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Although ingroup bias is well confirmed in various groups, the extent of the bias is affected by culture. Using a point‐assignment task and implicit association task (IAT) paradigm, we conducted research to explore the influence of independent/interdependent self‐construal ingroup bias in live and minimal group situations from both explicit and implicit aspects. The results showed that no matter which construal style was used (independent or interdependent self‐construal), participants showed ingroup bias in both live and minimal groups. In the minimal group condition, the ingroup bias of individuals with independent self‐construal was significantly higher than that of individuals with interdependent self‐construal. Conversely, in the live group condition, the ingroup bias of individuals with interdependent self‐construal was significantly higher than that of individuals with independent self‐construal. This study showed the influence of independent/interdependent self‐construal on ingroup bias and group type is a moderating variable. Results indicate that group categorization may play an essential role in ingroup bias of different group types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of communication, previous researchers who employed the serial reproduction method have mainly used written communication and fictional story assessment techniques. To extend the literature, we conducted 2 studies to explore the communication of stereotype-relevant information using the face-to-face oral serial reproduction method. A research report containing stereotypical information about Tchambuli men (Study 1, N = 40), and a fictional story containing stereotypical information about a football player (Study 2, N = 40), were transmitted through 10 separate chains involving 4 people each. Results in both studies showed that people transmitted more stereotype-consistent than stereotype-inconsistent information, regardless of whether they were retelling a research report or a fictional story. Thus, face-to-face oral serial communication contributes to the maintenance of shared stereotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) are members of lipid-binding proteins that participate in lipid uptake and intracellular transport. This study was designed to investigate the effects of the liver bile acid-binding protein (LBABP) and the liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) genes on chicken growth and body composition traits. Three SNPs (SNP1, SNP2 and SNP3) of the L-BABP and six SNPs (SNP7-SNP9, SNP11-SNP13) of the L-FABP were detected firstly by DNA sequencing. Seven SNPs (SNP6 and SNP15-SNP20) of the L-FABP were detected by DNA sequencing and were found in the chicken genomic databases at the same time. Sequenom MassARRAY was developed to genotype 966 birds from the Northeast Agricultural University F2 (NEAUF2) resource population and the Northeast Agricultural University broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat content (NEAUHLF) population. Linkage disequilibrium analysis showed that the L-BABP SNPs appeared to be strongly linked with each otherand were located within a haplotype block in both populations. SNP7 and SNP8, SNP12 and SNP13, SNP19 and SNP20 of the L-FABP were in strong linkage disequilibrium, respectively. The L-BABP polymorphisms were significantly associated with body weight (BW) (P<0.05) in the NEAUF2 and the NEAUHLF populations and abdominal fat weight (AFW) and abdominal fat percentage (AFP) (P<0.05) in the NEAUHLF population. The LBABP diplotypes were significantly associated with BW (P<0.05) in the NEAUF2 and the NEAUHLF populations. There was no consistent association between the thirteen SNPs of the L-FABP and the growth and body composition traits in either the NEAUF2 or the NEAUHLF populations. The research suggests that the L-BABP could be a candidate locus to affect growth traits in chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In two related studies, we explored the influence of perspective taking on the moderation of negative cognitive responses induced by intergroup threat. In Study 1 we recruited undergraduate students at Southwest University who came from rural areas in China. Participants were randomly assigned to either a threat condition group or a control group. We presented to all participants a policy advantageous to urban students and measured their level of opposition. Participants in the threat condition were more opposed to the policy than were the participants in the control condition. In Study 2 we manipulated perspective taking and again measured the level of opposition of a group of students from rural areas to a policy advantageous to urban students. Participants in the perspective-taking condition were less opposed to the policy than were those in the control condition. In summary, perspective taking positively influenced the moderation of negative cognitive responses induced by intergroup threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we examined whether the shifting function can be modulated by intergroup threat, and if so, how this works. We conducted 2 experiments, using a task-switching paradigm, the results of which provide converging evidence that intergroup threat can impair the shifting function. Results showed that participants in the threat condition in each study (Study 1 symbolic threat: n = 29; Study 2 realistic threat: n = 29) experienced greater shifting costs than did those in the control condition (Study 1: n = 29; Study 2: n = 28). Further, group identification moderated the depletion effect in the intergroup threat condition, with participants closer (vs. less close) in group identification showing greater switching costs following the intergroup threat intervention. In sum, these results suggest that intergroup threat could deplete switching ability, and this effect could be influenced by group identification. In future studies researchers should investigate more kinds of intergroup threat than those we used in this study to assess the generalizability of our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease that causes unremitting deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, thus resulting in distortion of the pulmonary architecture and impaired gas exchange. Associated with high morbidity and mortality, IPF is generally refractory to current pharmacological therapies. Lefty A, a potent inhibitor of transforming growth factor-β signaling, has been shown to have promising antifibrotic ability in vitro for the treatment of renal fibrosis and other potential organ fibroses. Here, we determined whether Lefty A can attenuate bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in vivo based on a novel therapeutic strategy where human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells are genetically engineered with the Lefty A-associated GFP gene. The engineered HEK293 cells were encapsulated in alginate microcapsules and then subcutaneously implanted in ICR mice that had 1 wk earlier been intratracheally administered BLM to induce pulmonary fibrosis. The severity of fibrosis in lung tissue was assessed using pathological morphology and collagen expression to examine the effect of Lefty A released from the microencapsulated cells. The engineered HEK293 cells with Lefty A significantly reduced the expression of connective tissue growth factor and collagen type I mRNA, lessened the morphological fibrotic effects induced by BLM, and increased the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9. This illustrates that engineered HEK293 cells with Lefty A can attenuate pulmonary fibrosis in vivo, thus providing a novel method to treat human pulmonary fibrotic disease and other organ fibroses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]