Mindfulness, Acceptance and Defusion Strategies in Smokers: a Systematic Review of Laboratory Studies

The psychological flexibility model (PFM) provides a framework for understanding and treating behavioural dysregulation in addictions. Rather than modulating the intensity of subjective experience, interventions based on, or consistent with, the PFM (PFM interventions) seek to alter the individual’s relationship to internal states, such as craving, negative affect and drug-related thoughts, using mindfulness, acceptance and related strategies. Experimental (non-clinical) studies in smokers have examined the effects of specific isolated strategies informed by or consistent with the PFM (PFM strategies). Here, we systematically review these studies and determine the extent to which they conform to methodological standards indicative of high levels of internal validity. Eligible studies were identified through electronic database searches and assessed for the presence of specific methodological features. Provisional aggregate effect sizes were determined depending on availability of data. Of 1499 screened publications, 12 met the criteria. All examined aspects of private subjective experience relevant to abstinence (craving n = 12; negative affect n = 10), demonstrating effects favouring PFM strategies relative to inactive control conditions. However, only six assessed outcome domains consistent with the PFM and provided no consistent evidence favouring PFM strategies. Overall, most studies had methodological limitations. As such, high-quality experimental studies continue to be needed to improve our understanding of necessary and/or sufficient constituents of PFM-guided smoking cessation interventions. Recommendations for future research are discussed

Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Nicotine Pharmacology and Dependence.

Tobacco dependence is a leading cause of preventable disease and death worldwide. Nicotine, the main psychoactive component in tobacco cigarettes, has also been garnering increased popularity in its vaporized form, as derived from e-cigarette devices. Thus, an understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying nicotine pharmacology and dependence is required to ascertain novel approaches to treat drug dependence. In this chapter, we review the field's current understanding of nicotine's actions in the brain, the neurocircuitry underlying drug dependence, factors that modulate the function of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, and the role of specific genes in mitigating the vulnerability to develop nicotine dependence. In addition to nicotine's direct actions in the brain, other constituents in nicotine and tobacco products have also been found to alter drug use, and thus, evidence is provided to highlight this issue. Finally, currently available pharmacotherapeutic strategies are discussed, along with an outlook for future therapeutic directions to achieve to the goal of long-term nicotine cessation

Restructuring Reward Mechanisms in Nicotine Addiction: A Pilot fMRI Study of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Cigarette Smokers

The primary goal of this pilot feasibility study was to examine the effects of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), a behavioral treatment grounded in dual-process models derived from cognitive science, on frontostriatal reward processes among cigarette smokers. Healthy adult (N=13; mean (SD) age 49 ± 12.2) smokers provided informed consent to participate in a 10-week study testing MORE versus a comparison group (CG). All participants underwent two fMRI scans: pre-tx and after 8-weeks of MORE. Emotion regulation (ER), smoking cue reactivity (CR), and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) were assessed at each fMRI visit; smoking and mood were assessed throughout. As compared to the CG, MORE significantly reduced smoking (d=2.06) and increased positive affect (d=2.02). MORE participants evidenced decreased CR-BOLD response in ventral striatum (VS; d=1.57) and ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC; d=1.7) and increased positive ER-BOLD in VS (dVS=2.13) and vPFC (dvmPFC=2.66). Importantly, ER was correlated with smoking reduction (r’s = .68 to .91) and increased positive affect (r’s = .52 to .61). These findings provide preliminary evidence that MORE may facilitate the restructuring of reward processes and play a role in treating the pathophysiology of nicotine addiction

Regulation of proteinaceous effector expression in phytopathogenic fungi

Effectors are molecules used by microbial pathogens to facilitate infection via effector-triggered susceptibility or tissue necrosis in their host. Much research has been focussed on the identification and elucidating the function of fungal effectors during plant pathogenesis. By comparison, knowledge of how phytopathogenic fungi regulate the expression of effector genes has been lagging. Several recent studies have illustrated the role of various transcription factors, chromosome-based control, effector epistasis, and mobilisation of endosomes within the fungal hyphae in regulating effector expression and virulence on the host plant. Improved knowledge of effector regulation is likely to assist in improving novel crop protection strategies

