POST-PRINT MANUSCRIPT - I know you so I will regulate you: Closeness but not target’s emotion type affects all stages of extrinsic emotion regulation

The Extended Process Model of Emotion Regulation outlines the processes people use to influence the timing and type of emotions they have. The current study applies this model to extrinsic regulation (regulating others’ emotions). In a 2x2 between-subject design, we examine how the target person’s emotion (anger/anxiety), and target/regulator closeness (close/distant) interact to predict the regulator’s intention to regulate, regulation process choice, evaluation of regulation success (regulation self-efficacy), and empathy toward the target. Participants (N = 266) were randomly allocated to one of four conditions to read three vignettes where a close/distant target expressed anger/anxiety. Compared to distant targets, close targets elicited significantly greater intention to regulate, social sharing (but not humor, reappraisal, or distancing), self-efficacy of implementation and empathy. There was no support for emotion type or emotion-by-closeness hypotheses. We conclude that closeness but not emotion type affects emotion regulation at all three stages of the Extended Process Model of Emotion Regulation. Future research could include the effect of closeness on additional processes (such as direct situation modification, or giving space).

The Relationship between Beliefs about Emotions and Emotion Regulation: A Systematic Review

Emotion regulation is a known predictor for psychopathology and a target for treatment. A growing body of literature has examined the role of beliefs about emotions (BEs) in the emotion regulation process, yet the relationship between the two has yet to be systematically evaluated. A systematic review was conducted across five databases and 22 studies that assessed the relationship between BEs and emotion regulation were identified. The findings generally revealed a positive relationship between beliefs about the controllability and goodness of emotions and emotion regulation. There was strong evidence that beliefs about controllability were consistently associated with ‘active’ emotion regulatory strategies. This outcome has important implications for targeting change in therapy. However, further investigation is needed to establish consistent patterns regarding beliefs about the goodness of emotion and emotion regulation using longitudinal designs.

The pathogenesis of psoriasis: insight into a complex “Mobius Loop” regulation process

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a complex mechanism, which is believed to be mainly based on immune disorders and activation of inflammatory pathways. However, we have combed through the literature and found that the pathogenesis of psoriasis might involve a “mobius loop” of “immunity-inflammation-oxidative stress-proliferation” process. The disordered immune environment of the skin might act as the basis, the outbreak of inflammatory factors as the mediator, and the imbalance of oxidative stress homeostasis as the activator. These factors work together, leading to abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes and further immune abnormalities, finally aggravating psoriasis. Therefore, here we review the latest evidence and advance in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, trying to contribute to further understanding and treatment of psoriasis.

Adult Shell-size Regulation in Conispirally-coiled Shells: Evidence for a Widespread Negative Covariance between Whorls Growth-rate and the Final Number of Whorls in Land Snails

As shown, in particular, by the late S.J. Gould, the involvement of a regulation process, aiming at limiting the range of intraspecific variations in adult shell size, in those land snail species with determinate growth, can be indirectly, but conveniently, diagnosed by highlighting a negative covariance between the whorls growth-rate and the whorls number reached at adulthood. However, up to now, such kind of regulation had only been demonstrated in very few cases among land snails and shelled Gastropods in general. Accordingly, quite more extensive checking is required, across both the taxonomic spectrum and the geometrical range of shell profiles. The present report is a very preliminary contribution addressing these issues, which have been neglected for too long. Considering a still limited number of eight species, yet largely encompassing both taxonomic range and shell profiles, it is shown that strong negative covariances between whorls growth-rate and whorls number are systematically highlighted, thereby supporting the involvement of an efficient regulation process of adult shell size and shape in each eight species. Moreover, the degree of regulation of the adult shell size has been quantified and this regulation proves being remarkably effective as a whole, while yet remaining highly species-specific, with very significant disparities among species – and this, somewhat surprisingly, being quite irrespective of the type of geometrical profiles of shells, among the studied species.

Nitrogen, Iron and Zinc Acquisition: Key Nutrients to Aspergillus fumigatus Virulence

Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous soil decomposer and an opportunistic pathogen that is characterized by its large metabolic machinery for acquiring nutrients from media. Lately, an ever-increasing number of genes involved in fungal nutrition has been associated with its virulence. Of these, nitrogen, iron, and zinc metabolism-related genes are particularly noteworthy, since 78% of them have a direct implication in virulence. In this review, we describe the sensing, uptake and regulation process of the acquisition of these nutrients, the connections between pathways and the virulence-implicated genes. Nevertheless, only 40% of the genes mentioned in this review have been assayed for roles in virulence, leaving a wide field of knowledge that remains uncertain and might offer new therapeutic and diagnostic targets.