Prism Adaptation Effects on the Attentional Window

Prism adaptation, a visuomotor adaptation procedure that employs a lateral shift of the visual field, has been widely shown to affect lateral biases in the distribution of spatial attention in healthy individuals. The effects of prism adaptation on the size of the attentional window, the limited area of the visual field we attend to and extract information from without moving our eyes, are not fully elucidated. In this study, I investigated the effects of prism adaptation on the size of the attentional window in healthy young adults. This was accomplished via a useful field of view task, which measures the limits of the distribution of spatial attention. The results of this study demonstrated that leftward prism adaptation can reduce the size of the attentional window of healthy young individuals. This finding is important as it elucidates an additional component of spatial attention that is affected by prism adaptation and may offer potential therapeutic uses in the rehabilitation of spatial deficits in clinical populations

Prism Adaptation Effects on the Attentional Window

Prism adaptation, a visuomotor adaptation procedure that employs a lateral shift of the visual field, has been widely shown to affect lateral biases in the distribution of spatial attention in healthy individuals. The effects of prism adaptation on the size of the attentional window, the limited area of the visual field we attend to and extract information from without moving our eyes, are not fully elucidated. In this study, I investigated the effects of prism adaptation on the size of the attentional window in healthy young adults. This was accomplished via a useful field of view task, which measures the limits of the distribution of spatial attention. The results of this study demonstrated that leftward prism adaptation can reduce the size of the attentional window of healthy young individuals. This finding is important as it elucidates an additional component of spatial attention that is affected by prism adaptation and may offer potential therapeutic uses in the rehabilitation of spatial deficits in clinical populations

GrOW National Study of Grandfamilies During COVID-19: Wave I and Wave II Results and Recommendations

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted families across the globe. This study highlights how a multidisciplinary workgroup, Grandfamilies Outcome Workgroup (GrOW) operationalized a caregiver-centered data cycle to learn how COVID-19 has impacted grandfamilies across the United States. The National Grandfamilies and COVID-19 Wave I (n=600, June 2020) and Wave II (n=225, July 2021) surveys recruited grandfamilies nationwide through GrOW’s network of kinship community partners. Wave I survey results illuminated that all sources of social support were reduced for grandfamilies during the pandemic, except for online support groups. Wave II provided an opportunity to revise the survey to capture emergent issues relevant to a later stage of the pandemic for grandfamilies. Results indicated that 73% of caregivers were vaccinated. Results also identified gaps in caregiver knowledge of kinship navigator programs and supports in their communities. Recommendations for future research are provided. Keywords Kinship, COVID-19, Grandfamilies’ Outcome Workgroup, Culturally Responsive Research, Translational Disseminatio

A Citizen Science Approach to Identifying Indoor Environmental Barriers to Optimal Health for Under 5s Experiencing Homelessness in Temporary Accommodation

The first five years of life are critical for optimal growth, health, and cognitive development. Adverse childhood experiences, including experiencing homelessness, can be a risk factor for multiple health issues and developmental challenges. There is a dearth of data collected with and by families with children under age five living in temporary accommodation due to experiencing homelessness (U5TA) describing indoor environmental barriers that prevent U5TA from achieving and maintaining optimal health. The aim of this study was to address this current gap using a citizen science approach. Fifteen participants, who were mothers of U5TA living in a deprived area of London, and the lead researcher collected data in late 2019/early 2020 using: (I) a housing survey conducted via a mobile app; (II) house visits; and (III) collaborative meetings. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Key themes included: overcrowding/shared facilities, dampness/mold growth, poor/inadequate kitchen/toilet facilities, infestations/vermin, structural problems/disrepair, unsafe electrics, excessively cold temperatures, and unsafe surfaces that risk causing trips/falls, with all participants experiencing multiple concurrent indoor environmental barriers. The citizen science approach was successfully used to collect meaningful data demonstrating the need for child-centered housing policies meeting the needs of current and future generations of families living in TA

Implications of Extra-cardiac Disease in Patient Selection for Heart Transplantation: Considerations in Cardiac Amyloidosis

Disease-modifying therapies in both light chain and transthyretin amyloidosis have improved patient functional status and survival. Conceivably, as heart failure may progress despite amyloid therapies, more patients may be considered for heart transplantation. In earlier eras, extra-cardiac amyloid deposits significantly reduced post-heart transplant patient survival and functional status compared to the non-amyloid population. In the modern era, transplant centres have reported improved outcomes in amyloidosis as patient selection has grown more stringent. Importantly, systematic candidate evaluation should assess the degree of extra-cardiac involvement, the effectiveness of disease-modifying therapies and downstream effects on patients’ nutrition and frailty. This review outlines such an overall approach while also considering that organ-specific selection criteria may vary between individual transplant centres. A methodical approach to patient evaluation will promote better understanding of the prevalence and severity of extra-cardiac disease in amyloidosis patients referred for heart transplantation and of any disparities in decision outcomes in this population

Normal aging in mice is associated with a global reduction in cortical spectral power and network-specific declines in functional connectivity

Normal aging is associated with a variety of neurologic changes including declines in cognition, memory, and motor activity. These declines correlate with neuronal changes in synaptic structure and function. Degradation of brain network activity and connectivity represents a likely mediator of age-related functional deterioration resulting from these neuronal changes. Human studies have demonstrated both general decreases in spontaneous cortical activity and disruption of cortical networks with aging. Current techniques used to study cerebral network activity are hampered either by limited spatial resolution (e.g. electroencephalography, EEG) or limited temporal resolution (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI). Here we utilize mesoscale imaging of neuronal activity in Thy1-GCaMP6f mice to characterize neuronal network changes in aging with high spatial resolution across a wide frequency range. We show that while evoked activity is unchanged with aging, spontaneous neuronal activity decreases across a wide frequency range (0.01-4 Hz) involving all regions of the cortex. In contrast to this global reduction in cortical power, we found that aging is associated with functional connectivity (FC) deterioration of select networks including somatomotor, cingulate, and retrosplenial nodes. These changes are corroborated by reductions in homotopic FC and node degree within somatomotor and visual cortices. Finally, we found that whole-cortex delta power and delta band node degree correlate with exploratory activity in young but not aged animals. Together these data suggest that aging is associated with global declines in spontaneous cortical activity and focal deterioration of network connectivity, and that these reductions may be associated with age-related behavioral declines

Examining the demographic profile and attitudes of citizens, in areas where organised crime groups proliferate

Whilst studies refer to the community impact of Organized Crime (OC), no survey currently exists to examine the views of those citizens who reside in areas where Organized Crime Groups (OCGs) proliferate. 431 questionnaires from households co-existing in high density OCGs areas were analysed in relation to: a) demographic information; b) views on the community and the police; and c) how they expected other residents to react to illegal incidents. Overall respondents thought the average citizen would refuse to intervene in 10% - 48% of illegal incidents, with the specific case influencing whether and how they would respond. The analysis then compared three communities who lived in high density OCG areas with a control community (n=343). The ‘OCG’ communities were more likely to report low collective efficacy and were least likely to expect their neighbours to confront a crime in action. Conversely, whilst the control group showed higher levels of collective efficacy and expected the average resident more likely to confront illegal behaviour, this trend did not extend to street drug dealing and serious crime associated with OC. The study discusses the unreported intimidation associated with OCGs and the challenges of policing hostile environments