Observation of WWγ Production and Search for Hγ Production in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The observation of WWγ production in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} is presented. The observed (expected) significance is 5.6 (5.1) standard deviations. Events are selected by requiring exactly two leptons (one electron and one muon) of opposite charge, moderate missing transverse momentum, and a photon. The measured fiducial cross section for WWγ is 5.9±0.8(stat)±0.8(syst)±0.7(modeling)  fb, in agreement with the next-to-leading order quantum chromodynamics prediction. The analysis is extended with a search for the associated production of the Higgs boson and a photon, which is generated by a coupling of the Higgs boson to light quarks. The result is used to constrain the Higgs boson couplings to light quarks.

New Structures in the J/ψJ/ψ Mass Spectrum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search is reported for near-threshold structures in the J/ψJ/ψ invariant mass spectrum produced in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV from data collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 135  fb^{-1}. Three structures are found, and a model with quantum interference among these structures provides a good description of the data. A new structure is observed with a local significance above 5 standard deviations at a mass of 6638_{-38}^{+43}(stat)_{-31}^{+16}(syst)  MeV. Another structure with even higher significance is found at a mass of 6847_{-28}^{+44}(stat)_{-20}^{+48}(syst)  MeV, which is consistent with the X(6900) resonance reported by the LHCb experiment and confirmed by the ATLAS experiment. Evidence for another new structure, with a local significance of 4.7 standard deviations, is found at a mass of 7134_{-25}^{+48}(stat)_{-15}^{+41}(syst)  MeV. Results are also reported for a model without interference, which does not fit the data as well and shows mass shifts up to 150 MeV relative to the model with interference.

Art-delivered episodic future thinking reduces delay discounting: A phase IIa proof-of-concept trial

INTRODUCTION

High rates of delay discounting (DD), or the preference for immediate rewards over delayed rewards, is associated with substance use disorder (SUD). Lower rates of DD predict better treatment outcomes, and thus strategies that reduce DD may support SUD recovery. The process of vividly imagining a future event, known as episodic future thinking (EFT), may be a particularly viable approach to reduce DD. Some limited research has examined delivery of EFT in treatment settings, using verbal prompts that are typical of studies in non-treatment settings. We propose that the creation of visual art represents a unique alignment of the purpose of EFT with an innovative delivery modality in treatment settings.

METHODS

This single arm, proof-of-concept trial evaluated art-delivered EFT (ArtEFT) to reduce DD in a sample of women (N = 39) in a residential SUD treatment center. Participants engaged in a single, 1-h ArtEFT session during which they engaged in EFT and created a visual representation using art materials. The study collected DD measures for hypothetical money ($50 and $1000 magnitude conditions) before and after ArtEFT.

RESULTS

Using area-under-the-curve (AUCord) as the index of DD, the study observed predicted changes following the ArtEFT session. The ANOVA revealed statistically significant main effects of both magnitude [F(1,38) = 11.184, p = .002] and time [F(1. 38) = 4.731, p = .036], with a non-significant interaction [F(1,38) = 3.821, p = .058].

CONCLUSION

This study reveals promising preliminary indicators that art may be an effective modality to deliver EFT, with particular advantages for implementation given the popularity of art programming in SUD treatment programs.

Search for Scalar Leptoquarks Produced via τ-Lepton-Quark Scattering in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search for scalar leptoquarks produced in τ-lepton-quark collisions is presented. It is based on a set of proton-proton collision data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The reconstructed final state consists of a jet, significant missing transverse momentum, and a τ lepton reconstructed through its hadronic or leptonic decays. Limits are set on the product of the leptoquark production cross section and branching fraction and interpreted as exclusions in the plane of the leptoquark mass and the leptoquark-τ-quark coupling strength.

Juvenile ocular myasthenia gravis: a report of two cases

We report 2 cases of pediatric ocular myasthenia gravis. The first case was a 7-year-old girl who presented with bilateral ophthalmoplegia and ptosis that correlated with the onset of upper respiratory symptoms. Neuroimaging and acetylcholine receptor antibody testing were unremarkable. The ice pack test was positive. Symptoms greatly improved with pyridostigmine, with full resolution of ophthalmoplegia achieved by 8-month follow-up. The second case was a 4-year-old girl who presented emergently with ptosis and bilateral ophthalmoplegia. Acetylcholine receptor antibodies testing was positive. The patient was started on pyridostigmine and intravenous immunoglobulin and is scheduled to follow-up with pediatric ophthalmology in the outpatient setting.

Search for Inelastic Dark Matter in Events with Two Displaced Muons and Missing Transverse Momentum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for dark matter in events with a displaced nonresonant muon pair and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} of proton-proton (pp) collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV produced by the LHC in 2016-2018. No significant excess over the predicted backgrounds is observed. Upper limits are set on the product of the inelastic dark matter production cross section σ(pp→A^{'}→χ_{1}χ_{2}) and the decay branching fraction B(χ_{2}→χ_{1}μ^{+}μ^{-}), where A^{'} is a dark photon and χ_{1} and χ_{2} are states in the dark sector with near mass degeneracy. This is the first dedicated collider search for inelastic dark matter.

Luminosity determination using Z boson production at the CMS experiment

The measurement of Z boson production is presented as a method to determine the integrated luminosity of CMS data sets. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data, recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in 2017 at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . Events with Z bosons decaying into a pair of muons are selected. The total number of Z bosons produced in a fiducial volume is determined, together with the identification efficiencies and correlations from the same data set, in small intervals of 20pb - 1 of integrated luminosity, thus facilitating the efficiency and rate measurement as a function of time and instantaneous luminosity. Using the ratio of the efficiency-corrected numbers of Z bosons, the precisely measured integrated luminosity of one data set is used to determine the luminosity of another. For the first time, a full quantitative uncertainty analysis of the use of Z  bosons for the integrated luminosity measurement is performed. The uncertainty in the extrapolation between two data sets, recorded in 2017 at low and high instantaneous luminosity, is less than 0.5%. We show that the Z boson rate measurement constitutes a precise method, complementary to traditional methods, with the potential to improve the measurement of the integrated luminosity.

