A comparison of scoring algorithms for the NIH Toolbox executive function tasks in a U.S. norming sample.

Executive function (EF) has been extensively linked to various behavioral, clinical, and educational outcomes. There have been, however, few systematic investigations into how best to score EF tasks using speed and accuracy performance, particularly how to generate a summary and norm-referenced score. Using data from an updated norming study for the NIH Toolbox Version 3 (NIHTB V3) with the general U.

An Initial Exploratory Examination of the Sensitivity and Specificity of MyCog Mobile Using the Mini-Cog as a Proxy for Suspected Cognitive Impairment.

Objectives: To help promote early detection of cognitive impairment in primary care, MyCog Mobile was designed as a cognitive screener that can be self-administered remotely on a personal smartphone. We explore the potential utility of MyCog Mobile in primary care by comparing MyCog Mobile to a commonly used screener, Mini-Cog.

Methods: A sample of 200 older adults 65+ years (mean age = 72.

Validity and reliability of the Mobile Toolbox Faces and Names memory test.

Validation of the Mobile Toolbox Faces and Names associative memory test is presented. Ninety-two participants self-administered Faces and Names in-person; 956 self-administered Faces and Names remotely but took convergent measures in person; and 123 self-administered Faces and Names remotely twice, 14 days apart. Internal consistency (.

Prediction of cognitive impairment using higher order item response theory and machine learning models.

Timely detection of cognitive impairment (CI) is critical for the wellbeing of elderly individuals. The MyCog assessment employs two validated iPad-based measures from the NIH Toolbox for Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function (NIH Toolbox). These measures assess pivotal cognitive domains: Picture Sequence Memory (PSM) for episodic memory and Dimensional Change Card Sort Test (DCCS) for cognitive flexibility.

Pilot Testing of the MyCog Assessment: Rapid Detection of Cognitive Impairment in Everyday Clinical Settings.

Cognitive impairment (CI) and dementia can have profound social and emotional effects on older adults. Early detection of CI is imperative both to the identification of potentially treatable conditions and to provide services to minimize the effects of CI in cases of dementia. While primary care settings are ideal for identifying CI, it frequently goes undetected.

Diet-derived metabolites and mucus link the gut microbiome to fever after cytotoxic cancer treatment.

Not all patients with cancer and severe neutropenia develop fever, and the fecal microbiome may play a role. In a single-center study of patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplant ( = 119), the fecal microbiome was characterized at onset of severe neutropenia. A total of 63 patients (53%) developed a subsequent fever, and their fecal microbiome displayed increased relative abundances of , a species of mucin-degrading bacteria ( = 0.

An ecological momentary assessment study of outcome expectancies and smoking lapse in daily life.

Objective: Outcome expectancies have been identified as key components of behavior change. Expectancies related to affect control are hypothesized to play an important role in smoking cessation, such that smokers may be more likely to lapse if they believe they can control their affect by smoking and less likely if they believe they can control their affect by means other than smoking. However, little is known about whether real-time, real-world changes in affect control expectancies influence smoking lapse during a quit attempt.

Disentangling the within- and between-person aspects of implicit alcohol associations on hazardous drinking.

Indirect measures have been used to assess the strength of automatically activated, alcohol-related associations and their relation to hazardous drinking. However, little is known about the longitudinal contributions of between-person and within-person components of implicit alcohol associations (IAAs) to college students' hazardous drinking over time. This study examined how within- and between-person variability in three measures of IAA (drinking identity, alcohol approach, and alcohol excite) are related to hazardous drinking while controlling for their explicit, self-report counterparts.

Alloreactive T cells deficient of the short-chain fatty acid receptor GPR109A induce less graft-versus-host disease.

The intestinal microbiota is essential for the fermentation of dietary fiber into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate. SCFAs can bind to the G-protein-coupled receptors GPR43 and GPR109A (HCAR2), with varying affinities to promote cellular effects in metabolism or changes in immune function. We explored the role of GPR109A as the main receptor for butyrate in mouse models of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

Increasing treatment enrollment among smokers who are not motivated to quit: a randomized clinical trial.

There is a significant research-to-practice gap with respect to reaching underserved populations with evidence-based tobacco cessation treatments. Increasing enrollment in evidence-based treatments is necessary to reduce tobacco use and tobacco-related health inequities. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate whether Motivation And Problem Solving (MAPS), a flexible, holistic counseling/navigation approach delivered via phone, and proactive provision of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) would improve Quitline enrollment among a sample of low SES smokers who were not motivated to quit.

Many classes, restricted measurement (MACREM) models for improved measurement of activities of daily living.

Scientists use latent class (LC) models to identify subgroups in heterogeneous data. LC models reduce an item set to a latent variable and estimate measurement error. Researchers typically use unrestricted LC models, which have many measurement estimates, yet scientific interest primarily concerns the classes.

Microbiota as Predictor of Mortality in Allogeneic Hematopoietic-Cell Transplantation.

Background: Relationships between microbiota composition and clinical outcomes after allogeneic hematopoietic-cell transplantation have been described in single-center studies. Geographic variations in the composition of human microbial communities and differences in clinical practices across institutions raise the question of whether these associations are generalizable.

