Repeated Measures Design Research Articles

The Role of Parental Involvement in the Development of Prosocial Behavior in Young Children: An Evolutionary Model Among Colombian Families

AbstractProsocial behavior is a relevant indicator of children’s socio-emotional development linked to decreased conduct and emotional problems. The present study aimed to identify cross-sectional direct effects of parental involvement on prosocial behavior in three-time assessments at ages 3, 5, and 7 years, to identify carryover effects of the study constructs, and to identify the evolution of these effects over time. A sample of 235 Colombian families participated at t0, 220 at t1, and 145 at t2 by completing self-reported questionnaires for prosocial behavior using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire for parental involvement. Using PLS-SEM path modeling, we found that the contribution of parental involvement to prosocial behavior was significant in the three assessments. Carryover analyses indicated that initial levels of parental involvement and initial levels of prosocial behavior predict later levels. Using multigroup analysis, we tested significant changes in the path coefficients of direct effects, finding nonsignificant results. For carryover effects, we found changes in parental involvement between t0/t1 and t1/t2. Finally, t-test analyses were used to identify changes in the construct’s means over time, finding significant changes between parental involvement at t1 and t2. No mean differences were found for prosocial behavior. Results from this study highlight the relevance of parental involvement during childhood for maintaining children’s levels of prosocial behavior and reducing the risk of socio-emotional problems. Preventive approaches for these problems should include parents’ training on parental involvement from age 3.5 years or earlier.

Feasibility, acceptability, and initial outcomes of a psychological adjustment and reintegration program for transitioned military veterans

BackgroundReintegration and adjustment to civilian life after military service is crucial for veterans’ mental and physical health. However, there is a lack of evidence-based interventions in Australia that specifically address the psychological and cultural factors associated with improved adjustment and mental health in this group. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial outcomes of a novel group intervention program, developed to address this gap in supports and services for Australian veterans.MethodsA non-controlled, within-subjects longitudinal design was employed with a feasibility framework including assessment of demand, implementation, integration, experience, perceived effectiveness, and burden or discomfort. The program included eight weekly 2.5-hour group sessions using cognitive-behavioural and acceptance and commitment therapy techniques. Participants included 24 transitioned veterans who completed the Military-Civilian Adjustment and Reintegration Measure, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire–Short Form, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up.ResultsHigh participant ratings of engagement, experience and usefulness of the program were found, as well as perceived improvement in adjustment to civilian life as a result of the program. Sound program retention (82.8%), completion (87.5%), and manual adherence rates (89.6%) were also found. Significant improvements were found in adjustment and reintegration scores from pre-intervention to post-intervention (p = < 0.001) and from pre-intervention to follow-up (p = < 0.05), with large effect size (ηp2 = 0.344). All participants who completed the program reported they would recommend the program to another veteran.ConclusionThis study demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of a novel group intervention program designed for military veterans in Australia. The program showed promising initial evidence of effectiveness in improving adjustment and reintegration to civilian life and provides an essential first step towards addressing a substantial gap in services for veterans struggling to adjust to civilian life. A randomised controlled trial may be an appropriate next step.ANZCTR registration numberACTRN12622000172707.Date of registration02/02/2022.Type of registrationRetrospectively registered.

Influence of vegetation phenological carryover effects on plant autumn phenology under climate change

Vegetation phenological carryover effects refer to the influence of previous phenological events on the current or subsequent ones. These effects can modulate the responses of autumn phenology to climate change, but the magnitude and duration of this effect remain poorly understood. Therefore, we employed multiple remote sensing datasets from 1982 to 2018 in the Northern Hemisphere (> 30°N) and partial correlation to investigate the influence of the carryover effect and environmental factors on the end of the growing season (EOS) over time. The importance of the variables in the projection score was used to quantify their relative importance. Our results showed that the previous year's EOS had a robust positive impact on the EOS for 40.02 % of the study area during 1982–2015, which was mainly located in the northern 50°N region. In contrast, the start of the growing season (SOS) was the main contributor to the EOS during 2001–2018, mainly at 40°N-50°N and in northern Russia. The carryover effect persisted into the subsequent year, but its strength and positive impacts varied dramatically in the next year. Concurrently, the mean correlation coefficient between climate factors and EOS rose from 0.20 to 0.22. Notably, the correlation coefficient for frost day frequency increased significantly (P < 0.05) from 0.15 to 0.36, with its influence area expanding from 10.29 % to 11.85 % of the study area. Compared with climate factors, the phenological carryover effect was the dominant driver of the EOS for each vegetation type, accounting for 72.8 % and 44.23 % of the total pixels during 1982–2015 and 2001–2018, respectively. Our study reveals a cascade of ecological consequences that extend beyond the initial occurrence and emphasizes the interconnectedness of growth stages in the plant life cycle, providing valuable insights into the adaptability and vulnerability of plant communities.

