Recall Of Events Research Articles

Heart rate variability in response to the recall of attachment memories

ABSTRACT Internal Working Models of the attachment system modulate emotional responses and the Disorganized attachment pattern is characterized by the breakdown of such regulation. Vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) is an index of flexible emotional responding. This study investigated vmHRV in non-clinical adults with an Organized or Disorganized attachment pattern before, during, and after the recall of attachment memories via the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Whereas the Organized group exhibited a typical decrease in vmHRV during the AAI and asubsequent return to a baseline-like pattern, the Disorganized group unexpectedly showed a sustained increase in vmHRV during the AAI which also persisted during the recovery phase. Results suggest that while Organized face the recollection of attachment memories by showing the adaptive stress response characterized by parasympathetic withdrawal and immediate recovery, individuals with Disorganized attachment need to keep regulating their emotions effortfully both during and after the recall of potential traumatic events.

Long-married couples recall their wedding day: the influence of collaboration and gender on autobiographical memory recall

ABSTRACTThe current study examined the influence of collaboration, expertise, and communication on autobiographical memory, by considering gender differences in recall and how they may influence the products and processes of remembering when male-female couples recall events together. Thirty-nine long-married, male-female couples recalled their memories of their wedding day. In Session 1, they recalled it individually for an experimenter. One week later, in Session 2, they recalled the same event jointly as a collaborative pair. Women reported more details, especially episodic details, than men across both sessions. Notably, collaborative recall included many new details that neither spouse had recalled individually. Exploratory analyses suggest that women were less influenced by collaboration than were men: women’s communication behaviours influenced men’s recall, but the reverse was not found for men’s communication. Additionally, when couples’ individual recall was more similar in content, men were more likely to decrease their contribution to the collaborative session. We consider these findings in light of transactive memory theory, in which joint meta-memory and the distribution of expertise influence the processes and products of recall in the interdependent system of a couple who extensively share their autobiographical memories.

Investigative utility of the Cognitive Interview: Describing and finding perpetrators.

The Cognitive Interview (CI) has been shown repeatedly to enhance witness recall of events. The current study examined two conspicuous holes in the CI literature: (a) whether the CI improves witness descriptions specifically of a perpetrator's appearance; and (b) whether CI-elicited perpetrator descriptions help investigators to find the perpetrator. We examined these issues across three studies: In Experiment 1, 67 college students witnessed a simulated robbery and were then interviewed using either the CI or a standard police interview (SI) to elicit a description of the robber. The CI elicited almost three times as many descriptors, and at comparable levels of accuracy. These descriptions were then given to 387 college students (Experiment 2 and 3) and to 71 police officers (Experiment 3), who attempted to find the perpetrator (among a group of suspect photographs). The CI-elicited descriptors increased the rate of finding the perpetrator by almost 30% for both student and police investigators, who did not differ from one another. This study is the first to find that the CI can be properly used by police in a criminal investigation. Investigating the actual perpetrator as opposed to an innocent suspect is likely to have implications for subsequent phases of an investigation, such as increasing the base rate of including perpetrators in lineups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Hippocampal-Cortical Memory Trace Transfer and Reactivation Through Cell-Specific Stimulus and Spontaneous Background Noise.

The hippocampus plays important roles in memory formation and retrieval through sharp-wave-ripples. Recent studies have shown that certain neuron populations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) exhibit coordinated reactivations during awake ripple events. These experimental findings suggest that the awake ripple is an important biomarker, through which the hippocampus interacts with the neocortex to assist memory formation and retrieval. However, the computational mechanisms of this ripple based hippocampal-cortical coordination are still not clear due to the lack of unified models that include both the hippocampal and cortical networks. In this work, using a coupled biophysical model of both CA1 and PFC, we investigate possible mechanisms of hippocampal-cortical memory trace transfer and the conditions that assist reactivation of the transferred memory traces in the PFC. To validate our model, we first show that the local field potentials generated in the hippocampus and PFC exhibit ripple range activities that are consistent with the recent experimental studies. Then we demonstrate that during ripples, sequence replays can successfully transfer the information stored in the hippocampus to the PFC recurrent networks. We investigate possible mechanisms of memory retrieval in PFC networks. Our results suggest that the stored memory traces in the PFC network can be retrieved through two different mechanisms, namely the cell-specific input representing external stimuli and non-specific spontaneous background noise representing spontaneous memory recall events. Importantly, in both cases, the memory reactivation quality is robust to network connection loss. Finally, we find out that the quality of sequence reactivations is enhanced by both increased number of SWRs and an optimal background noise intensity, which tunes the excitability of neurons to a proper level. Our study presents a mechanistic explanation for the memory trace transfer from the hippocampus to neocortex through ripple coupling in awake states and reports two different mechanisms by which the stored memory traces can be successfully retrieved.