A pilot trial of behavioural activation with a contingency management component: Preliminary examination of changes in smoking and alternative rewards among low-income individuals

The heaviest smoking and burden of tobacco-related illness occurs among low-income individuals. Using a behavioural economics framework, this non-randomised pilot study examined the preliminary efficacy of behavioural activation (BA) with a contingency management (CM) component designed to encourage continued use of BA skills and reductions in cigarettes smoked. Eighty-four participants were recruited from a community centre. Data were collected at the start of every other group and at four different follow-up time points. Domains assessed included number of cigarettes smoked, activity level, and environmental rewards (i.e. alternative environmental reinforcers). Over time, cigarette smoking decreased (p < .001), environmental reward increased (p = .03), and reward probability and activity level were associated over time with cigarette smoking (p ≤ .03) above and beyond the effect of nicotine dependence. The continued use of BA skills was associated with greater environmental rewards (p = .04). While further research is needed to replicate this work, results suggest initial evidence for the utility of this intervention in a traditionally underserved community.

Engagement in types of activities and frequency of alcohol use in a national sample of United States adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Adolescents with fewer sources of environmental reinforcement may be at risk for alcohol use. Behavioral economic theories posit that engagement in some activities may facilitate alcohol use, whereas other activities may be incompatible with use and reduce likelihood of alcohol use. It is unclear which types of activities may facilitate or may be incompatible with alcohol use in adolescence. Using a national sample of adolescents, the current study examined differences in engagement with types of activities that may be incompatible with alcohol use, compared among adolescents who endorsed alcohol use, and adolescents who did not.

METHOD

Data from the 2019 Monitoring the Future (MTF) study (N = 4626) were analyzed. Potentially incompatible and facilitating activities, and alcohol-involved activities were identified from pre-existing survey measures. Confirmatory factor analysis, measurement invariance, and structural equation modeling were used to examine patterns in activity engagement among those who endorsed alcohol use and those who did not.

RESULTS

Participants who did not endorse alcohol use reported higher engagement in activities that may be incompatible with alcohol use, including enjoyment from school and going to the mall (p < .001). Participants who endorsed alcohol use reported higher engagement in activities that may facilitate alcohol use (p < .001), such as spending time with friends and attending parties. Facilitating activities (β = 0.15, p < .001) and alcohol-involved activities (β = 0.70, p < .001) were positively associated with alcohol use frequency. Observed effect sizes were small in magnitude for all findings.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings support the premise of behavioral economic theory, suggesting some activities may serve as protective factors against alcohol use frequency while other activities may facilitate alcohol use among adolescents. National surveys may consider adding specific measure of activity engagement to identify activities that may be incompatible with alcohol use among adolescents.

Observation of the Rare Decay of the η Meson to Four Muons

A search for the rare η→μ^{+}μ^{-}μ^{+}μ^{-} double-Dalitz decay is performed using a sample of proton-proton collisions, collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC with high-rate muon triggers during 2017 and 2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 101  fb^{-1}. A signal having a statistical significance well in excess of 5 standard deviations is observed. Using the η→μ^{+}μ^{-} decay as normalization, the branching fraction B(η→μ^{+}μ^{-}μ^{+}μ^{-})=[5.0±0.8(stat)±0.7(syst)±0.7(B_{2μ})]×10^{-9} is measured, where the last term is the uncertainty in the normalization channel branching fraction. This work achieves an improved precision of over 5 orders of magnitude compared to previous results, leading to the first measurement of this branching fraction, which is found to agree with theoretical predictions.

Delay discounting and substance use treatment outcomes: A systematic review focused on treatment outcomes and discounting methodology

INTRODUCTION

Delay discounting-the tendency to choose small, immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards-is robustly associated with substance use. Delay discounting may present challenges in treatment for substance use disorders, as individuals with elevated discounting may struggle to wait for the long-term rewards that come from abstinence, which may yield poorer treatment outcomes. However, evidence on the role of discounting in treatment outcomes has been inconsistent. The study conducted a systematic review of the literature to characterize the prospective effects of delay discounting measured pre-treatment on substance use treatment outcomes, with a focus on characterizing findings across: 1) type of treatment outcome and 2) methodology used to assess and characterize discounting.

METHOD

A systematic literature search identified N = 17 studies that examined the association between delay discounting at treatment entry (pre-treatment) and substance use treatment outcomes. Findings were reported across the following substance use treatment outcomes: abstinence, relapse, use frequency and related problems, and treatment adherence. Findings regarding discounting methodology were reported by type of discounting measure (adjusting choice task, fixed choice task, or experiential task) and parameter used to characterize discounting (k, log transformed k (lnk), and area under the curve).

RESULTS

Delay discounting at treatment entry was not consistently associated with substance use treatment outcomes when examined across all studies overall (47 %) or by treatment outcome (0-40 % for most outcomes). The majority of studies (64 %) that used an adjusting choice, computer-based task reported a significant association between discounting and treatment outcomes, whereas few studies that used a fixed choice or experiential task reported significant associations with treatment outcomes (0-25 %). Most studies (71 %) that used the lnk parameter to characterize discounting reported significant associations between discounting and a range of treatment outcomes. In contrast, few studies that used k or AUC (25-33 %) reported significant associations between discounting and treatment outcomes.

