Deceitful Hints: a Meta-Analytic Review of the Part-List Cuing Impairment in Recall

A large body of research in the study of memory has accumulated to date on the part-list cuing impairment in recall. This phenomenon refers to the lower recall of studied information in the presence of some studied words provided as retrieval cues compared to when no cues are provided. We review the current literature on the part-list cuing impairment in recall and report a meta-analysis utilizing the procedural and statistical information obtained from 109 samples (N = 5,605). In each experiment, participants studied a list of words and subsequently performed a recall task either in the presence or absence of part-list cues. The meta-analysis shows that the part-list cuing impairment is a robust, medium-sized impairment (Cohen, 1988). This recall impairment was not significantly sensitive to the number of study items provided, the relationship among study items, the number of part-list cues provided, the amount of time provided for recall, or certain other factors of interest. Our analyses also demonstrate that longer retention periods between study and retrieval mitigate the part-list cuing impairment in recall. We discuss the implications of meta-analysis results for elements of experimental design, the findings of past literature, as well as the underlying theoretical mechanisms proposed to account for this impairment in recall and the applied consequences of this recall impairment.

Personal and collective mental time travel across the adult lifespan during COVID-19

Older adults exhibit an age-related positivity effect, with more positivity for memories than young adults. Theoretical explanations attribute this phenomenon to greater emphasis on emotion regulation and well-being due to shortened time horizons. Adults, across the lifespan, also exhibit a collective negativity bias (more negativity about their country than their personal past and future) and a future-oriented positivity bias (more positivity for future projections than for memories). Threats to global health (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic) may shorten future time horizons which may serve to impact emotional valence for memories and future projections. We investigated this possibility in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in young, middle-aged, and older adults (N = 434; age: 18-81 years), for positive and negative events in the past (2019) and future (2021) in the personal and collective domains, as well as for future excitement and worry in these same domains in 1 week, 1 year, and 5-10 years' time. We replicated the collective negativity bias and future-oriented positivity bias, indicating the robustness of these phenomena. However, the pattern of age-related positivity diverged for personal events such that young adults exhibited similar positivity to older adults and more positivity than middle-aged adults. Finally, consistent with theoretical proposals of better emotion regulation with age, older adults reported more muted excitement and worry for the long-term future compared to young adults. We discuss the implications of this work for understanding valence-based biases in memory and future projections across the adult lifespan. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Retroactive interference: Counterconditioning and extinction with and without biologically significant outcomes

Following cue-outcome (X-O) pairings, 2 procedures that reduce conditioned responses to X are extinction, in which X is presented by itself, and counterconditioning, in which X is paired with a different outcome typically of valence opposite that of training. Although studies with animals have generally found counterconditioning more efficient than extinction in reducing responding, data from humans are less clear. They suggest counterconditioning is more efficient than extinction at interfering with emotional processing, but there is little difference between the two procedures regarding their impact on the verbal assessment of the probability of the outcome given the cue. However, issues of statistical power leave conclusions ambiguous. We compared counterconditioning and extinction in highly powered experiments that exploited a novel procedure. A rapid streamed-trial procedure was used in which participants were asked to rate how likely a target outcome was to accompany a target cue after being exposed to acquisition trials followed by extinction, counterconditioning, or neither. In Experiments 1 and 2, evaluative conditioning was assessed by asking participants to rate the pleasantness of the cues after treatment. These studies found counterconditioning more efficient than extinction at reducing evaluative conditioning but less efficient at decreasing the assessment of the conditional probability of the outcome given the cue. The latter effect was replicated with neutral outcomes in Experiments 3 and 4, but the effect was inverted in Experiment 4 in conditions designed to preclude reinstatement of initial training by the question probing the conditional probability of the outcome given the cue. Effect sizes were small (Cohen's d of 0.2 for effect on evaluative conditioning, Cohen's d of 0.3 for effect on the outcome expectancy). If representative, this poses a serious constraint in terms of statistical power for further investigations of differential efficiency of extinction and counterconditioning in humans. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Microangiographic Pattern of Bone Healing in Canine Tibial Osteotomies Treated with Type II External Fixators