A Pilot Study of Smartphone-Based Memory Bias Modification and Its Effect on Memory Bias and Depressive symptoms in an Unselected Population

Memory bias modification (MBM) is a relatively new approach at targeting biased processing—a central cognitive factor causing and maintaining depression. In this pilot study we aimed to develop a smartphone-based autobiographical memory training, a novel form of MBM. A total of 153 unselected participants were randomly allocated to one of three experimental training conditions (positive, negative or sham memory training) conducted over a period of three days. Autobiographical memory bias and depressive scores were assessed pre- and post-training, whilst recent event recall and explicit self-referent memory bias were assessed post-training. Positive memory bias significantly increased in the positive training condition, however memory bias did not significantly differ post-training between the three conditions. Participants who received positive training recalled a positive autobiographical event more frequently compared to the other conditions. No significant difference between conditions was found in the other outcomes, including symptoms. The novel smartphone-based MBM intervention seems apt to affect autobiographical memory of emotional material. Future research should explore its possible (therapeutic) application.

Visualizing participant experiences in maternal and child nutrition studies using timeline mapping.

Iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation is one of the most cost-effective interventions to prevent and treat anemia during pregnancy. Despite having the highest global burden of anemia among pregnant women, rates of IFA uptake in pregnancy in India are still very low, particularly in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Timeline maps were developed as a visual qualitative tool to explore the nuances of health behaviors among pregnant women with respect to antenatal care (ANC) services, including IFA consumption. Timeline maps were used to elicit and visually document critical events pertaining to ANC services chronologically, including details on contact points with the health system and events specific to IFA distribution, consumption and counselling. The tool consists of a horizontal straight line with nine suspended boxes corresponding to each month of pregnancy, with legends on how to illustrate IFA receipt and consumption. In this instance, the woman's last menstrual period and expected date of delivery were used as a frame of reference for the duration of pregnancy. Six research assistants (RAs) were trained on how to use timeline maps to elicit and record participant narratives. The RAs later participated in a focus group discussion to gain insight about their experiences using the tool. The timeline maps were easy-to-use and facilitated in-depth conversations with participants. RAs were able to actively engage the participants in co-creating the maps. The visual nature of the tool prompted participants' recall of key pregnancy events and reflexivity. Challenges reported with the tool/process included recollection of past events and potential misrepresentation of information. These highlight a need to restructure training processes. Our findings indicate that timeline maps have the potential to be used in a variety of other program contexts, and merit further exploration.

The Court Poet/Praise Singer in Wole Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman and Ola Rotimi's Ovonramwen Nogbaisi: a Critical Appraisal


 
 
 Oral artists are a common sight in traditional African societies and were most prominent in old empires such as Oyo, Benin, Songhai and Mali. They also existed in the Zulu empire, northern Nigeria and among the Akan in Ghana. Their place is integral to the social and political well-being of these empires. In the Oyo empire, court poets are known as Olohun-Iyo. They are called griots in Senegal and Mali and among the Akan of Ghana, they are called Kwadwumfo. Modern Nigerian dramatists such as Wole Soyinka and Ola Rotimi have appropriated the image and roles of the court poet in Death and The King’s Horseman and Ovonramwen Nogbaisi respectively. This paper defines who a court poet is, his role as a maker and wordsmith, and the nature of his work and patronage. It examines the qualities he must possess and the content of his poetry. In examining the place of memory and remembering in the discharge of the poet ́s duties, the paper investigates the various mnemonic and retrieval systems used by the poet to recall past accounts and great deeds of the kings. The roles of traditional court poets will be compared with the roles played by Olohun-iyo and Uzazakpo in the selected plays. The paper will also discuss what has become of oral artists in modern African societies. How viable is the art-form in the modern world with the advent of technology? Has civilization and modernity eroded their importance in society? While affirming their traditional advisory, prophetic, warning, motivational roles and as repositories of customs and culture, this paper concludes by stating the poet employs linguistic, para- linguistic and “medicinal” strategies to recall events at a given performance.
 KEYWORDS: COURT-POET, PRAISE SINGER, TRADITIONAL AFRICAN POETRY, WOLE SOYINKA, OLA ROTIMI
 
