Whose Gene Is It? A Case Discussion About Familial Conflict over Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer

A multidisciplinary group of genetic and other professionals discuss a complex case of familial conflict over access to genetic information. One twin wishes to know the results of her deceased mother's tests for BRCA1 mutations; a second twin objects to researchers making this information available. As the case discussion unfolds, the apparent facts of this case are called into question and the lines of ethical certainty become less clear.     

Reverie: between thought and prayer

Abstract:  Taking inspiration from a quotation by Lao Tzu, this paper considers 'reverie' as a dynamic process of containment as well as a state of mind. Reverie as a quality of thought akin to prayer is explored in the relationship between self and other. In infant observation, the paper contemplates the development of a baby's capacity to reach beyond the personal world to an archetypal experience of being held, where the creation of an internal space in mind could indicate the beginnings of spiritual awareness. 'Maternal/analytic reverie' views the passage of unconscious communication between patient and analyst as the result of a 'window' opening in the meniscus of the analyst's self. 'Paternal/supervisory reverie' reflects on the impact on a patient of an extra containing mind of a supervisor. 'Archetypal reverie' considers the transforming impact of numinous dreams on the psyche, and reflects on the power of prayer. Drawing on clinical examples from these four areas, the aim is to demonstrate the usefulness of the 'void within' and the perceptive function of emptiness in the 'doors and windows' of our mind.     

Effects of LY354740, a novel glutamatergic metabotropic agonist, on nonhuman primate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and noradrenergic function

The search for novel anxiolytics and antidepressants has focused on compounds with the potential to reduce excessive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. L-glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter ubiquitously present within the central nervous system, conceivably plays an important role in activating the neural sites involved in stress modulation. Deactivation of the HPA axis by glutamatergic neurotransmission modulation may represent a novel therapeutic approach. Accordingly, the acute intravenous effects of the novel metabotropic (mGlu2/3) agonist LY354740 were tested on bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) undergoing acute infusions of yohimbine, a noradrenergic stimulant. Dependent measures were the magnitude of the increase of plasma cortisol and plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) customarily elicited by yohimbine. Next, the effects of 6 weeks of chronic oral administration of LY354740 on baseline (postcapture) plasma cortisol and MHPG levels in comparison to the identical measure in untreated controls were assessed. Subjects chronically treated with LY354740 received yohimbine infusions which were compared to yohimbine infusions and saline infusions in non-LY354740-treated subjects. Preliminary evidence supports the view that acute LY354740 infusion resulted in a marked diminution of yohimbine-induced stress response, as manifest by a substantial attenuation of cortisol and MHPG response observed in comparison to the saline-treated yohimbine condition. Chronic oral administration of LY354740 led to postcapture baseline cortisol levels which were markedly reduced (approximately 50 percent) in comparison to untreated control subjects; however, there were no significant parallel differences in MHPG levels. Yohimbine infusions elicited an increase in cortisol and MHPG levels in both LY354740-treated and non-LY354740-treated subjects, in comparison to declines in cortisol values observed following vehicle infusions (group X time interaction; P<.0001). Chronic LY354740-treated subjects failed to achieve cortisol levels comparable in range to those of untreated subjects primarily because of their low baseline cortisol levels. In contrast, despite equivalent baselines, yohimbine-induced MHPG values were increased overall in the chronically treated group compared to the saline and yohimbine-alone groups. Thus, LY354740 markedly reduced the acute corticoid and noradrenergic response elicited by yohimbine infusion. Chronic administration of LY354740 appears to present a safe and effective mechanism to markedly down-modulate the HPA axis while retaining noradrenergic responsivity.     

Religiosity and Exposure to Users in Explaining Illicit Drug Use among Emerging Adults

Religiosity is a protective factor against illicit drug use, but further investigation is needed to delineate which components of religiosity are protective against use. A racially diverse sample (N = 962) was surveyed about religiosity, exposure to users, and recent use of marijuana, powder cocaine, ecstasy, and nonmedical use of opioids and amphetamine. Results suggest that identifying as Agnostic increased odds of use for each of the five drugs; however, this effect disappeared when controlling for religious importance and attendance. High levels of religious attendance were protective against recent use of marijuana and cocaine, but protective effects diminished when controlling for exposure to users, which was a robust predictor of use of every drug. Religion is a protective mechanism against drug use, but this effect may diminish in light of exposure to users. Alternative preventative methods need to be directed toward individuals who are not religious or are highly exposed to users.     

Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21: Factor Structure and Test-Retest Invariance,and Temporal Stability and Uniqueness of Latent Factors in Older Adults

This study examined the factor structure and test-retest invariance, and temporal stability and uniqueness of the latent factors (depression, anxiety, and stress) of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995) in group a of 269 older adults (age ranging from 60 to 85 years) from the general community. Participants completed the DASS-21 twice, 3 months apart. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of their ratings at Time 1 indicated support for the original 3-factor oblique model (factors for depression, anxiety, and stress). Additional analyses showed support for test-retest invariance for both the measurement (configural, metric and thresholds) and structural (variances and covariances) components of this model. Results also indicated temporal stability and uniqueness of the latent factors. The practical, theoretical, research and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.     

Effects of absolute luminance and luminance contrast on visual search in low mesopic environments

Diverse adaptive visual processing mechanisms allow us to complete visual search tasks in a wide visual photopic range (>0.6 cd/m²). Whether search strategies or mechanisms known from this range extend below, in the mesopic and scotopic luminance spectra (<0.6 cd/m²), has yet to be addressed. Based on a study that addressed simple target discrimination in luminance environments using contrast-dependent behavioral efficiency functions, we assessed visual search in more complex-feature and conjunction-search paradigms. The results verify the previously reported deficiency windows defined by an interaction of base luminance and luminance contrast for more complex visual-search tasks. Based on significant regression analyses, a more precise definition of the magnitude of contribution of different contrast parameters. Characterized feature search patterns had approximately a 2.5:1 ratio of contribution from the Michelson contrast property relative to Weber contrast, whereas the ratio was approximately 1:1 in a serial-search condition. The results implicate near-complete magnocellular isolation in a visual-search paradigm that has yet to be demonstrated. Our analyses provide a new method of characterizing visual search and the first insight in its underlying mechanisms in luminance environments in the low mesopic and scotopic spectra.

     

Eye-movement-contingent display changes are not compromised by flicker and phosphor persistence

The eye-movement-contingent display change technique has been used in a large number of studies to control the visibility of text when eye movements are monitored. Recently, the validity of the method has been questioned. O’Regan (1990) argued that technical imperfections in the implementation of the display change, rather than manipulation of visible text, account for some of the reported effects. This view was tested in the present study by manipulating characteristics of the display change and the linguistic task. Consistent with prior results, reading was hampered when eye-movement-contingent display changes were used to mask segments of text prior to their fixation. However, these costs were unrelated to the quality of the implemented display change and appear to have derived solely from the masking of useful text.