The dot pattern expectancy (DPX) task was created to efficiently assess context-processing deficits in patients with schizophrenia. Three studies investigated the characteristics of the DPX relevant for clinical applications. To answer questions regarding the psychometric properties of the task, performance on this task was studied in 2 healthy samples. Acceptable reliability and internal consistency and retest reliability were found for most measures of context processing, but not for a difficulty control condition. These characteristics were also found in a suggested brief version (DPX(brf)), which may be more practical for clinical purposes. In a 3rd study, schizophrenia patients showed a specific deficit in context processing, replicating previous findings. Findings of these studies indicated some promise for use of this task in measuring context processing and also identified characteristics of this task that need to be strengthened to increase reliability, feasibility, and single-subject interpretability.

As the African trypanosome Trypanosoma brucei completes its life cycle, it encounters many different environments. Adaptation to these environments includes modulation of metabolic pathways to parallel the availability of nutrients. Here, we describe how the blood-dwelling life cycle stages of the African trypanosome, which consume glucose to meet their nutritional needs, respond differently to culture in the near absence of glucose. The proliferative long slender parasites rapidly die, while the nondividing short stumpy parasite remains viable and undergoes differentiation to the next life cycle stage, the procyclic form parasite. Interestingly, a sugar analog that cannot be used as an energy source inhibited the process. Furthermore, the growth of procyclic form parasite that resulted from the event was inhibited by glucose, a behavior that is similar to that of parasites isolated from tsetse flies. Our findings suggest that glucose sensing serves as an important modulator of nutrient adaptation in the parasite.

Image aesthetic pleasure (AP) is conjectured to be related to image visual complexity (VC). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether (a) two image attributes, AP and VC, are reflected in eye-movement parameters; and (b) subjective measures of AP and VC are related. Participants (N=26) explored car front images (M=50) while their eye movements were recorded. Following image exposure (10 seconds), its VC and AP were rated. Fixation count was found to positively correlate with the subjective VC and its objective proxy, JPEG compression size, suggesting that this eye-movement parameter can be considered an objective behavioral measure of VC. AP, in comparison, positively correlated with average dwelling time. Subjective measures of AP and VC were related too, following an inverted U-shape function best-fit by a quadratic equation. In addition, AP was found to be modulated by car prestige. Our findings reveal a close relationship between subjective and objective measures of complexity and aesthetic appraisal, which is interpreted within a prototype-based theory framework.

Background Breast density is an established predictor of breast cancer risk, and there is considerable interest in associations of modifiable lifestyle factors, such as diet, with breast density. Objective To determine if dietary energy density (ED) is associated with percent dense breast volume (%DBV) and absolute dense breast volume (ADBV) in young women. Design A cross-sectional analysis was conducted with women who participated in the Dietary Intervention Study in Children Follow-Up Study (DISC06). %DBV and ADBV were measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Diet was assessed by three 24-hour recalls. Dietary ED (kcal/g) was calculated using three methods: (1) food only, (2) food and caloric beverages, and (3) food and all beverages. Participants/setting 172 women (25–29 years) who were enrolled in the DISC06 study. Subjects who reported breast augmentation or reduction surgery or were pregnant or lactating within three months before breast density assessment were excluded. Main outcome measures ADBV and %DBV. Statistical analyses performed Multivariable linear mixed effects models were used. Final models were adjusted for race, smoking status, education, parity, duration of sex hormone use, whole body percent fat, childhood BMI z-score, and energy from beverages. Results After adjustment, each 1 kcal/g unit increase in food-only ED was associated with a 25.9% (95% confidence interval = 6.2 to 56.8%) increase in %DBV (p=0.01). Childhood BMI z-score modified the association between food-only ED and %DBV such that a significant positive association was observed only in women who were heavier as children. Food-only ED was not associated with ADBV in all women, but a borderline significant positive association was observed in women who had higher childhood BMI z-scores. Conclusions This is the first report to suggest a potential role for dietary ED in breast density; the effects of long-term exposure to high ED diets on breast cancer risk remain unknown.

18The African trypanosome has evolved mechanisms to adapt to changes in 19 nutrient availability that occur during its lifecycle. During transition from mammalian 20 blood to insect vector gut, parasites experience a rapid reduction in environmental 21 glucose. Here we describe how pleomorphic parasites respond to glucose depletion 22 with a focus on parasite changes in energy metabolism and growth. Long slender 23 bloodstream form parasites are rapidly killed as glucose concentrations fall, while the 24 short stumpy bloodstream form parasites persist to differentiate into the insect stage 25 procyclic form parasite. The rate of differentiation was slower than that triggered by 26 other cues but reached physiological rates when combined with cold shock. Both 27 differentiation and growth of resulting procyclic form parasites were inhibited by glucose 28 and its non-metabolizable analogs in a concentration dependent manner. Procyclic 29 form parasites differentiated from short stumpy form parasites in glucose depleted 30 medium significantly upregulated gene expression of amino acid metabolic pathway 31 components when compared to procyclic forms generated by cis-aconitate treatment. 32Additionally, growth of these parasite was inhibited by the presence of either glucose or 33 6-deoxyglucose. In summary, glucose transitions from the primary metabolite of the 34 blood stage infection to a negative regulator of cell development and growth in the 35 insect vector, suggesting that the hexose is not only a key metabolic agent but is also 36 an important signaling molecule. 37 38 39 Author Summary 40. CC-BY-ND 4.0 International license It is made available under a (which was not peer-reviewed) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.The copyright holder for this preprint . http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/346601 doi: bioRxiv preprint first posted online Jun. 13, 2018; 3 As the African trypanosome, Trypanosoma brucei, completes its lifecycle, it 41 encounters many different environments. Adaptation to these environments includes 42 modulation of metabolic pathways to parallel the availability of nutrients. Here, we 43 describe how the blood-dwelling lifecycle stages of the African trypanosome, which 44 consume glucose to meet their nutritional needs, respond differently to culture in the 45 near absence of glucose. The proliferative long slender parasites rapidly die, while the 46 non-dividing short stumpy remains viable and undergoes differentiation to the next 47 lifecycle stage, the procyclic form parasite. Interestingly a sugar analog that cannot be 48 used as an energy source inhibited the process. Furthermore, the growth of procyclic 49 form parasite that resulted from the event was inhibited by glucose, a behavior that is 50 similar to that of parasites isolated from tsetse flies. Our findings suggest that glucose 51 sensing serves as an important modulator of nutrient adaptation in the parasite. 52 53