CONCLUSION

When examined overall and by treatment outcome, evidence did not consistently indicate that delay discounting was prospectively associated with substance use treatment outcomes. However, delay discounting at treatment entry was more commonly associated with a variety of poorer treatment outcomes when researchers used more fine-grained methods to characterize discounting.

Engagement with Activity Monitoring During a Behavioral Activation Intervention: A Randomized Test of Monitoring Format and Qualitative Evaluation of Participant Experiences

Behavioural activation (BA) is an efficacious treatment approach. Activity monitoring is a key component of brief BA treatments; however, no studies have examined the most efficacious format for monitoring. The present pilot study tested brief versus intensive activity monitoring approaches during a BA intervention administered in a college orientation course. Outcomes characterised (1) engagement with the treatment protocol via activity monitoring and (2) participant qualitative experiences with monitoring and the intervention as reported during focus group interviews. Four course sections were randomly assigned to receive monitoring forms that were brief (assessed activities three times daily) or intensive (assessed activities hourly). Forms were provided electronically to students via a web-based platform which tracked completion. There were no significant differences in monitoring frequency (38.0 vs. 23.0 days; p = .154) or the duration of monitoring engagement (62.0 vs. 36.0 days; p = .054) between the brief and intensive conditions. Qualitative findings suggested that participants in both conditions found utility in activity monitoring, particularly during the first month as they transitioned to college. Overall, findings indicated that participants may find utility in monitoring during the first month of a BA intervention using either brief or intensive monitoring forms.

A Preliminary Experimental Study of Self-Objectification and Risky Sex Behavior Among a University Sample of Cisgender Women in the U.S

Self-objectification is associated with a number of negative mental and behavioral outcomes. Though previous research has established associations between self-objectification and risky sex, no study to date has examined whether self-objectification affects propensity to engage in risky sex. The current research employed an experimental design to examine the effect of heightened self-objectification on a laboratory analog of risky sex (n = 181). We observed that when college-attending women experienced a heightened state of self-objectification, they were more likely to engage in sex without a condom and less likely to wait to use a condom with a highly desirable partner. Given the frequency of intended and unintended objectifying messages that young women face, this increase in willingness to engage in risky sex behavior represents a consequential health concern.

Cognitive training and remediation interventions for substance use disorders: a Delphi consensus study

AIMS

Substance use disorders (SUD) are associated with cognitive deficits that are not always addressed in current treatments, and this hampers recovery. Cognitive training and remediation interventions are well suited to fill the gap for managing cognitive deficits in SUD. We aimed to reach consensus on recommendations for developing and applying these interventions.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

We used a Delphi approach with two sequential phases: survey development and iterative surveying of experts. This was an on-line study. During survey development, we engaged a group of 15 experts from a working group of the International Society of Addiction Medicine (Steering Committee). During the surveying process, we engaged a larger pool of experts (n = 54) identified via recommendations from the Steering Committee and a systematic review.

MEASUREMENTS

Survey with 67 items covering four key areas of intervention development: targets, intervention approaches, active ingredients and modes of delivery.

FINDINGS

Across two iterative rounds (98% retention rate), the experts reached a consensus on 50 items including: (i) implicit biases, positive affect, arousal, executive functions and social processing as key targets of interventions; (ii) cognitive bias modification, contingency management, emotion regulation training and cognitive remediation as preferred approaches; (iii) practice, feedback, difficulty-titration, bias modification, goal-setting, strategy learning and meta-awareness as active ingredients; and (iv) both addiction treatment work-force and specialized neuropsychologists facilitating delivery, together with novel digital-based delivery modalities.

CONCLUSIONS

Expert recommendations on cognitive training and remediation for substance use disorders highlight the relevance of targeting implicit biases, reward, emotion regulation and higher-order cognitive skills via well-validated intervention approaches qualified with mechanistic techniques and flexible delivery options.

Valuation of future alcohol in cross-commodity delay discounting is associated with alcohol misuse/consequences

OBJECTIVE

Delay discounting (DD) refers to the reduction in reward value as a function of its delay, and individuals who misuse alcohol typically exhibit high rates of DD, which may reflect a general preference for immediate outcomes. This interpretation is based on studies utilizing single-commodity DD tasks where the same commodity is available immediately and following a delay. Cross-commodity DD tasks require individuals to choose between different commodities at varying delays and may provide the potential to further illuminate intertemporal preference associated with alcohol misuse. The present study examined associations between single-commodity and cross-commodity DD rates with alcohol use metrics among young adults.

METHOD

DD by young adults (N = 70, aged 19-24, 71% male, 80% White) who engage in hazardous drinking was examined using a fully parametric combination of immediate and delayed alcohol and money outcomes. We hypothesized that past 30-day alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences would be associated with preference for alcohol outcomes independent of whether alcohol was immediate or delayed.

RESULTS

Results support the hypothesis, as past 30-day consumption and AUDIT scores were positively associated with rate of DD in the immediate alcohol versus delayed money task and negatively associated with rate of DD in the immediate money versus delayed alcohol task. Moreover, we found the immediate money versus delayed alcohol task provided unique explanatory power for individual alcohol use.

CONCLUSIONS

The observed associations indicate that willingness to invest in future access to alcohol may be associated with elevated alcohol use and related consequences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Single- and Cross-Commodity Delay Discounting of Cannabis

OBJECTIVE

Despite extensive literature that has identified high rates of delay discounting as a behavioral correlate of substance misuse, associations of cannabis use measures and delay discounting are less consistent. Furthermore, there is very limited research examining cannabis use using cross-commodity delay discounting tasks, where the immediate and delayed outcomes are different commodities.