Real-world effectiveness of primary care psychological therapy for depression and anxiety in patients with coronary heart disease

Abstract Background Depression and anxiety are often inadequately treated in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), despite mental health issues being associated with poorer quality of life, higher cardiovascular morbidity, and higher mortality. Talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, are the recommended first-line treatment for depression and anxiety symptoms in CHD patients. However, the evidence for their effectiveness was considered low in a recent Cochrane review, and trial participants may not represent patients treated in routine clinical settings. Purpose To assess the effectiveness of routinely-delivered talking therapies in patients with CHD from nationwide primary care talking therapy services in England, and to compare their treatment outcomes to patients without a CHD diagnosis. Methods Healthcare records from 1.9 million patients who completed a course of treatment (≥2 treatment sessions) via NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression (NHS TTad) between 2012-2019 were linked to Hospital Episode Statistics, the Mental Health Services Data Set, and death records. Standard NHS TTad outcome indicators (recovery, reliable improvement, and reliable deterioration) were examined in three groups, with (1) any CHD (n=41,317; ICD-10=I20-I25), (2) acute coronary syndromes (ACS, n=29,991; I21, I22, I20.0), and (3) chronic CHD (n=40,524; I20.1-I20.9, I23-I25) at baseline. Effect sizes for pre-post treatment changes in depression and anxiety symptom measures (PHQ-9 and GAD-7) were calculated using the adapted Cohen’s d for within-subjects design (dav). Outcomes were also compared to those of propensity-score matched control groups without the relevant diagnoses, using logistic regression. Results After completing a course of talking therapy, 49.8% (95%CI=49.3;50.3) of patients with CHD recovered from depression or anxiety, 69.4% (95%CI=69.0;69.9) saw reliable improvement in symptoms, and 7.3% (95%CI=7.0;7.5) experienced reliable deterioration in symptoms. There were large reductions in both depression (dav=-1.02) and anxiety symptoms (dav=-1.03) on average. Compared to a control sample of patients with no diagnosis of CHD, those with a CHD diagnosis were less likely to recover (OR=0.87[95%CI=0.84;0.89]) or reliably improve (OR=0.84[95%CI=0.81;0.87]) and more likely to reliably deteriorate (OR=1.28[95%CI=1.21;1.36]), when matched on age, sex, ethnicity, deprivation, baseline depression and anxiety symptom scores, self-reported long-term health condition, and waiting times between referral, assessment, and treatment. The findings were consistent for patients with ACS and those with chronic CHD. Conclusions Nearly half of CHD patients who received primary care talking therapy recovered, in line with the UK Government target of 50% recovery for the services. Nevertheless, compared to otherwise similar patients without CHD, those with CHD at baseline had worse psychological treatment outcomes.

The Development and Reliability of a Surface Electromyography-Based Index for Quantifying Knee Muscle Coactivation During the Lower Quarter Y-Balance Test

This study aimed to develop and evaluate the reliability of a surface electromyography-based (sEMG) index to quantify knee muscle coactivation in healthy recreational athletes during the Lower Quarter Y-Balance Test (YBT-LQ). A prospective observational repeated measures design was used to assess both intra- and inter-rater reliability. Forty males completed three trials, with two raters independently conducting assessments. sEMG signals from the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus muscles were collected to calculate four coactivation indices (CoAIs) for different muscle pairs. The reliability evaluation of these CoAIs was based on intraclass correlation coefficients. The results revealed that the reliability of the CoAIs varied depending on the muscle pair, direction, and limb examined. The highest intra- and inter-rater reliability was noted for the left lower limb in the posterolateral direction. The lowest reliability was found for the right lower limb in the anterior direction. Statistical analyses indicated significant differences in specific CoAIs across different YBT-LQ directions. These findings highlight the potential of sEMG-based CoAIs for assessing knee muscle activity during the YBT-LQ in healthy male recreational athletes. However, choosing CoAIs is critical for reliable clinical and research assessments of knee stability and neuromuscular control.

