Does training on inhibitory tasks influence alcohol consumption and attitudes?

Response inhibition - the suppression of a prepotent or ongoing action - is an executive function central to the regulation of behaviour. Response inhibition can be assessed in the laboratory using the Go/No-go or Stop-Signal tasks which both assess the capacity to withhold an inappropriate response. In the Go/No-go task, participants are required to respond rapidly to Go stimuli but to withhold that response upon No-go stimuli. In the Stop-Signal task, participants are required to respond to Go stimuli but to withhold the response when an auditory stop signal occurs subsequent to the Go stimulus

The influence of magazines on men: normalizing and challenging young men’s prejudice with “lads’ mags”

Social psychologists have argued that popular UK and USA men’s magazines known as lads’ mags have normalized hostile sexism among young men. Three studies develop this argument. First, a survey of 423 young UK men found that ambivalent sexism predicted attitudes toward the consumption of lads’ mags, but not other forms of direct sexual consumption (paying for sex or patronizing strip clubs). Second, Study 2 (N = 81) found that young men low in sexism rated sexist jokes as less hostile towards women, but not as either funnier nor more ironic, when those jokes were presented within a lads’ mags context. These findings refute the idea that young men readily read lads’ mags’ sexism as ironic or ‘harmless fun.’ They show instead that placing sexist jokes in lads’ mags contexts makes them appear less hostile. The third study (N = 275) demonstrated that young men perceived lads’ mags as less legitimate after attempting to distinguish the contents of lads’ mags from rapists’ legitimations of their crimes. Implications for contemporary studies of masculinities and consumption are discussed

Visceral Leishmaniasis in a New York Foxhound Kennel

Although endemic throughout much of the world, autochthonous visceral leishmaniasis has been reported on only 3 previous occasions in North America. After diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in 4 foxhounds from a kennel in Dutchess County, New York (index kennel), serum and ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA)-anticoagulated blood were collected from the remaining 108 American or cross-bred foxhounds in the index kennel and from 30 Beagles and Basset Hounds that were periodically housed in the index kennel. Samples were analyzed for antibodies to or DNA of tickborne disease pathogens and Leishmania spp. Most dogs had antibodies to Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia spp., Babesia spp., or some combination of these pathogens but not to Bartonella vinsonii (berkhoffi). However, DNA of rickettsial, ehrlichial, or babesial agents was detected in only 9 dogs. Visceral leishmaniasis was diagnosed in 46 of 112 (41%) foxhounds from the index kennel but was not diagnosed in any of the Beagles and Basset Hounds. A positive Leishmania status was defined by 1 or more of the following criteria: a Leishmania antibody titeror = 1:64, positive Leishmania polymerase chain reaction (PCR), positive Leishmania culture, or identification of Leishmania amastigotes by cytology or histopathology. The species and zymodeme of Leishmania that infected the foxhounds was determined to be Leishmania infantum MON-1 by isoenzyme electrophoresis. Foxhounds that were18 months of age or that had traveled to the southeastern United States were more likely to be diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis. Transmission of Leishmania spp. in kennel outbreaks may involve exposure to an insect vector, direct transmission, or vertical transmission

Genetic contributions to visuospatial cognition in Williams syndrome: insights from two contrasting partial deletion patients

Background Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder arising from a hemizygotic deletion of approximately 27 genes on chromosome 7, at locus 7q11.23. WS is characterised by an uneven cognitive profile, with serious deficits in visuospatial tasks in comparison to relatively proficient performance in some other cognitive domains such as language and face processing. Individuals with partial genetic deletions within the WS critical region (WSCR) have provided insights into the contribution of specific genes to this complex phenotype. However, the combinatorial effects of different genes remain elusive. Methods We report on visuospatial cognition in two individuals with contrasting partial deletions in the WSCR: one female (HR), aged 11 years 9 months, with haploinsufficiency for 24 of the WS genes (up to GTF2IRD1), and one male (JB), aged 14 years 2 months, with the three most telomeric genes within the WSCR deleted, or partially deleted. Results Our in-depth phenotyping of the visuospatial domain from table-top psychometric, and small- and large-scale experimental tasks reveal a profile in HR in line with typically developing controls, albeit with some atypical features. These data are contrasted with patient JB’s atypical profile of strengths and weaknesses across the visuospatial domain, as well as with more substantial visuospatial deficits in individuals with the full WS deletion. Conclusions Our findings point to the contribution of specific genes to spatial processing difficulties associated with WS, highlighting the multifaceted nature of spatial cognition and the divergent effects of genetic deletions within the WSCR on different components of visuospatial ability. The importance of general transcription factors at the telomeric end of the WSCR, and their combinatorial effects on the WS visuospatial phenotype are also discussed