METHOD

Using conventional single-commodity delay discounting tasks for money and cannabis outcomes as well as cross-commodity delay discounting tasks (i.e., cannabis now vs. money later, money now vs. cannabis later), we examined associations of delay discounting rates with cannabis use frequency, cannabis use disorder symptom count, cannabis-related problems, and craving among young adult cannabis users (N = 115; M age = 20.7, SD = 2.6; M cannabis use days per month = 15.5, SD = 10.0).

RESULTS

Although associations between cannabis use measures and rates of delay discounting in single-commodity conditions were modest, significant associations were observed with delay discounting rates in cross-commodity conditions. Of note, regression and model comparison analyses generally showed positive associations of cannabis measures with immediate cannabis versus delayed money delay discounting rates, and negative associations of cannabis measures with immediate money versus delayed cannabis delay discounting rates.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that problematic cannabis use may not be strictly associated with the inability to wait for delayed outcomes, as suggested by previous research implementing single-commodity delay discounting tasks, but also with a willingness to wait for delayed access to cannabis.

Choices between money and hyper-palatable food: Choice impulsivity and eating behavior

OBJECTIVE

Choice impulsivity may influence eating behavior. The study tested whether choice impulsivity, termed delay discounting, may be related to food generally, or may be specific to hyper-palatable foods (HPF). The study also determined whether a discounting task with choices between money and food may have utility in predicting obesity-related outcomes.

METHOD

Participants (N = 284) completed a task that assessed choices between smaller reward available immediately and larger reward available later. Single commodity conditions presented choices between amounts of HPF, non-HPF, or money (e.g., HPF now vs. HPF later). Cross-commodity conditions presented choices between money and food commodities (e.g., money now vs. HPF later; money now vs. non-HPF later).

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in discounting of HPF and non-HPF in single commodity conditions (Mean ln[k] difference = .40, p = .058). In the cross-commodity conditions holding money constant as the immediate reward, individuals discounted HPF significantly less than non-HPF (Mean ln[k] difference = .92; p = .0001). In regression analyses, individuals with excess HPF intake, greater HPF craving, and higher BMIs were more likely to choose HPF immediately, when money was the delayed reward (p values = .003 to .008).

CONCLUSIONS

Choice impulsivity may be specific to foods that are hyper-palatable. Results suggest that individuals with excess HPF intake, higher HPF craving, and higher BMIs may exhibit a general tendency toward impulsive decision making that may be exacerbated in an obesogenic environment that provides wide access to HPF. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Working Memory Training Reduces Cigarette Smoking Among Low-Income Individuals With Elevated Delay Discounting

INTRODUCTION

The competing neurobehavioral decision systems theory conceptualizes addictive behavior, such as cigarette smoking, as arising from the imbalance between stronger impulsive relative to weaker executive decision processes. Working memory trainings may enhance executive decision processes, yet few studies have evaluated its efficacy on substance misuse, with mixed evidence. The current study is the first to evaluate the efficacy of a working memory training on cigarette smoking. We consider the moderating role of delay discounting (DD), or the preference for smaller, immediately available rewards relative to larger, delayed rewards, which has been associated with smoking onset, progression, and resumption. The investigation focuses on individuals living in high-poverty, low-resource environments due high burden of tobacco-related disease they experience.

AIMS AND METHODS

The study utilized a subset of data (N = 177 individuals who smoke) generated from a randomized clinical trial that is evaluating the efficacy of working memory training for improving health-related outcomes. Participants were randomized to complete up to 15 sessions of the active, working memory training or a control training.

RESULTS

Findings showed that among participants who were randomized to the working memory condition, those with higher rates of baseline DD demonstrated decreases in cigarette smoking (p = .05). Conversely, individuals randomized to the control condition, who had higher rates of baseline DD exhibited increases in cigarette smoking (p = .025).

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that DD may be an important indicator of working memory training outcomes and a possible approach for effectively targeting treatments in the future.

IMPLICATIONS

DD is important indicator of working memory training outcomes on cigarette smoking. The findings suggest the possibility to effectively target treatments considering the impact of DD. Given that rates of DD tend to be higher among individuals from low-resource communities, and that computer-based working memory training programs are relatively low-cost and scalable, these findings suggest this approach may have specific utility for adults at heightened risk for cigarette use.This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier NCT03501706).

Are You Sure: Preference and Ambivalence in Delay Discounting

Delay discounting (DD) research has become ubiquitous due to its robust associations with clinical outcomes. Typical DD tasks involve multiple trials in which participants indicate preference between smaller, sooner and larger, later rewards. Scoring of these binary choice tasks has not considered trial-level ambivalence as a possible decision-making construct. The present study explored the extent to which trial-level ambivalence varied within-individual using an established assessment of DD (the Monetary Choice Questionnaire). Results indicate that degree of ambivalence peaks around the trials associated with the DD rate. Moreover, ambivalence is associated with a diminished impact of reward delay differences on choice, where greater delay differences decrease the odds of choosing the larger, later rewards. Taken together, we believe ambivalence to be a relevant construct for research on intertemporal decision making, and it may be particularly useful in the study of manipulations on individual rates of DD.

Methods to Optimize Recruitment, Participation, and Retention Among Vulnerable Individuals Participating in a Longitudinal Clinical Trial

Low-income and ethnic/racial minority adults do not often participate in research or may face unique barriers when participating in research, which delays and impedes medical advances for this vulnerable population. This article describes in detail the evidenced-based methods used to enhance recruitment, participation, and retention in a clinical trial at a center serving ethnic/racial minorities and low-income individuals. The article details the partnership with a community outreach center and describes the duties and impact of a community liaison to enhance recruitment, participation, and retention in a randomized controlled trial with a 6-month follow-up. Of the 246 individuals initially recruited for screening, 80 did not meet inclusion criteria with the most common reason for disqualification being meeting criteria for substance use disorder (n = 44). One hundred sixty-six participants qualified for participation. The majority of participants identified as African American (n = 127, 77.1%) and reported an annual individual income under $10,000 (n = 121 (74.2%). Forty-five percent of the sample completed the requested number of sessions (i.e., 12). Sixty-three percent of participants completed post intervention assessments and 42% completed 6-month follow-up data collection. The participation and retention numbers in this study appear higher than typical participation and retention rates in longitudinal studies with similar populations. The methods and lessons learned may be useful for other clinical trials that recruit vulnerable populations and wish to enhance participation, engagement, and retention.

