The (in)significance of executive functions for the trait of Self-Control : a psychometric study

Self-control (SC) is an individual trait defined as the ability to pursue long-distance goals in spite of the obstacles generated by current desires, innate or learned automatisms, and physiological needs of an organism. This trait is relatively stable across the life span and it predicts such important features as level of income, quality of social relationships, and proneness to addictions. It is widely believed that the cognitive substrate of SC involves the executive functions (EFs), such as inhibitory control, shifting of attention, and working memory updating. However, the empirical evidence concerning the relationships between trait SC and EFs is not convincing. The present study aims to address two questions: (1) what is the strength of relationships between trait SC and EFs, and (2) which aspects of SC are predicted by particular EFs, if at all. In order to answer these questions, we carried out a psychometric study with 296 participants (133 men and 163 women, mean age 23.31, SD 3.64), whom we investigated with three types of tools: (1) a battery SC scales and inventories, (2) a battery of EFs tasks, and (3) two general intelligence tests. Structural equation modeling approach was used to analyze the data. We found that the latent variables representing SC and the latent variable representing EFs did not show any relationship. The standardized path coefficient between EFs and general intelligence turned out rather strong. We conclude that the trait of SC, measured with questionnaires, does not depend on the strength of cognitive control, measured with EFs tasks

NAS-50 and NAS-40 : new scales for the assessment of self-control

In this paper, we present a new questionnaire for the assessment of self-control as an individual trait. We describe the process of construction of this assessment tool. We also report the results of relevant validation studies. The questionnaire has two independent versions, one based on self-reports (NAS-50) and another one based on other-reports (NAS-40). The first version consists of five subscales (10 items each), called Initiative and Persistence (IP), Proactive Control (PC), Switching and Flexibility (SF), Inhibition and Adjournment (IA), and Goal Maintenance (GM). Seven samples of participants (N = 934 altogether) took part in the validation study. The second version has not been split into subscales. Both versions obtained satisfactory indices of internal consistency, assessed with Cronbach’s alpha (for NAS- 50 total score a = .861, for the subscales a between .726 and .867; for NAS-40 a = .844). The NAS-50 and NAS-40 scores were highly correlated with other measures of self-control, including Tangney, Baumeister, and Boone’s (2004) self-control scale. They also proved to be entirely independent of general intelligence. In conclusion, both versions can be regarded reliable and valid enough, and therefore suitable for the assessment of trait self-control for research purposes

Wewnątrzczaszkowy potworniak niedojrzały płodu rozpoznany w III trymestrze ciąży — opis przypadku

Guzy wewnątrzczaszkowe są zaburzeniem budowy anatomicznej rzadko spotykanym w życiu płodowym i okresie noworodkowym. Częstość ich występowania szacuje się na 0,34/1 milion żywych urodzeń. Rozpoznanie wstępne prenatalnie stawiane jest najczęściej w III trymestrze ciąży na podstawie przesiewowego badania ultrasonograficznego płodu. Rozpoznanie końcowe formułowane jest wyłącznie na podstawie oceny histopatologicznej materiału pobranego do badania. Pod względem utkania histologicznego guzy wewnątrzczaszkowe płodu najczęściej są potworniakami: dojrzałymi, niedojrzałymi oraz potworniakami z transformacją złośliwą. Niezależnie od budowy histologicznej, charakterystyczne jest niekorzystne rokowanie dla płodu i noworodka. Często stwierdza się obumarcie płodu lub zgon noworodka w ciągu pierwszych dni życia. Szacunkowy odsetek noworodków, które przeżyły, określany jest na 28%. Autorzy przedstawiają przypadek 16-letniej ciężarnej, u której w 29. tygodniu ciąży rozpoznano guz wewnątrzczaszkowy płodu

The effects of working memory training on brain activity

This study aimed to investigate if two weeks of working memory (WM) training on a progressive N-back task can generate changes in the activity of the underlying WM neural network. Forty-six healthy volunteers (23 training and 23 controls) were asked to perform the N-back task during three fMRI scanning sessions: (1) before training, (2) after the half of training sessions, and (3) at the end. Between the scanning sessions, the experimental group underwent a 10-session training of working memory with the use of an adaptive version of the N-back task, while the control group did not train anything. The N-back task in the scanning sessions was relatively easy (n = 2) in order to ensure high accuracy and a lack of between-group differences at the behavioral level. Such training-induced differences in neural efficiency were expected. Behavioral analyses revealed improved performance of both groups on the N-back task. However, these improvements resulted from the test-retest effect, not the training outside scanner. Performance on the non-trained stop-signal task did not demonstrate any transfer effect. Imaging analysis showed changes in activation in several significant clusters, with overlapping regions of interest in the frontal and parietal lobes. However, patterns of between-session changes of activation did not show any effect of training. The only finding that can be linked with training consists in strengthening the correlation between task performance accuracy and activation of the parietal regions of the neural network subserving working memory (left superior parietal lobule and right supramarginal gyrus posterior). These results suggest that the effects of WM training consist in learning that, in order to ensure high accuracy in the criterion task, activation of the parietal regions implicated in working memory updating must rise