 

Emotional memory in bipolar disorder: Impact of multiple episodes and childhood trauma

BackgroundEmotional memory is a critical amygdala-dependent cognitive function characterized by enhanced memory for emotional events coupled with retrograde amnesia. Our study aims to assess the influence of bipolar disorder (BD), trauma, and the number of mood episodes on emotional memory. Methods53 subjects (33 euthymic patients with BD and 20 healthy controls) answered a clinical assessment, childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ), and an emotional memory test composed of lists of nouns, including neutral words, one emotional (E), one preceding (E-1) and one following word (E + 1). We assessed for the influence of type, position, diagnosis, trauma, and number of mood episodes in word recall using generalized estimating equations. ResultsControlling for neutral words, BD had a higher recall for E-1 (p = 0.038) and a trend for a higher recall of E (p = 0.055). There was no difference between patients with and without trauma. Patients with BD who suffered multiple mood episodes had a higher recall of E compared to patients with fewer episodes (p = 0.016). LimitationsCross-sectional design and small sample size. ConclusionOur results indicate dysfunction in emotional memory in patients with BD, particularly after multiple mood episodes. While we expected an impaired emotional memory, patients with BD showed an increased recall for emotional stimuli and events preceding them. Childhood trauma does not seem to interfere with emotional memory changes in patients with BD. Emotional memory enhancement seems to be a promising marker of progression in BD.

Error Types and Associations of Clinically Significant Events Within Food and Drug Administration Recalls of Linear Accelerators and Related Products

PurposeMedical devices in radiation therapy undergo a complex process of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Little is known about which processes within the radiation therapy medical device industry are most prone to events involving wrong dose, volume, or targeting in radiation therapy treatment. Methods and MaterialsWe carried out a retrospective analysis of the United States FDA Medical Device Recalls database for recalls of products classified as “Accelerator, Linear, Medical” from 2010 to 2016. Each recall event was classified using a modified Delphi method among 3 experts in safety according to product type, error category, and severity score. Error categories included inconvenience; suboptimal plan or treatment; incorrect dose, volume, or targeting; and nonradiation injury risk. Variables investigated were product type, recall year, FDA-determined cause, and quantity of units recalled. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify factors prognostic of incorrect dose, volume, or targeting. ResultsWe identified a total of 250 recall events between 2010 and 2016, with 165 eligible for analysis. Linear accelerators (LINACs) (28%) and LINAC control software (19%) were the most frequently recalled products. The most common FDA-determined causes for recalls were software design (42%) and device design (26%). On univariate analysis (P < .05), LINAC control software (odds ratio [OR] 5.4) and oncology information system or treatment management system (OR 3.9) versus LINACs and software design (OR 3.4) versus device design were associated with wrong dose, volume, or targeting events. On multivariate analysis, only the association with LINAC control software (OR 3.7) persisted for wrong dose, volume, or targeting events. ConclusionsReview of these data shows that problems with LINAC control software were associated with incorrect dose delivery at a 4-fold higher rate than errors with LINACs. Manufacturers should focus on improvements in software design to minimize dose- and targeting-related errors to patients.

Can police be trained in trauma processing to minimise PTSD symptoms? Feasibility and proof of concept with a newly recruited UK police population

Neuropsychological trauma processing techniques based on hippocampal-dependent spatial and episodic memory were trialled with 71 newly recruited officers within one UK police force between March 2018 and February 2019. Results indicate that the skills are teachable within an operational training environment, have a positive impact on feelings of ease about difficult or traumatic work-related incidents, can improve recall of events and may mitigate against the impact of age and trauma exposure on memory. Participants report the techniques to be useable, sharable and operationally relevant to trauma management and personal resilience. Results will inform a larger randomised controlled trial.