Improvement of Working Memory is a Mechanism for Reductions in Delay Discounting Among Mid-Age Individuals in an Urban Medically Underserved Area

BACKGROUND

Delay discounting, or the tendency to devalue rewards as a function of their delayed receipt, is associated with myriad negative health behaviors. Individuals from medically underserved areas are disproportionately at risk for chronic health problems. The higher rates of delay discounting and consequent adverse outcomes evidenced among low-resource and unstable environments suggest this may be an important pathway to explain health disparities among this population.

PURPOSE

The current study examined the effectiveness of a computerized working memory training program to decrease rates of delay discounting among residents of a traditionally underserved region.

METHODS

Participants (N = 123) were recruited from a community center serving low income and homeless individuals. Subjects completed measures of delay discounting and working memory and then took part in either an active or control working memory training.

RESULTS

Analyses indicated that participants in the active condition demonstrated significant improvement in working memory and that this improvement mediated the relation between treatment condition and reductions in delay discounting.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that a computerized intervention targeting working memory may be effective in decreasing rates of delay discounting in adults from medically underserved areas (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT03501706).

The Indirect Effects of Trait Anxiety on Drug Use Via Emotion Dysregulation in a Low-Income Sample

Background: Research has demonstrated consistent associations between anxiety and illicit drug use. However, few studies to date have examined the shared risk factors that may contribute to this common comorbidity. Therefore, the current investigation tested the indirect effect of trait anxiety on drug use disorder symptoms via emotion dysregulation, a widely recognized transdiagnostic risk factor found to be relevant across both anxiety and illicit drug use. Method: The sample was comprised of 241 adults (Mage = 50.56, SDage = 5.90; 76.8% Black) recruited from a community center serving low-income and homeless individuals. Results: Consistent with our hypothesis, structural equation modeling demonstrated an indirect effect of trait anxiety on drug use disorder symptoms through emotion dysregulation. Conclusions: The current findings show initial support for emotion dysregulation as an explanatory vulnerability factor indirectly underlying the relationship between anxiety and drug use.

Uncommitted Commitment: Behavioral Strategy to Prevent Preference Reversals

When both smaller-sooner (SS) and larger-later (LL) rewards are temporally distal, individuals frequently prefer the LL. However, because both outcomes become proximal, individuals frequently switch to preferring the SS. These preference reversals are predicted by hyperbolic delay discounting, and may model the essential challenge of self-control. Using smokers, a population known to have high rates of delay discounting, and thus more vulnerable to preference reversals, this pilot study sought to examine soft commitment as a strategy that may prevent preference reversals. Eleven smokers were assigned to an experimental commitment condition, operationalized as 3 weeks of daily commitment trials indicating preference between an SS and LL. Ten smokers were assigned to a control commitment condition. These 3 weeks were followed by 8 days of daily choice trials indicating preference between an impending SS and LL, for both experimental and control conditions. Though no overall difference of preference was observed between groups during the choice trials, hierarchical linear modeling revealed a decrease in preference for the LL over time by the control group (e.g., increasing trend of preference reversals) but no changes by the experimental group. This pilot study provides an initial indication that soft commitment can facilitate choice persistence and prevent preference reversals.

A behavioral activation intervention administered in a 16-week freshman orientation course: Study protocol

INTRODUCTION

The transition from high school to college is a developmentally sensitive period that is high-risk for the escalation of alcohol use. Although risky drinking is a common problem among freshmen, engagement in treatment services is very low. College alcohol interventions target drinking directly at a time when students may be uninterested in changing their drinking. Approaches that indirectly target drinking may be particularly effective. Behavioral activation (BA) is an intervention that indirectly addresses mental health conditions by guiding individuals to engage in reinforcing activities that align with their values (Lejuez et al., 2001). A pilot study of a BA intervention administered in a semester-long freshman orientation course reported a significant decrease in drinking-related problems compared to students in standard orientation course (Reynolds et al., 2011).

METHODS

The cluster-randomized trial will test the efficacy of BA administered in a semester-long (16 week) freshman orientation course, compared to a standard orientation course in 540 freshmen spread over 36 course sections (18 sections each). A 5-month post-treatment assessment will measure durability of effects.

DISCUSSION

The study will test a promising BA intervention that addresses factors limiting participation in other programs by targeting alcohol use indirectly and by integrating an intervention into college curriculum. This study represents a first step toward developing an intervention course that could be widely disseminated to address the persistent college drinking problem and its consequences.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04038190.

Changes in delay discounting, substance use, and weight status across adolescence

OBJECTIVE

Higher rates of delay discounting have been consistently linked to maladaptive health behaviors, including substance use and overeating, among adults. Despite adolescence representing a critical period for the escalation of these risky health behaviors, little is known about the developmental course of delay discounting or how this construct relates to important health outcomes in youth. The current study examined change in delay discounting over time using a latent growth curve approach and the relation between growth in this construct and changes in substance use and body-mass index over a 6-year period.

METHOD

Participants included 247 adolescents (44% female) with a mean age of 13 at the initial assessment.

RESULTS

Findings suggest that, on average, rates of delay discounting are stable across adolescence; however, there are significant individual differences around this trajectory. Moreover, youth who demonstrate significant increases in delay discounting over time are also more likely to experience more rapid escalations of both substance use and Body Mass Index across adolescence.