Capillary drops, capillary pooled, and venous blood samples for determining hemoglobin concentration using HemoCue: A measurement system analysis.

Several external and internal factors can affect the performance and variability of Hemoglobin concentration [Hb] measurements using HemoCue, and documentation on the contribution of different sources of [Hb] variation is limited. We used an experimental repeated measurements design with nine randomly selected participants, three HemoCue devices, and three trained field workers. HemoCue measurements for all samples were repeated three times. The [Hb] measurement system considers four sources of error: 1) HemoCue devices, 2) field workers, 3) between individuals, and 4) within individuals. A concordance analysis was used to assess accuracy and precision, and a linear mixed model was used to estimate mean differences (bias) from blood specimens, anticoagulants, and to estimate the contribution of the 4 sources of error to [Hb] measurements. Positive mean [Hb] differences were found: 1.34 g/dL for capillary drops, 0.81 g/dL for pooled capillary blood samples, 0.756 g/dL for venous blood stored with EDTA, and 0.911 g/dL for venous blood stored with heparin. The mean [Hb] difference for venous blood with EDTA was used as a correction factor for all results measured using a HemoCue. After adjustment, capillary drops showed a mean difference of 0.585 g/dL, and pooled capillary samples were not significantly different. The individual variability was 95.8% of total variance, HemoCue devices contributed 2.1% of measurement error, field staff contributed 0.4%, and the residual was 1.7%. The HemoCue [Hb] measurement system is reliable in controlled environments, with a small measurement error of 4.2%.

Effects of short- and long-term thermal stress on developmental stages and adults vis-à-vis reproductive physiology of Spodoptera litura

Abstract Temperature is a critical environmental factor influencing insect development, physiology, and distribution. Global warming is predicted to increase the frequency and severity of extreme heat events, influencing insects differently across life stages. This study investigates the effects of short- and long-term thermal stress on the tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura, a polyphagous pest damaging over 389 plant species. We exposed eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults to elevated temperatures of 42°C and 46°C for four hours and one hour, respectively, in single and repeated occasions for two, four, two and two days for egg, larva, pupa and adults, respectively. Our results demonstrate significant variation in biological and reproductive fitness parameters across treatments. Notably, thermal stress skewed the sex ratio towards females. We also observed impacts on offspring survival and potential negative carry-over effects. Overall, the effects of heat stress were dependent on temperature, exposure duration, and life stage, with adults exhibiting the highest tolerance. These findings suggest that S. litura possesses a degree of heat tolerance that may enable it to survive summer heat waves, but its offspring and other life stages could be more vulnerable under future climate scenarios.

Underpowered studies in muscle metabolism research: Determinants and considerations

Biomedical research frequently employs null hypothesis testing to determine whether an observed difference in a sample is likely to exist in the broader population. Null hypothesis testing generally assumes that differences between groups or interventions are non-existent, unless proven otherwise. Because biomedical studies with human subjects are often limited by financial and logistical resources, they tend to have low statistical power, i.e. a low probability of statistically confirming a true difference. As a result, small but potentially clinically important differences may be overseen or ignored simply due to the absence of a statistically significant difference. This absence is often misinterpreted as ‘equivalence’ of treatments. In this educational paper, we will use practical examples related to the effects of exercise and nutrition on muscle protein metabolism to illustrate the most important determinants of statistical power, as well as their implications for both investigators and readers of scientific articles.Changes in muscle mass occur at a relatively slow rate, making it practically challenging to detect differences between treatment groups in a long-term setting. One way to make it ‘easier’ to differentiate between groups and hence increase statistical power is to have a sufficiently long study duration to allow treatment effects to become apparent. This is especially relevant when comparing treatments with relatively small expected differences such as the effect of modest changes in daily protein intake. Secondly, one could try to minimize the variance and response heterogeneity within groups, for example by using strict inclusion criteria and standardization protocols (e.g., meal provision), by using cross-over designs, or even within-subject designs where two interventions are compared simultaneously (e.g., studying an exercised limb vs a contralateral control limb) although this might limit the generalizability of the findings (e.g. such single-limb exercise training is not common in practice). In terms of data interpretation, investigators should obviously refrain from drawing strong conclusions from underpowered studies. Yet, such studies still provide valuable data for meta-analyses. Finally, because muscle protein synthesis rates are highly responsive to anabolic stimuli, acute metabolic studies are more sensitive to detect potentially clinically relevant differences in the anabolic response between treatments. Apart from further elaborating on these topics, this educational article encourages readers to more critically question null findings and scientists to more clearly discuss limitations that may have compromised statistical power.

