Sensitivity to reward and punishment: Associations with diet, alcohol consumption, and smoking

This study examined whether sensitivity to reward predicts a range of potentially health-damaging behaviours. Secondary objectives were to explore the relationship between these behaviours and sensitivity to punishment. Sensitivity to reward and punishment were assessed among 184 individuals using questionnaire measures of Behavioural Approach System (BAS) and Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) sensitivity. Participants also completed a food frequency questionnaire and measures of alcohol consumption and smoking. Higher BAS sensitivity predicted higher fat intake, higher alcohol consumption, greater likelihood of binge drinking, greater likelihood of being a smoker and, amongst smokers, smoking frequency. Higher BIS sensitivity predicted lower alcohol consumption but higher sugar intake. Thus, sensitivity to reward appears to be a risk factor for lifestyle behaviours that contribute to poor health. Whilst BIS sensitivity seems to offer some protection with respect to alcohol intake, the results suggest that this does not extend to health-related behaviours, in which the negative consequences may be less immediate. Instead, BIS sensitivity predicted higher sugar intake. This is consistent with the view that BIS sensitivity leads to higher anxiety, which individuals may attempt to regulate by indulging in sugary foods

Arterio-Venous Fistula Using Nonpenetrating Titanium Clips (VCS)

Rezumat Fistulã arterio-venoasã cu clipuri metalice nepenetrante Accesul vascular la hemodializã este însoåit în continuare de o morbiditate foarte mare. Tromboza datoratã hiperplaziei neointimale este una din principalele cauze de nefuncåionalitate a accesului vascular. Scopul lucrãrii este de a prezenta tehnica realizãrii anastomozei arterio-venoase folosind clipurile de titan nepenetrante(VCS) şi rezultatul acesteia. Material şi metodã: Pacientului K.L. de 47 ani aflat în evidenåa Clinicii de Nefrologie din 2005 pentru insuficienåã renalã cronicã i s-a efectuat în octombrie 2006 o fistulã arteriovenoasã clasicã între artera radial şi vena cefalicã a antebraåului. Aceastã fistulã nu a funcåionat motiv pentru care în ianuarie 2007 s-a efectuat anastomoza arterio-venoasã cu clipuri de titan nepenetrante între artera brahialã şi vena medianã a antebraåului. Rezultate: Anastomoza a fost realizatã în 17 minute. Dupã declamparea arterelor s-a obåinut puls şi tril la nivelul venei mediane a antebraåului şi la nivelul venei cefalice. Nu au fost complicaåii intraoperatorii şi postoperatorii imediate. La 5 sãptãmâni postoperator s-a efectuat prima hemodializã. Fistula este funcåionalã la 58 de luni de la efectuarea ei. Concluzii: Realizarea anastomozelor arterio-venoase pentru acces la hemodializã cronicã cu material nepenetrant poate fi o soluåie de reducere a complicaåiilor postoperatorii şi de prelungire a patenåei fistulelor. Cuvinte cheie: hemodializã, fistulã arterio-venoasã, clipuri de titan nepenetrante Abstract Vascular access in haemodialysis is still accompanied by a high morbidityrate. Neointimal hyperplasia due to thrombosis is one of the main causes of vascular access failure. The purpose of this paper is to present the use of non-penetrating titanium clips (VCS) forthe creation of an arteriovenous fistula and its outcome. Materials and Methods: A male patient, 47 years old, with end-stage renal disease -ESRD -(2005) was addressed to our service, for a vascular access reintervention, after a failed forearm radio-cephalic fistula performed 3 months before. In January 2007, an arteriovenousfistula between thebrachial artery and themedian cubital vein using non-penetratingtitanium clips (Anastoclip VCS) was created. Results: The vascular anastomosis was performed in 17 min. After unclamping the artery, a solid pulse and consistent thrill were obtained at the level of the cubital fossa. The postoperative course was uneventful. The arteriovenous fistula remains functional 60 months post-surgery. Conclusions: The Anastoclip VCS system is versatile, safe to manipulate and enables fast anastomosis. Arteriovenous anastomosis performed with non-penetrating clips may be a solution with the potential to reduce postoperative complications and extend arteriovenous fistula patency in ESRD

