Socio-cognitive profiles for visual learning in young and older adults.

It is common wisdom that practice makes perfect; but why do some adults learn better than others? Here, we investigate individuals' cognitive and social profiles to test which variables account for variability in learning ability across the lifespan. In particular, we focused on visual learning using tasks that test the ability to inhibit distractors and select task-relevant features. We tested the ability of young and older adults to improve through training in the discrimination of visual global forms embedded in a cluttered background. Further, we used a battery of cognitive tasks and psycho-social measures to examine which of these variables predict training-induced improvement in perceptual tasks and may account for individual variability in learning ability. Using partial least squares regression modeling, we show that visual learning is influenced by cognitive (i.e., cognitive inhibition, attention) and social (strategic and deep learning) factors rather than an individual's age alone. Further, our results show that independent of age, strong learners rely on cognitive factors such as attention, while weaker learners use more general cognitive strategies. Our findings suggest an important role for higher-cognitive circuits involving executive functions that contribute to our ability to improve in perceptual tasks after training across the lifespan.This work was supported by grants to ZK from the Leverhulme Trust [RF-2011- 378] and the [European Community’s] Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/2007-2013] under agreement PITN-GA-2011- 290011 and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council [D52199X,E027436].This is the final version. It was first published by Frontiers at http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2015.00105/abstract

Iridium Catalyzed Enantioselective Intermolecular Indole C2-Allylation

The enantioselective intermolecular C2-allylation of 3-substituted indoles is reported for the first time. This directing group-free approach relies on a chiral Ir-(P, olefin) complex and Mg(ClO4)2 Lewis acid catalyst system to promote allylic substitution, providing the C2-allylated products in typically high yields (40-99%) and enantioselectivities (83-99% ee) with excellent regiocontrol. Experimental studies and DFT calculations suggest that the reaction proceeds via direct C2-allylation, rather than C3-allylation followed by in situ migration. Steric congestion at the indole-C3 position and improved π-π stacking interactions have been identified as major contributors to the C2-selectivity

Week 26 results from the PaTH Forward Open-Label Extension Trial Support TransCon PTH as a potential hormone replacement therapy for patients with hypoparathyroidism

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The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci and found significant enrichment for loci influencing total surface area within regulatory elements that are active during prenatal cortical development, supporting the radial unit hypothesis. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes in Wnt signaling pathways, which influence progenitor expansion and areal identity. Variation in cortical structure is genetically correlated with cognitive function, Parkinson's disease, insomnia, depression, neuroticism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Exome genotyping arrays to identify rare and low frequency variants associated with epithelial ovarian cancer risk

Rare and low frequency variants are not well covered in most germline genotyping arrays and are understudied in relation to epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) risk. To address this gap, we used genotyping arrays targeting rarer protein-coding variation in 8,165 EOC cases and 11,619 controls from the international Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). Pooled association analyses were conducted at the variant and gene level for 98,543 variants directly genotyped through two exome genotyping projects. Only common variants that represent or are in strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) with previously-identified signals at established loci reached traditional thresholds for exome-wide significance (P < 5.0 × 10 (−) (7)). One of the most significant signals (P(all histologies )=( )1.01 × 10 (−) (13);P(serous )=( )3.54 × 10 (−) (14)) occurred at 3q25.31 for rs62273959, a missense variant mapping to the LEKR1 gene that is in LD (r(2 )=( )0.90) with a previously identified ‘best hit’ (rs7651446) mapping to an intron of TIPARP. Suggestive associations (5.0 × 10 (−) (5 )>( )P≥5.0 ×10 (−) (7)) were detected for rare and low-frequency variants at 16 novel loci. Four rare missense variants were identified (ACTBL2 rs73757391 (5q11.2), BTD rs200337373 (3p25.1), KRT13 rs150321809 (17q21.2) and MC2R rs104894658 (18p11.21)), but only MC2R rs104894668 had a large effect size (OR = 9.66). Genes most strongly associated with EOC risk included ACTBL2 (P(AML )=( )3.23 × 10 (−) (5); P(SKAT-o )=( )9.23 × 10 (−) (4)) and KRT13 (P(AML )=( )1.67 × 10 (−) (4); P(SKAT-o )=( )1.07 × 10 (−) (5)), reaffirming variant-level analysis. In summary, this large study identified several rare and low-frequency variants and genes that may contribute to EOC susceptibility, albeit with possible small effects. Future studies that integrate epidemiology, sequencing, and functional assays are needed to further unravel the unexplained heritability and biology of this disease