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicate that delay discounting is an important trans-disease process among adolescents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Anonymity for Practical Quantum Networks

Quantum communication networks have the potential to revolutionize information and communication technologies. Here we are interested in a fundamental property and formidable challenge for any communication network, that of guaranteeing the anonymity of a sender and a receiver when a message is transmitted through the network, even in the presence of malicious parties. We provide the first practical protocol for anonymous communication in realistic quantum networks.

Social and delay discounting in autism spectrum disorder

Current literature is divided over whether and how processes such as perspective taking and reward sensitivity differ between individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) versus neurotypical individuals. Discounting tasks may provide novel insight into how these processes operate. In delay discounting tasks, participants choose between smaller immediate rewards and larger delayed rewards, and in social discounting tasks, participants choose between a smaller monetary rewards for themselves versus a larger reward for partners of varied social distance (e.g., a close friend vs. an acquaintance). Delay and social discounting tasks thus implicitly measure the subjective value of rewards given to one's future self and to others, capturing constructs such as perspective taking, reward processing, and social closeness, all of which have been discussed as core cognitive mechanisms underlying ASD. Despite extensive research on discounting in other clinical populations, few studies have examined delay discounting in ASD and no research has examined social discounting in ASD. The goal of the current study was to assess delay and social discounting for monetary rewards in a single sample of adolescents and adults with ASD compared to a matched neurotypical sample. Overall, adults and adolescents with ASD valued both future rewards and rewards given to others less than their typical counterparts did, but rates of discounting were not significantly correlated across temporal and social domains. These results extend an important behavioral paradigm for understanding both perspective taking and reward processing to autism. Autism Res 2019, 12: 870-877. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Discounting tasks-which experimentally measure the subjective value of different rewards-have been used with a variety of clinical populations, but are underexplored in ASD. We found that compared to neurotypical individuals, individuals with ASD showed diminished subjective value for future rewards (compared to immediate rewards) and rewards for others (compared to rewards for self). This finding has implications for understanding perspective taking, reward processing, and social closeness in ASD.

Conscientiousness explains the link between childhood neglect and cigarette smoking in adults from a low-income, urban area-the differential effects of sex

Cigarette smoking represents the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the US and understanding its risk factors remains a critical public health endeavor. Low-income individuals and individuals with a history of childhood maltreatment are at heightened risk for cigarette smoking, yet the underlying factors between this association are understudied. Conscientiousness is one construct with potential explanatory relevance to both smoking and childhood neglect. The current investigation examined the association between childhood physical and emotional neglect with smoking (i.e., self-reported cigarette smoking and breath carbon monoxide levels) via conscientiousness. The sample was comprised of 115 adults (M_age = 50.46, SD_age = 5.86; 76.4% Black) recruited from a community center serving low-income and homeless individuals. Mediation analyses showed the indirect effect of childhood emotional neglect on cigarette smoking through conscientiousness; for physical neglect, this relationship was only present among males. The current study provides preliminary evidence that conscientiousness may be a particularly important vulnerability factor when examining the association between childhood neglect and smoking.

Sexual Probability Discounting: A Mechanism for Sexually Transmitted Infection Among Undergraduate Students

Lack of condom use among youth is a major contributor to the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS, which has lifelong deleterious health consequences. College students (N = 262) completed the Sexual Probability Discounting Task in which participants reported their likelihood of condom use under various probabilities of contracting an STI. Each participant completed the task in regard to different STIs including HIV/AIDS and different partners. Results showed that the likelihood of condom-protected sex generally decreased as HIV/AIDS and other STI contraction became less probable. Moreover, condom-protected sex likelihood was related to STI type (e.g., decreased condom-protected sex in chlamydia relative to HIV/AIDS condition) and partner desirability (decreased condom-protected sex with more desirable partners). Results are the first to show that compared to other STIs, HIV/AIDS had the most influence on condom-protected sex. Results showed probability discounting contributed to lack of condom-protected sex and offers a novel framework for examining determinants of within-subject variability in condom use.

Alternate versions of a fixed-choice, delay-discounting assessment for repeated-measures designs

Delay discounting, reflected in the tendency to prefer immediate rewards over delayed rewards, is associated with most forms of problematic substance use. When assessed multiple times to examine within-individual changes, for example, following acute drug administration or an intervention, shifts in delay discounting simply because of repeated assessment is a concern, particularly when the assessment task is identical. This may be true for the Monetary Choice Questionnaire (MCQ), a widely used, fixed-item assessment of delay discounting. The present research examined possible within-individual difference/equivalence of MCQ indices at test/retest. This was contrasted with within-individual difference/equivalence when using an alternate version of the MCQ at retest, specifically developed to maintain the assessment structure and scoring of the original MCQ but with different choice items. Eighty-four participants completed delay discounting at test and retest with a 1-week interval; participants were randomized to complete the MCQ at both test and retest (MCQ/MCQ; n = 43) or complete the MCQ at test and an alternate version of the MCQ at retest (MCQ/MCQ-A; n = 41). Conventional hypothesis testing indicated no significant changes in delay discounting in the MCQ/MCQ condition or MCQ/MCQ-A condition. However, equivalence analysis, which is able to established whether scores are statistically equivalent, indicated that test/retest scores were not equivalent in some cases. Specifically, only 1 magnitude in the MCQ/MCQ condition was equivalent at test/retest, whereas 2 magnitudes in the MCQ/MCQ-A condition were equivalent at test/retest. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

An examination of group size and valence in delay discounting of shared outcomes

Previous research has examined delay discounting in a group context, where the outcomes are shared with others. These studies indicate shallow delay discounting in a group context compared to an individual context. The present set of studies aimed to explore the impact of two factors, group size (the number of others in the group) and group valence (liked or disliked others in the group), that may affect delay discounting in a group context. Results of the two studies replicated previous results, where shallow delay discounting was observed in the group context compared to the individual context. While Study 1 indicated no effects of group size nor of valence, Study 2 indicated shallow delay discounting for a larger group compared to a smaller group and for liked others compared to disliked others. These results contribute the nascent literature on delay discounting in group contexts.