A systematic review of cannabis health warning research

Background: Cannabis legalization provides an opportunity to communicate with consumers through mandated health warnings on cannabis packaging. However, research on cannabis health warnings is a nascent field. Therefore, a review is needed to synthesize cannabis health warning research and inform ongoing policy discussions. Methods: This paper used systematic review guidelines to search online databases, including PubMed Central, Scopus, Web of Science, Jstor, Communication and Mass Media Complete, Medline, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar. Search strings combined the terms “cannabis” or “marijuana” with “health warning” or “health warning message” or “warning label” or “health warning label” or “health information label.” Results were synthesized narratively. Results: The search identified 90 research articles. After screening, 17 studies on the impact of cannabis health warnings were retained. Retained studies focused on the hypothetical effects of cannabis health warnings (n = 11; 64.7 %) and “real world” effects of implementing warnings post-legalization (n = 6; 35.3 %). Evidence indicated mandated cannabis health warnings improved noticing and recall of health warning content. Cannabis health warnings describing risks of addiction were consistently rated the least effective. Pictorial cannabis health warnings generally outperformed text-only warnings when displayed on their own, while experiments with warnings on products had mixed results. Cannabis health warnings decreased product appeal, mainly when package branding was minimized. Conclusions: Health warnings on cannabis packaging are an important strategy to communicate risk to consumers. Mandating warnings increased notice, recall, and health knowledge. Warnings with pictures and describing specific risks were most effective, as was showing warnings without product branding

Institutional Translation – EMT Competence Framework and Beyond

International audienceThis chapter reports results from a survey that targeted institutional translators in 2021 to examine the skills and competences they consider relevant in their work. The survey was based on the EMT (European Master’s in Translation) Competence Framework (European Commission 2017), and the chapter also describes the path to the 2017 Competence Framework, as well as a longitudinal study on translation students, focusing on their own perceptions of their competences. The results from the translator survey indicate the importance of translation and personal/interpersonal skills in institutional translating, the highest-rated skill being compliance with deadlines, instructions and specifications. The lowest-rated skills among the respondents were related to service provision. The results may serve as a basis for further development of the Competence Framework itself or its specification for different specializations, such as translating for institutions

Institutional Translation – EMT Competence Framework and Beyond

International audienceThis chapter reports results from a survey that targeted institutional translators in 2021 to examine the skills and competences they consider relevant in their work. The survey was based on the EMT (European Master’s in Translation) Competence Framework (European Commission 2017), and the chapter also describes the path to the 2017 Competence Framework, as well as a longitudinal study on translation students, focusing on their own perceptions of their competences. The results from the translator survey indicate the importance of translation and personal/interpersonal skills in institutional translating, the highest-rated skill being compliance with deadlines, instructions and specifications. The lowest-rated skills among the respondents were related to service provision. The results may serve as a basis for further development of the Competence Framework itself or its specification for different specializations, such as translating for institutions

P3 event-related potential (ERP) response to alcohol cues and associated ecologically assessed drinking trajectories: A longitudinal investigation

Other than investigations following those undergoing AUD treatment, few studies have tracked how one’s response to alcohol cues changes over time or how changing levels of alcohol involvement are associated with cue reactivity. The proposed study will document how changes in alcohol use affect changes in incentive salience attribution to alcohol cues. This project will utilize data from a large longitudinal study and assist in determining the degree to which alcohol cue reactivity is a stable, trait-like characteristic versus malleable as a function of changes in alcohol involvement. In this study, alcohol cue reactivity measured using electroencephalography (EEG) event-related potential (ERP) methodology and reports of aggregated, broad-level alcohol involvement were recorded at three waves of data collection spanning ~21 months. Participants also made real-world reports of alcohol use in the natural environment, collected using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocols, during the first two of three waves. This project will use aggregated reports of alcohol use over 30 days to assess the associations between changes in alcohol involvement and changes in alcohol cue reactivity (assessed via the P3 ERP component response to alcohol cues; ACRP3) over two waves of data collection. In addition, the use of EMA methodology allows us to investigate the degree to which changes in within-episode drinking dynamics in the real-world environment correspond to changes in ACRP3 at two waves