Consequences of 'tiger' parenting: a cross-cultural study of maternal psychological control and children's cortisol stress response

Parenting strategies involving psychological control are associated with increased adjustment problems in children. However, no research has examined the extent to which culture and psychological control predict children's stress physiology. We examine cultural differences in maternal psychological control and its associations with children's cortisol. Chinese (N = 59) and American (N = 45) mother-child dyads participated in the study. Mothers reported on psychological control. Children's cortisol was collected during a stressor and two indices of Area Under the Curve (AUC) were computed: AUCg which accounts for total output, and AUCi, which captures reactivity. Results indicate that Chinese mothers reported higher levels of psychological control and Chinese children had higher levels of AUCg than their American counterparts. Across both cultures, psychological control was significantly associated with increased cortisol levels as indexed by AUCg. There were no associations for AUCi. Finally, mediation analyses demonstrated that psychological control fully explained cultural differences in children's cortisol stress response as indexed by AUCg.

Growth Charting of Brain Connectivity Networks and the Identification of Attention Impairment in Youth

IMPORTANCE

Intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs), important units of brain functional organization, demonstrate substantial maturation during youth. In addition, interrelationships between ICNs have been reliably implicated in attention performance. It is unknown whether alterations in ICN maturational profiles can reliably detect impaired attention functioning in youth.

OBJECTIVE

To use a network growth charting approach to investigate the association between alterations in ICN maturation and attention performance.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Data were obtained from the publicly available Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort, a prospective, population-based sample of 9498 youths who underwent genomic testing, neurocognitive assessment, and neuroimaging. Data collection was conducted at an academic and children's hospital health care network between November 1, 2009, and November 30, 2011, and data analysis was conducted between February 1, 2015, and January 15, 2016.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Statistical associations between deviations from normative network growth were assessed as well as 2 main outcome measures: accuracy during the Penn Continuous Performance Test and diagnosis with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

RESULTS

Of the 9498 individuals identified, 1000 youths aged 8 to 22 years underwent brain imaging. A sample of 519 youths who met quality control criteria entered analysis, of whom 25 (4.8%) met criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The mean (SD) age of the youth was 15.7 (3.1) years, and 223 (43.0%) were male. Participants' patterns of deviations from normative maturational trajectories were indicative of sustained attention functioning (R2 = 24%; F6,512 = 26.89; P < 2.2 × 10-16). Moreover, these patterns were found to be a reliable biomarker of severe attention impairment (peak receiver operating characteristic curve measured by area under the curve, 79.3%). In particular, a down-shifted pattern of ICN maturation (shallow maturation), rather than a right-shifted pattern (lagged maturation), was implicated in reduced attention performance (Akaike information criterion relative likelihood, 3.22 × 1026). Finally, parallel associations between ICN dysmaturation and diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were identified.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Growth charting methods are widely used to assess the development of physical or other biometric characteristics, such as weight and head circumference. To date, this is the first demonstration that this method can be extended to development of functional brain networks to identify clinically relevant conditions, such as dysfunction of sustained attention.

Instructed fear learning, extinction, and recall: additive effects of cognitive information on emotional learning of fear

The effects of instruction on learning of fear and safety are rarely studied. We aimed to examine the effects of cognitive information and experience on fear learning. Fourty healthy participants, randomly assigned to three groups, went through fear conditioning, extinction learning, and extinction recall with two conditioned stimuli (CS+). Information was presented about the presence or absence of conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus (CS-US) contingency at different stages of the experiment. Information about the CS-US contingency prior to fear conditioning enhanced fear response and reduced extinction recall. Information about the absence of CS-US contingency promoted extinction learning and recall, while omission of this information prior to recall resulted in fear renewal. These findings indicate that contingency information can facilitate fear expression during fear learning, and can facilitate extinction learning and recall. Information seems to function as an element of the larger context in which conditioning occurs.

ALTERED DEFAULT MODE NETWORK (DMN) RESTING STATE FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY FOLLOWING A MINDFULNESS-BASED EXPOSURE THERAPY FOR POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) IN COMBAT VETERANS OF AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ

BACKGROUND

Recent studies suggest that mindfulness may be an effective component for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment. Mindfulness involves practice in volitional shifting of attention from "mind wandering" to present-moment attention to sensations, and cultivating acceptance. We examined potential neural correlates of mindfulness training using a novel group therapy (mindfulness-based exposure therapy (MBET)) in combat veterans with PTSD deployed to Afghanistan (OEF) and/or Iraq (OIF).

