So far, studies that investigated interference effects of post-learning processes on episodic memory consolidation in humans have used tasks involving only complex and meaningful information. Such tasks require reallocation of general or encoding-specific resources away from consolidation-relevant activities. The possibility that interference can be elicited using a task that heavily taxes our limited brain resources, but has low semantic and hippocampal related long-term memory processing demands, has never been tested. We address this question by investigating whether consolidation could persist in parallel with an active, encoding-irrelevant, minimally semantic task, regardless of its high resource demands for cognitive processing. We distinguish the impact of such a task on consolidation based on whether it engages resources that are: (1) general/executive, or (2) specific/overlapping with the encoding modality. Our experiments compared subsequent memory performance across two post-encoding consolidation periods: quiet wakeful rest and a cognitively demanding n-Back task. Across six different experiments (total N = 176), we carefully manipulated the design of the n-Back task to target general or specific resources engaged in the ongoing consolidation process. In contrast to previous studies that employed interference tasks involving conceptual stimuli and complex processing demands, we did not find any differences between n-Back and rest conditions on memory performance at delayed test, using both recall and recognition tests. Our results indicate that: (1) quiet, wakeful rest is not a necessary prerequisite for episodic memory consolidation; and (2) post-encoding cognitive engagement does not interfere with memory consolidation when task-performance has minimal semantic and hippocampally-based episodic memory processing demands. We discuss our findings with reference to resource and reactivation-led interference theories.

The development and implementation of CPOE for chemotherapy at a multisite safety-net health system created opportunities to optimize patient care and reduce variations through interprofessional collaborations. Initial evaluation suggested that CPOE reduced the medication-order error rate and improved user satisfaction in 1 of 3 facilities.

Recent studies suggest that the response inhibition ability of children can be modified through training. Based on the notion of embodied cognition, we investigated transfer effects of a 7-day training program using a game named “Wesley says” in 8- to 12-year-old children (n = 15). The game consists of providing commands for performing simple body actions, the actual execution of which is conditional upon the preceding verbal expression “Wesley says.” Training effects were assessed with a computer-based visual go/no-go task and the Stroop color–word interference task. Relative to a control group playing other games mainly involving physical exercise (n = 15), the trained group showed a performance improvement on the go/no-go task, but not on the Stroop task. These results suggest the potential of an easy-to-use and ecologically valid training game to improve the inhibition capacity of children on related response inhibition tasks but not on tasks measuring other aspects of inhibition, such as interference control.

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Background: We developed SET4 as a targeted, droplet-based, next-generation RNA sequencing assay to measure both the SETER/PR index of gene expression and the percent of estrogen receptor (ER) transcripts with point mutation in the ligand-binding domain (LBD) in metastatic biopsies of Stage IV breast cancer. The SETER/PR index (31 genes) is a cumulative measure of gene expression for transcripts associated with ER and progesterone receptor (PR), excluding those with a direct role in proliferation. High SETER/PR could indicate increased sensitivity to endocrine therapy, whereas LBD mutations indicate resistance but might also induce high SETER/PR. Methods: Targeted needle biopsies from a metastatic site were prospectively obtained from 82 patients with HR+/HER2- breast cancer at time of any progression event, and preserved in RNAlater. Samples were prepared for targeted sequencing on a MiSeq by combining purified total RNA with SET4 primers and RT-PCR master mix into single molecule-formatted picodroplets using a RainDrop Source instrument, followed by thermal cycling and sample indexing. Calculated SETER/PR index and percent ER transcripts with LBD mutations were evaluated as continuous variables and compared to progression-free and overall survival using Cox regression analysis with log-rank test, if the next treatment after biopsy included endocrine therapy. Results: The average read depth for the LBD of the ER transcript was 33,475X (range: 1230-180,889X), confidently detecting mutation at 1% frequency. LBD mutations were identified in 17% (14/82) of metastases (range of mutated transcripts 1%-98%). LBD mutations (>10% of transcripts) were only observed in metastases with higher SETER/PR (above the median). In patients who next received endocrine therapy (n=58), higher SETER/PR predicted longer progression-free (PFS) (HR=0.37, p=0.0004, Δ median PFS 9 months) and overall survival (OS) (HR=0.49, p=0.03). The predictions were more pronounced in patients without LBD mutation (PFS HR=0.32, p=0.0001, Δ median PFS 13 months; OS HR=0.42, p=0.01). Currently, there are insufficient cases with LBD mutation for reliable survival analysis. Conclusion: The SET4 assay measured the percent of ER transcripts with activating LBD mutation (≥1% prevalence) and also downstream ER/PR-related transcription. High SETER/PR predicted longer PFS and OS with endocrine therapy. While activating LBD mutations may be associated with endocrine resistance of Stage IV cancer, they were associated with high SETER/PR index. Consequently, metastatic cancers with high SETER/PR index and no LBD mutation in ER transcripts were particularly sensitive to endocrine therapy. This single assay unraveled a possible interaction between genotype, phenotype, and treatment outcome; and is currently being evaluated in a larger cohort of patients. Citation Format: Rosanna Lau, Lily Fu, Michael Samuels, Rashmi K. Murthy, Bruno Sinn, Jane Yu, Rebekah Gould, Jennifer Litton, Alda Tam, Stacy Moulder, Daniel Booser, Debu Tripathy, Vicente Valero, Fraser Symmans. A targeted RNA-seq assay to measure activating ER mutations and ER/PR-associated gene expression predicts sensitivity to endocrine therapy for metastatic breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1796. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1796

