Memory, metamemory, and social cues: between conformity and resistance [forthcoming]

When presented with responses of another person, people incorporate these responses into memory reports: a finding termed memory conformity. Research on memory conformity in recognition reveals that people rely on external social cues to guide their memory responses when their own ability to respond is at chance. In this way, conforming to a reliable source boosts recognition performance but conforming to a random source does not impair it. In the present study we assessed whether people would conform indiscriminately to reliable and unreliable (random) sources when they are given the opportunity to exercise metamemory control over their responding by withholding answers in a recognition test. In Experiments 1 and 2, we found the pattern of memory conformity to reliable and unreliable sources in two variants of a free-report recognition test, yet at the same time the provision of external cues did not affect the rate of response withholding. In Experiment 3, we provided participants with initial feedback on their recognition decisions, facilitating the discrimination between the reliable and unreliable source. This led to the reduction of memory conformity to the unreliable source, and at the same time modulated metamemory decisions concerning response withholding: participants displayed metamemory conformity to the reliable source, volunteering more responses in their memory report, and metamemory resistance to the random source, withholding more responses from the memory report. Together, the results show how metamemory decisions dissociate various types of memory conformity and that memory and metamemory decisions can be independent of each other

Should I keep studying? Consequences of a decision to stop learning in young and older adults

In situations of cognitive overload, the role of a metacognitive decision to stop learning is of utmost importance. We investigated how young and older adults decide to stop learning as a strategy for maximizing memory performance when they face to-be-learned material exceeding their memory capability. People may decide to stop learning for two main reasons: they experience a growing feeling of disfluency as a learning episode progresses and/or they perceive such a decision to be beneficial for future memory performance. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants studied lists of 50 words. The majority of young and older adults stopped learning in conditions where they were allowed to do so. This decision, counterintuitively, decreased the number of recalled words. Crucially, a similar number of young and older adults stopped the presentation of to-be-remembered material, and both age groups suffered comparable consequences in their memory performance. In Experiments 3a and 3b, participants read an experimental scenario and decided whether they would stop learning based on this description alone. People in different age groups predicted their metacognitive decisions similarly. However, participants’ forecasted performance did not reflect the negative influence of these decisions. Regardless of their age, people tend to make a suboptimal decision to stop learning, unaware of its negative consequences. Together, our results suggest that young and older adults can exert metamemory control to similar degrees even though their decisions may not be beneficial for memory performance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved

Cytokine Profiles in Asthma Families Depend on Age and Phenotype

Background: Circulating cytokine patterns may be relevant for the diagnosis of asthma, for the discrimination of certain phenotypes, and prognostic factors for exacerbation of disease. Methodology/Principal Findings: In this study we investigated serum samples from 944 individuals of 218 asthma-affected families by a multiplex, microsphere based system detecting at high sensitivity eleven asthma associated mediators: eotaxin (CCL11), granulocyte macrophage stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon gamma (IFNγ), interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 (p40), IL-13, IL-17 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). Single cytokine levels were largely similar between asthmatic and healthy individuals when analysing asthma as single disease entity. Regulatory differences between parental and pediatric asthma were reflected by six of the eleven mediators analyzed (eotaxin, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, TNFα). IL-12 (p40) and IL-5 were the best predictor for extrinsic asthma in children with an increased odds ratio of 2.85 and 1.96 per log pg/ml increase (IL-12 (p40): 1.2-6.8, p = 0.019, and IL-5: 1.2-2.5, p = 0.025). Frequent asthma attacks in children are associated with elevated IL-5 serum levels (p = 0.013). Cytokine patterns seem to be individually balanced in both, healthy and diseased adults and children, with various cytokines correlating among each other (IL-17 and IFNγ (rs = 0.67), IL-4 and IL-5 (rs = 0.55), IFNγ and GM-CSF (rs = 0.54)). Conclusion/Significance: Our data support mainly an age- but also an asthma phenotype-dependent systemic immune regulation. © 2010 Pukelsheim et al

Mesenteric lymph node transcriptome profiles in BALB/c mice sensitized to three common food allergens

