The Rubber Hand Illusion: Top-down Attention Modulates Embodiment

The Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI) creates distortions of body ownership through multimodal integration of somatosensory and visual inputs. This illusion largely rests on bottom-up (automatic multisensory and perceptual integration) mechanisms. However, the relative contribution from top-down factors, such as controlled processes involving attentional regulation, remains unclear. Following previous work that highlights the putative influence of higher-order cognition in the RHI, we aimed to further examine how modulations of working memory load and task instructions—two conditions engaging top-down cognitive processes—influence the experience of the RHI, as indexed by a number of psychometric dimensions. Relying on exploratory factor analysis for assessing this phenomenology within the RHI, our results confirm the influence of higher-order, top-down mental processes. Whereas task instruction strongly modulated embodiment of the rubber hand, cognitive load altered the affective dimension of the RHI. Our findings corroborate that top-down processes shape the phenomenology of the RHI and herald new ways to improve experimental control over the RHI

Recruiting doctors from and for underserved groups

Abstract: Objectives: Within health care, there are underserved groups such as New Brunswick’s French-speaking minority, which also mostly lives in rural communities. A physician shortage potentially prevents this population from accessing health promotion and clinical prevention services. This study analyzes whether francophone doctors with rural backgrounds are more likely than doctors from urban regions to set up practice in rural communities of the province. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 390 New Brunswick francophone physicians admitted in medicine between 1973 and 2000. It collected information on geographic origin and history of medical practice. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify whether a rural background is associated with the likelihood of ever and currently practicing in rural communities. We used the General Practice Rurality Index-simplified to quantify the rurality level of communities. Results: In total, 263 (67%) physicians participated. A rural background was positively associated with the establishment of a first medical practice in a rural community. This relationship was only significant among family physicians. There was no statistically significant relationship between rurality of community of origin and rurality of current community of practice among either of family or specialty physicians. Conclusion: Although francophone doctors with a rural background were more likely than their urban counterparts to set up their first practice in a rural community, this effect was not sustained. This raises questions as to why they leave rural communities and highlights the importance of measures to retain doctors as a way to promote public health for underserved rural groups

Difficult Turned Easy: Suggestion Renders a Challenging Visual Task Simple

Suggestions can cause some individuals to miss or disregard existing visual stimuli, but can they infuse sensory input with nonexistent information? Although several prominent theories of hypnotic suggestion propose that mental imagery can change our perceptual experience, data to support this stance remain sparse. The present study addressed this lacuna, showing how suggesting the presence of physically absent, yet critical, visual information transforms an otherwise difficult task into an easy one. Here, we show how adult participants who are highly susceptible to hypnotic suggestion successfully hallucinated visual occluders on top of moving objects. Our findings support the idea that, at least in some people, suggestions can add perceptual information to sensory input. This observation adds meaningful weight to theoretical, clinical, and applied aspects of the brain and psychological sciences

Impact of a methadone maintenance program on an Aboriginal community: a qualitative study

Abstract: Background: Methadone maintenance treatment programs implemented in Aboriginal communities have proven to be beneficial for the control of opioid addiction and its associated consequences, but the perceptions and opinions of different community members about these programs remain elusive. The goal of this study was to determine the perceptions of members of a First Nation community in New Brunswick, Canada, on the implementation of a methadone maintenance treatment program and its effects on the community. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using semistructured focus group discussions with 3 distinct groups composed of health care professionals and influential community members, patients in the methadone maintenance treatment program and community members at large. Thematic analysis of discussion transcripts was performed. Results: A total of 22 partipants were included in the 3 focus groups. All groups of participants expressed that patients in the program are stigmatized and marginalized. Discussions also revealed widespread misconceptions about the program. Participants associated the program with improvements in community-level outcomes and in parenting abilities of patients, but also with difficulties preserving family unity. Interpretation: Despite being culturally adapted to the community, elements surrounding the methadone maintenance treatment program in this First Nation community appear to be misunderstood and stigmatized. It may be beneficial to provide community education on these programs to assure community buy-in for the successful implementation of harm reduction programs in Aboriginal communities

Les ressources numériques d’information offertes aux parents belges et canadiens francophones en réponse au problème de la cyberintimidation : une analyse critique du discours

