Exploring the relationship between video game expertise and fluid intelligence

Hundreds of millions of people play intellectually-demanding video games every day. What does individual performance on these games tell us about cognition? Here, we describe two studies that examine the potential link between intelligence and performance in one of the most popular video games genres in the world (Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas: MOBAs). In the first study, we show that performance in the popular MOBA League of Legends' correlates with fluid intelligence as measured under controlled laboratory conditions. In the second study, we also show that the age profile of performance in the two most widely-played MOBAs (League of Legends and DOTA II) matches that of raw fluid intelligence. We discuss and extend previous videogame literature on intelligence and videogames and suggest that commercial video games can be useful as 'proxy' tests of cognitive performance at a global population level

Salt Stress Induced Variation in DNA Methylation Pattern and Its Influence on Gene Expression in Contrasting Rice Genotypes

BACKGROUND: Salinity is a major environmental factor limiting productivity of crop plants including rice in which wide range of natural variability exists. Although recent evidences implicate epigenetic mechanisms for modulating the gene expression in plants under environmental stresses, epigenetic changes and their functional consequences under salinity stress in rice are underexplored. DNA methylation is one of the epigenetic mechanisms regulating gene expression in plant's responses to environmental stresses. Better understanding of epigenetic regulation of plant growth and response to environmental stresses may create novel heritable variation for crop improvement. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Methylation sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) technique was used to assess the effect of salt stress on extent and patterns of DNA methylation in four genotypes of rice differing in the degree of salinity tolerance. Overall, the amount of DNA methylation was more in shoot compared to root and the contribution of fully methylated loci was always more than hemi-methylated loci. Sequencing of ten randomly selected MSAP fragments indicated gene-body specific DNA methylation of retrotransposons, stress responsive genes, and chromatin modification genes, distributed on different rice chromosomes. Bisulphite sequencing and quantitative RT-PCR analysis of selected MSAP loci showed that cytosine methylation changes under salinity as well as gene expression varied with genotypes and tissue types irrespective of the level of salinity tolerance of rice genotypes. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The gene body methylation may have an important role in regulating gene expression in organ and genotype specific manner under salinity stress. Association between salt tolerance and methylation changes observed in some cases suggested that many methylation changes are not "directed". The natural genetic variation for salt tolerance observed in rice germplasm may be independent of the extent and pattern of DNA methylation which may have been induced by abiotic stress followed by accumulation through the natural selection process

Two unusual cases of haemoglobin Bart’s hydrops fetalis screened negative on universal prenatal screening for thalassaemia

In universal prenatal screening for alpha thalassemia, if mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of a women is low (<80fL) but her partner's MCV is normal, her pregnancy is considered not at risk of haemoglobin (Hb) Bart's disease. Here, we report two rare cases of fetal Hb Bart's disease which illustrate an exception. Case 1: A 34-year-old, G3P2, Chinese woman had a low MCV (69.1 fL) due to alpha thalassemia trait. Her husband's MCV was normal. Routine scan at 21 weeks showed fetal hydrops with ascites, bilateral pleural effusions, cardiomegaly, and increased middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity (MCAPSV) (52.3cm/s, >1.55MoM). Cordocentesis showed Hb of 4.7g/dL, and Hb Bart's disease. As the couple kept the pregnancy, four in-utero transfusions were given in interval. The baby was delivered by emergency Caesarean section at 31 weeks who required regular blood transfusions after birth and waited for bone marrow transplantation. Investigations showed fetal Hb Bart's disease from maternal uniparental disomy (UPD) 16. Case 2: A 21-year-old, G2P0, Chinese woman was referred to our hospital for management of fetal hydrops at 31 weeks. She had a low MCV (76 fL) related to Hb E while her husband's MCV was normal. Ultrasound examination showed fetal ascites, cardiomegaly but normal MCAPSV (51.4cm/s). Cordocentesis showed Hb of 7.3g/dL. As fetal echocardiography showed features suggestive of near complete premature closure of foramen ovale, emergency Caesarean section was performed two days later. A baby girl of 1.48kg was delivered, but succumbed shortly after birth despite active resuscitation. Subsequent hematological and DNA studies showed Hb Bart's disease, maternal alpha thalassaemia trait coinheritance with Hb E, and a possibility of non-paternity. If midtrimester anomaly scan shows fetal cardiomegaly or hydrops in a woman with low MCV but normal paternal MCV, obstetricians should remain alert for fetal Hb Bart's disease, be it due to rare occurrence of maternal UPD or non-paternity.link_to_OA_fulltex