The morphological aspects of the vascular response, which develops in the fracture-healing process of osteotomies treated with external fixators, were evaluated by means of microangiography. Bilateral transverse midshaft osteotomies were performed in the tibiae of 16 dogs. The osteotomies were reduced by means of a Type II external skeletal fixator, and the clinical and radiographic courses were assessed weekly until the moment of euthanasia. Four dogs each were euthanatized at one, two, four and eight weeks postoperatively. After heparinization and euthanasia both femoral arteries were perfused with micronized barium sulphate, and microangiograms were performed in decalcified mid-tibial sagittal slices. Initial intramedullary revascularization as well as gap supply were already observed in some one-week microangiograms, and they were well developed in all of the two-week microangiograms. A network of parallel extraosseous blood vessels, orientated perpendicularly to the cortical surface, first appeared in the two-week microangiograms. Four weeks after the osteotomy, the extraosseous network showed its greatest degree of development whereas in the eight-week microangiograms most of the osteotomies showed only some traces of the abovementioned vascular reaction. It can be concluded that the microangiographic pattern developed in external fixated osteotomies shows many similarities with those described in experimental fractures, reduced by other means, with the earlier development of all of the vascular phenomena being the most important difference.

Microangiography was used to determine the morphological characteristics of the vascular response developed in the tibial experimental fractures healing process.

Uveal inflammation in septic newborn foals

BACKGROUND

Septicemia in humans is described as a leading cause of uveitis, which eventually can induce blindness.

HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES

Uveal inflammatory findings could be related to sepsis severity in newborn foals and might be used as an indirect indicator for survival.

ANIMALS

Seventy-four septic foals, 54 nonseptic foals, and 42 healthy foals.

METHODS

Prospective observational clinical study. A detailed blinded, ophthalmic examination was performed by boarded ophthalmologists on all admitted newborn foals. Foals were grouped as septic (when blood culture resulted positive or the sepsis score was > or =14), nonseptic, and controls. Based on blood culture results, the septic group was subdivided into bacteremic and nonbacteremic foals.

RESULTS

Blood culture was performed in 62/74 septic foals, from which 35 (56%) were bacteremic and 27 (44%) were non-bacteremic. Anterior uveitis was diagnosed in a significantly (P < .005) higher number of septic/bacteremic foals (14/35, 40%) than in septic/nonbacteremic foals (5/27, 19%), nonseptic foals (4/54, 7%), and control foals (0%). Anterior chamber fibrin was only observed in 4/14 (29%) septic/bacteremic foals with anterior uveitis. Anterior uveitis was also associated with posterior uveitis in 6/35 (19%) septic/bacteremic foals. The diagnosis of uveitis was related to nonsurvival (P = .001, odds ratio = 6.2, 95% confidence interval = 2.1-18.2).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

Anterior uveitis is highly prevalent in septic newborn foals, especially in those with a positive blood culture, and it should be considered as a survival prognostic factor.

Retrobulbar dermoid cyst in a horse: a case report

A 4-year-old Andalusian horse was presented for examination following a 3-month history of exophthalmos of the right eye and a soft swelling of the right supraorbital fossa noted after blunt head trauma. Ultrasonographic examination of the swelling showed an anecogenic mass of 5 cm in diameter involving the retrobulbar space. Centesis of the mass through the supraorbital fossa was performed and yielded a serous fluid with 7.2 g/dL of total protein and density of 1040. No cells were seen in the sample. A tentative diagnosis of cyst was made. The cyst was surgically removed and the definitive histologic diagnosis was retrobulbar dermoid cyst. No recurrence has developed 18 months following the complete removal of the cyst capsule. To the authors' knowledge, there are no previous reports of retrobulbar dermoid cysts in horses. Localization, causes and success of surgical treatment of dermoid cysts are discussed.

Myocarditis and generalised vasculitis associated with leishmaniosis in a dog

A three-year-old, female bulldog was presented with bilateral uveitis, apathy, listlessness, generalised lymphadenopathy and perivulvar haematoma. The initial laboratory studies showed non-regenerative anaemia, polyclonal gammopathy and a high urine protein:creatinine ratio. Serology for leishmaniosis was positive and treatment with allopurinol and meglumine antimoniate was started. Despite treatment, the dog's clinical condition deteriorated. Signs included cutaneous ecchymosis, respiratory distress and finally cardiorespiratory arrest. Histopathological studies of postmortem tissue samples revealed a generalised vasculitis of several internal organs and severe myocarditis. Leishmania species organisms were identified in affected tissues using immunoperoxidase labelling and PCR techniques.