Politicians polarize and experts depolarize public support for COVID-19 management policies across countries

Significance Political polarization impeded public support for policies to address the spread of COVID-19, much as polarization hinders responses to other societal challenges. The present cross-country study demonstrates how the cues from political elites and affective polarization are analogous across countries addressing COVID-19. Far from being an outlier, the United States faces polarization challenges similar to those of other countries. Importantly, the results demonstrate that policies to combat public health crises are more supported when proposed by nonpartisan experts and bipartisan coalitions of political leaders. These results provide clear guidance on depolarizing communication strategies to improve global responses to health crises

Chemomodulation of human dendritic cell function by antineoplastic agents in low noncytotoxic concentrations

The dose-delivery schedule of conventional chemotherapy, which determines its efficacy and toxicity, is based on the maximum tolerated dose. This strategy has lead to cure and disease control in a significant number of patients but is associated with significant short-term and long-term toxicity. Recent data demonstrate that moderately low-dose chemotherapy may be efficiently combined with immunotherapy, particularly with dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, to improve the overall therapeutic efficacy. However, the direct effects of low and ultra-low concentrations on DCs are still unknown. Here we characterized the effects of low noncytotoxic concentrations of different classes of chemotherapeutic agents on human DCs in vitro. DCs treated with antimicrotubule agents vincristine, vinblastine, and paclitaxel or with antimetabolites 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine and methotrexate, showed increased expression of CD83 and CD40 molecules. Expression of CD80 on DCs was also stimulated by vinblastine, paclitaxel, azacytidine, methotrexate, and mitomycin C used in low nontoxic concentrations. Furthermore, 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine, methotrexate, and mitomycin C increased the ability of human DCs to stimulate proliferation of allogeneic T lymphocytes. Thus, our data demonstrate for the first time that in low noncytotoxic concentrations chemotherapeutic agents do not induce apoptosis of DCs, but directly enhance DC maturation and function. This suggests that modulation of human DCs by noncytotoxic concentrations of antineoplastic drugs, i.e. chemomodulation, might represent a novel approach for up-regulation of functional activity of resident DCs in the tumor microenvironment or improving the efficacy of DCs prepared ex vivo for subsequent vaccinations

Social mindfulness predicts concern for nature and immigrants across 36 nations

People cooperate every day in ways that range from largescale contributions that mitigate climatechange to simple actions such as leaving another individual with choice – known as social mindfulness.It is not yet clear whether and how these complex and more simple forms of cooperation relate. Priorwork has found that countries with individuals who made more socially mindful choices were linked toa higher country environmental performance – a proxy for complex cooperation. Here we replicatedthis initial finding in 41 samples around the world, demonstrating the robustness of the associationbetween social mindfulness and environmental performance, and substantially built on it to show thisrelationship extended to a wide range of complex cooperative indices, tied closely to many currentsocietal issues. We found that greater social mindfulness expressed by an individual was related toliving in countries with more social capital, more community participation and reduced prejudicetowards immigrants. Our findings speak to the symbiotic relationship between simple and morecomplex forms of cooperation in societies.Social decision makin

Multinational data show that conspiracy beliefs are associated with the perception (and reality) of poor national economic performance

While a great deal is known about the individual difference factors associated with conspiracy beliefs, much less is known about the country-level factors that shape people's willingness to believe conspiracy theories. In the current article we discuss the possibility that willingness to believe conspiracy theories might be shaped by the perception (and reality) of poor economic performance at the national level. To test this notion, we surveyed 6723 participants from 36 countries. In line with predictions, propensity to believe conspiracy theories was negatively associated with perceptions of current and future national economic vitality. Furthermore, countries with higher GDP per capita tended to have lower belief in conspiracy theories. The data suggest that conspiracy beliefs are not just caused by intrapsychic factors but are also shaped by difficult economic circumstances for which distrust might have a rational basis