METHODS

Twenty-three male OEF/OIF combat veterans with PTSD were treated with a mindfulness-based intervention (N = 14) or an active control group therapy (present-centered group therapy (PCGT), N = 9). Pre-post therapy functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI, 3 T) examined resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in default mode network (DMN) using posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) seeds, and salience network (SN) with anatomical amygdala seeds. PTSD symptoms were assessed at pre- and posttherapy with Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS).

RESULTS

Patients treated with MBET had reduced PTSD symptoms (effect size d = 0.92) but effect was not significantly different from PCGT (d = 0.46). Increased DMN rsFC (PCC seed) with dorsolateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) regions and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) regions associated with executive control was seen following MBET. A group × time interaction found MBET showed increased connectivity with DLPFC and dorsal ACC following therapy; PCC-DLPFC connectivity was correlated with improvement in PTSD avoidant and hyperarousal symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased connectivity between DMN and executive control regions following mindfulness training could underlie increased capacity for volitional shifting of attention. The increased PCC-DLPFC rsFC following MBET was related to PTSD symptom improvement, pointing to a potential therapeutic mechanism of mindfulness-based therapies.

LRRK2 transport is regulated by its novel interacting partner Rab32

Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a multi-domain 280 kDa protein that is linked to Parkinson's disease (PD). Mutations especially in the GTPase and kinase domains of LRRK2 are the most common causes of heritable PD and are also found in sporadic forms of PD. Although the cellular function of LRRK2 is largely unknown there is increasing evidence that these mutations cause cell death due to autophagic dysfunction and mitochondrial damage. Here, we demonstrate a novel mechanism of LRRK2 binding and transport, which involves the small GTPases Rab32 and Rab38. Rab32 and its closest homologue Rab38 are known to organize the trans-Golgi network and transport of key enzymes in melanogenesis, whereas their function in non-melanogenic cells is still not well understood. Cellular processes such as autophagy, mitochondrial dynamics, phagocytosis or inflammatory processes in the brain have previously been linked to Rab32. Here, we demonstrate that Rab32 and Rab38, but no other GTPase tested, directly interact with LRRK2. GFP-Trap analyses confirmed the interaction of Rab32 with the endogenous LRRK2. In yeast two-hybrid experiments we identified a predicted coiled-coil motif containing region within the aminoterminus of LRRK2 as the possible interacting domain. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated a co-localization of Rab32 and LRRK2 at recycling endosomes and transport vesicles, while overexpression of a constitutively active mutant of Rab32 led to an increased co-localization with Rab7/9 positive perinuclear late endosomes/MVBs. Subcellular fractionation experiments supported the novel role of Rab32 in LRRK2 late endosomal transport and sorting in the cell. Thus, Rab32 may regulate the physiological functions of LRRK2.

Nuclear Magnetic Shielding and Quadrupole Coupling of 133Cs in Cesium Salt Powders

NMR signals of 133Cs have been measured in CsI, CsBr, CsCl, Cs2CO3, Cs2SO4, CsNO3 and Cs2CrO4 powders relative to a 0.5 molal aqueous solution of CsCl. Combining these results with the shielding constant of the solution, which has been determined in former measurements, the nuclear magnetic shielding of 133Cs in the crystalline powders can be given in an atomic reference scale. The theoretical values of the shielding constant of 133Cs in CsCl, CsBr and Csl agree only in the order of magnitude with the experimental ones. For 133Cs in Cs2SO4 a first-order quadrupole pattern has been observed.

NMR Spectra of Alkali and Halogen Nuclei in Alkali and Halogen Salts

NMR signals of 7Li, 23Na, 35Cl, 39K, 79Br, 87Rb and 127I have been measured in various alkali and halogen salt powders relative to well defined aqueous solutions. With the known shielding constants of some of these solutions the nuclear magnetic shielding constants of the alkali and chlorine nuclei in crystalline powders were evaluated in the atomic reference scale. The theoretical values of the shielding constants in alkali halides do not agree even in the order of magnitude with the experimental ones in some cases.

For 23Na first-order and second-order quadrupole patterns have been observed and the quadrupole coupling constants are given.

