Relations between measures of executive functions and self-regulation in preschoolers

"Performance on different measures of executive functions (EF) and self-regulation (SR) does not always correspond to the behaviour children show in real-life situations. The present study assesses the relationships between performances on different EF and SR measures and teacher ratings of children’s selfcontrol and thoughtfulness. In total, 217 children between 34 and 72 months (54% boys) were assessed. Four tests measuring cognitive EF (Digit Span backward, Block Recall, Day-Night Stroop, Hearts and Flowers) and two tests measuring behavioural EF (Tower) and SR (Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders [HTKS]) were administered. Additionally, teachers rated the dimension ‘self-control and thoughtfulness’ of the German observation scale ‘Social‐emotional well‐being and resilience of children in early childhood settings’ (PERiK). It was found that all measures differentiated with regard to age in the range of three to six years. Correlations between cognitive EF measures with the HTKS were almost twice as high as correlations with the Tower. This indicates that the HTKS taps similar processes as the cognitive EF measures. Teacher ratings did not show higher correlations with behavioural EF and SR than with cognitive EF measures. Also, behavioural EF and SR measures did not predict scores obtained on the teacher rating better than cognitive EF measure. This article discusses to what extent distinctions among measures of EF and SR are possible and useful." (author's abstract)"Die Leistung bei standardisierten Verfahren zur Erfassung der exekutiven Funktionen (EF) und Selbstregulation (SR) passt nicht immer zu dem Niveau an Selbstkontrolle, dass Kinder im Kindergartenalter in realen Situationen zeigen. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die Zusammenhänge zwischen den Leistungen bei verschiedenen Tests zu EF und SR und der Fremdeinschätzung der Selbstkontrolle, die die Kinder im Kindergartenalltag zeigen, durch pädagogische Fachkräfte. Insgesamt 217 Kinder zwischen 34 und 72 Monaten (54% Jungen) nahmen an der Studie teil. Vier Tests zu Erfassung der kognitiven EF (Zahlen nachsprechen rückwärts, Block Recall, Day-Night Stroop, Hearts and Flowers) und zwei Tests zur Erfassung der behavioralen EF (Turmbau) und der behavioralen SR (Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders [HKTS]) wurden durchgeführt. Darüber hinaus bewerteten pädagogische Fachkräfte die Kinder auf der Skala 'Selbstkontrolle und Rücksichtnahme' des deutschen Beobachtungsbogens 'Positive Entwicklung und Resilienz im Kindergartenalltag' (PERiK). Zusammenhänge zwischen den Messinstrumenten zur kognitiven EF mit den HKTS waren fast doppelt so hoch wie ihre Korrelationen mit dem Turmbau. Dieses Ergebnis weist darauf hin, dass der HTKS, ausgewiesen als Instrument zur Erfassung der behavioralen SR, ähnliche Konstrukte wie die Tests zur Erfassung der kognitiven EF misst. Die Bewertung des Kindesverhaltens durch die pädagogischen Fachkräfte zeigte keine höheren Korrelationen mit den behavioralen als mit den kognitiven Messinstrumenten. Auch die Einschätzung durch die pädagogischen Fachkräfte wird durch die behavioralen Messungen nicht besser vorhergesagt als durch die kognitiven Messungen, wie es erwartet wurde. Es wird diskutiert, inwieweit eine Unterscheidung in die beiden Kategorien von Messinstrumenten möglich und sinnvoll ist." (Autorenreferat

Charting self-esteem during marital dissolution.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to chart changes in self-esteem before and after marital dissolution to identify the factors that shape individuals' self-esteem during this life transition.MethodWe analyzed 10 annual waves of self-esteem data from 291 divorcees from a nationally representative panel study of the Netherlands (N ~ 13,000). We charted the course of self-esteem before and after marital dissolution and tested a broad set of moderator variables that may shape individuals' self-esteem trajectories.ResultsThe average divorcee experienced significant decrease in self-esteem preceding marital dissolution and remained stable afterward. There were substantial individual differences in self-esteem trajectories, both before and after marital separation. Divorcees who experienced financial hardship, were affiliated with a church or religion, or scored low in Conscientiousness showed the most pronounced decrease in self-esteem during the years approaching marital dissolution.ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of assessing people multiple times before and after marital dissolution to dissect how people approach and respond to this life event. Results are consistent with perspectives that view divorce as an opportunity to abate the strains of an unhappy marriage