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

A study of improvements for higher education evaluation system in Taiwan

　　在知識經濟發展的21世紀，高等教育的需求是世界性的趨勢。台灣在過去20年中，高等教育有急速的膨脹，因此高等教育的品質管制也成為重要的議題。高等教育評鑑中心 (HEEACT) 目前在台灣針對各類別的系所進行評鑑，其他非政府機構例如中華工程教育學會 IEET) ，以及國際機構AACSB也在台灣進行教育認證，目前教育部正擬定有關高等教育評鑑的國家政策。 　　國際化的衝擊，也是促進高等教育評鑑或認證的驅動力量。高等教育評鑑不僅提昇教學品質，也促進專業人員的國際流動性。在過去數年之中，對於高教評鑑中心執行之結果，各方有許多不同的觀點、爭議以及抱怨。本研究的目的，在於選擇高教評鑑相關之主要議題，收集專家學者的意見，並且討論受訪者對於這些議題具有共識或不同意見的結果。 　　本研究採取深度訪談的研究方法，獲取專家們對於高等教育評鑑或認證的看法。本研究共有15位專家學者參與訪談，由訪談結果顯示，受訪者在三分之一的議題方面具有較明顯的共識。本研究將訪談結果整理分析，並與文獻上所取得的資料相互對應比較。本研究結果對於政府制訂未來高等教育品質管制的政策提供有用的資料。The demand of higher education is a worldwide trend in the knowledge based economy of the 21st century. Taiwan has a rapid higher education expansion during the past two decades, and the quality control is becoming a highly concerned issue. The Higher Education Evaluation & Accreditation Council (HEEACT) is conducting general evaluations for higher education programs in Taiwan. Non-governmental commissions like the Institute of Engineering Education Taiwan (IEET) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) are also conducting accreditations in Taiwan. A national policy for the effective evaluation of higher education is currently formulating by the Ministry of Education. The impact of globalization is another driving force for the evaluation and accreditation of higher education programs. Higher education evaluation and accreditation not only enhance the teaching quality, but also promote professional mobility. During the last several years, there were different opinions, arguments and complains for the evaluation conducted by HEEACT. The aim of this study was to select major issues of higher education evaluation, to find out opinions from related experts, and to discuss the differences and similarities of interview results. This research applied the in-depth interview method to collect the comments for higher education evaluation and accreditation in Taiwan. Fifteen professionals and administration leaders have been interviewed. The interviewees showed consensus on one third of the interview questions. Their opinions on various interview topics have been recorded, analyzed, and compared with literature evidences. The results of this study provide useful information to the future policy and improvement

Assessing Self-Control and Geosocial Networking App Behavior Among an Online Sample of Men Who Have Sex with Men

Geosocial networking phone applications (GSN apps) used to meet sexual partners have become popular in the men who have sex with men (MSM) communities of the USA since 2009. Previous studies have shown greater incidence of gonorrhea and chlamydia and lower testing frequency for HIV testing among GSN app users when compared to non-users. The present study aims to determine the type, number, and frequency of apps used, as well as the association between dispositional self-control and health-related behaviors. Participants (n = 146) were recruited from Amazon's Mechanical Turk program to respond to a brief GSN app marketing survey. Multivariate regression was used to determine differences in app priorities, length of app use, and number of sexual partners between high self-control and low self-control participants. A majority of the participants reported using Grindr (78&nbsp;%) followed by Scruff (19&nbsp;%), Growlr (12&nbsp;%), and Jack'd (12&nbsp;%). Most individuals used one app only (58&nbsp;%), but a significant proportion reported using two apps (28&nbsp;%) or three or more apps (14&nbsp;%). Respondents with low self-control were more likely to report a higher number of hours using GSN apps and a higher number of sexual partners, controlling for race/ethnicity, education, employment, and HIV status. Given the popularity of this burgeoning communication medium, these findings have important implications for developing prevention resources for different segments of GSN app users