Memory flexibility training for autobiographical memory as an intervention for maintaining social and mental well-being in older adults

Autobiographical memory specificity (AMS) reduces with increasing age and is associated with depression, social problem-solving and functional limitations. However, ability to switch between general and specific, as well as between positive and negative retrieval, may be more important for the strategic use of autobiographical information in everyday life. Ability to switch between retrieval modes is likely to rely on aspects of executive function. We propose that age-related deficits in cognitive flexibility impair AMS, but the “positivity effect” protects positively valenced memories from impaired specificity. A training programme to improve the ability to flexibly retrieve different types of memories in depressed adults (MemFlex) was examined in non-depressed older adults to determine effects on AMS, valence and the executive functions underlying cognitive flexibility. Thirty-nine participants aged 70+ (MemFlex, n = 20; control, n = 19) took part. AMS and the inhibition aspect of executive function improved in both groups, suggesting these abilities are amenable to change, although not differentially affected by this type of training. Lower baseline inhibition scores correlated with increased negative, but not positive AMS, suggesting that positive AMS is an automatic process in older adults. Changes in AMS correlated with changes in social problem-solving, emphasising the usefulness of AMs in a social environment

Intratracheal instillation of silver nanoparticles exacerbates cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury in male sprague-dawley rats

The uses of engineered nanomaterials have expanded in biomedical technology and consumer manufacturing. Exposure to particulate matter has been demonstrated to negatively influence cardiovascular health and expand myocardial infarction. Furthermore, pulmonary exposure to various engineered nanomaterials has, likewise, demonstrated the ability to exacerbate cardiac ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury. We hypothesized that pulmonary exposure to AgNP induces cardiovascular toxicity in the form of expanded I/R injury, electrical dysfunction and inducing a persistent increase in circulating proinflammatory cytokines. To test this hypothesis, we exposed male SD rats to an intratracheal (IT) instillation of 200 µg of 20 or 110 nm polyvinylprryolidone (PVP) or citrate capped AgNP, in 200 ul of the respective PVP or citrate vehicle. Serum samples were collected prior to instillation and 1, 3, 6, 24, 48, 72, and 168 hours following instillation. Serum samples were analyzed by multiplex assay for concentrations of: G-CSF, GM-CSF, MIP-1a, IL -1b, IL-2, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17a, IL-18, MCP-1, IFNy, RANTES, and TNFa. Twenty four and 168 hours after IT exposure, cardiac ischemia was induced by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation for 20 minutes followed by 2 hours of reperfusion. Intraoperative ECG was monitored throughout cardiac I/R surgery for heart rate (HR), PR interval, and QT interval. To test the impact of silver ion exposure on cardiac I/R injury we administered 200 ul of 0.01 mg/mL, 0.1 mg/mL, or 1 mg/mL silver acetate (AgAc) and induced cardiac I/R 24 hours later. Intratracheal instillation of AgNP resulted in expansion of I/R injury for both sizes of citrate and PVP capped AgNP at both 24 hours and 168 following instillation; exposure to 0.1 and 1 mg/mL AgAc also resulted in expansion of I/R injury. Intratracheal instillation of AgNP did not result in increased serum concentrations of selected proinflammatory cytokines, however post I/R serum levels of IL-2, IL-6, and IL-18 were significantly elevated in rats exposed to 20 nm PVP capped AgNP compared to vehicle controls at 24 hours post instillation. Instillation of AgNP had no impact on HR or QT interval. However, exposure to 20 nm AgNP resulted in a differential prolongation or shortening of PR interval during reperfusion based on capping agent. In conclusion IT instillation of AgNP exacerbates cardiac I/R injury 24 and 168 hours following instillation, without inducing a strong systemic inflammatory response or electrical dysfunction. Exposure to AgNP may result in a sensitization of the immune system in response to a secondary insult (e.g., cardiac I/R) which are largely correlated with capping agents and particle size and may drive expansion of I/R injury at 24 and 168 hours following IT instillation of AgNP.  M.S

Electronically Unsaturated Three-Coordinate Chloride and Methyl Complexes of Iron, Cobalt, and Nickel

This article discusses electronically unsaturated three-coordinate chloride and methyl complexes of iron, cobalt, and nickel

Selectivity and Mechanism of Hydrogen Atom Transfer by an Isolable Imidoiron (III) Complex

This article discusses a mechanistic study of hydrogen atom transfer by an isolable iron (III) imido complex, LᴹᵉFeNAd (Lᴹᵉ = bulky β-diketiminate ligand, 2,4-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenylimido)pentyl; Ad = 1-adamantyl)

