Showing papers by "University of Haifa published in 2009"

Two systems for empathy: a double dissociation between emotional and cognitive empathy in inferior frontal gyrus versus ventromedial prefrontal lesions.

Abstract: Recent evidence suggests that there are two possible systems for empathy: a basic emotional contagion system and a more advanced cognitive perspective-taking system. However, it is not clear whether these two systems are part of a single interacting empathy system or whether they are independent. Additionally, the neuroanatomical bases of these systems are largely unknown. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that emotional empathic abilities (involving the mirror neuron system) are distinct from those related to cognitive empathy and that the two depend on separate anatomical substrates. Subjects with lesions in the ventromedial prefrontal (VM) or inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) cortices and two control groups were assessed with measures of empathy that incorporate both cognitive and affective dimensions. The findings reveal a remarkable behavioural and anatomic double dissociation between deficits in cognitive empathy (VM) and emotional empathy (IFG). Furthermore, precise anatomical mapping of lesions revealed Brodmann area 44 to be critical for emotional empathy while areas 11 and 10 were found necessary for cognitive empathy. These findings are consistent with these cortices being different in terms of synaptic hierarchy and phylogenetic age. The pattern of empathy deficits among patients with VM and IFG lesions represents a first direct evidence of a double dissociation between emotional and cognitive empathy using the lesion method.

Secure Two-Party Computation Is Practical

Abstract: Secure multi-party computation has been considered by the cryptographic community for a number of years. Until recently it has been a purely theoretical area, with few implementations with which to test various ideas. This has led to a number of optimisations being proposed which are quite restricted in their application. In this paper we describe an implementation of the two-party case, using Yao's garbled circuits, and present various algorithmic protocol improvements. These optimisations are analysed both theoretically and empirically, using experiments of various adversarial situations. Our experimental data is provided for reasonably large circuits, including one which performs an AES encryption, a problem which we discuss in the context of various possible applications.

A meta-analysis of sensory modulation symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

Abstract: Sensory modulation symptoms are common in persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); however have a heterogeneous presentation. Results from 14 studies indicated a significant high difference between ASD and typical groups in the presence/frequency of sensory symptoms, with the greatest difference in under-responsivity, followed by over-responsivity and sensation seeking. Three moderators that reduced the variability in findings among studies were: chronological age, severity of autism, and type of control group. Sensory differences were highest for studies of children ages 6-9 years, samples with more than 80% with an autism diagnosis, and compared to a CA matched versus a MA or DD matched group. It is important to consider these moderators in the design of studies and interventions addressing sensory symptoms.

A Proof of Security of Yao’s Protocol for Two-Party Computation

Abstract: In the mid 1980s, Yao presented a constant-round protocol for securely computing any two-party functionality in the presence of semi-honest adversaries (FOCS 1986). In this paper, we provide a complete description of Yao’s protocol, along with a rigorous proof of security. Despite the importance of Yao’s protocol to the theory of cryptography and in particular to the field of secure computation, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that an explicit proof of security has been published.

Defining Internet-Supported Therapeutic Interventions

Abstract: Background The field of Internet-supported therapeutic interventions has suffered from a lack of clarity and consistency. The absence of professional leadership and of accepted governing approaches, terminology, professional standards, and methodologies has caused this field to be diffused and unstructured. Numerous terms have been used to label and describe the activities conducted over the Internet for mental and physical health purposes: web-based therapy, e-therapy, cybertherapy, eHealth, e-Interventions, computer-mediated interventions, and online therapy (or counseling), among others.

Power Relations in Qualitative Research

Abstract: This article focuses on the tensions between the commitment to power redistribution of the qualitative paradigm and the ethical and methodological complexity inherent in clinical research. Qualitative inquiry, in general, though there are significant variations between its different paradigms and traditions, proposes to reduce power differences and encourages disclosure and authenticity between researchers and participants. It clearly departs from the traditional conception of quantitative research, whereby the researcher is the ultimate source of authority and promotes the participants' equal participation in the research process. But it is precisely this admirable desire to democratize the research process, and the tendency to question traditional role boundaries, that raises multiple ethical dilemmas and serious methodological challenges. In this article, we offer a conceptual frame for addressing questions of power distribution in qualitative research through a developmental analysis of power relations across the different stages of the research process. We discuss ethical and methodological issues.

