Model-Based and Model-Free Control Predicts Alcohol Consumption Developmental Trajectory in Young Adults: A 3-Year Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: A shift from goal-directed toward habitual control has been associated with alcohol dependence. Whether such a shift predisposes to risky drinking is not yet clear. We investigated how goal-directed and habitual control at age 18 predict alcohol use trajectories over the course of 3 years. METHODS: Goal-directed and habitual control, as informed by model-based (MB) and model-free (MF) learning, were assessed with a two-step sequential decision-making task during functional magnetic resonance imaging in 146 healthy 18-year-old men. Three-year alcohol use developmental trajectories were based on either a consumption score from the self-reported Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (assessed every 6 months) or an interview-based binge drinking score (grams of alcohol/occasion; assessed every year). We applied a latent growth curve model to examine how MB and MF control predicted the drinking trajectory. RESULTS: Drinking behavior was best characterized by a linear trajectory. MB behavioral control was negatively associated with the development of the binge drinking score; MF reward prediction error blood oxygen level-dependent signals in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the ventral striatum predicted a higher starting point and steeper increase of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test consumption score over time, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found that MB behavioral control was associated with the binge drinking trajectory, while the MF reward prediction error signal was closely linked to the consumption score development. These findings support the idea that unbalanced MB and MF control might be an important individual vulnerability in predisposing to risky drinking behavior

Stronger prejudices are associated with decreased model-based control

Background: Prejudices against minorities can be understood as habitually negative evaluations that are kept in spite of evidence to the contrary. Therefore, individuals with strong prejudices might be dominated by habitual or "automatic" reactions at the expense of more controlled reactions. Computational theories suggest individual differences in the balance between habitual/model-free and deliberative/model-based decision-making. Methods: 127 subjects performed the two Step task and completed the blatant and subtle prejudice scale. Results: By using analyses of choices and reaction times in combination with computational modeling, subjects with stronger blatant prejudices showed a shift away from model-based control. There was no association between these decision-making processes and subtle prejudices. Conclusion: These results support the idea that blatant prejudices toward minorities are related to a relative dominance of habitual decision-making. This finding has important implications for developing interventions that target to change prejudices across societies

Magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of iron overload: A comparison of MRI, echocardiography and serum ferritin level in patients with β-thalassemia major

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate iron levels in cardiac and hepatic tissues using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2*. Methods: Cardiac and hepatic MRI was performed for 93 patients with β-thalassemia major. Results: Cardiac T2* was in the range of 2.9-56.6 ms. Myocardial siderosis was detected in 44 of patients; 25 patients had moderate and severe siderosis with serum ferritin level (SFL) of 576-10,284 ng/ml. There was a significant correlation between SFL and cardiac T2* (p<.001). Conclusions: The effective role of MRI as a noninvasive producible method in measurement of iron concentration in tissues is not accessible with conventional techniques. © 2012 Elsevier Inc

The dilemma of hyperoxia following positive pressure mechanical ventilation: role of iron and the benefit of iron chelation with deferasirox

Abstract. -Background and Objective: Increased oxidative stress in patients under treatment with high concentrations of oxygen (hyperoxia) is considered to be one of the major mechanisms of lung injury, which is thought among different mediators, transition metal ion, iron, by generation of very reactive free radicals which play an important role. Disruption of normal iron homeostasis has been reported in hyperoxic conditions. We hypothesized that chelation of iron can reduce hyperoxia-induced lung injury. Methods: Mechanically ventilated patients, who received oxygen with FiO 2 &gt;0.5 for at least 3 days, underwent bronchoscopy before and 72 hours after receiving &quot;Deferasirox&quot;. Oxidative injury index and iron homeostasis markers were measured in lavage fluid and plasma. Results: In 12 patients, the concentrations of 8-isoprostane (p=0.005), 8-oxoguanine (p=0.04), carbonyl proteins (p=0.04) -as markers of oxidative stress -decreased significantly in lavage fluid after intervention. Levels of iron-related proteins, ferritin (p=0.04) and transferrin (p=0.005) also decreased significantly in lavage fluid. Conclusion: Deferasirox -as an iron chelator -decrease oxidative injury index in hyperoxic condition and it could be consider safe and beneficial agent, along with other supportive measures in hyperoxia-induced lung injury for better toleration of oxygen therapy