Theoretical Structure and Vibrational Analysis of Ethyl Methanesulfonate, CH3SO2OCH2CH3

Ethyl methanesulfonate, CH3SO2OCH2CH3, is well-known as an alkylating agent in mutagenic and carcinogenic processes. Its electronic structure and that of the methanesulfonate anion (CH3SO3-) were determined using optimization methods based on density functional theory and Moller-Plesset second-order perturbation theory. For CH3SO2OCH2CH3, two conformations with symmetries C(s) and C1 are obtained, the former being more stable than the latter. Natural bond orbital (NBO) calculations show the C(s) conformation provides a more favorable geometry of the lone pairs of the oxygen atom linking the ethyl group. The NBO technique also reveals the characteristics of the methanesulfonate anion as a leaving group due to the rearrangement of the excess electronic charge after alkylation. Furthermore, the infrared spectra of CH3SO2OCH2CH3 are reported for the liquid and solid states as well as the Raman spectrum of the liquid. Comparison to experiment of the conformationally averaged IR spectrum of C(s) and C1 provides evidence of the predicted conformations in the solid IR spectrum. These experimental data along with the calculated theoretical force constants are used to define a scaled quantum mechanical force field for the target molecule, which allowed the measured frequencies to be reproduced with a final root-mean-square deviation of 9 cm(-1) and, thus, a reliable assignment of the vibrational spectrum.

Smoking-related attitudes, characteristics, and opinions in a group of young men with asthma

The objective of this study was to examine the attitudes, characteristics, and opinions about smoking of a group of young asthmatic men.

POPULATION AND METHODS

An anonymous, personal questionnaire was administered to 611 young male volunteers who had been diagnosed with asthma (according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute/World Health Organization Global Initiative for Asthma, 1995) in the respiratory disease and allergy clinics of the Burgos Military Hospital (Spain). This questionnaire contained items related to personal information, asthma characteristics, opinions about smoking, and information related to smoking habits.

RESULTS

Six hundred patients with asthma completed the questionnaire. All were men, mean age 20.16 +/- 3.03 years; 189 (31.5%) were smokers and 16 (2.5%) were ex-smokers. Mean age at onset of regular smoking was 16.46 +/- 2 years. Sixty-five percent (65.07%) smoked fewer than 10 cigarettes per day. Most of the smoking asthmatics had mild asthma (58.9%). Eighty-eight percent (88.3%) had moderate dependence. Many of the smoking asthmatics were contemplating stopping smoking (54%), and 59% had tried before to stop. Concern about health was the main reason given for stopping smoking. Asthmatics who smoked had a higher percentage of smokers among family members, friends, and colleagues than nonsmoking asthmatics. Attitudes toward smoking were more permissive among smoking asthmatics. Only 36.64% of the total had received information about tobacco previously. In the sample group, 7% claimed that they did not smoke but their carbon monoxide concentration in exhaled air was 10 ppm or higher.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no differences in the onset of the smoking habit between asthmatic and nonasthmatic young people. A large percentage of the smoking asthmatics were considering smoking cessation, motivated mainly by their asthma condition. The group as a whole had little previous information about tobacco.

Examination of the thoracic cavity and lung lobectomy by means of thoracoscopy in dogs

The feasibility of thoracoscopy for viewing the chest cavity and performing pulmonary lobectomy was assessed in 8 mongrel dogs. Previously, selective intubation had been performed in another group of dogs (n = 8) in order to monitor respiratory physiology and assess its safety. Each hemithorax was intubated using a double-barrelled endotracheal tube with one barrel placed in the left main bronchus and the other in the bifurcation of the trachea. The thoracoscope was introduced through a cannula inserted through a 2-cm incision at the ventral third of the left 5th intercostal space. The cranial, dorsal, and caudal surfaces of the pleura, lobes of the left lung, and the mediastinum were examined. A 2nd cannula was located in the dorsal 3rd of the 5th intercostal space with a prior incision and used for the introduction of forceps to separate the viscera. To biopsy, a 3rd cannula was inserted at the dorsal third of the 8th intercostal space with a prior incision, through which a 12-mm diameter stapler was introduced. Should a lobectomy be necessary, a 4th cannula is located in the middle third of the 4th intercostal space. Excision of the left caudal pulmonary lobe was performed through the incision made for the 12-mm diameter cannula (8th intercostal space); a twisting movement facilitated removal. Thoracoscopy is a procedure that can be used in dogs and is particularly suitable for examination, collection of biopsy specimens, and even lung lobectomies.

Human acrocentric ring chromosomes and satellite association

In four cases of human acrocentric ring chromosomes r(21)(p13q22); r(21)(p11q22); r(13)(p11q?); and R(21)(P11Q22), association of the annular with normal D and G chromosomes was found. This finding indicates that: 1) the "satellite" association is not terminal 2) the heterochromatic region (band p11) adjacent to the acrocentric short arm constriction contains nucleolar organizers (NOs), although bands p12 and 13 could not be excluded; and 3) band p11 probably has two different functional sites, a distal NO+ and a proximal NO-. Related studies on three C/G translocation carriers suggest a non-specific interphase interchromosomal relationship.