Age differences in routine formation: the role of automatization, motivation, and executive functions

Medication adherence can be vital for one’s health, especially in older adults. However, previous research has demonstrated that medication adherence is negatively affected by age-related cognitive decline. In the current study we investigated whether older adults are able to compensate for this decline by relying more on the formation of efficient, automatized routines. To this end, we directly compared daily (placebo) medication adherence in a healthy sample of 68 younger (18–29  years) and 63 older adults (65–86  years) over a period of 4  weeks. We show that despite an age-related decline in cognitive functions (i.e., poorer working memory, prospective memory, task switching, and goal-directed control), older adults adhered better to a daily pill intake routine than younger adults did and, in line with our hypothesis about increased routine formation, reported higher subjective automaticity of pill intake. Across age groups, automatization of pill intake was related to intake regularity and conscientiousness, but not to individual differences in habit tendency as measured in the lab nor to explicit strategic planning. Crucially, the age-related increase in pill intake adherence was mediated by experienced automatization as well as motivation. These findings demonstrate that intact habitual processes and high motivation aid older adults in successfully forming daily routines

Positive acculturation conditions and well-being in a mine in the North-West Province

Orientation: Multiculturalism seemed to have become the dominant strategy for dealing with pluralism in the South African public sphere. Research purpose: The authors addressed the relationship between conditions that are considered to be conducive to multiculturalism and the practices perceived to accomplish this, vis-à-vis multiculturalism and well-being, as measured by ill-health and subjective work success. Motivation for the study: Although multiculturalism has been recommended as an effective way of dealing with diversity at societal and local levels, little is known about its effects in the workplace. Research design, approach and method: Following a quantitative approach, the authors utilised a cross-sectional design with a convenience sample of 241 Black employees and White employees from a mine in North-West Province for the research. Exploratory factor analyses and Cronbach alpha coefficients were used to test scale validity and reliability. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and effect sizes were used to determine the effect of race on the experiences of miners, and multigroup path analysis (AMOS) was used to investigate whether or not identical relations between multiculturalism, work success, and ill-health could be found for Black employees and White employees. Main findings: Multiculturalism and mainstream tolerance coupled with ethnic integration demands at home and at work were associated with success at work but not with ill-health. Black employees experienced the workplace slightly more positively. Practical/managerial implications: Multiculturalism and integration are related to subjective experiences of work success and, as such, should be supported in the workplace. Contribution/value-add: Our findings suggest that multiculturalism is relatively well supported by both groups in the workplace. This positive finding should not be regarded as obvious because empirical research has suggested that the majority of members of the host culture do not always favour multiculturalism

110Phase II study of denileukin diftitox (Ontak) in the treatement of steroid resistant acute graft versus host disease (AGVHD)

Diagnosis and staging of cancer during pregnancy may be difficult due to overlap in physical signs, uncertainties on safety and accuracy of diagnostic tests and histopathology in pregnant women. Tumour markers should be used with caution due to pregnancy-induced elevation. Ionizing imaging and staging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) or positron emission tomography (PET) scans and sentinel node procedures are safe during pregnancy when fetal radiation threshold of 100 mGy is maintained. Ionizing imaging techniques can increasingly be avoided with the technical devolvement of non-ionizing techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including whole body MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging, which hold potentially great opportunities for the diagnostic management of pregnant cancer patients. Pathological evaluation and establishing a diagnosis of malignancy can be difficult in pregnant women, and a note to the pathologist of the pregnant status is essential for accurate diagnosis. This chapter will give an overview of possibilities and difficulties in diagnosing pregnant women with cancer.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Difficulties with diagnosis of malignancies in pregnancy journaltitle: Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2015.10.005 content_type: article copyright: © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.status: publishe

The genus <i>Nitzschia</i> on the South Shetland Islands and James Ross Island

The purpose of this study was to present LM and SEM observations of Nitzschia taxa encountered on the South Shetland Islands and James Ross Island. During the ongoing taxonomical revision of the freshwater and limno-terrestrial diatom flora on the South Shetland Islands and James Ross Island (Maritime Antarctic Region) eight unknown taxa belonging to the genus Nitzschia were found. These taxa were previously force-fitted into European names such as N. commutata or N. perminuta, but detailed light and scanning electron microscopical observations allowed their separation from the already known taxa and resulted in the description of eight new species. The paper discusses all twelve Nitzschia taxa found in the Maritime Antarctic Region. New taxa are compared to the morphologically most similar taxa and their ecology and biogeography are discussed. Although the genus Nitzschia is present worldwide, a large number of Nitzschia taxa have a restricted distribution within the Antarctic Region, showing a clear bioregionalism