SCALABLE FUSED LASSO SVM FOR CONNECTOME-BASED DISEASE PREDICTION

There is substantial interest in developing machine-based methods that reliably distinguish patients from healthy controls using high dimensional correlation maps known as functional connectomes (FC's) generated from resting state fMRI. To address the dimensionality of FC's, the current body of work relies on feature selection techniques that are blind to the spatial structure of the data. In this paper, we propose to use the fused Lasso regularized support vector machine to explicitly account for the 6-D structure of the FC (defined by pairs of points in 3-D brain space). In order to solve the resulting nonsmooth and large-scale optimization problem, we introduce a novel and scalable algorithm based on the alternating direction method. Experiments on real resting state scans show that our approach can recover results that are more neuroscientifically informative than previous methods.

Methylphenidate blocks effort-induced depletion of regulatory control in healthy volunteers

A recent wave of studies--more than 100 conducted over the last decade--has shown that exerting effort at controlling impulses or behavioral tendencies leaves a person depleted and less able to engage in subsequent rounds of regulation. Regulatory depletion is thought to play an important role in everyday problems (e.g., excessive spending, overeating) as well as psychiatric conditions, but its neurophysiological basis is poorly understood. Using a placebo-controlled, double-blind design, we demonstrated that the psychostimulant methylphenidate (commonly known as Ritalin), a catecholamine reuptake blocker that increases dopamine and norepinephrine at the synaptic cleft, fully blocks effort-induced depletion of regulatory control. Spectral analysis of trial-by-trial reaction times revealed specificity of methylphenidate effects on regulatory depletion in the slow-4 frequency band. This band is associated with the operation of resting-state brain networks that produce mind wandering, which raises potential connections between our results and recent brain-network-based models of control over attention.

Disease prediction based on functional connectomes using a scalable and spatially-informed support vector machine

Substantial evidence indicates that major psychiatric disorders are associated with distributed neural dysconnectivity, leading to a strong interest in using neuroimaging methods to accurately predict disorder status. In this work, we are specifically interested in a multivariate approach that uses features derived from whole-brain resting state functional connectomes. However, functional connectomes reside in a high dimensional space, which complicates model interpretation and introduces numerous statistical and computational challenges. Traditional feature selection techniques are used to reduce data dimensionality, but are blind to the spatial structure of the connectomes. We propose a regularization framework where the 6-D structure of the functional connectome (defined by pairs of points in 3-D space) is explicitly taken into account via the fused Lasso or the GraphNet regularizer. Our method only restricts the loss function to be convex and margin-based, allowing non-differentiable loss functions such as the hinge-loss to be used. Using the fused Lasso or GraphNet regularizer with the hinge-loss leads to a structured sparse support vector machine (SVM) with embedded feature selection. We introduce a novel efficient optimization algorithm based on the augmented Lagrangian and the classical alternating direction method, which can solve both fused Lasso and GraphNet regularized SVM with very little modification. We also demonstrate that the inner subproblems of the algorithm can be solved efficiently in analytic form by coupling the variable splitting strategy with a data augmentation scheme. Experiments on simulated data and resting state scans from a large schizophrenia dataset show that our proposed approach can identify predictive regions that are spatially contiguous in the 6-D "connectome space," offering an additional layer of interpretability that could provide new insights about various disease processes.

Volitional regulation of emotions produces distributed alterations in connectivity between visual, attention control, and default networks

The ability to volitionally regulate emotions is critical to health and well-being. While patterns of neural activation during emotion regulation have been well characterized, patterns of connectivity between regions remain less explored. It is increasingly recognized that the human brain is organized into large-scale intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) whose interrelationships are altered in characteristic ways during psychological tasks. In this fMRI study of 54 healthy individuals, we investigated alterations in connectivity within and between ICNs produced by the emotion regulation strategy of reappraisal. In order to gain a comprehensive picture of connectivity changes, we utilized connectomic psychophysiological interactions (PPI), a whole-brain generalization of standard single-seed PPI methods. In particular, we quantified PPI connectivity pair-wise across 837 ROIs placed throughout the cortex. We found that compared to maintaining one's emotional responses, engaging in reappraisal produced robust and distributed alterations in functional connections involving visual, dorsal attention, frontoparietal, and default networks. Visual network in particular increased connectivity with multiple ICNs including dorsal attention and default networks. We interpret these findings in terms of the role of these networks in mediating critical constituent processes in emotion regulation, including visual processing, stimulus salience, attention control, and interpretation and contextualization of stimuli. Our results add a new network perspective to our understanding of the neural underpinnings of emotion regulation, and highlight that connectomic methods can play a valuable role in comprehensively investigating modulation of connectivity across task conditions.