Antibody targeting of Cathepsin S induces antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Proteolytic enzymes have been implicated in driving tumor progression by means of their cancer cell microenvironment activity where they promote proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Therapeutic strategies have focused on attenuating their activity using small molecule inhibitors, but the association of proteases with the cell surface during cancer progression opens up the possibility of targeting these using antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Cathepsin S is a lysosomal cysteine protease that promotes the growth and invasion of tumour and endothelial cells during cancer progression. Our analysis of colorectal cancer patient biopsies shows that cathepsin S associates with the cell membrane indicating a potential for ADCC targeting.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we report the cell surface characterization of cathepsin S and the development of a humanized antibody (Fsn0503h) with immune effector function and a stable <it>in vivo </it>half-life of 274 hours. Cathepsin S is expressed on the surface of tumor cells representative of colorectal and pancreatic cancer (23%-79% positive expression). Furthermore the binding of Fsn0503h to surface associated cathepsin S results in natural killer (NK) cell targeted tumor killing. In a colorectal cancer model Fsn0503h elicits a 22% cytotoxic effect.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This data highlights the potential to target cell surface associated enzymes, such as cathepsin S, as therapeutic targets using antibodies capable of elicitingADCC in tumor cells.</p

Non-indigenous species refined national baseline inventories : A synthesis in the context of the European Union's Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Refined baseline inventories of non-indigenous species (NIS) are set per European Union Member State (MS), in the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The inventories are based on the initial assessment of the MSFD (2012) and the updated data of the European Alien Species Information Network, in collaboration with NIS experts appointed by the MSs. The analysis revealed that a large number of NIS was not reported from the initial assessments. Moreover, several NIS initially listed are currently considered as native in Europe or were proven to be historical misreportings. The refined baseline inventories constitute a milestone for the MSFD Descriptor 2 implementation, providing an improved basis for reporting new NIS introductions, facilitating the MSFD D2 assessment. In addition, the inventories can help MSs in the establishment of monitoring systems of targeted NIS, and foster cooperation on monitoring of NIS across or within shared marine subregions. Highlights • Refined MSFD baseline inventories of non-indigenous species (NIS) are set in EU. • The inventories are given per EU Member State (MS) and MSFD subregion up to 2012. • The NIS lists provide a basis for reporting new NIS introductions in EU after 2012. • Our work constitutes a milestone for the MSFD Descriptor 2 implementation

Non-indigenous species refined national baseline inventories: A synthesis in the context of the European Union's Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Refined baseline inventories of non-indigenous species (NIS) are set per European Union Member State (MS), in the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The inventories are based on the initial assessment of the MSFD (2012) and the updated data of the European Alien Species Information Network, in collaboration with NIS experts appointed by the MSs. The analysis revealed that a large number of NIS was not reported from the initial assessments. Moreover, several NIS initially listed are currently considered as native in Europe or were proven to be historical misreportings. The refined baseline inventories constitute a milestone for the MSFD Descriptor 2 implementation, providing an improved basis for reporting new NIS introductions, facilitating the MSFD D2 assessment. In addition, the inventories can help MSs in the establishment of monitoring systems of targeted NIS, and foster cooperation on monitoring of NIS across or within shared marine subregions.Henn Ojaveer and Maiju Lehtiniemi wish to acknowledge the project COMPLETE (Completing management options in the Baltic Sea region to reduce risk of invasive species introduction by shipping), co-financed by the European Union's funding Programme Interreg Baltic Sea Region (European Regional Development Fund). João Canning-Clode was supported by a starting grant in the framework of the 2014 FCT Investigator Programme (IF/01606/2014/CP1230/CT0001) and wish to acknowledge the support of Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), through the strategic project UID/MAR/04292/2019 granted to MARE

POWRÓT NA RYNEK PRACY PO CHOROBIE NOWOTWOROWEJ – WYZWANIA, PROBLEMY I ROZWIĄZANIA

Cancer patient needs and deserves various forms of support. The more assistance he receives, the better his functioning during and after the illness gets. Both science and practice provide evidence that it is not only medicine that affects the quality of life in a disease. Psychological and social factors also play an important role, including professional activity, which can have not only a financial but also a therapeutic dimension. The article discusses the role of employment and occupational activity on the quality of life of cancer patients.It describes the challenges resulting from combining treatment with work It also contains examples of social activities and projects, that are aimed towards helping post-cancer patients to get back on their feet as well as regain confidence within the labour market.Pacjent z chorobą nowotworową potrzebuje i zasługuje na zróżnicowane wsparcie. Im większe i szersze ono będzie, tym lepsze będzie funkcjonowanie w trakcie i po chorobie. Zarówno nauka, jak i praktyka dostarczają dowodów na to, że nie tylko medycyna ma wpływ na jakość życia w chorobie. Dużą rolę odgrywają również czynniki psychologiczne i społeczne, w tym aktywność zawodowa, która może mieć wymiar nie tylko finansowy, ale i terapeutyczny. Artykuł ten dotyczy roli jaką odgrywa praca w życiu osób z doświadczeniem choroby nowotworowej. Opisane zostały wyzwania związane z łączeniem pracy i leczenia oraz z powrotem do codzienności zawodowej po leczeniu, a także przykłady projektów pomocy w powrocie na rynek pracy po chorobie onkologicznej