Northern grazing carbon farming – integrating production and greenhouse gas outcomes 1 : Climate Clever Beef Final Report

This project targeted three large and diverse regions across northern Australia: the Queensland Gulf, the Queensland Fitzroy Basin and the Northern Territory (Victoria River District, Douglas Daly and Barkly Tableland regions). Eleven grazing businesses across three broad regions were engaged as case studies to undertake demonstrations and evaluations within their businesses. These businesses manage more than 1,281,000 ha and 97,600 cattle. The project provided an excellent opportunity to capitalize on established networks and genuine producer interest and participation built up in recent initiatives (e.g. CCRP Climate Clever Beef (Bray et al. 2014), Northern Grazing Systems project (Phelps et al. 2014), RELRP, SCaRP, SavannaPlan, CQ Beef). The project team included research and extension professionals with decades of combined experience working with northern beef producers. The knowledge and analytical tools developed during previous projects identified practices to: reduce the greenhouse gas emissions impact of beef businesses, manage climate variability, improve land condition and increase business profitability

Northern grazing carbon farming – integrating production and greenhouse gas outcomes 1 : Climate Clever Beef Final Report

This project targeted three large and diverse regions across northern Australia: the Queensland Gulf, the Queensland Fitzroy Basin and the Northern Territory (Victoria River District, Douglas Daly and Barkly Tableland regions). Eleven grazing businesses across three broad regions were engaged as case studies to undertake demonstrations and evaluations within their businesses. These businesses manage more than 1,281,000 ha and 97,600 cattle. The project provided an excellent opportunity to capitalize on established networks and genuine producer interest and participation built up in recent initiatives (e.g. CCRP Climate Clever Beef (Bray et al. 2014), Northern Grazing Systems project (Phelps et al. 2014), RELRP, SCaRP, SavannaPlan, CQ Beef). The project team included research and extension professionals with decades of combined experience working with northern beef producers. The knowledge and analytical tools developed during previous projects identified practices to: reduce the greenhouse gas emissions impact of beef businesses, manage climate variability, improve land condition and increase business profitability

Linking Auxin with Photosynthetic Rate via Leaf Venation

International audienceLand plants lose vast quantities of water to the atmosphere during photosynthetic gas exchange. In angiosperms, a complex network of veins irrigates the leaf, and it is widely held that the density and placement of these veins determines maximum leaf hydraulic capacity and thus maximum photosynthetic rate. This theory is largely based on interspecific comparisons and has never been tested using vein mutants to examine the specific impact of leaf vein morphology on plant water relations. Here we characterize mutants at the Crispoid (Crd) locus in pea (Pisum sativum), which have altered auxin homeostasis and activity in developing leaves, as well as reduced leaf vein density and aberrant placement of free-ending veinlets. This altered vein phenotype in crd mutant plants results in a significant reduction in leaf hydraulic conductance and leaf gas exchange. We find Crispoid to be a member of the YUCCA family of auxin biosynthetic genes. Our results link auxin biosynthesis with maximum photosynthetic rate through leaf venation and substantiate the theory that an increase in the density of leaf veins coupled with their efficient placement can drive increases in leaf photosynthetic capacity