Methods: The microbiota composition of fecal samples obtained from patients who were undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic-cell transplantation at four centers was profiled by means of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing.

The role of negative affect in the persistence of nicotine dependence among alternative high school students: A latent growth curve analysis.

Background: Previous research has demonstrated how negative affect (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress) is often a correlate of and precursor to nicotine dependence.

Retail outlets prompt associative memories linked to the repeated use of nicotine and tobacco products among alternative high school students in California.

Numerous studies have examined how youth are influenced by the presence of tobacco retail outlets that use point-of-sale marketing tactics to promote nicotine and tobacco products. The current investigation extends this research by assessing whether tobacco retail outlets function as environmental cues that prompt associative memories linked to the repeated use of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and cigars. Students (N = 1060) from 29 alternative high schools in California were recruited into a three-year cohort study.

Translation of basic research in cognitive science to HIV-risk: a randomized controlled trial.

Many people enrolled in drug diversion programs are not receiving evidence-based prevention for HIV or hepatitis. This study translated basic research from cognitive science to increase screening for infection and condom use in this population. A parallel three-condition randomized trial was conducted in a drug diversion sample (N = 358), comparing a memory practice condition with two active control conditions.

Nrf2 regulates CD4 T cell-induced acute graft-versus-host disease in mice.

Nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (Nrf2) is a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor that is well known for its role in regulating the cellular redox pathway. Although there is mounting evidence suggesting a critical role for Nrf2 in hematopoietic stem cells and innate leukocytes, little is known about its involvement in T-cell biology. In this study, we identified a novel role for Nrf2 in regulating alloreactive T-cell function during allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT).

The Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index for Adolescent Alcohol and Drug Problems: A Comprehensive Modern Psychometric Study.

Objective: The Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index (RAPI) has been used extensively as a measure of alcohol-related problems experienced by adolescents and young adults. The present study aimed to comprehensively examine the psychometric profile and criterion-related validity of an 18-item RAPI adapted to measure negative consequences resulting from alcohol and other drug use in an at-risk adolescent population.

Method: Categorical confirmatory factor analysis and the graded response model were used for evaluations of the latent factor structure, item properties, test information, and item invariance across gender, age groups (middle vs.

Corrigendum: Suppression of luteinizing hormone enhances HSC recovery after hematopoietic injury.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/nm.4470.

Trajectories of cannabis-related associative memory among vulnerable adolescents: Psychometric and longitudinal evaluations.

Indirect tests of memory associations relevant to cannabis have been shown to be useful in explaining and predicting adolescent cannabis use habits. This study sought to increase the understanding of adolescent cannabis-related associative memory and cannabis use behavior over time. A longitudinal sample of alternative high school students (N = 775) was assessed yearly for 3 years.

Nutritional Support from the Intestinal Microbiota Improves Hematopoietic Reconstitution after Bone Marrow Transplantation in Mice.

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) offers curative potential for patients with high-risk hematologic malignancies, but the post-transplantation period is characterized by profound immunodeficiency. Recent studies indicate that the intestinal microbiota not only regulates mucosal immunity, but can also contribute to systemic immunity and hematopoiesis. Using antibiotic-mediated microbiota depletion in a syngeneic BMT mouse model, here we describe a role for the intestinal flora in hematopoietic recovery after BMT.

Gut microbiota injury in allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is considered to be the strongest curative immunotherapy for various malignancies (primarily, but not limited to, haematologic malignancies). However, application of allo-HSCT is limited owing to its life-threatening major complications, such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), relapse and infections. Recent advances in large-scale DNA sequencing technology have facilitated rapid identification of the microorganisms that make up the microbiota and evaluation of their interactions with host immunity in various diseases, including cancer.

Production of BMP4 by endothelial cells is crucial for endogenous thymic regeneration.

The thymus is not only extremely sensitive to damage but also has a remarkable ability to repair itself. However, the mechanisms underlying this endogenous regeneration remain poorly understood, and this capacity diminishes considerably with age. We show that thymic endothelial cells (ECs) comprise a critical pathway of regeneration via their production of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) ECs increased their production of BMP4 after thymic damage, and abrogating BMP4 signaling or production by either pharmacologic or genetic inhibition impaired thymic repair.

Long-Lasting Graft-Derived Donor T Cells Contribute to the Pathogenesis of Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease in Mice.

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a major complication in long-term survivors of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Graft-derived T cells (T) have been implicated in the induction of cGVHD; however, the extent of their contribution to the pathogenesis of cGVHD remains unclear. Using a mouse model of cGVHD, we demonstrate that T predominate over hematopoietic stem cell-derived T cells generated (T) in cGVHD-affected organs such as the liver and lung even at day 63 after allo-HSCT.

Suppression of luteinizing hormone enhances HSC recovery after hematopoietic injury.

There is a substantial unmet clinical need for new strategies to protect the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) pool and regenerate hematopoiesis after radiation injury from either cancer therapy or accidental exposure. Increasing evidence suggests that sex hormones, beyond their role in promoting sexual dimorphism, regulate HSC self-renewal, differentiation, and proliferation. We and others have previously reported that sex-steroid ablation promotes bone marrow (BM) lymphopoiesis and HSC recovery in aged and immunodepleted mice.