The Acute and Chronic Cognitive Effects of a Sage Extract: A Randomized, Placebo Controlled Study in Healthy Humans.

The sage () plant contains a host of terpenes and phenolics which interact with mechanisms pertinent to brain function and improve aspects of cognitive performance. However, previous studies in humans have looked at these phytochemicals in isolation and following acute consumption only. A preclinical in vivo study in rodents, however, has demonstrated improved cognitive outcomes following 2-week consumption of Cognivia, a proprietary extract of both polyphenols and terpenoids, suggesting that a combination of phytochemicals from sage might be more efficacious over a longer period of time.

Sensitivity to Experiencing Alcohol Hangovers: Reconsideration of the 0.11% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Threshold for Having a Hangover.

The 2010 Alcohol Hangover Research Group consensus paper defined a cutoff blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.11% as a toxicological threshold indicating that sufficient alcohol had been consumed to develop a hangover. The cutoff was based on previous research and applied mostly in studies comprising student samples.

Alcohol Hangover Has Detrimental Impact Upon Both Executive Function and Prospective Memory.

The alcohol hangover (AH) is a state of general malaise following an evening of heavy episodic drinking when the blood alcohol concentration of the person reaches/approaches zero. The aim of the current study was to investigate what impact the AH has upon both executive function (EF) and prospective memory (PM). Previous research has shown that the AH has a detrimental effect upon cognitive abilities, including attention, working memory, and PM.

Objectively assessed prospective memory failures and diurnal cortisol secretion in caregivers of children with ASD.

Caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) self-report more prospective memory (PM) failures compared with controls. Subjective and objective measures of PM, however, tend to be poorly correlated. This study therefore explored the cognitive impact of caring for a child with ASD using the Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT), a more objective, performance-based assessment of PM failures.

A State of Alcohol Hangover Impedes Everyday Prospective Memory.

The aim of the current study was to investigate what impact a state of alcohol hangover (AH) has upon everyday prospective memory (PM; memory for future events/intentions). Previous research has shown that the AH has a detrimental effect upon cognitive abilities, including memory and attentional deficits. No published research articles to date have focused upon what impact AH might have upon everyday memory, of which PM is a good example.

Phase II study of Vigil® DNA engineered immunotherapy as maintenance in advanced stage ovarian cancer.

Objectives: The majority of women with Stage III/IV ovarian cancer who achieve clinical complete response with frontline standard of care will relapse within 2years. Vigil immunotherapy, a GMCSF/bi-shRNA furin DNA engineered autologous tumor cell (EATC) product, demonstrated safety and induction of circulating activated T-cells against autologous tumor in Phase I trial Senzer et al. (2012, 2013) .

The Synergistic Impact of Excessive Alcohol Drinking and Cigarette Smoking upon Prospective Memory.

The independent use of excessive amounts of alcohol or persistent cigarette smoking have been found to have a deleterious impact upon Prospective Memory (PM: remembering future intentions and activities), although to date, the effect of their concurrent use upon PM is yet to be explored. The present study investigated the impact of the concurrent use of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and smoking cigarettes (a "Polydrug" group) in comparison to the combined effect of the single use of these substances upon PM. The study adopted a single factorial independent groups design.

Allometric scaling of strength scores in NCAA division I-A football athletes.

This study examined population-specific allometric exponents to control for the effect of body mass (BM) on bench press, clean, and squat strength measures among Division I-A collegiate football athletes. One repetition maximum data were obtained from a university pre-season football strength assessment (bench press, n = 207; clean, n = 88; and squat n = 86) and categorized into 3 groups by positions (line, linebacker, and skill). Regression diagnostics and correlations of scaled strength data to BM were used to assess the efficacy of the allometric scaling model and contrasted with that of ratio scaling and theoretically based allometric exponents of 0.

Everyday prospective memory and executive function deficits associated with exposure to second-hand smoke.

This study explored whether exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) has a detrimental impact upon everyday memory in two groups of non-smokers; one which reported regular exposure to SHS and one that reported never having been exposed to SHS. Thirty-four non-smokers who reported having been regularly exposed to SHS (SHS group) and 34 non-smokers who reported never having been exposed to SHS (non-SHS group) were compared on self-reports of prospective memory (PM: remembering future intentions and/or activities) and executive function (EF: those processes involved in attention, multitasking and decision-making). The Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ) assessed everyday PM lapses; the Executive Function Questionnaire (EFQ) assessed self-reported problems in EF; a drug-use questionnaire and a mood questionnaire were also administered.

Exposure to second-hand smoke damages everyday prospective memory.

Aims: Prospective memory (PM: remembering future intentions and activities) is critical to everyday remembering. This study compared a group of never-smokers who reported regular exposure to second-hand smoke (the SHS group) with a group of current smokers (the CS group) and a group of never-smokers who reported never having been exposed to SHS (the non-SHS group) on objective PM.

Design: An existing groups design was employed to compare the SHS, CS and non-SHS groups.

Time based prospective memory deficits associated with binge drinking: evidence from the Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT).