Neural congruence between intertemporal and interpersonal self-control: Evidence from delay and social discounting

Behavioral studies using delay and social discounting as indices of self-control and altruism, respectively, have revealed functional similarities between farsighted and social decisions. However, neural evidence for this functional link is lacking. Twenty-five young adults completed a delay and social discounting task during fMRI scanning. A spatiotemporal partial least squares analysis revealed that both forms of discounting were well characterized by a pattern of brain activity in areas comprising frontoparietal control, default, and mesolimbic reward networks. Both forms of discounting appear to draw on common neurocognitive mechanisms, regardless of whether choices involve intertemporal or interpersonal outcomes. We also observed neural profiles differentiating between high and low discounters. High discounters were well characterized by increased medial temporal lobe and limbic activity. In contrast, low discount rates were associated with activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and right temporoparietal junction. This pattern may reflect biological mechanisms underlying behavioral heterogeneity in discount rates.

The expression of transforming growth factor-β1 in myocardial tissue and concentration of serum B-type natriuretic peptide in myocardial remodeling of Sprague-Dawley rats treated with carvedilol

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to observe the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in myocardial tissue and the concentration of serum B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in myocardial remodeling of Sprague-Dawley rats induced by isoproterenol (ISO) and the effects of carvedilol intervention.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty rats were divided randomly into three groups: (1) Control group: rats were injected with 5 mL/(kg·d) of saline for 10 days, followed by 10 mL/(kg·d) of saline by gavage for 4 weeks. (2) Model group: rats were injected with 5 mg/(kg·d) ISO for 10 days, followed by 10 mL/(kg·d) of saline by gavage for 4 weeks. (3) Treatment group: rats were injected with 5 mg/(kg·d) ISO for 10 days, followed by 10 mg/(kg·d) carvedilol by gavage for 4 weeks. Following treatments, the Cardiac Weight Index (CWI) was measured. The pathological changes to myocardial tissue were observed by HE staining and Masson's trichrome staining. The mRNA expression of TGF-β1 was determined by RT-PCR. The protein expression of TGF-β1 was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The concentration of serum BNP was measured by ELISA.

RESULTS

According to our results, no significant pathological changes were observed in myocardial tissue of the control group. The denaturation, hypertrophy, edema and necrosis of myocardial cells as well as increased collagen fibers in myocardial tissue of the model group, were more pronounced compared to the treatment group. The CWI, level of TGF-β1 in myocardial tissue, and the concentration of serum BNP of the model group, were significantly higher than that of the treatment group, and those of the treatment group were significantly higher than in the control group. There were significant differences among the three groups. There were also significant differences between any two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The expression of TGF-β1 in myocardial tissue was upregulated and the concentration of serum BNP was increased in myocardial remodeling of SD rats induced by ISO. Carvedilol intervention can downregulate the expression of TGF-β1 and decrease the concentration of BNP, inhibiting myocardial remodeling, and improve cardiac function.

Discounting of Condom-Protected Sex as a Measure of High Risk for Sexually Transmitted Infection Among College Students

The study examined sexual delay discounting, or the devaluation of condom-protected sex in the face of delay, as a risk factor for sexually transmitted infection (STI) among college students. Participants (143 females, 117 males) completed the sexual delay discounting task (Johnson & Bruner, 2012) and questionnaires of risky sexual behavior, risk perception, and knowledge. Participants exhibited steeper sexual delay discounting (above and beyond general likelihood of having unprotected sex) when partners were viewed as more desirable or less likely to have a STI, with males demonstrating greater sexual delay discounting than females across most conditions. Importantly, greater self-reported risky sexual behaviors were associated with higher rates of sexual delay discounting, but not with likelihood of using a condom in the absence of delay. These results provide support for considering sexual delay discounting, with particular emphasis on potential delays to condom use, as a risk factor for STI among college students.

INTERTEMPORAL DECISION-MAKING FOR A GROUP

Temporal discounting assessments measure the reduction in the subjective value of a reward as a function of the delay to that reward, and are correlated with behavior in social dilemma. Among the solutions proposed for defection in social dilemmas is a single individual making the decisions for the group. The present study examined the influence of group context on temporal discounting. Participants completed temporal discounting procedures when the outcomes affected only the individual and when outcomes affected a group of 10, including the individual. Though no overall difference was observed between the individual and group conditions, sex was found to be a moderating variable: Males discounted significantly more when discounting for the individual, but females discounted significantly more when discounting for the group. These results indicate that sex is an important variable when making intertemporal decisions for a group.

Impact of construal level manipulations on delay discounting

Construal Level Theory states that psychologically proximal outcomes are construed concretely while psychologically distal outcomes are construed abstractly. Previous research suggests that the principles of Construal Level Theory can be applied to enhance self-control, as measured by delay discounting. The present studies replicate and expand on this work by examining whether theory-informed priming manipulations lead to delay discounting reductions in a repeated-measures design. Study 1 conceptually replicated previous work, with reduced delay discounting observed as a function of thinking abstractly. Studies 2 and 3 expanded on this work by reinterpreting (a) preference for immediate outcomes as preference for outcomes that are construed concretely, and (b) dispreference for delayed outcomes as dispreference for outcomes that are construed abstractly. Study 2 provided support for the first interpretation, as reduced delay discounting was observed as a function of thinking concretely about the future. Study 3 provided support for the second interpretation, as reduced delay discounting was observed as a function of thinking abstractly about the present. In studies 1 and 3, significant condition × order interactions were observed. In all three studies, the same impact of order of exposure to priming manipulation was observed, indicating specific carryover effects.