Regulation of KCNQ2/KCNQ3 Current by G Protein Cycling: The Kinetics of Receptor-mediated Signaling by Gq

Receptor-mediated modulation of KCNQ channels regulates neuronal excitability. This study concerns the kinetics and mechanism of M1 muscarinic receptor–mediated regulation of the cloned neuronal M channel, KCNQ2/KCNQ3 (Kv7.2/Kv7.3). Receptors, channels, various mutated G-protein subunits, and an optical probe for phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) were coexpressed by transfection in tsA-201 cells, and the cells were studied by whole-cell patch clamp and by confocal microscopy. Constitutively active forms of Gαq and Gα11, but not Gα13, caused a loss of the plasma membrane PIP2 and a total tonic inhibition of the KCNQ current. There were no further changes upon addition of the muscarinic agonist oxotremorine-M (oxo-M). Expression of the regulator of G-protein signaling, RGS2, blocked PIP2 hydrolysis and current suppression by muscarinic stimulation, confirming that the Gq family of G-proteins is necessary. Dialysis with the competitive inhibitor GDPβS (1 mM) lengthened the time constant of inhibition sixfold, decreased the suppression of current, and decreased agonist sensitivity. Removal of intracellular Mg2+ slowed both the development and the recovery from muscarinic suppression. When combined with GDPβS, low intracellular Mg2+ nearly eliminated muscarinic inhibition. With nonhydrolyzable GTP analogs, current suppression developed spontaneously and muscarinic inhibition was enhanced. Such spontaneous suppression was antagonized by GDPβS or GTP or by expression of RGS2. These observations were successfully described by a kinetic model representing biochemical steps of the signaling cascade using published rate constants where available. The model supports the following sequence of events for this Gq-coupled signaling: A classical G-protein cycle, including competition for nucleotide-free G-protein by all nucleotide forms and an activation step requiring Mg2+, followed by G-protein–stimulated phospholipase C and hydrolysis of PIP2, and finally PIP2 dissociation from binding sites for inositol lipid on the channels so that KCNQ current was suppressed. Further experiments will be needed to refine some untested assumptions

The N-terminus of Prp1 (Prp6/U5-102 K) is essential for spliceosome activation in vivo

The spliceosomal protein Prp1 (Prp6/U5-102 K) is necessary for the integrity of pre-catalytic spliceosomal complexes. We have identified a novel regulatory function for Prp1. Expression of mutations in the N-terminus of Prp1 leads to the accumulation of pre-catalytic spliceosomal complexes containing the five snRNAs U1, U2, U5 and U4/U6 and pre-mRNAs. The mutations in the N-terminus, which prevent splicing to occur, include in vitro and in vivo identified phosphorylation sites of Prp4 kinase. These sites are highly conserved in the human ortholog U5-102 K. The results presented here demonstrate that structural integrity of the N-terminus is required to mediate a splicing event, but is not necessary for the assembly of spliceosomes

Self-esteem and income over time

There is robust evidence that people with higher incomes tend to have higher self-esteem, but little is known about how changes in income and self-esteem are related within individuals. Some theories predict that increased earnings lead to higher self-esteem, others that increased self-esteem leads to higher earnings, and still others that there should be no within-person associations between these variables. We tested these theories in 4-year longitudinal data from more than 4,000 adult participants from a Dutch representative sample. Results indicated significant between-person associations between income and self-esteem, consistent with prior research. Within-person effects suggested that increases in self-esteem are a function of previous increases in income more than the other way around. These links held when analyses controlled for employment status, and they generalized across gender, age, and educational background. Overall, the findings provide evidence for theories that consider self-esteem as both a source and a consequence of personal earnings