Three-Coordinate Terminal Imidoiron(III) Complexes: Structure, Spectroscopy, and Mechanism of Formation

Article discussing three-coordinate terminal imidoiron(III) complexes and the structure, spectroscopy, and the mechanism of formation

Provider Attitudes toward the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Scale-Up in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Countries participating in voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) scale-up have adopted most of six elements of surgical efficiency, depending on national policy. However, effective implementation of these elements largely depends on providers' attitudes and subsequent compliance. We explored the concordance between recommended practices and providers' perceptions toward the VMMC efficiency elements, in part to inform review of national policies. As part of Systematic Monitoring of the VMMC Scale-up (SYMMACS), we conducted a survey of VMMC providers in Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. SYMMACS assessed providers' attitudes and perceptions toward these elements in 2011 and 2012. A restricted analysis using 2012 data to calculate unadjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the country effect on each attitudinal outcome was done using logistic regression. As only two countries allow more than one cadre to perform the surgical procedure, odds ratios looking at country effect were adjusted for cadre effect for these two countries. Qualitative data from open-ended responses were used to triangulate with quantitative analyses. This analysis showed concordance between each country's policies and provider attitudes toward the efficiency elements. One exception was task-shifting, which is not authorized in South Africa or Zimbabwe; providers across all countries approved this practice. The decision to adopt efficiency elements is often based on national policies. The concordance between the policies of each country and provider attitudes bodes well for compliance and effective implementation. However, study findings suggest that there may be need to consult providers when developing national policies.\u

Announcing The Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health

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Migratory Connectivity of the Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus): Patterns of Spring Re-Colonization in Eastern North America

Each year, millions of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) migrate up to 3000 km from their overwintering grounds in central Mexico to breed in eastern North America. Malcolm et al. (1993) articulated two non-mutually exclusive hypotheses to explain how Monarchs re-colonize North America each spring. The ‘successive brood’ hypothesis proposes that monarchs migrate from Mexico to the Gulf Coast, lay eggs and die, leaving northern re-colonization of the breeding range to subsequent generations. The ‘single sweep’ hypothesis proposes that overwintering monarchs continue to migrate northward after arriving on the Gulf coast and may reach the northern portion of the breeding range, laying eggs along the way. To examine these hypotheses, we sampled monarchs throughout the northern breeding range and combined stable-hydrogen isotopes (δD) to estimate natal origin with wing wear scores to differentiate between individuals born in the current vs. previous year. Similar to Malcolm et al. (1993), we found that the majority of the northern breeding range was re-colonized by the first generation of monarchs (90%). We also estimated that a small number of individuals (10%) originated directly from Mexico and, therefore adopted a sweep strategy. Contrary to Malcolm et al. (1993), we found that 62% of monarchs sampled in the Great Lakes originated from the Central U.S., suggesting that this region is important for sustaining production in the northern breeding areas. Our results provide new evidence of re-colonization patterns in monarchs and contribute important information towards identifying productive breeding regions of this unique migratory insect

Sensitivity and performance of the Advanced LIGO detectors in the third observing run

On April 1st, 2019, the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (aLIGO), joined by the Advanced Virgo detector, began the third observing run, a year-long dedicated search for gravitational radiation. The LIGO detectors have achieved a higher duty cycle and greater sensitivity to gravitational waves than ever before, with LIGO Hanford achieving angle-averaged sensitivity to binary neutron star coalescences to a distance of 111 Mpc, and LIGO Livingston to 134 Mpc with duty factors of 74.6% and 77.0% respectively. The improvement in sensitivity and stability is a result of several upgrades to the detectors, including doubled intracavity power, the addition of an in-vacuum optical parametric oscillator for squeezed-light injection, replacement of core optics and end reaction masses, and installation of acoustic mode dampers. This paper explores the purposes behind these upgrades, and explains to the best of our knowledge the noise currently limiting the sensitivity of each detector.The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) for the construction and operation of the LIGO Laboratory and Advanced LIGO as well as the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) of the United Kingdom, and the Max-Planck-Society (MPS) for support of the construction of Advanced LIGO. Additional support for Advanced LIGO was provided by the Australian Research Council. The authors acknowledge the LIGO Scientific Collaboration Fellows program for additional support. LIGO was constructed by the California Institute of Technology and Massachusetts Institute of Technology with funding from the National Science Foundation, and operates under cooperative Agreement No. PHY1764464. Advanced LIGO was built under Award No. PHY-0823459. This paper carries LIGO Document Number LIGO-P2000122