The Effect of Auditory Distractions on Working Memory in People Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

This study compared the effect of an auditory distractor on working memory in participants with and without ADHD. Undergraduate students (N-65) were asked to complete a memory task for 25 words in which a pulsating beep sounded from the computer during the middle 5 words. The results indicated that students with ADHD performed significantly worse in the presence of a distraction than those without ADHD. However, the present study also examined the effect of ADHD medication, taken the same day, on working memory. The results indicated that participants with ADHD who had taken medication performed better than those who did not

Oh, What A Tangled Web We Weave: Cyberbullying, Anxiety, Depression, And Loneliness

Cyberbullying can be defined as any intentionally aggressive act occurring through electronic forms of communication. Drawing on literature examining traditional, face-to-face bullying, it is likely that this relatively contemporary form of victimization is associated with emotional distress. This has yet to be examined with any empirical rigor, however, as there are few studies of the construct. The present research assessed prevalence rates of cyberbullying in youth in North Mississippi using a psychometrically sound measure. These rates were found to be towards the higher end of previous studies (67.6% with exposure to cyberbullying and 6.3% with clinically elevated levels of cyberbullying). Additionally, the relationship between cyberbullying and several form of emotional distress (i.e., anxiety, depression, and loneliness) were examined. Cyberbullying was significantly, positively associated with levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Furthermore, three hierarchal regressions demonstrated that cyberbullying remained a significant predictor of each form of emotional distress after controlling for overt and relational bullying accounting for 2.3% to 6.5% of the unique variance. Therefore, this study demonstrates that cyberbullying is a more significant problem facing youth than previous studies have indicated. This study also indicates that cyberbullying is significantly related to increases in emotional distress. Furthermore, statistical analyses suggest that cyberbullying is a distinct construct from traditional bullying and warrants further individualized research

INTEGRATED PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES IN PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE: A PROGRAM EVALUATION

Many children and youth experience emotional and/or behavioral health difficulties and lack appropriate access to care. Access to care limitations are particularly relevant to rural populations such as Mississippi. Integrated care models could serve as an innovative solution to increasing access to care for children and youth. In particular, the Three World View model of integrated care asserts that attention should be given to the clinical world (i.e., provision of evidence based services), operational world (i.e., charting, scheduling, referrals, etc.), and the financial world (i.e., funding and reimbursement). The current study utilized program evaluation tools to develop and evaluate a new integrated care model with particular attention process related factors across all three worlds. One pediatric primary care clinic in rural Mississippi participated in the study, which included hiring a half-time psychology doctoral practicum student. The development phase resulted in an organized logic model showing program components and measurement plan. Additionally, a modular manual for single-session interventions in integrated care was created during this phase. Evaluation results suggested that this model was successful in many clinical, operational, and financial characteristics. The emphasis on process variables contributes not only to the literature in integrated care but could also greatly assist practices that are interested in implementing an integrated care program

S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine protects the probiotic yest, \u3cem\u3eSaccharomyces boulardii\u3c/em\u3e, from acid-induced cell death

Background Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic yeast routinely used to prevent and to treat gastrointestinal disorders, including the antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile infections. However, only 1-3% of the yeast administered orally is recovered alive in the feces suggesting that this yeast is unable to survive the acidic environment of the gastrointestinal tract. Results We provide evidence that suggests that S. boulardii undergoes programmed cell death (PCD) in acidic environments, which is accompanied by the generation of reactive oxygen species and the appearance of caspase-like activity. To better understand the mechanism of cell death at the molecular level, we generated microarray gene expression profiles of S. boulardii cells cultured in an acidic environment. Significantly, functional annotation revealed that the up-regulated genes were significantly over-represented in cell death pathways Finally, we show that S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet), a commercially available, FDA-approved dietary supplement, enhances the viability of S. boulardii in acidic environments, most likely by preventing programmed cell death. Conclusions In toto, given the observation that many of the proven health benefits of S. boulardii are dependent on cell viability, our data suggests that taking S. boulardii and AdoMet together may be a more effective treatment for gastrointestinal disorders than taking the probiotic yeast alone

Spermatogenesis-Specific Features of the Meiotic Program in Caenorhabditis elegans