Self-Esteem and Income Over Time

There is robust evidence that people with higher incomes tend to have higher self-esteem, but little is known about how changes in income and self-esteem are related within individuals. Some theories predict that increased earnings lead to higher self-esteem, others that increased self-esteem leads to higher earnings, and still others that there should be no within-person associations between these variables. We tested these theories in 4-year longitudinal data from more than 4,000 adult participants from a Dutch representative sample. Results indicated significant between-person associations between income and self-esteem, consistent with prior research. Within-person effects suggested that increases in self-esteem are a function of previous increases in income more than the other way around. These links held when analyses controlled for employment status, and they generalized across gender, age, and educational background. Overall, the findings provide evidence for theories that consider self-esteem as both a source and a consequence of personal earnings

Self-consistent Black Hole Accretion Spectral Models and the Forgotten Role of Coronal Comptonization of Reflection Emission

Continuum and reflection spectral models have each been widely employed in measuring the spins of accreting black holes. However, the two approaches have not been implemented together in a photon-conserving, self-consistent framework. We develop such a framework using the black hole X-ray binary GX 339–4 as a touchstone source, and we demonstrate three important ramifications. (1) Compton scattering of reflection emission in the corona is routinely ignored, but is an essential consideration given that reflection is linked to the regimes with strongest Comptonization. Properly accounting for this causes the inferred reflection fraction to increase substantially, especially for the hard state. Another important impact of the Comptonization of reflection emission by the corona is the downscattered tail. Downscattering has the potential to mimic the relativistically broadened red wing of the Fe line associated with a spinning black hole. (2) Recent evidence for a reflection component with a harder spectral index than the power-law continuum is naturally explained as Compton-scattered reflection emission. (3) Photon conservation provides an important constraint on the hard state's accretion rate. For bright hard states, we show that disk truncation to large scales R ≫ R[subscript ISCO] is unlikely as this would require accretion rates far in excess of the observed [dotM] of the brightest soft states. Our principal conclusion is that when modeling relativistically broadened reflection, spectral models should allow for coronal Compton scattering of the reflection features, and when possible, take advantage of the additional constraining power from linking to the thermal disk component.United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (PF5-160144

Phospholipase C in Living Cells: Activation, Inhibition, Ca2+ Requirement, and Regulation of M Current

We have further tested the hypothesis that receptor-mediated modulation of KCNQ channels involves depletion of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) by phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC). We used four parallel assays to characterize the agonist-induced PLC response of cells (tsA or CHO cells) expressing M1 muscarinic receptors: translocation of two fluorescent probes for membrane lipids, release of calcium from intracellular stores, and chemical measurement of acidic lipids. Occupation of M1 receptors activates PLC and consumes cellular PIP2 in less than a minute and also partially depletes mono- and unphosphorylated phosphoinositides. KCNQ current is simultaneously suppressed. Two inhibitors of PLC, U73122 and edelfosine (ET-18-OCH3), can block the muscarinic actions completely, including suppression of KCNQ current. However, U73122 also had many side effects that were attributable to alkylation of various proteins. These were mimicked or occluded by prior reaction with the alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide and included block of pertussis toxin–sensitive G proteins and effects that resembled a weak activation of PLC or an inhibition of lipid kinases. By our functional criteria, the putative PLC activator m-3M3FBS did stimulate PLC, but with a delay and an irregular time course. It also suppressed KCNQ current. The M1 receptor–mediated activation of PLC and suppression of KCNQ current were stopped by lowering intracellular calcium well below resting levels and were slowed by not allowing intracellular calcium to rise in response to PLC activation. Thus calcium release induced by PLC activation feeds back immediately on PLC, accelerating it during muscarinic stimulation in strong positive feedback. These experiments clarify important properties of receptor-coupled PLC responses and their inhibition in the context of the living cell. In each test, the suppression of KCNQ current closely paralleled the expected fall of PIP2. The results are described by a kinetic model