Parental mediation, online activities, and cyberbullying.

Abstract: Cyberbullying, the use of information and communication technologies to intentionally harm others, has become an important area of research. Studies have begun to investigate the extent of cyberbullying and its victims' personality characteristics. Less is known about the effect of specific online activities and the role of parental mediation on the likelihood of being bullied. This study attempts to fill this gap in the literature conducting a secondary analysis of a representative sample of the U.S. youth population, the Teens and Parents survey conducted by the Pew and American Life Project (n = 935). The results indicate that the risk of youth being bullied is higher for adolescents who have an active profile on social networking sites and participate in chat rooms but not in playing games online. Gender differences emerge in risk factors. A few parental mediation techniques are protective, but most are not. The results indicate the need for more parental participation to reduce risks to yout...

The methodology of experimentally induced diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC)-like effect in humans.

Abstract: The exploration of endogenous analgesia (EA) via descending pain-modulatory systems started about three decades ago. The generation of analgesia in the rat by periaquaductal grey (PAG) stimulation was the first evidence for the existence of endogenous analgesic capabilities as a normal function of the central nervous system, exerting both inhibitory and facilatory effects (for review, see [5]). Consequent evidence demonstrated an important final common descending modulatory site in the brainstem, the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), which receives signals directly from the PAG, with both bearing opioid receptors. Subsequently, the RVM forwards signals downward to the spinal cord (for review, see [11]). This dorsolateral funiculus descending inhibitory pain pathway, consisting of serotonergic and noradrenergic neurons, is under ‘top-down’ cerebral control, mediating modulation of pain perception by emotional, motivational, and cognitive factors [5,11]. Further important evidence in this regard came in the late 1970s from Le Bars and his colleagues [21,22], who were the first to associate the effectiveness of the commonly known ‘pain-inhibits-pain’ counter-irritation phenomena with this EA mechanism. They reported that activity in the dorsal horn and trigeminal nuclei is inhibited by the application of noxious electrical stimuli to remote body areas in anaesthetized rats [21,22]. This phenomenon was termed ‘diffuse noxious inhibitory controls’ (DNICs). Both electrophysiological and anatomical data support the involvement of the subnucleus reticularis dorsalis (SRD) in the caudal medulla in spino-bulbo-spinal loops that are exclusively activated by neurons with a ‘whole-body receptive field’ [23]. Their descending projections pass through the dorsolateral funiculus and terminate in the dorsal horn at all levels of the spinal cord. Thus, DNIC is a ‘bottom-up’ activation of the pain-modulatory mechanism, as part of the descending endogenous analgesia (EA) system. In recent years, a DNIC-like effect, also commonly termed HNCS (heterotopic noxious conditioning stimulation), has been identified as an advanced psychophysical measure with high clinical relevancy in the characterization of one’s capacity to modulate pain and consequently one’s susceptibility to acquire pain disorders.

ISSP position stand: To sample or to specialize? Seven postulates about youth sport activities that lead to continued participation and elite performance

Abstract: A comprehensive approach to sport expertise should consider the entire situation that is comprised of the person, the task, the environment, and the complex interplay of these components (Hackfort, 1986). Accordingly, the Developmental Model of Sport Participation (Cote, Baker, & Abernethy, 2007; Cote & Fraser‐Thomas, 2007) provides a comprehensive framework for sport expertise that outlines different pathways of involvement in sport. In pathways one and two, early sampling serves as the foundation for both elite and recreational sport participation. Early sampling is based on two main elements of childhood sport participation: 1) involvement in various sports and 2) participation in deliberate play. In contrast, pathway three shows the course to elite performance through early specialization in one sport. Early specialization implies a focused involvement on one sport and a large number of deliberate practice activities with the goal of improving sport skills and performance during childhood. Th...

Proposed diagnostic criteria for night eating syndrome.