In most sexually reproducing organisms, the fundamental process of meiosis is implemented concurrently with two differentiation programs that occur at different rates and generate distinct cell types, sperm and oocytes. However, little is known about how the meiotic program is influenced by such contrasting developmental programs. Here we present a detailed timeline of late meiotic prophase during spermatogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans using cytological and molecular landmarks to interrelate changes in chromosome dynamics with germ cell cellularization, spindle formation, and cell cycle transitions. This analysis expands our understanding C. elegans spermatogenesis, as it identifies multiple spermatogenesis-specific features of the meiotic program and provides a framework for comparative studies. Post-pachytene chromatin of spermatocytes is distinct from that of oocytes in both composition and morphology. Strikingly, C. elegans spermatogenesis includes a previously undescribed karyosome stage, a common but poorly understood feature of meiosis in many organisms. We find that karyosome formation, in which chromosomes form a constricted mass within an intact nuclear envelope, follows desynapsis, involves a global down-regulation of transcription, and may support the sequential activation of multiple kinases that prepare spermatocytes for meiotic divisions. In spermatocytes, the presence of centrioles alters both the relative timing of meiotic spindle assembly and its ultimate structure. These microtubule differences are accompanied by differences in kinetochores, which connect microtubules to chromosomes. The sperm-specific features of meiosis revealed here illuminate how the underlying molecular machinery required for meiosis is differentially regulated in each sex

Spermatogenesis-Specific Features of the Meiotic Program in Caenorhabditis elegans

In most sexually reproducing organisms, the fundamental process of meiosis is implemented concurrently with two differentiation programs that occur at different rates and generate distinct cell types, sperm and oocytes. However, little is known about how the meiotic program is influenced by such contrasting developmental programs. Here we present a detailed timeline of late meiotic prophase during spermatogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans using cytological and molecular landmarks to interrelate changes in chromosome dynamics with germ cell cellularization, spindle formation, and cell cycle transitions. This analysis expands our understanding C. elegans spermatogenesis, as it identifies multiple spermatogenesis-specific features of the meiotic program and provides a framework for comparative studies. Post-pachytene chromatin of spermatocytes is distinct from that of oocytes in both composition and morphology. Strikingly, C. elegans spermatogenesis includes a previously undescribed karyosome stage, a common but poorly understood feature of meiosis in many organisms. We find that karyosome formation, in which chromosomes form a constricted mass within an intact nuclear envelope, follows desynapsis, involves a global down-regulation of transcription, and may support the sequential activation of multiple kinases that prepare spermatocytes for meiotic divisions. In spermatocytes, the presence of centrioles alters both the relative timing of meiotic spindle assembly and its ultimate structure. These microtubule differences are accompanied by differences in kinetochores, which connect microtubules to chromosomes. The sperm-specific features of meiosis revealed here illuminate how the underlying molecular machinery required for meiosis is differentially regulated in each sex

A summary of the progression of nuclear events during late sperm formation.

<p>A summary of the progression of nuclear events during late sperm formation.</p

Inner and outer kinetochore components are differentially enriched and localized in sperm meiosis compared with oocyte meiosis.

<p>Immunolocalization of kinetochore components (green) and DAPI-stained DNA (red) during spermatogenesis and in metaphase oocytes. Yellow coloration in images and the schematics indicates extensive co-localization. (A) Barely detectable levels of the inner kinetochore component HCP-3^CENP-A encase spermatocyte chromosomes, but is at high levels distribute evenly all over oocyte chromosomes. (B) High levels of the inner kinetochore component HCP-4^CENP-C surround spermatocyte chromosomes starting in diakinesis and persist after meiosis is complete. HCP-4^CENP-C distributes evenly all over oocyte chromosomes. (C) The outer kinetochore components HIM-10 and (D) HCP-2^CENP-F surround spermatocyte and oocyte chromosomes at high levels. (E) The outer kinetochore component HCP-1^CENP-F is not detectable in sperm meiosis but surrounds chromosomes during oocyte meiosis. Scale bars represent 2 µm. Panels in each column are sized the same as (A) except as marked for oocyte meiotic chromosomes.</p