Neuromuscular Performance and the Intensity of External Training Load During the Preseason in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Men's Collegiate Basketball Players.

Curtis, M, Kupperman, N, Westbrook, J, Weltman, AL, Hart, J, and Hertel, J. Neuromuscular performance and the intensity of external training load during the preseason in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's collegiate basketball players. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-The aim of the study was to determine whether acute changes in neuromuscular performance can be detected through countermovement jumps (CMJs) conducted pre- and postpractice sessions in conditions of high or low intensity measured by microsensors technology. Using an observational repeated measures design, data were collected from 10 male collegiate basketball players. Countermovement jump data were collected before and after practice exposures over 4 weeks of preseason. Select CMJ kinetics were compared in conditions of high and low training load intensity to detect neuromuscular performance changes in displacement of the center of mass and kinetics. Kinetic measures were categorized as output, underpinning, and strategy-related variables. We investigated "output" defined as displacement (jump height [JH]), "underpinning" defined as force-related (mean eccentric force, mean concentric force, force at zero velocity), and "strategy" defined as time-related (countermovement depth [CMD], eccentric duration (EccDur), concentric duration [ConcDur]) variables. There were significant condition × time interactions in CMJ variables namely eccentric mean force (EccForce), force at zero velocity (Force@0), CMDepth, EccDur, and ConcDur. In conditions of high intensity, players had significant, but small decreases in EccForce and Force@0, with small increases in CMD, EccDur, and ConDur, respectively. However, there were no significant decreases in JH. High-intensity practice exposures did not impact neuromuscular performance specific to "output," suggesting that collegiate basketball athletes can maintain JH despite alterations in "underpinning" and "strategy-related" variables. This could have relevance in understanding how fatigue associated with higher-intensity training exposures may potentially alter jump strategy and force production capacities due to external load intensity in collegiate basketball athletes.

What am I looking at? Graduate student accuracy in identification of anatomic structures/landmarks on swallow imaging.

Speech-language pathologists need to accurately identify structures/landmarks on swallow imaging. Foundational learning begins in graduate training. This study aimed to determine graduate student accuracy at identifying anatomical structures/landmarks during swallow evaluations and to determine if accuracy was predicted by type of imaging, anatomical structure, case type (i.e., normal/abnormal). Researchers recruited first-year graduate speech-language pathology students. Each participant reviewed five static images from lateral radiographic swallow studies and five static images from endoscopic swallow studies across 10 cases. Participants identified key anatomic structures and landmarks by clicking on the structure/landmark within a web-based platform. Two experienced speech-language pathologists reviewed and coded participant responses for accuracy. Sixteen graduate speech-language pathology students participated in a within-subjects design. Overall participant accuracy in identification of structure/landmarks was 69% (range 46%-88%). Binomial logistic regression was performed to study the effects of anatomical structure, case type (i.e., normal/abnormal), and image type on likelihood of participant accuracy in identifying anatomical structures (X2(4) = 143.65, p < 0.001). Only anatomical structure was statistically significant (X2(4) = 187.729, p < 0.001). The model explained 23.2% (Nagelkerke's R squared) of the variance in accuracy and correctly classified 78.4% of cases. Sensitivity was 92.1%, specificity was 47.3%, positive predictive value was 79.84%, and negative predictive value was 72.50%. The area under the ROC curve was 0.754, 95% CI [0.716, 0.791]. Graduate student's ability to correctly identify structures/landmarks overall was lower than desired and accuracy varied per structure. Results have implications for improving graduate student training for identification of structures/landmarks on swallow imaging.

Estrogen predicts multimodal emotion recognition accuracy across the menstrual cycle.