When do past events require explanation? Insights from social psychology

Some past events incite more wonder about their causes than do others. For example, negative events require explanation more than positive events. We review social psychologists’ theoretical and empirical insights on what kinds of past events “beg explanation.” We draw on attribution theory that became popular among psychologists from the 1960s onward, on research on counterfactual reasoning, and on conversational and discursive critiques of attribution theory. We argue that factors predicting what is or is not perceived as requiring explanation are culturally and historically grounded, and that accordingly, what begs explanation varies between contexts and can change over time. Yet, drawing on the distinction between content and process, we argue that there are recognizable patterns across time and space. Specifically, we propose the relationship between events and background expectations as a rather stable predictor of what begs explanation—and as a level of analysis that can unite seemingly disparate approaches

Interventions to reduce sexual prejudice : a study-space analysis and meta-analytic review

Sexual prejudice is an important threat to the physical and mental well-being of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people. Therefore, we reviewed the effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce such prejudice. A study-space analysis was performed on published and unpublished papers from all over the world to identify well-studied and underexplored issues. Most studies were conducted with North American undergraduates and were educational in nature. Dissertations were often innovative and well designed but were rarely published. We then performed meta-analyses on sets of comparable studies. Education, contact with gay people, and combining contact with education had a medium-size effect on several measures of sexual prejudice. The manipulation of social norms was effective in reducing antigay behavior. Other promising interventions, such as the use of entertainment media to promote tolerance, need further investigation. More research is also needed on populations other than American students, particularly groups who may have higher levels of sexual prejudice

Frequency drift in MR spectroscopy at 3T

Purpose: Heating of gradient coils and passive shim components is a common cause of instability in the B-0 field, especially when gradient intensive sequences are used. The aim of the study was to set a benchmark for typical drift encountered during MR spectroscopy (MRS) to assess the need for real-time field-frequency locking on MRI scanners by comparing field drift data from a large number of sites.Method: A standardized protocol was developed for 80 participating sites using 99 3T MR scanners from 3 major vendors. Phantom water signals were acquired before and after an EPI sequence. The protocol consisted of: minimal preparatory imaging; a short pre-fMRI PRESS; a ten-minute fMRI acquisition; and a long post-fMRI PRESS acquisition. Both pre- and post-fMRI PRESS were non-water suppressed. Real-time frequency stabilization/adjustment was switched off when appropriate. Sixty scanners repeated the protocol for a second dataset. In addition, a three-hour post-fMRI MRS acquisition was performed at one site to observe change of gradient temperature and drift rate. Spectral analysis was performed using MATLAB. Frequency drift in pre-fMRI PRESS data were compared with the first 5:20 minutes and the full 30:00 minutes of data after fMRI. Median (interquartile range) drifts were measured and showed in violin plot. Paired t-tests were performed to compare frequency drift pre- and post-fMRI. A simulated in vivo spectrum was generated using FID-A to visualize the effect of the observed frequency drifts. The simulated spectrum was convolved with the frequency trace for the most extreme cases. Impacts of frequency drifts on NAA and GABA were also simulated as a function of linear drift. Data from the repeated protocol were compared with the corresponding first dataset using Pearson's and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC).Results: Of the data collected from 99 scanners, 4 were excluded due to various reasons. Thus, data from 95 scanners were ultimately analyzed. For the first 5:20 min (64 transients), median (interquartile range) drift was 0.44 (1.29) Hz before fMRI and 0.83 (1.29) Hz after. This increased to 3.15 (4.02) Hz for the full 30 min (360 transients) run. Average drift rates were 0.29 Hz/min before fMRI and 0.43 Hz/min after. Paired t-tests indicated that drift increased after fMRI, as expected (p &lt; 0.05). Simulated spectra convolved with the frequency drift showed that the intensity of the NAA singlet was reduced by up to 26%, 44 % and 18% for GE, Philips and Siemens scanners after fMRI, respectively. ICCs indicated good agreement between datasets acquired on separate days. The single site long acquisition showed drift rate was reduced to 0.03 Hz/min approximately three hours after fMRI.Discussion: This study analyzed frequency drift data from 95 3T MRI scanners. Median levels of drift were relatively low (5-min average under 1 Hz), but the most extreme cases suffered from higher levels of drift. The extent of drift varied across scanners which both linear and nonlinear drifts were observed.</p