Abstract: Objective: To propose criteria for diagnosis of the night eating syndrome (NES). Method: An international research meeting was held in April 2008, and consensus criteria for NES diagnosis were determined. Results: The core criterion is an abnormally increased food intake in the evening and nighttime, manifested by (1) consumption of at least 25% of intake after the evening meal, and/or (2) nocturnal awakenings with ingestions at least twice per week. Awareness of the eating episodes is required, as is distress or impairment in functioning. Three of five modifiers must also be endorsed. These criteria must be met for a minimum duration of 3 months. Discussion: These criteria help standardize the definition of NES. Additional aspects of the nosology of NES yet to be fully elaborated include its relationship to other eating and sleep disorders. Assessment and analytic tools are needed to assess these new criteria more accurately. © 2009 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2010

Sensory Over-Responsivity in Elementary School: Prevalence and Social-Emotional Correlates

Abstract: Sensory over-responsivity (SOR) towards tactile and auditory input can impact children's participation in academic and social activities; however the prevalence of SOR behaviors and their relation to social-emotional problems and competence has not been rigorously studied. This study investigated SOR in a representative sample of elementary school-aged children (n=925, 50% boys, ages 7-11 years) who were followed from infancy. Sixteen percent of parents reported that at least four tactile or auditory sensations bothered their children. Being bothered by certain sensations was common while others were relatively rare. Parents of children with versus without elevated SOR in school-age reported higher frequencies of early and co-occurring internalizing, externalizing, and dysregulation problems, and lower levels of concurrent adaptive social behaviors. Early identification of elevated SOR and assessment of concurrent social-emotional status are important to minimize their impact on social adaptive behaviors at school age.

Physical attributes, physiological characteristics, on-court performances and nutritional strategies of female and male basketball players.

Abstract: This article reviews a series of studies (n = 51) examining physical attributes, physiological characteristics, on-court performances and nutritional strategies of female and male elite basketball players. These studies included relevant information on physical and physiological variables, such as height, weight, somatotype, relative size, aerobic profile, strength, anaerobic power, agility and speed. Six main findings emerged from our review: (i) differences in physical attributes exist among playing positions and skill levels (e.g. guards tend to be lighter, shorter and more mesomorphic than centres); (ii) maximum aerobic capacity (VO2max) values of female and male players are 44.0–54.0 and 50–60mLO2/kg/min, respectively; (iii) male and female players of higher skill levels tend to have higher vertical jump values; (iv) the more skilled female and male players are faster and more agile than the less skilled players; (v) guards tend to perform more high-intensity movements during game play compared with forwards and centres; and (vi) a water deficit of 2% of bodyweight can lead to reduced physical and mental performance during an actual game. Five limitations associated with the testing protocols used in the studies are outlined, among them the lack of a longitudinal approach, lack of tests performed under physical exertion conditions, and lack of studies using a time-motion analysis. In addition, three practical recommendations for the basketball coach and the strength and conditioning coach are presented. It is concluded that the data emerging from these studies, combined with the knowledge already obtained from the studies on physical and physiological characteristics of elite basketball players, should be applied by basketball and strength and conditioning coaches when planning training programmes for elite basketball players.

Time-Varying Risk Premiums and the Output Gap

Abstract: The output gap, a production-based macroeconomic variable, is a strong predictor of U.S. stock returns. It is a prime business cycle indicator that does not include the level of market prices, thus removing any suspicion that returns are forecastable due to a "fad" in prices being washed away. The output gap forecasts returns both in-sample and out-of-sample, and it is robust to a host of checks. We show that the output gap also has predictive power for excess stock returns in other G7 countries and U.S. excess bond returns. The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org, Oxford University Press.

What We Know about Emotional Intelligence: How It Affects Learning, Work, Relationships, and Our Mental Health.

Abstract: Sorting out the scientific facts from the unsupported hype about emotional intelligence.Emotional intelligence (or EI)?the ability to perceive, regulate, and communicate emotions, to understand emotions in ourselves and others?has been the subject of best-selling books, magazine cover stories, and countless media mentions. It has been touted as a solution for problems ranging from relationship issues to the inadequacies of local schools. But the media hype has far outpaced the scientific research on emotional intelligence. In What We Know about Emotional Intelligence, three experts who are actively involved in research into EI offer a state-of-the-art account of EI in theory and practice. They tell us what we know about EI based not on anecdote or wishful thinking but on science.What We Know about Emotional Intelligence looks at current knowledge about EI with the goal of translating it into practical recommendations in work, school, social, and psychological contexts.