Researchers have proposed that variation in sex hormones across the menstrual cycle modulate the ability to recognize emotions in others. Existing research suggests that accuracy is higher during the follicular phase and ovulation compared to the luteal phase, but findings are inconsistent. Using a repeated measures design with a sample of healthy naturally cycling women (N = 63), we investigated whether emotion recognition accuracy varied between the follicular and luteal phases, and whether accuracy related to levels of estrogen (estradiol) and progesterone. Two tasks assessed recognition of a range of positive and negative emotions via brief video recordings presented in visual, auditory, and multimodal blocks, and non-linguistic vocalizations (e.g., laughter, sobs, and sighs). Multilevel models did not show differences in emotion recognition between cycle phases. However, coefficients for estrogen were significant for both emotion recognition tasks. Higher within-person levels of estrogen predicted lower accuracy, whereas higher between-person estrogen levels predicted greater accuracy. This suggests that in general having higher estrogen levels increases accuracy, but that higher-than-usual estrogen at a given time decreases it. Within-person estrogen further interacted with cycle phase for both tasks and showed a quadratic relationship with accuracy for the multimodal task. In particular, women with higher levels of estrogen were more accurate in the follicular phase and middle of the menstrual cycle. We propose that the differing role of within- and between-person hormone levels could explain some of the inconsistency in previous findings.

Impairment of Neuronal Activity in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Occurs Early in Parkinsonism.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is often characterized by altered rates and patterns of neuronal activity in the sensorimotor regions of the basal ganglia thalamocortical network. Little is known, however, regarding how neuronal activity in the executive control network of the brain changes in the parkinsonian condition. Investigate the impact of parkinsonism on neuronal activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a key region in executive control, during a go/nogo reaching task. Using a within-subject design, single and multi-unit neuronal activity was recorded in the DLPFC of a nonhuman primate before and after the induction of mild parkinsonism using the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Coincident with development of mild parkinsonian motor signs, there was a marked reduction in the percentage of DLPFC cells with significant task-related firing rate modulation during go and nogo conditions. These results suggest that DLPFC dysfunction may occur early in parkinsonism and contribute to cognitive impairments and disrupted executive function often observed in PD patients.

From Counting Dollars to Counting Sheep: Exploring Simultaneous Change in Economic Well-Being and Sleep among African American Adolescents.

In the U.S.A., Black/African American adolescents disproportionately experience short and poor-quality sleep, and there is little understanding of why some experience decrements or improvements in sleep over time. Toward conducting culturally specific research and identifying processes that uniquely explain variability within a racial/ethnic group, we utilized a within-group design to examine socioeconomic status (SES) as a predictor of Black adolescents' sleep. Few studies have examined change-on-change processes in sleep over time. Contributing to the literature in novel ways, we assessed the predictive effect of change in SES over one year on changes in four actigraphy-derived sleep parameters over the same time period. Participants were 218 Black adolescents (Time 1: Mage = 17.09 years; 54.6% female) and their mothers from socioeconomically diverse backgrounds. Adolescents participated in two-waves of data collection spaced approximately one year apart. At each wave, we assessed economic well-being (used to index SES) and sleep using 7 nights of actigraphy from which we derived measures of sleep duration (minutes) and quality (efficiency, long-wake episodes, activity). Latent difference score analyses revealed that adolescents experiencing increases in SES over one year exhibited decreases in both long-wake episodes and sleep activity over one year. Findings suggest that individual differences in change in SES explain individual differences in change in adolescents' sleep quality. Notably, findings highlight the utility of within-group designs for identifying culturally specific processes that predict improvements in sleep quality in a sample at disproportionate risk for sleep and health disparities.

Examining the Independent and Interactive Carryover Effects of Cognitive and Physical Exertions on Physical Performance.

This study compared the effects of prior cognitive, physical, and concurrent exertion on physical performance. Fatiguing cognitive and physical exertions have been shown to negatively affect subsequent task performance. However, it is not clearly understood if concurrent physical and cognitive effort may exaggerate the negative carryover effects on physical task performance when compared to cognitive or physical exertion alone. Twenty-five participants completed four isometric handgrip endurance trials on different days. The endurance trials were preceded by four, 15-minute experimental manipulations (cognitive, physical, concurrent, control). Electromyography (EMG) and force tracing performance were monitored, with handgrip strength measured pre and post. Subjective ratings of mental and physical fatigue, as well as affect, motivation, and task self-efficacy, were also assessed. Handgrip strength decreased following both physical (-14.4% MVC) and concurrent (-12.3% MVC) exertion manipulations, with no changes being observed for the cognitive and control conditions. No differences were observed across conditions for endurance time, EMG, nor tracing performance. When compared to the control conditions, perceptions of mental and physical fatigue were higher following the experimental manipulation. Endurance trial self-efficacy was lower for the mental, physical and concurrent conditions compared to control. The concurrent condition resulted in similar decreases in strength as the physical fatigue condition, but otherwise resulted in similar carryover effects on endurance performance across all conditions. Further study is required at higher exposure levels, or for longer exposure durations, to further probe the influence of concurrent physical and cognitive effort on task performance. Concurrent cognitive and physical effort resulted in similar physical performance decrements to physical effort alone.