Episodic memory: Neuronal codes for what, where, and when.

Episodic memory is defined as the ability to recall events in a spatiotemporal context. Formation of such memories is critically dependent on the hippocampal formation and its inputs from the entorhinal cortex. To be able to support the formation of episodic memories, entorhinal cortex and hippocampal formation should contain a neuronal code that follows several requirements. First, the code should include information about position of the agent ("where"), sequence of events ("when"), and the content of the experience itself ("what"). Second, the code should arise instantly thereby being able to support memory formation of one-shot experiences. For successful encoding and to avoid interference between memories during recall, variations in location, time, or in content of experience should result in unique ensemble activity. Finally, the code should capture several different resolutions of experience so that the necessary details relevant for future memory-based predictions will be stored. We review how neuronal codes in entorhinal cortex and hippocampus follow these requirements and argue that during formation of episodic memories entorhinal cortex provides hippocampus with instant information about ongoing experience. Such information originates from (a) spatially modulated neurons in medial entorhinal cortex, including grid cells, which provide a stable and universal positional metric of the environment; (b) a continuously varying signal in lateral entorhinal cortex providing a code for the temporal progression of events; and (c) entorhinal neurons coding the content of experiences exemplified by object-coding and odor-selective neurons. During formation of episodic memories, information from these systems are thought to be encoded as unique sequential ensemble activity in hippocampus, thereby encoding associations between the content of an event and its spatial and temporal contexts. Upon exposure to parts of the encoded stimuli, activity in these ensembles can be reinstated, leading to reactivation of the encoded activity pattern and memory recollection.

Long-term autobiographical memory across middle childhood: patterns, predictors, and implications for conceptualizations of childhood amnesia

ABSTRACTWe examined recall of events by children 4–11 years to inform patterns of retention of autobiographical memories as well as factors that predict their survival. 101 children participated in a 4-year prospective study. At study inception, children were 4, 6, and 8 years. They were tested annually for three more years for a total of four waves of data collection. At each wave, we obtained narrative reports of recent (all waves) and distant (Waves 2–4) events, resulting in virtually continuous sampling of memories formed by 4- to 11-year-olds and recalled after 1–3-year delays. We also measured children's language, and domain-general and memory-specific cognitive skills. Multi-level modelling revealed age-related increases in the likelihood of survival of memories over the delays. Critically, the rate of increase in retention of individual memories was the same across the cohorts. In addition to age, thematic coherence of original memory reports predicted memory survivability. Other factors were not predictive. The dense sampling and prospective tracking of memories across the 4–11-year age period permitted an especially strong test for continuity versus discontinuity in autobiographical memory across the second half of the first decade of life. The data are strongly indicative of continuity and gradual change.

L’adolescent aux diagnostics multiples ou le trouble dissociatif de l’identité à l’adolescence

ObjectiveTo evoke the notion of dissociative identity disorder in adolescence requires a nuance so many questions arise among others on the relevance of the juxtaposition of a complex disorder fluctuating at an age group marked by transition. In other words, is it appropriate to speak of dissociation of identity or multiple personality at this specific time of existence? It should also be noted that this diagnosis is controversial both because there is no consensus on definitions such as personality or identity and because some cultures take into account the possibility of possession to explain these tables without reference to pathology. MethodsTo illustrate our point, we will draw on the situation of a young person admitted to our institutional therapy centre located in a general hospital. The structure accommodates young people aged between fourteen and twenty for six to nine months. As we have also developed, these are usually directed in the course of ambulatory and/or residential therapeutic follow-ups, after experiencing moments of crisis or decompensation. The evaluation then carried out consolidates the prospect of a medium-term stay in a psychotherapeutic centre before considering a possible reintegration into daily life and activities. This clinical case illustrating the path of a teenager in prey to the tumults of wobbling of his identity causing confusion and uncertainty in the chief of the professionals encountered. The difficult situation experienced by this young person and his family questions on the one hand the relevance, the very basis of the diagnosis at this time of existence and on the other the notion of dissociative identity disorder in adolescence. ResultsThe dissociative identity disorder meets a number of criteria, the first of which is identity disturbance characterized by several distinct personality states. Clinically, we first observe a discontinuity in the integration of consciousness, of self-meaning. Registers of affects and sensory-motor functioning (perception, representation of the body) are also concerned. There are then disturbances of the agentivity (motor control, behaviors). In some cases, non-epileptogenic seizures and other conversive manifestations may be at the forefront of these complex clinical tables. The dissociative disorder of identity is also noticed by memory failures (dissociative amnesia) concerning the recall of daily events, personal information, which do not correspond to ordinary forgetfulness. This then leads to signs of impairment of social, professional or other relational functioning. Being an interruption in the tranquility of growth, adolescence is characterized by extreme conflicting positions, changing, fluctuating that give this period of life its appearance of tumult and crisis without being able to speak of frank psychic disturbances. Differential diagnosis between teen upheaval and true pathology is a difficult task. ConclusionsConsequently, we think it is important to pay attention to the diachronic and synchronic litters of what the young person in question is deploying. In order to do so, we advocate repeated clinical interviews with the patient and his or her entourage beside rigorous anamnesis. Time is an important element, the time of observation and encounter. Let us avoid precipitation without adopting an attitude of fatalism or even laxity, recalling that, for Winnicott, there is only one remedy for adolescence and only one; it is the passing time and gradual maturation processes that ultimately lead to the appearance of the adult person. Accompany a dissociative identity disorder, proven or suspected, includes the mobilization of a partnership envelope involving experienced institutional structures ready for the necessary clinical flexibility allowing continuous therapeutic adjustment.

