Enhancement of executive control through short-term cognitive training : far-transfer effects on general fluid intelligence

We predicted that short-term training of executive control would improve both cognitive control itself (Hypothesis 1) and general fluid intelligence (Hypothesis 2). We randomly assigned 120 high school students to the experimental and control groups. The former underwent a 14-day training of four executive functions: interference resolution, response inhibition, task switching, and goal monitoring. The latter did not train anything. The training significantly improved cognitive control and IQ. The control group also improved their IQ scores but gained less than the experimental one. However, the amount of IQ scores enhancement did not correlate with the majority of indices of the training effectiveness, thus justifying the supposition that such enhancement resulted from the general effect of participation in the training rather than from the improvement of executive functions underlying Gf

Physiological and Anatomical Responses to Water Deficits in the CAM Epiphyte Tillandsia Ionantha (Bromeliaceae)

Although physiological responses to drought have been examined in several species of epiphytic bromeliads, few have included a comprehensive methodological approach to the study of the carbon and water relations of a single species undergoing drought stress. Thus, physiological and anatomical responses to an imposed drought treatment were examined in the atmospheric Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) epiphyte Tillandsia ionantha. From 0 through 20 d without water, nocturnal malic acid accumulation and CO2 uptake rates did not change despite a 17% reduction in relative water content. In addition, water potentials averaged -0.40 MPa and, unlike leaf water content, did not decline. The avoidance of further declines in leaf water content was attributed to the restriction of stomatal opening to the night (a characteristic feature of CAM), to low stomatal densities and small stomatal pores, and to a thick boundary layer resulting from a dense foliar trichome cover. The maintenance of high physiological activity during the first 20 d of the drought treatment was most likely a result of the high water potentials in the chlorenchyma, which were attributed, in part, to water movement from the water-storage parenchyma (= "hydrenchyma") to the chlorenchyma. Nocturnal malic acid accumulation and the rate of net CO2 exchange declined in a linear fashion from 30 to 60 d without water, as did leaf water potential and osmotic potential. During this time, CO2 recycling increased from ca. 20% to nearly 75%. Though declining throughout this later stage of the drought treatment, metabolic activity remained relatively high, possibly as a result of the observed osmotic adjustment as well as a potentially high cell wall elasticity

B798: A Census of Maine\u27s Potato Production, Storage, and Packing Operation

Both internal and external factors relating to the production and marketing of Maine potatoes continue to influence and often undermine the profitability and market position of this important agricultural industry in the State. Among these factors are the technical aspects related to commercial production, storage and packing of potatoes in Maine; the current market structure; responses by the Maine industry to market preferences; and public policies, both foreign and domestic, affecting financial conditions and promotional activities in Maine and competing production regions. The quality of Maine potatoes in produce outlets in major Eastern U.S. markets is affected by production practices, handling methods, storage conditions, and quality maintenance and control practices. The organizational aspects of the marketing system at least partially determine the level of success in overall product marketing including the accurate and timely transmission of market information. Successful marketing also depends on the ability arid willingness of the industry to make use of such information in developing and implementing future marketing plans. Credit availability and policies in Maine and other regions are increasingly important as profit margins are reduced in times of low market prices and increasing production costs for all producers. In order to expand market demand for its product, industry promotional expenditures and activities may be inadequate.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_bulletin/1115/thumbnail.jp

The (in)significance of executive functions for the trait of Self-Control : a psychometric study

Self-control (SC) is an individual trait defined as the ability to pursue long-distance goals in spite of the obstacles generated by current desires, innate or learned automatisms, and physiological needs of an organism. This trait is relatively stable across the life span and it predicts such important features as level of income, quality of social relationships, and proneness to addictions. It is widely believed that the cognitive substrate of SC involves the executive functions (EFs), such as inhibitory control, shifting of attention, and working memory updating. However, the empirical evidence concerning the relationships between trait SC and EFs is not convincing. The present study aims to address two questions: (1) what is the strength of relationships between trait SC and EFs, and (2) which aspects of SC are predicted by particular EFs, if at all. In order to answer these questions, we carried out a psychometric study with 296 participants (133 men and 163 women, mean age 23.31, SD 3.64), whom we investigated with three types of tools: (1) a battery SC scales and inventories, (2) a battery of EFs tasks, and (3) two general intelligence tests. Structural equation modeling approach was used to analyze the data. We found that the latent variables representing SC and the latent variable representing EFs did not show any relationship. The standardized path coefficient between EFs and general intelligence turned out rather strong. We conclude that the trait of SC, measured with questionnaires, does not depend on the strength of cognitive control, measured with EFs tasks

NAS-50 and NAS-40 : new scales for the assessment of self-control

In this paper, we present a new questionnaire for the assessment of self-control as an individual trait. We describe the process of construction of this assessment tool. We also report the results of relevant validation studies. The questionnaire has two independent versions, one based on self-reports (NAS-50) and another one based on other-reports (NAS-40). The first version consists of five subscales (10 items each), called Initiative and Persistence (IP), Proactive Control (PC), Switching and Flexibility (SF), Inhibition and Adjournment (IA), and Goal Maintenance (GM). Seven samples of participants (N = 934 altogether) took part in the validation study. The second version has not been split into subscales. Both versions obtained satisfactory indices of internal consistency, assessed with Cronbach’s alpha (for NAS- 50 total score a = .861, for the subscales a between .726 and .867; for NAS-40 a = .844). The NAS-50 and NAS-40 scores were highly correlated with other measures of self-control, including Tangney, Baumeister, and Boone’s (2004) self-control scale. They also proved to be entirely independent of general intelligence. In conclusion, both versions can be regarded reliable and valid enough, and therefore suitable for the assessment of trait self-control for research purposes

A Review of the Federal Guidelines That Inform and Influence Relationships Between Physicians and Industry

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73492/1/j.1553-2712.2009.00460.x.pd

PCR-RFLP detection of point mutations A2143G and A2142G in 23S rRNA gene conferring resistance to clarithromycin in Helicobacter pylori strains

Background. The occurrence of clarithromycin resistance among Helicobacter pylori strains is a major cause of the treatment failure. Resistance to this drug is conferred by point mutations in 23S rRNA gene and the most prevalent mutations are A2143G and A2142G. The aim of the study was to evaluate the occurrence of A2143G and A2142G mutations in a group of H. pylori strains resistant to clarithromycin. Materials and Methods. The study included 21 clarithromycin-resistant H. pylori strains collected between 2006 and 2009 in southern Poland. Resistance to clarithromycin was quantitatively tested with the E-test to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC value). The point mutations of H. pylori isolates were detected by PCR followed by RFLP analysis. Results. The MIC values for clarithromycin for the analyzed strains ranged from 1.5 mg/L to 64 mg/L. Nine H. pylori strains exhibited A2143G mutation and A2142G mutation was found in 9 isolates as well. The results of RFLP analysis of 3 clarithromycin-resistant strains were negative for both mutations. The average MIC values for A2143G and A2142G mutants were 6 and 30 mg/L, respectively. Conclusions. Frequencies of A2143G and A2142G mutations were the same in all isolates tested. Strains with A2143G mutation exhibited lower MIC values than A2142G mutants. Application of PCR-RFLP method for detection of clarithromycin resistance allows for better and more efficient management of H. pylori infections