Cadre de la recherche : Le mot « cyberintimidation » désigne toute situation où une personne ou un groupe communique un contenu à l’aide des technologies socionumériques, dans le but de nuire au bien-être d’une tierce personne. Cette recherche porte sur les ressources numériques d’information (RNI) offertes aux parents belges et canadiens francophones, en réponse à ce problème social. Objectifs : S’appuyant sur la théorie de l’analyse critique du discours, notre recherche vise à décrire les manières d’agir et les manières d’être les plus souvent proposées aux parents belges et canadiens francophones, puis à les évaluer au regard de ce que la recherche scientifique juge souhaitable dans ce domaine. Méthodologie : Une analyse du discours de 17 RNI belges et de 35 RNI canadiennes a été réalisée. Toutes les propositions traduisant des manières d’agir et les manières d’être dans ces documents ont été classées dans des catégories d’analyse tirées de la documentation scientifique. Résultats : Le discours des RNI belges prescrit des modes d’intervention en situation de cyberintimidation qui sont proactifs ; des actions préventives misant sur la promotion du respect d’autrui ; une éducation aux médias prescriptive de bons usages ; l’exercice d’une parentalité démocratique à tendance autoritaire. Le discours des RNI canadiennes prescrit des modes d’intervention en situation de cyberintimidation axés sur le bien-être de l’enfant-victime ; des actions préventives portées sur la compréhension de l’univers sociomédiatique des jeunes ; une éducation aux médias misant sur l’accompagnement et le dialogue ouvert ; l’exercice d’une parentalité démocratique à tendance permissive. Conclusions : Les deux pays se distinguent sur plusieurs plans en matière de manières d’agir et de manières d’être promues dans les discours des RNI. Nos observations rejoignent les conclusions d’enquêtes montrant que l’exercice de la parentalité en Europe latine se fait selon un modèle plus autoritaire que celui qui est en vogue au Canada. Contribution : Notre recherche confirme le postulat de la théorie de l’analyse critique du discours selon lequel les discours sont orientés par des connaissances de sens commun (croyances, normes, valeurs) géographiquement et culturellement situées.Research Framework : The term “cyberbullying” refers to any situation where a person or group communicates content using social-digital technologies in order to harm the well-being of a third person. This research focuses on digital information resources (DIR) addressed to French-speaking parents in Belgium and Canada, in response to this social problem. Objectives : Based on the theory of critical discourse analysis, our research aims to describe the “ways of acting” and the “ways of being” most often proposed to French-speaking parents in Belgium and Canada, then to evaluate them in terms of what scientific research judges appropriate in this area. Methodology : An analysis of the discourse of 17 Belgian DIRs and 35 Canadian DIRs was conducted. All the propositions presenting “ways of acting” and “ways of being” in these documents have been classified in analytical categories taken from the scientific documentation. Results : The discourse of the Belgian DIR prescribes modalities of intervention in the situation of cyberbullying which are proactive ; preventive actions focusing on the promotion of respect for others ; a media education prescribing good uses ; the exercise of a democratic parenting with an authoritarian tendency. The discourse of Canadian DIR prescribes modes of intervention in cyberbullying that focus on the well-being of the child-victim ; preventive actions aimed at understanding the socio-media universe of young people ; media education based on support and open dialogue ; the exercise of a democratic parenting with a permissive tendency. Conclusions : The two countries are different in terms of “ways of acting” and “ways of being” promoted in the discourses of the DIR. Our observations are consistent with the findings of surveys showing that parenting in Latin Europe is conducted in a more authoritarian way than in Canada. Contribution : Our research confirms the postulate of the critical discourse analysis theory to which discourses are oriented by common sense knowledge (beliefs, norms, values) geographically and culturally located

Critical role of surface chemical modifications induced by length shortening on multi-walled carbon nanotubes-induced toxicity.

International audienceABSTRACT: Given the increasing use of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in composite materials and their possible expansion to new areas such as nanomedicine which will both lead to higher human exposure, a better understanding of their potential to cause adverse effects on human health is needed. Like other nanomaterials, the biological reactivity and toxicity of CNT were shown to depend on various physicochemical characteristics, and length has been suggested to play a critical role.We therefore designed a comprehensive study that aimed at comparing the effects on murine macrophages of two samples of multi-walled CNT (MWCNT) specifically synthesized following a similar production process (aerosol-assisted CVD), and used a soft ultrasonic treatment in water to modify the length of one of them.We showed that modification of the length of MWCNT leads, unavoidably, to accompanying structural (i.e. defects) and chemical (i.e. oxidation) modifications that affect both surface and residual catalyst iron nanoparticle content of CNT. The biological response of murine macrophages to the two different MWCNT samples was evaluated in terms of cell viability, pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion and oxidative stress. We showed that structural defects and oxidation both induced by the length reduction process are at least as responsible as the length reduction itself for the enhanced pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidative response observed with short (oxidized) compared to long (pristine) MWCNT.In conclusion, our results stress that surface properties should be considered, alongside the length, as essential parameters in CNT-induced inflammation, especially when dealing with a safe design of CNT, for application in nanomedicine for example

SARS-CoV-2 transmission via apical syncytia release from primary bronchial epithelia and infectivity restriction in children epithelia

The beta-coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is at the origin of a persistent worldwide pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 infections initiate in the bronchi of the upper respiratory tract and are able to disseminate to the lower respiratory tract eventually causing acute severe respiratory syndrome with a high degree of mortality in the elderly. Here we use reconstituted primary bronchial epithelia from adult and children donors to follow the infection dynamic following infection with SARS-CoV-2. We show that in bronchial epithelia derived from adult donors, infections initiate in multi-ciliated cells. Then, infection rapidly spread within 24-48h throughout the whole epithelia. Within 3-4 days, large apical syncytia form between multi-ciliated cells and basal cells, which dissipate into the apical lumen. We show that these syncytia are a significant source of the released infectious dose. In stark contrast to these findings, bronchial epithelia reconstituted from children donors are intrinsically more resistant to virus infection and show active restriction of virus spread. This restriction is paired with accelerated release of IFN compared to adult donors. Taken together our findings reveal apical syncytia formation as an underappreciated source of infectious virus for either local dissemination or release into the environment. Furthermore, we provide direct evidence that children bronchial epithelia are more resistant to infection with SARS-CoV-2 providing experimental support for epidemiological observations that SARS-CoV-2 cases’ fatality is linked to age. Significance Statement Bronchial epithelia are the primary target for SARS-CoV-2 infections. Our work uses reconstituted bronchial epithelia from adults and children. We show that infection of adult epithelia with SARS-CoV-2 is rapid and results in the synchronized release of large clusters of infected cells and syncytia into the apical lumen contributing to the released infectious virus dose. Infection of children derived bronchial epithelia revealed an intrinsic resistance to infection and virus spread, probably as a result of a faster onset of interferon secretion. Thus, our data provide direct evidence for the epidemiological observation that children are less susceptible to SARS-CoV-2