A framework for comparing pollinator performance: effectiveness and efficiency

Abstract: Measuring pollinator performance has become increasingly important with emerging needs for risk assessment in conservation and sustainable agriculture that require multi-year and multi-site comparisons across studies. However, comparing pollinator performance across studies is difficult because of the diversity of concepts and disparate methods in use. Our review of the literature shows many unresolved ambiguities. Two different assessment concepts predominate: the first estimates stigmatic pollen deposition and the underlying pollinator behaviour parameters, while the second estimates the pollinator's contribution to plant reproductive success, for example in terms of seed set. Both concepts include a number of parameters combined in diverse ways and named under a diversity of synonyms and homonyms. However, these concepts are overlapping because pollen deposition success is the most frequently used proxy for assessing the pollinator's contribution to plant reproductive success. We analyse the diverse concepts and methods in the context of a new proposed conceptual framework with a modular approach based on pollen deposition, visit frequency, and contribution to seed set relative to the plant's maximum female reproductive potential. A system of equations is proposed to optimize the balance between idealised theoretical concepts and practical operational methods. Our framework permits comparisons over a range of floral phenotypes, and spatial and temporal scales, because scaling up is based on the same fundamental unit of analysis, the single visit.

Team conflict management and team effectiveness: the effects of task interdependence and team identification

Abstract: The present study explores the dynamics of conflict management as a team phenomenon The study examines how the input variable of task structure (task interdependence) is related to team conflict management style (cooperative versus competitive) and to team performance, and how team identity moderates these relationships Seventy-seven intact work teams from high-technology companies participated in the study Results revealed that at high levels of team identity, task interdependence was positively associated with the cooperative style of conflict management, which in turn fostered team performance Although a negative association was found between competitive style and team performance, this style of team conflict management did not mediate between the interactive effect of task interdependence and team identity on team performance Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Quantitative trait loci conferring grain mineral nutrient concentrations in durum wheat × wild emmer wheat RIL population

Abstract: Mineral nutrient malnutrition, and particularly deficiency in zinc and iron, afflicts over 3 billion people worldwide. Wild emmer wheat, Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides, genepool harbors a rich allelic repertoire for mineral nutrients in the grain. The genetic and physiological basis of grain protein, micronutrients (zinc, iron, copper and manganese) and macronutrients (calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur) concentration was studied in tetraploid wheat population of 152 recombinant inbred lines (RILs), derived from a cross between durum wheat (cv. Langdon) and wild emmer (accession G18-16). Wide genetic variation was found among the RILs for all grain minerals, with considerable transgressive effect. A total of 82 QTLs were mapped for 10 minerals with LOD score range of 3.2-16.7. Most QTLs were in favor of the wild allele (50 QTLs). Fourteen pairs of QTLs for the same trait were mapped to seemingly homoeologous positions, reflecting synteny between the A and B genomes. Significant positive correlation was found between grain protein concentration (GPC), Zn, Fe and Cu, which was supported by significant overlap between the respective QTLs, suggesting common physiological and/or genetic factors controlling the concentrations of these mineral nutrients. Few genomic regions (chromosomes 2A, 5A, 6B and 7A) were found to harbor clusters of QTLs for GPC and other nutrients. These identified QTLs may facilitate the use of wild alleles for improving grain nutritional quality of elite wheat cultivars, especially in terms of protein, Zn and Fe.

Future Orientation: Developmental and Ecological Perspectives

Abstract: Future Orientation: A Conceptual Framework.- The Evolution of Future Orientation from Infancy to Early and Middle Childhood.- Future Orientation in Personality Contexts.- How Gender Affects Future Orientation in Different Cultural Contexts.- The Affect of Parenting on Future Orientation.- The Parenting Mediating Model: The Pivotal Role of the Self.- The Affect of Contemporaries: Siblings and Peers.- Future Orientation Outcomes.- Summary, Conclusions, and Future Directions for Research and Youth Programs.- Appendix: The Assessment and Coding of Future Orientation.