High-risk drinkers' response inhibition deficits are not restricted to alcohol-related cues and are especially likely to occur under conditions prompting fast responding. These findings could be used to inform treatment, suggesting the promotion of strategies aimed at preventing high-risk alcohol users from making quick decisions.

COVID-19 caused an abrupt increase in unemployment rates for people across various fields of work. This paper compares the COVID-19 crisis with the Great Recession and the Spanish Influenza. After careful data collection and analysis, it is clear that COVID-19 caused a steep, immediate decline in the economy although it did not last long. By comparison, the Global Financial Crisis was a persistent recession though less severe. Comparison of the health effects for COVID-19 and the Spanish flu reveals that the influenza was much more contagious as it infected 29.3% of the US population in three years. In contrast, this percent is 2.4% for COVID-19 as of August, 2021. The flu outbreak also coincided with WWI which caused further spread of the virus, and an effective vaccine was never developed. Therefore, the current economic decline should not be worse than that of the influenza. Moreover, the government is more actively participating in the economy now than it was during the flu pandemic. The Spanish flu had a V-shaped economic trend despite having minimal government involvement. Because the flu and coronavirus are both pandemic-induced crises, we would expect COVID-19 to be V-shaped as well, which is seen through the graphs below. U.S. data from the Federal Reserve is analyzed graphically in this paper, and it shows that the COVID-19 crisis exhibits a distinct V-shape pattern. This suggests that economic recovery will be faster than the less severe Global Financial Crisis, and that countercyclical government policies may not be as necessary.

Objective: The AHA Western States Affiliate (WSA) Commission of Blood Pressure Task Force (TF) sought to establish an evidence base to guide health and population health strategies for blood pressure (BP) control across diverse communities, namely: (1) team care strategies such as pharmacist intervention, engagement of at-risk populations by community pharmacists, and medication management in the neighborhood setting; (2) self-care approaches such as self-monitoring interventions; (3) culturally-tailored diet modification, including DASH and sodium reduction; and (4) social conditions and other factors that may impede or facilitate medication adherence. Methods: Along with TF proceedings, a series of systematic reviews were conducted to examine 4 categories of intervention, yielding 51 articles and summary reviews on the impact and implementation contexts of these interventions. Search terms included “hypertension”, “blood pressure”, “team-based care”, “self-monitoring” and “home-monitoring”. Synthesis of the evidence is being carried out by a panel of experts who are rating the strength of each identified study using the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) system. SORT is a patient-centered approach to grading evidence in medical literature, offering interpretation of data applicable to practice settings. Results: WSA reaches 70 million adults comprising 50% diverse adults. The multi-layer review and synthesis of the evidence suggests pharmacist strategies such as coordinated medication therapy management and BP self-monitoring in diverse communities have beneficial impact on helping patients reach AHA/ACC and JNC7 target BP goals. The TF also found that strategy implementation to fidelity can be difficult to achieve in real world settings. Conclusions: Results from the TF proceedings and synthesis suggest all 4 categories of intervention showed promising outcomes; however, more research is needed to demonstrate their impact collectively or in combination. Additionally, barriers and facilitators to effective use of these interventions may require novel study using emerging models of complex systems and dissemination, implementation, and improvement (DII) sciences.