Magnitude and Associated Factors of Awareness with Recall under General Anesthesia in Amhara Regional State Referral Hospitals, 2018.

Introduction Awareness with recall of intraoperative events is an infrequent but potentially devastating complication of general anesthesia, with a reported incidence of 0.1-0.2% in low-risk patients. Higher incidence is expected in resource-limited operation room setups and in high-risk patients. Awareness can result in significant distress to patients and long-term psychological consequences, including symptoms associated with posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, night mares, night terror, dissatisfaction with surgical service, and sometimes even suicide. Objective To assess the magnitude and associated factors of awareness with recall under general anesthesia in Amhara regional state referral hospitals. Method An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 1065 patients who underwent surgery under general anesthesia from January 1 to June 30, 2018. The study participants were selected by systematic random sampling from 4 referral hospitals. The modified Brice questionnaire was used to detect awareness under general anesthesia. Interviewer-administered structured questionnaire and chart review were employed. Data with complete information were entered in to SPSS version 20 computer software. Descriptive statics and bivariate and multivariable analysis were computed. A P-value less than 0.2 was used to select candidate variables for multivariable logistic regression. A P-value less than 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. Result 1065 patients were included in the study which makes the response rate of 90.7%. The magnitude of awareness with recall under general anesthesia was found to be 8.2% of which 4.9%, 2.6%, and 0.7% of patients reported hearing voice, pain, and sensation of breathing tube, respectively. Lack of premedication was the only significantly associated factor for awareness with recall under general anesthesia (AOR = 3.014, 95% CI (1.201 to 7.565)). Conclusion and Recommendation Our study showed higher magnitude of awareness with recall under general anesthesia. Lack of premedication was the only associated factor with awareness with recall under general anesthesia. Anesthetists should give emphasis to prevent the possibility of awareness under general anesthesia by providing premedication. Cohort studies should be done including the consequences of awareness with recall under general anesthesia.

The Effectiveness of Biographical Approaches in Long-Term Care: A Systematic Review.

Older adults in long-term residential aged care experience loneliness and reduced quality of life (QoL). Biographical approaches use the recall of the past events to increase self-efficacy, promote acceptance, and improve QoL. The aim of the systematic review was to examine the effectiveness of biographical approaches in improving the QoL of older adults in long-term residential aged care. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, using databases Medline, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library. A 2-phase search strategy was used to identify research literature relating to the use of biographical interventions. Narrative analysis was used to synthesize results. Twenty-one studies met inclusion criteria for this review, comprising both group and individual interventions. The findings were inconsistent. Subjective elements of QoL of older adults improved in a narrow majority of the studies. Of a total of 21 outcomes investigated in group interventions, 11 resulted in significant improvements in QoL. The 16 outcomes of the individual interventions resulted in 10 significant improvements. The most significant influence was observed in life satisfaction. Group reminiscence also had a particularly strong influence on self-esteem. Although benefits were observed, it remains unclear why some interventions led to improvements in subjective elements of QoL and others did not. Exploration of the participant perspective through qualitative data collection and more detailed description of interventions in future studies could lead to a better understanding of the treatment components that are related to improved outcomes for older adults.