An alternative approach to calculating Area-Under-the-Curve (AUC) in delay discounting research

Applied to delay discounting data, Area-Under-the-Curve (AUC) provides an atheoretical index of the rate of delay discounting. The conventional method of calculating AUC, by summing the areas of the trapezoids formed by successive delay-indifference point pairings, does not account for the fact that most delay discounting tasks scale delay pseudoexponentially, that is, time intervals between delays typically get larger as delays get longer. This results in a disproportionate contribution of indifference points at long delays to the total AUC, with minimal contribution from indifference points at short delays. We propose two modifications that correct for this imbalance via a base-10 logarithmic transformation and an ordinal scaling transformation of delays. These newly proposed indices of discounting, AUClog d and AUCor d, address the limitation of AUC while preserving a primary strength (remaining atheoretical). Re-examination of previously published data provides empirical support for both AUClog d and AUCor d . Thus, we believe theoretical and empirical arguments favor these methods as the preferred atheoretical indices of delay discounting.

Impact of episodic thinking on altruism

Episodic future thinking, which refers to the use of prospective imagery to concretely imagine oneself in future scenarios, has been shown to reduce delay discounting (enhance self-control). A parallel approach, in which prospective imagery is used to concretely imagine other's scenarios, may similarly reduce social discounting (i.e., enhance altruism). In study 1, participants engaged in episodic thinking about the self or others, in a repeated-measures design, while completing a social discounting task. Reductions in social discounting were observed as a function of episodic thinking about others, though an interaction with order was also observed. Using an independent-measures design in study 2, the effect of episodic thinking about others was replicated. Study 3 addressed a limitation of studies 1 and 2, the possibility that simply thinking about others decreased social discounting. Capitalizing on Construal Level Theory, which specifies that social distance and time in the future are both dimensions of a common psychological distance, we hypothesized that episodic future thinking should also decrease social discounting. Participants engaged in episodic future thinking or episodic present thinking, in a repeated-measures design, while completing a social discounting task. The pattern of results was similar to study 1, providing support for the notion that episodic thinking about psychologically distant outcomes (for others or in the future) reduces social discounting. Application of similar episodic thinking approaches may enhance altruism.

Delay Discounting and Preference Reversals by Cigarette Smokers

Quit attempts made by smokers that result in relapse to smoking are conceptualized in behavioral economics as preference reversals, in which preference for a larger-later outcome switches to preference for a smaller-sooner outcome. Though preference reversals are predicted by models of delay discounting, we are aware of no human research that has explicitly established that rate of delay discounting is associated with preference reversals. The present study attempted to establish this connection. Assessments of delay discounting of hypothetical money rewards at two magnitudes ($50, $1000) were examined from forty-five smokers, as well as a novel preference reversal task designed to determine when a preference reversal would occur for the same amounts of hypothetical money. Results from the preference reversal task were used to classify participants as predicted high, moderate, and low discounters, and rates of delay discounting were compared between these classifications at each magnitude. Statistically significant differences were observed between predicted high and low discounters in both magnitude conditions, and between predicted high and moderate discounters in the $1000 magnitude condition. Correlations between delay discounting and preference reversal amongst moderate discounters, though in the predicted direction, did not reach statistical significance. The overall pattern of results are consistent with the indication that rate of delay discounting is associated with the timing of preference reversals.

Exchanging the liquidity hypothesis: Delay discounting of money and self-relevant non-money rewards

Evidence that primary rewards (e.g., food and drugs of abuse) are discounted more than money is frequently attributed to money's high degree of liquidity, or exchangeability for many commodities. The present study provides some evidence against this liquidity hypothesis by contrasting delay discounting of monetary rewards (liquid) and non-monetary commodities (non-liquid) that are self-relevant and utility-matched. Ninety-seven (97) undergraduate students initially completed a conventional binary-choice delay discounting of money task. Participants returned one week later and completed a self-relevant commodity delay discounting task. Both conventional hypothesis testing and more-conservative tests of statistical equivalence revealed correspondence in rate of delay discounting of money and self-relevant commodities, and in one magnitude condition, less discounting for the latter. The present results indicate that liquidity of money cannot fully account for the lower rate of delay discounting compared to non-money rewards.

Predictors of delay discounting among smokers: education level and a Utility Measure of Cigarette Reinforcement Efficacy are better predictors than demographics, smoking characteristics, executive functioning, impulsivity, or time perception

Ninety-four smokers completed the delay discounting procedure for either hypothetical amounts of money, $10 (money) and $1000 (money) or hypothetical amounts of cigarettes ($10 and $1000 worth of cigarettes). We investigated how variables previously found to be related to rates of delay discounting accounted for the observed results. These variables included the following: demographic information, smoking characteristics, executive function abilities, impulsivity, time perception, and the Utility Measure of Cigarette Reinforcing Efficacy (UMCE). Education level and UMCE were each significantly correlated with 3 out of 4 of the discounting measures. Moreover, the largest effect sizes observed were between these two measures and the four discounting measures. All potential discounting predictors were also investigated using step-wise linear regression with Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) analysis—these BIC models revealed that education level and UMCE accounted for large portions of the variance. We conclude that education level and UMCE were the most consistent predictors of discounting. This data is discussed within the framework of a widely accepted neuroeconomic model that suggests that two brain systems separately assess two separate facets of decision-making, and the interplay between these two systems determines self-control in smokers. We hypothesize that education level and UMCE may serve as surrogate measures of the functionality of these two systems and that discounting may be a sentinel measure of self-control.