Psychological Coping and Behavioral Adjustment Among Older Adults in Times of COVID-19:Exploring the Protective Role of Working Memory and Habit Propensity

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, well-being, and behavior is likely influenced by individual characteristics that determine one's capacity for resilience. In this exploratory study, we examined whether individual differences in working memory (WM) capacity and habit propensity (HP), measured before the outbreak, could predict variation in subsequent psychological coping efficacy (as operationalized by measures of depression, mental well-being, perceived stress, and loneliness) and behavioral adjustment (by evaluating compliance and self-reported automaticity of four COVID-19 guidelines) among Dutch older adults (n = 36) during the pandemic (measured April 25 to May 6, 2020). While we found elevated levels of depression and emotional loneliness, overall mental well-being, and perceived stress were not affected by the pandemic. Contrary to our expectations, we found no robust evidence for a protective role of WM in predicting these outcomes, although our findings hint at a positive relationship with perceived change in mental well-being. Interestingly, WM and HP were found to affect the self-reported automaticity levels of adherence to behavioral COVID-19 guidelines (i.e., washing hands, physical distancing), where a strong HP appeared beneficial when deliberate resources were less available (e.g., low WM capacity). These novel and preliminary findings offer new potential avenues for investigating individual differences in resilience in times of major life events or challenges.Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10804-022-09404-9

Effects of organically and conventionally produced feed on biomarkers of health in a chicken model

Consumers expect organic products to be healthier. However, limited research has been performed to study the effect of organic food on health. The present study aimed to identify biomarkers of health to enable future studies in human subjects. A feeding experiment was performed in two generations of three groups of chickens differing in immune responsiveness, which were fed identically composed feeds from either organic or conventional produce. The animals of the second generation were exposed to an immune challenge and sacrificed at 13 weeks of age. Feed and ingredients were analysed on macro- and micronutrients, i.e. vitamins, minerals, trace elements, heavy metals and microbes. The chickens were studied by general health and immune parameters, metabolomics, genomics and post-mortem evaluation. The organic and conventional feeds were comparable with respect to metabolisable energy. On average, the conventionally produced feeds had a 10 % higher protein content and some differences in micronutrients were observed. Although animals on both feeds were healthy, differences between the groups were found. The random control group of chickens fed conventional feed showed overall a higher weight gain during life span than the group on organic feed, although feed intake was mostly comparable. The animals on organic feed showed an enhanced immune reactivity, a stronger reaction to the immune challenge as well as a slightly stronger ‘catch-up growth’ after the challenge. Biomarkers for future research were identified in the parameters feed intake, body weight and growth rate, and in immunological, physiological and metabolic parameters, several of these differing most pronounced after the challeng

An item and construct bias analysis of two language versions of a verbal analogies scale

The Woodcock Muñoz Language Survey is a test of cognitive academic language proficiency that has been adapted from English into Xhosa by a South African team of researchers. This study was primarily concerned with the Verbal Analogies Scale of the Woodcock Muñoz Language Survey and aimed to extend previous research on the equivalence of the two language versions of the scale. The study employed a monolingual two-group design consisting of 150 mainly English-speaking and 149 mainly Xhosa learners in Grades 6 and 7. The first research objective was to investigate item bias (or differential item functioning items) in the Visual Analogies Scale across the Xhosa and English versions using logistic regression and Mantel–Haenszel statistical techniques. Five items were identified as differential item functioning. The second objective was to evaluate the construct equivalence of the two versions by conducting a factor analysis after removing the differential item functioning items from the scale. Two factors were identified. The first factor displayed significant loadings across both language versions. The second factor was stable for the English version but not for the Xhosa version. Results were supported by calculating a Tucker’s phi coefficient for both factors. It was therefore concluded that Factor 1 is structurally equivalent across the two language versions but that Factor 2 was not structurally equivalent. Thus, the detection and removal of differential item functioning items did not result in structural equivalence.Department of HE and Training approved lis