale radius at physiological levels of fractional volume occupancy. We quantified the impact of induced crowding on the extracellular and intracellular protein organization of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) via immunocytochemistry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and AFM-enabled nanoindentation. Macromolecular crowding in extracellular culture media directly induced supramolecular assembly and alignment of extracellular matrix proteins deposited by cells, which in turn increased alignment of the intracellular actin cytoskeleton. The resulting cell-matrix reciprocity further affected adhesion, proliferation, and migration behavior of MSCs. Macromolecular crowding can thus aid the design of more physiologically relevant in vitro studies and devices for MSCs and other cells, by increasing the fidelity between materials synthesized by cells in vivo and in vitro

Washing our hands of the congenital cytomegalovirus disease epidemic

BACKGROUND: Each year in the United States, an estimated 40,000 children are born with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, causing an estimated 400 deaths and leaving approximately 8000 children with permanent disabilities such as hearing or vision loss, or mental retardation. More children are affected by serious CMV-related disabilities than by several better-known childhood maladies, including Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, and spina bifida. DISCUSSION: Congenital CMV is a prime target for prevention not only because of its substantial disease burden but also because the biology and epidemiology of CMV suggest that there are ways to reduce viral transmission. Because exposure to the saliva or urine of young children is a major cause of CMV infection among pregnant women, it is likely that good personal hygiene, especially hand-washing, can reduce the risk of CMV acquisition. Experts agree that such measures are likely to be efficacious (i.e., they will work if consistently followed) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that physicians counsel pregnant women about preventing CMV acquisition through careful attention to hygiene. However, because of concerns about effectiveness (i.e., Will women consistently follow hygienic practices as the result of interventions?), the medical and public health communities appear reluctant to embrace primary CMV prevention via improved hygienic practices, and educational interventions are rare. Current data on the effectiveness of such measures in preventing CMV infection are promising, but limited. There is strong evidence, however, that educational interventions can prevent other infectious diseases with similar transmission modes, suggesting that effective interventions can also be found for CMV. Until a CMV vaccine becomes available, effective educational interventions are needed to inform women about congenital CMV prevention. SUMMARY: Perhaps no single cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities in the United States currently provides greater opportunity for improved outcomes in more children than congenital CMV. Given the present state of knowledge, women deserve to be informed about how they can reduce their risk of CMV infection during pregnancy, and trials are needed to identify effective educational interventions

Giving voice: an oral history of speech and language therapy

© 2020 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Background: The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2020. The historical study of speech and language therapy (SLT) has been very limited. A small number of publications have traced the changes in the profession over time, but to date there has been no comprehensive work undertaken to gain an insight into the experiences of UK speech therapists who entered the newly formed profession after 1945. Aims: To use an oral history methodology to explore the life stories of early members of the profession. Methods & Procedures: Participants were recruited through RCSLT networks. Interviews were held across England and Scotland. Conversations were audio recorded and analysed using thematic network analysis. Archive material was used to complement participants’ narratives. Outcomes & Results: Participants were 19 women who qualified between 1945 and 1968. Three global themes emerged: personal, professional and political stories. On a personal level, each reported steps towards autonomy and agency within the social constraints they experienced. Professionally, all commented on the vast expansion in the range of identifiable clinical fields between 1945, when the first participant qualified, and 2008, when the last participant retired. Politics and social policies impacted upon their lives and, sometimes to their surprise, the participants found themselves campaigning politically in pursuit of fairness for their profession. Conclusions & Implications: This paper offers a unique insight into the challenges and achievements participants experienced over their careers as early practitioners in the UK profession

Effects of rapid urbanisation on the urban thermal environment between 1990 and 2011 in Dhaka Megacity, Bangladesh

This study investigates the influence of land-use/land-cover (LULC) change on land surface temperature (LST) in Dhaka Megacity, Bangladesh during a period of rapid urbanisation. LST was derived from Landsat 5 TM scenes captured in 1990, 2000 and 2011 and compared to contemporaneous LULC maps. We compared index-based and linear spectral mixture analysis (LSMA) techniques for modelling LST. LSMA derived biophysical parameters corresponded more strongly to LST than those produced using index-based parameters. Results indicated that vegetation and water surfaces had relatively stable LST but it increased by around 2 °C when these surfaces were converted to built-up areas with extensive impervious surfaces. Knowledge of the expected change in LST when one land-cover is converted to another can inform land planners of the potential impact of future changes and urges the development of better management strategies