“Phones off while school's on”: Evaluating problematic phone use and the social, wellbeing, and academic effects of banning phones in schools

AbstractBackground and aimsMobile phone bans in secondary schools are claimed to reduce student distraction and promote learning and face-to-face socializing. Currently, the evidence on phone bans is limited. The aim of this preregistered study was to evaluate the South Australian mobile phone ban's effects on students' problematic phone use, academic engagement, school belonging, and bullying. The study also sought to identify student variables that predict phone ban compliance.MethodsAs the ban was phased in over 2023, a 2 (phone ban: yes/no) × 2 (time: baseline, 1-month follow-up) repeated-measures design was employed. Students (n = 1,282 at baseline; n = 1,256 at follow-up) in Grades 7 to 12 were recruited from five public secondary schools. Surveys included measures drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).ResultsProblematic phone use was reported by 2.6% of the sample. Being older and a more frequent user of social media predicted lower phone ban compliance. Linear mixed models indicated that ban and no ban school groups did not differ significantly in terms of problematic phone use, academic engagement, and school belonging. There was slightly higher bullying in the ban group but bullying decreased significantly in both groups.DiscussionImposing access restrictions may not affect the underlying psychological mechanisms that drive problematic phone use. Although these results indicate limited to no short-term benefits of the ban, further evaluation with more sensitive methodologies is recommended.ConclusionsStudent-technology interactions in learning institutions should be continually monitored to determine the optimal balance to support student etiquette, learning, and wellbeing.

Insect responses to seasonal time constraints under global change are facilitated by warming and counteracted by invasive alien predators.

In seasonal environments, organisms with complex life cycles not only contend with seasonal time constraints (TC) but also increasingly face global change stressors that may interfere with responses to TC. Here, we tested how warming and predator stress imposed during the egg and larval stages shaped life history and behavioural responses to TC in the temperate damselfly Ischnura elegans. Eggs from early and late clutches in the season were subjected to ambient and 4°C warming temperature and the presence or absence of predator cues from perch and signal crayfish. After hatching, larvae were retained at the same thermal regime, and the predator treatment was continued or not up to emergence. The late eggs decreased their development time, especially under warming and when not exposed to predator cues. However, the late eggs increased their development time when exposed to predator cues, especially to crayfish cues. The TC decreased survival of late larvae that were as eggs exposed to crayfish cues, indicating a carry-over effect. The TC and warming additively reduced late larvae development time to emergence. Independent of the TC, predator cue effects on development time were stronger during the egg than during the larval stage. The late individuals expressed lower mass at emergence, which mirrored the size difference between field-collected mothers. Warming caused a higher mass at emergence. The late individuals increased their boldness and showed a higher number of moves, whereas warming caused a decreased boldness. There was no predator cue effect on larval behaviour. The results indicate that late individuals compensate for late season egg laying, which is facilitated under warming but counteracted under predation risk, especially when imposed by the crayfish.

Dynamics of persistence, withdrawal, and dropout intentions in the initial phase of nursing training: a qualitative longitudinal study

Taking the perspective of career choice as a lifelong, iterative, constructive, and agentic process, the present study focuses on the development of vocational aspirations of nursing trainees; that is, thoughts about a long-term perspective in nursing (i.e., persistence), ideas of finishing the training but changing into another profession after some time (i.e., withdrawal), and decisions to terminate the training before completing the programme through a final examination (i.e., dropout). In order to generate detailed insights about the dynamics behind the development of such aspirations during the initial training phase, a qualitative, longitudinal, within-subject study design based on grounded theory was employed. The results mainly show that social interactions with more experienced nurses, practical work experiences, encounters with environments that are either conducive to learning or not, the satisfaction of different needs (e.g., autonomy, competence, belonging, sense of meaningfulness), as well as the associated feelings of well-being affect how vocational aspirations develop over the first year of training. In addition, the study identifies four different patterns of how trainees typically oscillate between thoughts of staying in nursing and leaving the profession in the short or long run: (a) arriving and wanting to stay, (b) staying as a transitional passage, (c) seeking to stay, and (d) exiting as a knee-jerk reaction. The patterns present evidence of a variety of approaches regarding how trainees deal with certain experiences during their training and how the combination of experiences might affect young professionals’ subsequent career choices.