A video analysis of clinical handovers between paramedics and emergency care staff.

Aims:Studies examining communication during clinical handovers involving paramedics are rare. A recent National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) report has noted a significant gap in our knowledge and understanding of what happens during clinical handovers between ambulance services and emergency departments. This PhD study has used a video analysis to understand issues in communication and teamwork during these clinical handovers by examining cases of good practice.Methods:A video analysis of 100 examples of handovers from different TV programmes, including 24 Hours in A&E and The Real A&E, was conducted. This methodology emphasised the capturing of real-world practice, without the limitation of semi-structured interviews which are reliant on recall of events. These examples highlighted how interprofessional teamworking and communication were conducted during these high pressured and complex situations. The videos were transcribed verbatim and idiosyncratically to show variances in the style of communication as well as the non-verbal actions used by the staff during the exchange of patient information.Results:The emergent findings demonstrate a variety of interactional strategies that paramedics use when conducting handovers. These strategies often involved a paramedic team member drawing attention to themselves by stating they were ready to do the handover or loudly introducing the patient’s name. This was typically followed by an account of the treatment the paramedic team provided and ended with questions from those receiving the handover. The questions asked by the receiving team would be about the treatment provided and during this exchange the paramedic team would justify the methods used in assisting the patient. When handovers were being taken for high-risk patients, for example ‘haemorrhaging of a femoral artery’, the structure of the handover changed. In such examples, the paramedic team were found to dictate how the receiving team handled continuation of treatment for the patient.Conclusion:The variations in handover examples that have been captured and analysed have been beneficial in understanding the interactions between paramedics and the emergency care team. Initial findings have shown how the structure of communication during handovers can be altered due to situational or contextual factors. These results have highlighted where potential improvements in communication can be made during handovers, which would subsequently increase patient safety and experience.

Influence of Lactitol and Psyllium on Bowel Function in Constipated Indian Volunteers: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Psyllium and lactitol have been reported to increase fecal volume, moisture content and bowel movement frequency (BMF). However, the benefits of their combined use on constipation has not been examined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 4-week intervention with lactitol and/or psyllium on bowel function in constipated volunteers. Adults (N = 172) who were diagnosed with functional constipation per Rome III criteria were randomized to four treatment groups: 10 g lactitol, 3.5 g psyllium, a combination of 10 g lactitol and 3.5 g psyllium, or placebo. The primary endpoint was change in BMF from Day 0 to 28 as compared to placebo. Secondary endpoints were assessed by inventories, including stool consistency, patient assessment of constipation symptoms and quality of life, relief of constipation, 24-h food recall, physical activity, product satisfaction and adverse events (AE). BMF increased by 3.0 BMs with lactitol, by 2.9 with psyllium, and by 3.1 with the combination, but was not different from placebo (3.7 BMs). Other clinical endpoints were similar between treatments. No serious AEs were reported. In conclusion, this study showed a similar effect on relief of constipation in all treatment groups. The treatments that were administered to the volunteers were well tolerated.

Study of a smartphone-based symptom assessment (OurBrainBank) for subjects with glioblastomas.