Aims: To examine whether 'binge drinking' (BD) in young adults adversely affects prospective memory (PM). BD was defined as males drinking 8/more units and females 6/more units on at least one session per-week. BDs and non-binge drinkers (NBDs) were compared on self-reported and objective PM.

A short self-report measure of problems with executive function suitable for administration via the Internet.

This article describes a short self-report measure of problems with executive function designed for use in Internet-mediated research. In Study 1, participants completed the online measure (Webexec) using a browser but under laboratory conditions. They also completed a paper self-report measure of executive problems (the Dysexecutive Questionnaire; DEX) and three objective tasks involving executive function: reverse digit span, semantic fluency (unconstrained), and semantic fluency (constrained).

Smoking and everyday prospective memory: a comparison of self-report and objective methodologies.

Aims: To examine whether persistent smoking leads to impairments in self-reported and objective measures of prospective memory (PM: the cognitive ability to remember to carry out activities at some future point in time).

Methods: An opportunity sample of 18 existing smokers and 22 who had never smoked were compared. An existing-groups design was utilised, comparing a smoking group with a never-smoked control group as the independent factor.

The alcohol hangover research group consensus statement on best practice in alcohol hangover research.

Alcohol-induced hangover, defined by a series of symptoms, is the most commonly reported consequence of excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol hangovers contribute to workplace absenteeism, impaired job performance, reduced productivity, poor academic achievement, and may compromise potentially dangerous daily activities such as driving a car or operating heavy machinery. These socioeconomic consequences and health risks of alcohol hangover are much higher when compared to various common diseases and other health risk factors.

Cognitive and psychomotor performance during alcohol hangover.

The consequences of alcohol consumption have risen high on health and social agendas in recent years. Although much work has focused on the physical problems associated with alcohol use, one theme that has emerged in alcohol research has been a focus on the effects of hangovers on functioning. This brief literature review specifically examines recent empirical investigations of the relationship between alcohol hangover and psychological performance and is tabled as an update to our earlier review of similar research (Stephens et al.

Subjective ratings of prospective memory deficits in chronic alcohol users.

Previous research showing everyday memory is impaired by heavy alcohol use may have underestimated the cognitive impairment of heavy users because drinkers consuming over the recommended limits for safe drinking have often been treated as a homogeneous group, often with a low threshold for inclusion. The current study investigated whether the reported linear relationship applies to participants consuming alcohol significantly above recommended limits. The everyday memory of 80 participants (43 men; modal age, 31-35 years) was investigated using the Prospective Memory Questionnaire.

Recurrent phyllodes tumor of the vulva: a case report with review of diagnostic criteria and differential diagnosis.

Phyllodes tumor of the vulva is extremely rare with only 6 cases reported in the literature. We report a case of recurrent phyllodes tumor of the vulva in a 39-year-old woman. The tumor showed biphasic morphology with a typical leaf-like pattern and a cellular stroma with rare mitosis.

Loop electrosurgical excision procedure and risk of preterm birth.

Objective: To examine whether preterm birth is related to the loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) itself or intrinsic to the women undergoing the procedure.

Methods: Rates of preterm birth, defined as births before 37 weeks of gestation, as well as causes were analyzed in women undergoing LEEP before or after an index pregnancy. These rates were compared with the general obstetric population.

Secondary cytoreductive surgery for recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.

Objective: To determine the risks and benefits of secondary cytoreductive surgery for recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.

Methods: Data were obtained retrospectively for all women with recurrent platinum-sensitive epithelial ovarian cancer who underwent a second debulking operation between 1998 and 2008 at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Survival analysis and comparisons were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox multivariate proportional hazards model.

Does cannabis use affect prospective memory in young adults?

The aim of the present study was to examine prospective memory impairments associated with cannabis use in young adults. An independent measures design utilising pre-existing groups of users and non-users was employed in which an opportunity sample of 90 undergraduates studying at universities in the north east of England participated. The number of prospective memory failures reported on the Prospective Memory Questionnaire and the number of location-action combinations correctly recalled during a video-based prospective memory task were measured.

A review of the literature on the cognitive effects of alcohol hangover.

Alcohol misuse is a prime social and health problem in the UK. This paper presents a critical review of literature on the performance effects in the morning after binge drinking - during the alcohol hangover. Several pathophysiological changes that both follow and outlast acute intoxication may give rise to alcohol hangover effects.

The impact of excessive alcohol use on prospective memory: a brief review.

Research into the cognitive consequences of chronic excessive alcohol use continues to grow. Despite this, little research has investigated what impact excessive alcohol use might have upon everyday remembering. An important aspect of everyday remembering is prospective memory (PM), which refers to the cognitive ability of remembering to carry out an intended action at some future point in time.

Short-term prospective memory deficits in chronic back pain patients.

Objective: Chronic pain, particularly low back pain, is widespread. Although a great deal is known about the impact that this has on quality of life and physical activity, relatively little has been established regarding the more cognitive effects of pain. This study aims to find out whether individuals with chronic pain experience memory deficits in prospective memory (PM), the process of remembering to do things at some future point in time.