Unravelling the evolution of autumn colours: an interdisciplinary approach

Abstract: Leaf colour change is commonly observed in temperate deciduous forests in autumn. This is not simply a side effect of leaf senescence, and, in the past decade, several hypotheses have emerged to explain the evolution of autumn colours. Yet a lack of crosstalk between plant physiologists and evolutionary ecologists has resulted in slow progress, and so the adaptive value of this colour change remains a mystery. Here we provide an interdisciplinary summary of the current body of knowledge on autumn colours, and discuss unresolved issues and future avenues of research that might help reveal the evolutionary meaning of this spectacle of nature.

Contribution of night and day sleep vs. simple passage of time to the consolidation of motor sequence and visuomotor adaptation learning

Abstract: There is increasing evidence supporting the notion that the contribution of sleep to consolidation of motor skills depends on the nature of the task used in practice. We compared the role of three post-training conditions in the expression of delayed gains on two different motor skill learning tasks: finger tapping sequence learning (FTSL) and visuomotor adaptation (VMA). Subjects in the DaySleep and ImmDaySleep conditions were trained in the morning and at noon, respectively, afforded a 90-min nap early in the afternoon and were re-tested 12 h post-training. In the NightSleep condition, subjects were trained in the evening on either of the two learning paradigms and re-tested 12 h later following sleep, while subjects in the NoSleep condition underwent their training session in the morning and were re-tested 12 h later without any intervening sleep. The results of the FTSL task revealed that post-training sleep (day-time nap or night-time sleep) significantly promoted the expression of delayed gains at 12 h post-training, especially if sleep was afforded immediately after training. In the VMA task, however, there were no significant differences in the gains expressed at 12 h post-training in the three conditions. These findings suggest that “off-line” performance gains reflecting consolidation processes in the FTSL task benefit from sleep, even a short nap, while the simple passage of time is as effective as time in sleep for consolidation of VMA to occur. They also imply that procedural memory consolidation processes differ depending on the nature of task demands.

Mediation of User Models: for Enhanced Personalization in Recommender Systems

Abstract: Provision of personalized recommendations to users requires accurate modeling of their interests and needs. This work proposes a general framework and specific methodologies for enhancing the accuracy of user modeling in recommender systems by importing and integrating data collected by other recommender systems. Such a process is defined as user models mediation. The work discusses the details of such a generic user modeling mediation framework. It provides a generic user modeling data representation model, demonstrates its compatibility with existing recommendation techniques, and discusses the general steps of the mediation. Specifically, four major types of mediation are presented: cross-user, cross-item, cross-context, and cross-representation. Finally, the work reports the application of the mediation framework and illustrates it with practical mediation scenarios. Evaluations of these scenarios demonstrate the potential benefits of user modeling data mediation, as in certain conditions it allows improving the quality of the recommendations provided to the users.

What We Know about Emotional Intelligence: How It Affects Learning, Work, Relationships, and Our Mental Health

Abstract: Sorting out the scientific facts from the unsupported hype about emotional intelligenceEmotional intelligence (or EI)?the ability to perceive, regulate, and communicate emotions, to understand emotions in ourselves and others?has been the subject of best-selling books, magazine cover stories, and countless media mentions It has been touted as a solution for problems ranging from relationship issues to the inadequacies of local schools But the media hype has far outpaced the scientific research on emotional intelligence In What We Know about Emotional Intelligence, three experts who are actively involved in research into EI offer a state-of-the-art account of EI in theory and practice They tell us what we know about EI based not on anecdote or wishful thinking but on scienceWhat We Know about Emotional Intelligence looks at current knowledge about EI with the goal of translating it into practical recommendations in work, school, social, and psychological contexts

In-Network Outlier Detection in Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract: To address the problem of unsupervised outlier detection in wireless sensor networks, we develop an approach that (1) is flexible with respect to the outlier definition, (2) computes the result in-network to reduce both bandwidth and energy usage,(3) only uses single hop communication thus permitting very simple node failure detection and message reliability assurance mechanisms (e.g., carrier-sense), and (4) seamlessly accommodates dynamic updates to data. We examine performance using simulation with real sensor data streams. Our results demonstrate that our approach is accurate and imposes a reasonable communication load and level of power consumption.