e13574 Background: Self-reports from patients done monthly or every few months in the doctor’s office have several limitations, including poor recall, under- or over-reporting of events, among other biases. Methods: We developed a glioblastoma specific app (OurBrainBank) using a platform designed by uMotif, which was previously used in other conditions but has been customized for glioblastoma. All data are sent to a HIPPA compliant database. The subject can view or export their own data as well and create data reports to their medical team. Inclusion criteria included age 18 years or older, diagnosis of glioblastoma, English-speaking subject, and availability of a smartphone or tablet. After electronic informed consent, patients completed baseline questionnaires about their treatment and validated surveys (EORTC-QLQ, EORTC-BN20). Certain parameters such as sleep quality, exercise, mood, and fatigue were captured for all patients. In addition, patients picked 6 additional symptoms most relevant to their clinical condition. Results: Since the study was IRB-approved and the app made available free of charge on app stores, there have been 305 individual patients who registered on this app. Recruitment has relied heavily on social media and patient run online support groups. The most commonly tracked symptoms were exercise, fatigue, mood, sleep quality, appetite, memory and concentration. Patients were alerted to capture symptoms at least weekly and more than 5,000 datapoints were captured. The median age was 48 (18-83). 53% of patients had received the GBM diagnosis &lt; 1 year and 25% between 1-2 years. Most patients found symptom tracking useful (average rating of 7 in 0-10 scale). Conclusions: At this initial stage, OurBrainBank has shown that it can efficiently collect glioblastoma patients’ symptoms. In the next steps, we plan to collect passive data from smartphones and other device trackers. Additionally, OurBrainBank will enable patients to donate their medical records to a national and international database. The goal over the next few years is to create an unprecedented database of high quality and granularity with tens of thousands of de-identified glioblastoma patients, with open-access to qualified academic researchers. In addition, this powerful ‘real world experience’ database will be useful for pharma/biotech companies.

Latino Families Engage in Elaborative Conversations: Effects on Children’s Recall and Vocabulary

This study examined whether training Latina mothers, during a home visiting program, to engage in elaborative reminiscing (ER) with their preschool-aged children would lead to improvements in their children’s recall of events and vocabulary. Three-year-old children and their mothers were randomly assigned to an ER group or an active control group. During a 4-month period, mothers in the ER group used strategies to elicit personal narratives from their child. Over the same period, mothers in a control group engaged in games and activities with their child. At the 4-month posttest, mothers who participated in ER asked fewer closed-ended questions about a past event than controls (Cohen d = 0.49). Their children’s personal narratives included more descriptive and nonverbal enactment event details than the control children (ds ranged from 0.53 to 0.56). A year later, children in the ER group had significantly higher receptive English vocabulary scores than controls (d = 0.83). The possibility for transfer of mothers’ ER strategies to book reading was also examined, but no significant effects were found. Results support the feasibility and benefits of an elaborative conversations intervention for Latino parents and children. Gains in children’s narrative skills were consistent with prior research in which Latino families construct stories in culturally specific ways.

Changing epidemiology of Listeria monocytogenes outbreaks, sporadic cases, and recalls globally: A review of ProMED reports from 1996 to 2018

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to identify global trends in Listeria monocytogenes epidemiology using ProMED reports. ProMED is a publicly available, global outbreak reporting system that uses both informal and formal sources. In the context of Listeria, ProMED reports on atypical findings such as higher than average case counts, events from unusual sources, and multinational outbreaks. MethodsKeywords “Listeria” and “listeriosis” were utilized in the ProMED search engine covering the years 1996–2018. Issue date, countries involved, source, suspected and confirmed case counts, and fatalities were extracted. Data unique to each event, including commentary by content experts, were evaluated. When multiple reports regarding the same outbreak or recall were obtained, the last report pertaining to that outbreak was utilized. Rates of Listeria events over time were compared using a normal approximation to the Poisson distribution; p < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. ResultsFrom 1996 through 2018, 123 Listeria events were identified in the ProMED database. Eighty-one events (65%) were associated with two or more human cases (outbreak events), 13 events (11%) were associated with only one human case (sporadic cases), and 29 events (24%) were precautionary food product recalls due to the presence of bacterial contamination without associated human cases. The implicated food vehicle was identified in 69 (85%) outbreak events and in 10 (77%) sporadic case events. Listeria contaminated foods were identified in all precautionary recall events. Overall, 28 events (23%) implicated novel food vehicles/sources. Events associated with novel food vehicles increased over the study period (p < 0.02), as did international events with more than one country involved (p < 0.02). Ten reports (8%) described hospital-acquired events. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the use of publicly available data to document Listeria epidemiological trends, particularly in settings where foodborne disease surveillance is weak or non-existent. Over the last decade, an increasing number of events have been associated with foods not traditionally recognized as vehicles for Listeria transmission, and a rise in international events was noted. Informing high-risk individuals such as pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals of safe food handling practices is warranted. To ensure timely recall of contaminated food products, open data sharing and communication across borders is critical. Changes in food production and distribution, and improved diagnostics may have contributed to the observed changes.