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - IV México versus U.S. versions in the assessment of Mexican Americans.

To delineate score differences between the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV) and the WAIS-IV México in the assessment of balanced bilingual Mexican Americans and to determine the efficacy of five hold measures in predicting summary scores in each version. Hold measures were WAIS-IV Information, Vocabulary, and Matrix Reasoning subtests, picture vocabulary, and the Test of Premorbid Function (English)/Word Accentuation Test (Spanish). Using a repeated measures design, 60 neurologically intact participants were tested in a counterbalanced order, with WAIS-IV version as the repeated measure (mean intertest interval = 5.68 days). To minimize practice effects, the five visual-perceptual subtests, which contain the same items in each version, were administered only once during the initial session. All mean WAIS-IV México index/subtest scores were significantly higher than the U.S. equivalents (Full-Scale IQ by about .5 SD). Unexpectedly, most (83%) participants educated in the US to at least a high school level had numerically equal or higher scores on the U.S. version. Means on WAIS-IV language format indices/subtests were lower than those of visual-perceptual format indices/subtests within both versions (excepting Processing Speed Index/subtests in the U.S. version). All hold measures significantly predicted WAIS-IV summary scores for the U.S. version. Similarly for the México version, except for the Word Accentuation Test. When evaluating a balanced bilingual Mexican American, opting for the WAIS-IV México version will yield higher scores across the Full-Scale IQ, indices, and all core subtests unless the patient was educated in the US to at least a high school level.

MDMA modulates human sensorimotor cortical pathways during gentle touch

Abstract The stimulant ± 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has been shown to enhance the perceived pleasantness of touch. However, the underlying neural processes contributing to touch-related effects of MDMA are not well understood. Using a double-blind, randomized, within-subject design, this study used fMRI to examine hemodynamic changes following MDMA (1.5 mg/kg) vs. lactose placebo administration during gentle touch stimulation in a healthy sample (N = 18). Participants were stroked on the forearm at a slower, more pleasant (3 cm/s), and a faster (30 cm/s), less pleasant speed. For the MDMA session, participants’ affective ratings of touch stimulation were higher than their placebo ratings. Increase in plasma oxytocin (OT) levels was also greater during the MDMA session. On the neural level, primary sensorimotor areas showed greater hemodynamic changes during the MDMA than during the placebo session for both touch speeds, indicating a relatively early influence within somatosensory pathways. Changes in OT levels showed an interaction with drug in an occipitotemporal region, area MT+, associated with motion perception. However, posterior insula did not show preferential activation for the slower stroking speed. These initial findings provide a basis for extending our knowledge of the neural processes underlying the effect of MDMA on affective touch.

Differential reconfiguration of brain networks in children in response to standard versus rewarded go/no-go task demands.

Response inhibition and sustained attention are critical for higher-order cognition and rely upon specific patterns of functional brain network organization. This study investigated how functional brain networks reconfigure to execute these cognitive processes during a go/no-go task with and without the presence of rewards in 26 children between the ages of 8 and 12 years. First, we compared task performance between standard and rewarded versions of a go/no-go task. We found that the presence of rewards reduced commission error rate, a measure considered to indicate improved response inhibition. Tau, thought to index sustained attention, did not change across task conditions. Next, changes in functional brain network organization were assessed between the resting state, the standard go/no-go task, and the rewarded go/no-go task. Relative to the resting state, integration decreased and segregation increased during the standard go/no-go task. A further decrease in integration and increase in segregation was observed when rewards were introduced. These patterns of reconfiguration were present globally and across several key brain networks of interest, as well as in individual regions implicated in the processes of response inhibition, attention, and reward processing. These findings align with patterns of brain network organization found to support the cognitive strategy of sustained attention, rather than response inhibition, during go/no-go task performance and suggest that rewards enhance this organization. Overall, this study used large-scale brain network organization and a within-subjects multi-task design to examine different cognitive strategies and the influence of rewards on response inhibition and sustained attention in late childhood.