Pharmacological treatments of COVID-19

The viral infection due to the new coronavirus or coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was reported for the first time in December 2019, was named by the World Health Organization (WHO) as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2), because of the very similar genome and also its related symptoms to SARS-CoV1. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with significant mortality, morbidity, and socioeconomic impact is considered by the WHO as a global public health emergency. Since there is no specific treatment available for SARS-CoV2 infection, and or COVID-19, several clinical and sub-clinical studies are currently undertaken to find a gold-standard therapeutic regimen with high efficacy and low side effect. Based on the published scientific evidence published to date, we summarized herein the effects of different potential therapies and up-to-date clinical trials. The review is intended to help readers aware of potentially effective COVID-19 treatment and provide useful references for future studies. © 2020, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences

Comparison of anthropometric measurements as substitutes for McNamara’s cephalometric maxillomandibular unit measurements

&quot;nBackground and Aims: Cephalometric measurements cannot be performed for screening purposes, therefore orthodontists usually have to use either photographic or anthropometric measurements in such occasions. Finding a valid and reliable alternative could be of great value. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between McNamara&apos;s cephalometric unit difference and a proposed soft tissue equivalent.&quot;nMaterials and Methods: An anthropometric ruler was redesigned and used in this study. Soft tissue measurements were performed on 36 randomly selected specimens by two investigators. The soft tissue measurements included external auditory meatus to subnasale (Ext-Sn), external auditory meatus to soft tissue pogonion (Ext-Pog), and the difference between them (UDMA&amp;acute;). These measurements were considered as equivalents to cephalometric indices in McNamara&apos;s anteroposterior measurements, including maxillary (Co-A) and mandibular (Co-Gn) unit length and their difference (UDMA), respectively.&quot;nResults: All soft tissue variables had an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) above 0.90. There was a high and significant correlation between cephalometric and anthropometric measurements (P&amp;lt;0.01). The ICC between&quot;n(Ext-Sn) and (Co-A) was 0.890, 0.869 between (Ext-Pog) and (Co-Gn), and 0.819 between UDMA&amp;acute; and UDMA.&quot;nConclusion: The proposed anthropometric method showed a good correlation with cephalometric equivalents and the results show that this method could be used for screening purposes, especially when a low-cost, non-invasive method is required. However it cannot be considered as a substitute for cephalometry in diagnostic and treatment purposes

Reserve estimation of the high phosphorous stockpile at the Choghart iron mine of Iran using geostatistical modeling

An attempt to estimate the reserves in the High Phosphorous stockpile (HP) at the Choghart Iron mine of Iran was carried out using geostatistical modeling. Grade and tonnage estimates of ore stockpiles can help convert them into a valuable ore reserve. This is valuable in consideration of increasing metal demand, and the depletion of in situ ore reserves, around the world. Estimation of reserves in stockpiles is difficult partly because of geological and grade discontinuities created during the dumping of the ore piles. Data input for the HP stockpile at Choghart was performed based upon pre-existing information gathered during extraction from the various mining benches. After establishing the input data files the reserve estimates were found using geostatistical methods aided by the international mining software SURPAC. The stockpile was divided in to three domains and the reserves in each domain were estimated separately. A grade block model was used to compute the reserve. Fe and P were estimated using the Ordinary Kriging method. The results showed that the total tonnage of the HP stockpile is 4.5 million tons with an average grade of 55 Fe and 1.03 P. \ua9 2010 China University of Mining and Technology