Beyond heritability: neurotransmitter genes differentially modulate visuospatial attention and working memory

A cued, visuospatial attention task and a working memory task were administered to 89 healthy adults genotyped for a T-to-C polymorphism in CHRNA4, a nicotinic receptor subunit gene. Increasing gene dose of the C allele of the CHRNA4 gene (i.e., no C alleles, one C allele, two C alleles) was associated with increased reaction time (RT) benefits of valid attentional cuing and reduced RT costs of invalid cues, but was not associated with working memory performance. In a second experiment, 103 healthy persons were genotyped for a G-to-A polymorphism of the dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) gene. Increasing gene dose of the G allele of the DBH gene was associated with increased working memory accuracy at a high memory load. However, there was no consistent association between the DBH gene and visuospatial attention. Thus, a double dissociation was observed, with visuospatial attention associated with CHRNA4 but not the DBH gene and, conversely, working memory associated with the DBH gene but not CHRNA4. The results show that normal allelic variations in single neurotransmitter genes modulate individual differences in processing components of cognitive functions in healthy individuals.     

Dynamic precipitation at elevated temperatures in a dual-phase AlCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy: an in situ study

ABSTRACT

The effect of a possible phase transformation or precipitation of the face-centred cubic (FCC) phase on intermediate-temperature deformation of a dual-phase AlCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy has been studied using in situ tensile testing at 550°C. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) results showed localised precipitation of the FCC phase during the intermediate-temperature deformation. The overall fracture behaviour and crack propagation of the material was not altered much compared to the room-temperature behaviour, namely brittle trans-granular fracture. Deformation at higher temperatures (above 750°C) is suggested as a way to enhance the dynamic FCC phase precipitation, in order to improve the ductility or deformability of the alloy.     

Impact of encoding depth on awareness of perceptual effects in recognition memory

Pictorial stimuli are more likely to be recognized if they are the same size, rather than a different size, at study and at test. This size congruency effect was replicated in two experiments in which the encoding variables were respectively undivided versus divided attention and level of processing. In terms of performance, these variables influenced recognition and did not influence size congruency effects. But in terms of awareness, measured by remember and know responses, these variables did influence size congruency effects. With undivided attention and with a deep level of processing, size congruency effects occurred only in remembering. With divided attention and with a shallow level of processing, size congruency effects occurred only in knowing. The results show that effects that occur in remembering may also occur independently in knowing. They support theories in which remembering and knowing reflect different memory processes or systems. They do not support the theory that remembering and knowing reflect differences in trace strength.     

Young Rural Males in South Africa Speak on Teenage Pregnancy: “It's Really Her Problem”

The aim of this study was to explore the attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of school-going rural males in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on teenage pregnancy. Two methods of data collection were used, namely, a quantitative survey with a sample of 294 male youth from 10 schools. This was followed by focus group interviews with three groups, each comprising ten males, from three of the schools. Quantitative data examined self reported knowledge, behaviours, beliefs and attitudes of participants relating to teenage pregnancy. Qualitative data from the focus groups generated both an individual and ‘group think and provided insights into the relational construction of these beliefs and behaviours. Although the analysis revealed some mixed reactions, the majority response pointed to ‘dominant male-submissive female’ views of sexual relationships. Most participants supported the notion that the burden of pregnancy fell on the female, with males frequently denying paternity and criticizing females for careless sexual behaviour. Attributions for teenage pregnancy by boys are important for intervention to curtail impact on survivor girls.     

Sit Down and Play: A Preventive Primary Care-Based Program to Enhance Parenting Practices

The primary care office offers an ideal setting to encourage parenting behaviors that promote early childhood development. We conducted a pilot study to establish feasibility and acceptability of Sit Down and Play (SDP), a brief primary care-based program to facilitate positive parenting behaviors through take-home play activities. A prospective 1-month study was conducted in an urban primary care clinic. SDP was administered to 30 caregivers of 6–12 month-old children while they waited for their well-child appointment. Caregivers completed baseline and 4-week follow-up surveys. Open-ended interview questions regarding acceptability and usefulness of SDP were administered and analyzed using content analysis. Parenting practices related to child development were measured with standardized measures and changes analyzed using paired t-test and linear mixed effects models. Most caregivers were mothers (90?%) and non-white (97?%); the majority of children received Medicaid (87?%). There were significant increases in parental reports of practices related to child development (p?<?0.001), including families who reported low incomes (i.e. <$25,000) and received a high-school education or less (p?=?0.001). Four main themes emerged from the open-ended interview data: (1) importance of play, (2) noticing a change in their child, (3) reinforcing existing positive parenting behaviors, and (4) satisfaction with the program. This preliminary study suggests that SDP is a feasible and potentially beneficial program that can be delivered during pediatric well-child visits. Further studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of SDP on parenting behaviors and developmental outcomes.     

Ethical Challenges Arising in the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Overview from the Association of Bioethics Program Directors (ABPD) Task Force

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised a host of ethical challenges, but key among these has been the possibility that health care systems might need to ration scarce critical care resources. Rationing policies for pandemics differ by institution, health system, and applicable law. Most seem to agree that a patient’s ability to benefit from treatment and to survive are first-order considerations. However, there is debate about what clinical measures should be used to make that determination and about other factors that might be ethically appropriate to consider. In this paper, we discuss resource allocation and several related ethical challenges to the healthcare system and society, including how to define benefit, how to handle informed consent, the special needs of pediatric patients, how to engage communities in these difficult decisions, and how to mitigate concerns of discrimination and the effects of structural inequities.