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Food allergy is a serious health concern among infants and young children. Although immunological mechanism of food allergy is well documented, the molecular mechanism(s) involved in food allergen sensitization have not been well characterized. Therefore, the present study analyzed the mesenteric lymph node (MLN) transcriptome profiles of BALB/c mice in response to three common food allergens.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Microarray analysis identified a total of 1361, 533 and 488 differentially expressed genes in response to β-lactoglobulin (BLG) from cow's milk, ovalbumin (OVA) from hen's egg white and peanut agglutinin (PNA) sensitizations, respectively (p < 0.05). A total of 150 genes were commonly expressed in all antigen sensitized groups. The expression of seven representative genes from microarray experiment was validated by real-time RT-PCR. All allergens induced significant ear swelling and serum IgG1 concentrations, whereas IgE concentrations were increased in BLG- and PNA-treated mice (p < 0.05). Treatment with OVA and PNA significantly induced plasma histamine concentrations (p < 0.05). The PCA demonstrated the presence of allergen-specific IgE in the serum of previously sensitized and challenged mice.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Immunological profiles indicate that the allergen dosages used are sufficient to sensitize the BALB/c mice and to conduct transcriptome profiling. Microarray studies identified several differentially expressed genes in the sensitization phase of the food allergy. These findings will help to better understand the underlying molecular mechanism(s) of food allergen sensitizations and may be useful in identifying the potential biomarkers of food allergy.</p

Investigation of susceptibility of materials contacting with drinking water for microbial growth

Celem pracy było sprawdzenie opracowanej metody badań podatności materiałów kontaktujących się z wodą na powstawanie obrostów mikrobiologicznych pod kątem możliwości uzyskania powtarzalnych wyników. Badania prowadzono na materiałach dopuszczonych do kontaktu z wodą, umieszczonych w dwóch niezależnie pracujących urządzeniach przepływowych. W ciągu 8 tygodni, co tydzień ze ściśle określonej powierzchni testowanych materiałów pobierano wymazy, z których wykonywano oznaczenia poziomu ATP. Wyniki uzyskane z powierzchni testowanych materiałów były powtarzalne i wyraźnie zbliżone do wyników uzyskanych z powierzchni kontroli negatywnej (stal nierdzewna, materiał o niskiej podatności na obrost mikrobiologiczny). Poziom ATP na powierzchni kontroli pozytywnej (parafina, materiał o dużej podatności na obrost mikrobiologiczny) był pięćdziesiąt razy wyższy niż na materiałach dopuszczonych do kontaktu z wodą. Przedstawione badania są częścią procesu walidacyjnego metody, która w niedługim czasie będzie służyć do wdrożenia systemu pełnej oceny materiałów kontaktujących się z wodą przeznaczoną do spożycia zgodnie z postanowieniami Dyrektyw Rady 89/106/EWG i 98/83/WE.Main purpose of this paper was to confirm of results obtained by new method based on bioluminescence technique for determination of susceptibility of materials contacting with drinking water were repeatable. Investigation was conducted during 8 weeks in dynamic conditions using continuous flow reactor UPE. Every week swabbes from tested materials were collected and level of ATP was examined. The results obtained from the surface of tested materials were repeatable and clearly approximate to those obtained from the surface of negative control material (stainless steel, low susceptibility for microbial growth). The level of the ATP on the surface of positive control material (paraffin, large susceptibility for microbial growth) was fifty times higher than that observed on other materials. Presented investigation was the main part of validation process, which in short time will serve to initiate system of complete assessment for materials contacting with drinking water according to Council Directives 89/106/EEC and 98/83/EC requirements

Elaboration of the method for assessment of susceptibility to microbial growth of materials contacting with drinking water

Przeprowadzono badania mające na celu sprawdzenie przydatności skonstruowanego przy udziale Politechniki Warszawskiej prototypu urządzenia przepływowego oraz metody oznaczania ogólnej liczby mikroorganizmów i poziomu ATP w wymazach do oceny podatności materiałów na tworzenie obrostów mikrobiologicznych.Initial methodological study was conducted to determine the susceptibility to microbial growth of different materials applied in contact with drinking water. The purpose of this assay was to elaborate the method for determining the ability of different materials contacting with drinking water to promote microbial growth and to determine possible correlation of results obtained by two analytic methods: inoculation of microorganisms swabbed from materials surface into a medium and ATP level examination. The assay was conducted during 16 weeks in dynamic conditions using continuous flow reactor. Every two weeks swabbes from examinated materials were collected and the total number of microorganisms was determined after incubation in 22°C for 72 hours and in 37°C for 48 hours respectively. Determination of microorganisms number and ATP level were both examinated in water inlet. Difference in susceptibility to microbial growth of different materials used in contact with drinking water was observed. This was confirmed by both analytic methods. Microbial growth on the surface of negative control materials (glass, poliethylene and stainless steel) was several time less intensive than on positive control material (floor finish not destined for contact with drinking water). Correlation between the quantity of microorganisms and ATP level on the surface of the same kind of materials was confirmed. Usefulness of continous flow reactor was confirmed