Objective: Executive function deficits are well-established in ADHD. Unfortunately, replicated evidence indicates that executive function training for ADHD has been largely unsuccessful. We hypothesized that this may reflect insufficient targeting, such that extant protocols do not sufficiently and specifically target the neurocognitive systems associated with phenotypic ADHD behaviors/impairments. Method: Children with ADHD ages 8–12 (M = 10.41, SD = 1.46; 12 girls; 74% Caucasian/Non-Hispanic) were randomized with allocation concealment to either central executive training (CET; n = 25) or newly developed inhibitory control training (ICT; n = 29). Detailed data analytic plans were preregistered. Results: Both treatments were feasible/acceptable based on training duration, child-reported ease of use, and parent-reported high satisfaction. CET was superior to ICT for improving its primary intervention targets: phonological and visuospatial working memory (d = 0.70–0.84). CET was also superior to ICT for improving go/no-go (d = 0.84) but not stop-signal inhibition. Mechanisms of change analyses indicated that CET-related working memory improvements produced significant reductions in the primary clinical endpoints (objectively assessed hyperactivity) during working memory and inhibition testing (indirect effects: β ≥ −.11; 95% CIs exclude 0.0). CET was also superior to ICT on 3 of 4 secondary clinical endpoints (blinded teacher-rated ADHD symptoms; d = 0.46–0.70 vs. 0.16–0.42) and 2 of 4 feasibility/acceptability clinical endpoints (parent-reported ADHD symptoms; d = 0.96–1.42 vs. 0.45–0.65). CET-related gains were maintained at 2–4 month follow-up; ICT-related gains were maintained for attention problems but not hyperactivity/impulsivity per parent report. Conclusions: Results support the use of CET for treating executive function deficits and targeting ADHD behavioral symptoms in children with ADHD. Findings for ICT were mixed at best and indicate the need for continued development/study.

Akathisia is a frequent and common adverse effect of treatment with antipsychotic (neuroleptic) drugs. This syndrome consists of subjective (feeling of inner restlessness and the urge to move) as well as objective components (rocking while standing or sitting, lifting feet as if marching on the spot and crossing and uncrossing the legs while sitting). Antipsychotic-induced akathisia can be classified according to the time of onset in the course of antipsychotic treatment (acute, tardive, withdrawal and chronic akathisia). Reported prevalence rates vary widely between 5 and 36.8%. Numerous risk factors for acute akathisia have been described and the exact pathophysiology of akathisia is still unknown. Since akathisia is a drug-induced adverse effect, optimal management involves its prevention rather than treatment. Standardised titration and the use of novel antipsychotics are successful measures of prevention. This paper reviews different forms of therapeutic approaches for the treatment of akathisia. Based on the available literature, propranolol or other lipophilic beta-blockers seem to be the most consistently effective treatment for acute akathisia. There is nothing in the literature to guide a clinician when treatment with beta-blockers fails. Addition of benzodiazepines would appear to be a sensible next choice, especially if subjective distress persists. If all of these drugs are unsuccessful, amantadine or clonidine can be tried. Other agents that have been investigated include ritanserin, piracetam, valproic acid (sodium valproate) and tricyclic antidepressants. Evidence on the treatment of tardive akathisia is unsatisfactory.

The entire project addresses the issue of mitigating additional intermittency and fast ramps that occur at higher penetration of intermittent resources, including wind generation, in the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the California Independent System Operator (California ISO) control areas. The proposed Wide Area Energy Storage and Management System (WAEMS) will address the additional regulation requirement through the energy exchange between the participating control areas and through the use of energy storage and other generation resources. For the BPA and California ISO control centers, the new regulation service will look no different comparing with the traditional regulation resources. The proposed project will benefit the regulation service in these service areas, regardless of the actual degree of penetration of the intermittent resources in the regions.The project develops principles, algorithms, market integration rules, functional design and technical specifications for the WAEMS system. The project is sponsored by BPA and supported in kind by California ISO, Beacon Power Corporation, and the California Energy Commission (CEC).This report provides a summary of results obtained in the first phase of the project. These tasks addressed in Phase 1 are as follow:• Evaluate and compare energy storage options. Review the world experience. Identify top three technologies that can meet the needs of this project.• Design and evaluate configurations and integration schemes of the energy storage, generation resources, their combinations, and other options. Identify the most promising configurations and their benefits.• Analyze technical and market compatibility of the proposed integration schemes with the existing regulation and load following systems at BPA and California ISO.• Collect data needed for experiments at BPA and California ISO.• Develop algorithms for the energy storage and generation control. Implement them as MATLAB TM codes.• Conduct experiments using the MATLAB TM model and collected data. v• Carry out the cost benefit analysis based on simulation results.• Provide a summary of results and recommendations to BPA on continuation of the project.The main results obtained in Phase 1 are as follow:• Based on the developed set of selection criteria, an extensive literature review, and an analysis of the worldwide industrial experience, the most suitable energy storage technologies have been identified for the project. They include flywheel energy storage devices (ESDs), pumped or conventional hydro power plants, and sodium sulfur or nickel cadmium batteries.• Using a developed set of requirements and an analysis of various configurations, a preferred WAEMS service architecture has been selected. A configuration with two ESDs was elected as the main variant: an aggregate of a flywheel ESD and a pumped storage (or a conventional hydro power plant). The one-ESD configuration can be also used as a first step toward the two-ESD configuration, or as an alternative architecture. The aggrega...

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Objective: Executive functions are commonly measured using rating scales and performance tests. However, replicated evidence indicates weak/nonsignificant cross-method associations that suggest divergent rather than convergent validity. The current study is the first to investigate the relative concurrent and predictive validities of executive function tests and ratings using (a) multiple gold-standard performance tests, (b) multiple standardized rating scales completed by multiple informants, and (c) both performance-based and ratings-based assessment of academic achievement-a key functional outcome with strong theoretical links to executive function. Method: A well-characterized sample of 136 children oversampled for ADHD and other forms of child psychopathology associated with executive dysfunction (ages 8 -13; 68% Caucasian/non-Hispanic) completed a counterbalanced series of executive function and academic tests. Parents/teachers completed executive function ratings; teachers also rated children's academic performance. Results: The executive function tests/ratings association was modest (r ϭ .30) and significantly lower than the academic tests/ratings association (r ϭ .63). Relative to ratings, executive function tests showed significantly higher cross-method predictive validity and significantly better within-method prediction; executive function ratings failed to demonstrate improved within-method prediction. Both methods uniquely predicted academic tests and ratings. Conclusion: These findings replicate prior evidence that executive function tests and ratings cannot be used interchangeably as executive function measures in research and clinical applications, while suggesting that executive function tests may have superior validity for predicting academic behavior/achievement.

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