Disrupted network architecture of the resting brain in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

BACKGROUND

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders of childhood. Neuroimaging investigations of ADHD have traditionally sought to detect localized abnormalities in discrete brain regions. Recent years, however, have seen the emergence of complementary lines of investigation into distributed connectivity disturbances in ADHD. Current models emphasize abnormal relationships between default network-involved in internally directed mentation and lapses of attention-and task positive networks, especially ventral attention network. However, studies that comprehensively investigate interrelationships between large-scale networks in ADHD remain relatively rare.

METHODS

Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained from 757 participants at seven sites in the ADHD-200 multisite sample. Functional connectomes were generated for each subject, and interrelationships between seven large-scale brain networks were examined with network contingency analysis.

RESULTS

ADHD brains exhibited altered resting state connectivity between default network and ventral attention network [P < 0.0001, false discovery rate (FDR)-corrected], including prominent increased connectivity (more specifically, diminished anticorrelation) between posterior cingulate cortex in default network and right anterior insula and supplementary motor area in ventral attention network. There was distributed hypoconnectivity within default network (P = 0.009, FDR-corrected), and this network also exhibited significant alterations in its interconnections with several other large-scale networks. Additionally, there was pronounced right lateralization of aberrant default network connections.

CONCLUSIONS

Consistent with existing theoretical models, these results provide evidence that default network-ventral attention network interconnections are a key locus of dysfunction in ADHD. Moreover, these findings contribute to growing evidence that distributed dysconnectivity within and between large-scale networks is present in ADHD.

Distributed effects of methylphenidate on the network structure of the resting brain: a connectomic pattern classification analysis

Methylphenidate is a psychostimulant medication that produces improvements in functions associated with multiple neurocognitive systems. To investigate the potentially distributed effects of methylphenidate on the brain's intrinsic network architecture, we coupled resting state imaging with multivariate pattern classification. In a within-subject, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, counterbalanced, cross-over design, 32 healthy human volunteers received either methylphenidate or placebo prior to two fMRI resting state scans separated by approximately one week. Resting state connectomes were generated by placing regions of interest at regular intervals throughout the brain, and these connectomes were submitted for support vector machine analysis. We found that methylphenidate produces a distributed, reliably detected, multivariate neural signature. Methylphenidate effects were evident across multiple resting state networks, especially visual, somatomotor, and default networks. Methylphenidate reduced coupling within visual and somatomotor networks. In addition, default network exhibited decoupling with several task positive networks, consistent with methylphenidate modulation of the competitive relationship between these networks. These results suggest that connectivity changes within and between large-scale networks are potentially involved in the mechanisms by which methylphenidate improves attention functioning.

The action of small GTPases Rab11 and Rab25 in vesicle trafficking during cell migration

BACKGROUND

The closely related GTPases Rab11 and Rab25 promote cell migration by regulating vesicular transport and recycling of surface receptors. Rab25 carries a constitutively activating mutation in its GTPase domain. Increased expression of Rab25 has been associated with the aggressiveness of migrating tumor cells. Here, we aimed to elucidate potential differences in the role of those two GTPases in vesicle trafficking during cell migration.

METHODS

We expressed Rab11 and Rab25 wildtype and mutant constructs in HeLa and MDA-MB231 cells and measured their effect on cell morphology, vesicle dynamics and migration behaviour. In prostate cancer samples we analyzed the expression of both GTPases.

RESULTS

Cells grown on fibronectin displayed a more stretched morphology when Rab11 was inactivated, whereas inactivation of Rab25 led to reduced stretching. Overexpression of both Rab11 and Rab25 accelerated cell migration. Analysis of vesicular movement revealed higher transport efficiency in the inner cell compartment for Rab11 positive vesicles and in proximity to the membrane for Rab25 positive vesicles. Interestingly, we found Rab25 to be highly expressed in prostate cancer tissue.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, our data suggest that Rab11 is mainly responsible for basal long-distance transport from the rear end to the front of the migrating cell, whereas Rab25 acts predominantly in the small-scale fast recycling within the tips of the cell. Our results further support the idea of Rab25 as a promoter of tumor development.

