7,128 research outputs found
Personality Traits and Leptin
No full textObjective: Personality traits related to high neuroticism and low conscientiousness are consistently associated with obesity. Hormones implicated in appetite and metabolism, such as leptin, may also be related to personality and may contribute to the association between these traits and obesity. The present research examined the association between leptin and Five Factor Model personality traits. Methods: A total of 5214 participants (58% women; mean [standard deviation] age = 44.42 [15.93] years; range, 18Y94 years) from the SardiNIA project completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, a comprehensive measure of personality traits, and their blood samples were assayed for leptin. Results: As expected, lower conscientiousness was associated with higher circulating levels of leptin (r = -0.05, p < .001), even after controlling for body mass index, waist circumference, or inflammatory markers (r = -0.05, p < .001). Neuroticism, in contrast, was unrelated to leptin (r = 0.01, p = .31). Conclusions: Individuals who are impulsive and lack discipline (low conscientiousness) may develop leptin resistance, which could be one factor that contributes to obesity, whereas the relation between a proneness to anxiety and depression (high neuroticism) and obesity may be mediated through other physiological and/or behavioral pathways
The vanishing author in computer-generated works: a critical analysis of recent Australian case law
No full textAbstract
The use of software is ubiquitous in the creation of many copyright works, yet the requirement in copyright law that every work have a human author who engages in independent intellectual effort means that its use may prevent copyright subsistence. Several recent Australian cases have refocused attention on authorship as an essential criterion of copyright subsistence, and these cases suggest that much computer-produced output may be authorless and thus lack copyright protection. This article, the first in a two-part series, analyses how each case deals with the question of authorship of computer-produced works and why the use of software diminishes copyright protection for a significant number of computer-generated works. The article critiques the application of conventional notions of human authorship developed in the pre-computer age to modern productions and suggests alternative approaches to authorship that satisfy both the major objectives of copyright policy and the need to adapt to the computer age. The article argues that, without a broader judicial approach to authorship of computer-generated works, Parliament must remedy the lacuna in protection for these ‘authorless’ works. Possible solutions for reform are suggested. In a forthcoming article, the author comprehensively examines those reform proposals
Drumheller, AB
No full textNotes - A history of the Ursaline order in Drumheller, AB from 1935 to 1985 (2 pages)Drumhelle
Neuroticism, depressive symptoms, and serum BDNF
No full textObjective: Animal models and clinical studies suggest that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in the pathophysiology of depression. We test whether serum and plasma levels of BDNF are associated with trait neuroticism and its facets and with state measures of depressive symptoms. Methods: In a community-based cohort (N = 2099), we measured serum and plasma BDNF concentrations and administered the Revised NEO Personality Inventory and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Covariates included age, sex, cigarette smoking, obesity, and antidepressant use. RESULTS:: Serum BDNF concentrations were inversely related to neuroticism (r =-0.074, p < .001), in particular the depression facet (r =-0.08, p < .001). Lower BDNF concentrations were also associated with severe depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale 28; odds ratio = 0.906; 95% confidence interval = 0.851-0.965). The association of serum BDNF with neuroticism was independent of depressive symptoms, indicating that serum BDNF might represent a biological correlate of neuroticism and not just of transient depressive states. Plasma BDNF was not associated with measures of depression. Conclusions: Our study suggests that lower serum BDNF is associated with both a dispositional vulnerability to depression and acute depressive states in the general population
Impulsivity is Associated with Uric Acid: Evidence from Humans and Mice
No full textBackground: The ability to control impulses varies greatly, and difficulty with impulse control can have severe consequences; in the extreme, it is the defining feature of many psychiatric disorders. Evidence from disparate lines of research suggests that uric acid is elevated in psychiatric disorders characterized by high impulsivity, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and bipolar disorder. The present research tests the hypothesis that impulsivity is associated with higher uric acid in humans and mice. Methods: Using two longitudinal, nonclinical community samples (total n = 6883), we tested whether there is an association between uric acid and normal variation in trait impulsivity measured with the Revised NEO Personality Inventory. We also examined the effect of uric acid on behavior by comparing wild-type mice, which naturally have low levels of uric acid, with mice genetically modified to accumulate high levels of uric acid. Results: In both human samples, the emotional aspects of trait impulsivity, specifically impulsiveness and excitement seeking, were associated with higher levels of uric acid concurrently and when uric acid was measured 3 to 5 years later. Consistent with the human data, the genetically modified mice displayed significantly more exploratory and novelty-seeking behavior than the wild-type mice. Conclusions: Higher uric acid was associated with impulsivity in both humans and mice. The identification of biological markers of impulsivity may lead to a better understanding of the physiological mechanisms involved in impulsivity and may suggest potential targets for therapeutic intervention
Souvenir of Edmonton, AB
No full textBooklet - Souvenir of Edmonton - The Capital City of Alberta. Collection of photographs in a green cover tied with string, Edmonton, AB (48 pages
Ab initio pair potentials at metal-ceramic interfaces
No full textA systematic approach is proposed to obtain the interfacial interatomic potentials. By inverting ab initio adhesive energy curves for the metal-MgO ceramic interfaces, We derive interfacial potentials between Ag and O2-, Ag and Mg2+, Al and O2-, Al and Mg2+. The interfacial potentials, obtained from this method, demonstrate general features of bondings between metal atoms and ceramic ions
Perceptions of pre- and post-event impacts of PEI 2014 year-long celebrations
No full textThis study examines Canadian perceptions of pre- and post-event impacts of the PEI 2014 Celebrations using the 2013 and 2015 surveys of PEI residents and other Canadians conducted by the Centre for Tourism Research. Overall, results indicate that Canadians’ awareness of, knowledge about, and attitudes toward the 1864 Charlottetown Conference and the PEI 2014 Celebrations increased and positively changed over time. The research also suggests that event organizers and/or destination tourism managers need to put greater emphasis on the “socio-cultural aspects” of the event such as community participation and cultural identity, and make an effort to increase tourism volume and value in order to obtain strong support from residents and be successful
Ultra-low-power, class-AB, CMOS four-quadrant current multiplier
No full textA class-AB four-quadrant current multiplier constituted by a class-AB current amplifier and a current splitter which can handle input signals in excess of ten times the bias current is presented. The proposed circuit operation is based on the exponential characteristic of BJTs or subthreshold MOSFETs. The multiplier is designed using the latter devices and achieves very low power consumption. Simulation results show that from a 0.65 V supply, the proposed circuit consumes 12.4 nW static power while less than 30 dB total harmonic distortion is achieved for an input modulation index up to 10.Microelectronics & Computer EngineeringElectrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc
Records of Empire, Monarchy, or Nation? The Archival Heritage of the Habsburgs in East Central Europe
No full textThis contribution to Ab Imperio's forum on the archives of empires examines the history of central government archives in the Habsburg Monarchy of East Central Europe from the sixteenth through twentieth centuries. The court, financial, and military archives in the imperial capital at first only served official purposes, but by the nineteenth century also supported historical research. Later the provinces and emerging national states also developed archives and made them accessible to historians. The multinational empire dissolved in 1918 and its successor states competed for possession of the central archives. National archives were considered essential for the creation of national states and histories
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