Investigation of thyroid dysfunction is more likely in patients with high psychological morbidity

BACKGROUND

Mild or subclinical hypothyroidism [raised thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) but normal free thyroxine (T4)] affects 5-10% of adults. Symptoms are non-specific and TSH levels are needed for diagnosis.

OBJECTIVES

We explore the relationship between thyroid function and psychological distress and investigate the usefulness of an expert-designed Thyroid Symptom Questionnaire (TSQ) in identifying hypothyroidism.

METHODS

DEPTH (DEPression and THyroid) is a cross-sectional study of 325 patients recruited from general practices in Bristol, for whom thyroid function tests were requested by the GP. Subjects completed the TSQ, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) and had blood tests for TSH and free T4.

RESULTS

The mean age was 45.7 years; 252 subjects (78%) were female; median TSH was 1.6. Psychological morbidity in this population is high: 54.2% have a GHQ-12 score >3, indicating psychological distress. We found no relationship between TSH and psychological distress [adjusted odds ratio 1.02 (95% confidence interval 0.91-1.13), P = 0.78]. The prevalence of hypothyroidism was 6.2% (95% confidence interval 3.8-9.5%). We found no evidence of an unadjusted association between TSQ score and subclinical hypothyroidism [adjusted odds ratio of 1.09 (95% confidence interval 0.95-1.24), P = 0.23].

CONCLUSIONS

Those referred for thyroid function tests, although no more likely than others to have hypothyroidism, have high rates of psychological distress. When mild (subclinical) hypothyroidism is detected in patients with psychological distress, it is important that GPs are aware that this is likely to be coincidental rather than causal and offer appropriate treatment.

[Vocational interventions integrated in inpatient rehabilitation]

Orientation on work place associated problems is a typical assignment of medical rehabilitation in Germany. The implementation of special vocational programmes, however, may be associated with several challenges concerning staff and space required, which could be difficult to overcome.

Reactive surface coatings based on polysilsesquioxanes: universal method toward light-responsive surfaces

Reactive surface coatings were used as an ideal precursor coating for the fabrication of three different photoswitchable surface coatings in parallel. Different light-responsive moieties, such as azobenzene, salicylideneaniline, and spiropyran, were immobilized on glass, polycarbonate, and steel surfaces. Independent from the underlying substrate, wettability could be switched reversibly by UV irradiation. The maximum switching range was obtained after functionalization of the reactive coating with spiropyran, resulting in a contact angle difference between the two isomeric states of almost 30°.

Insights into the classification of small GTPases

In this study we used a Random Forest-based approach for an assignment of small guanosine triphosphate proteins (GTPases) to specific subgroups. Small GTPases represent an important functional group of proteins that serve as molecular switches in a wide range of fundamental cellular processes, including intracellular transport, movement and signaling events. These proteins have further gained a special emphasis in cancer research, because within the last decades a huge variety of small GTPases from different subgroups could be related to the development of all types of tumors. Using a random forest approach, we were able to identify the most important amino acid positions for the classification process within the small GTPases superfamily and its subgroups. These positions are in line with the results of earlier studies and have been shown to be the essential elements for the different functionalities of the GTPase families. Furthermore, we provide an accurate and reliable software tool (GTPasePred) to identify potential novel GTPases and demonstrate its application to genome sequences.

The Effect of Massachusetts' Health Reform on Employer-Sponsored Insurance Premiums

In this paper, we use publicly available data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey - Insurance Component (MEPS-IC) to investigate the effect of Massachusetts' health reform plan on employer-sponsored insurance premiums. We tabulate premium growth for private-sector employers in Massachusetts and the United States as a whole for 2004 - 2008. We estimate the effect of the plan as the difference in premium growth between Massachusetts and the United States between 2006 and 2008-that is, before versus after the plan-over and above the difference in premium growth for 2004 to 2006. We find that health reform in Massachusetts increased single-coverage employer-sponsored insurance premiums by about 6 percent, or $262. Although our research design has important limitations, it does suggest that policy makers should be concerned about the consequences of health reform for the cost of private insurance.