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Judit Mari,1 Tamas Kovacs,1 Gyula Pasztor,2 Laszlo Tiszlavicz,3 Csaba Bereczki,1 Daniel Szucs1 1University of Szeged, Department of Pediatrics, Szeged, Hungary; 2University of Szeged, Department of Radiology, Szeged, Hungary; 3University of Szeged, Department of Pathology, Szeged, Hungary Introduction: Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) is a very rare disorder usually diagnosed before the third year of life or later in adulthood, presenting with pitting edema, hypoproteinemia and low immunoglobulin levels. The location and the extent of the affected bowel greatly influence the clinical manifestation. The localized or segmental form of PIL is extremely rare with only five pediatric cases reported worldwide.Case presentation: A 10 year-old Caucasian boy presented with 3 months history of recurrent abdominal pain and a 1 month history of diarrhea. An ultrasound scan was performed on two separate occasions 10 days apart, revealing a growing cystic mass on the right side of the abdomen, in front of the psoas muscle. Subsequently an MRI scan confirmed that the mass originated from the mesenteries and infiltrates a short segment of the small bowel. Surgical resection of the affected segment was performed. Histopathological examination of the removed segment of ileum was consistent with intestinal lymphangiectasia. We could not identify any associated genetic syndromes or any other conditions that could have caused secondary intestinal lymphangiectasia. The patient’s recovery from surgery was uneventful and no recurrence was observed in the following 4 years.Conclusion: Despite being a benign condition, mortality of PIL can be as high as 13% due to the difficulties associated with the management of the disease. PIL should be considered as a rare but potential cause for an abdominal mass, even in the older child, when cystic mesenterial involvement might be seen on ultrasound or MRI. In selected cases of PIL affecting only a short segment of the bowel or following unsuccessful conservative treatment, surgical resection of the affected bowel segment can be curative. Keywords: surgery, children, abdominal pain, abdominal mass, follow-up

Abstract Background Mathematics anxiety (MA), a state of discomfort associated with performing mathematical tasks, is thought to affect a notable proportion of the school age population. Some research has indicated that MA negatively affects mathematics performance and that girls may report higher levels of MA than boys. On the other hand some research has indicated that boys’ mathematics performance is more negatively affected by MA than girls’ performance is. The aim of the current study was to measure girls’ and boys’ mathematics performance as well as their levels of MA while controlling for test anxiety (TA) a construct related to MA but which is typically not controlled for in MA studies. Methods Four-hundred and thirty three British secondary school children in school years 7, 8 and 10 completed customised mental mathematics tests and MA and TA questionnaires. Results No gender differences emerged for mathematics performance but levels of MA and TA were higher for girls than for boys. Girls and boys showed a positive correlation between MA and TA and a negative correlation between MA and mathematics performance. TA was also negatively correlated with mathematics performance, but this relationship was stronger for girls than for boys. When controlling for TA, the negative correlation between MA and performance remained for girls only. Regression analyses revealed that MA was a significant predictor of performance for girls but not for boys. Conclusions Our study has revealed that secondary school children experience MA. Importantly, we controlled for TA which is typically not controlled for in MA studies. Girls showed higher levels of MA than boys and high levels of MA were related to poorer levels of mathematics performance. As well as potentially having a detrimental effect on ‘online’ mathematics performance, past research has shown that high levels of MA can have negative consequences for later mathematics education. Therefore MA warrants attention in the mathematics classroom, particularly because there is evidence that MA develops during the primary school years. Furthermore, our study showed no gender difference in mathematics performance, despite girls reporting higher levels of MA. These results might suggest that girls may have had the potential to perform better than boys in mathematics however their performance may have been attenuated by their higher levels of MA. Longitudinal research is needed to investigate the development of MA and its effect on mathematics performance.

Abstract Background Several conflict processing studies aimed to dissociate neuroimaging phenomena related to stimulus and response conflict processing. However, previous studies typically did not include a paradigm-independent measure of either stimulus or response conflict. Here we have combined electro-myography (EMG) with event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in order to determine whether a particularly robust marker of conflict processing, the N450 ERP effect usually related to the activity of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC), is related to stimulus- or to response-conflict processing. EMG provided paradigm-independent measure of response conflict. In a numerical Stroop paradigm participants compared pairs of digits and pressed a button on the side where they saw the larger digit. 50% of digit-pairs were preceded by an effective cue which provided accurate information about the required response. 50% of trials were preceded by a neutral cue which did not communicate the side of response. Results EMG showed that response conflict was significantly larger in neutrally than in effectively cued trials. The N450 was similar when response conflict was high and when it was low. Conclusions We conclude that the N450 is related to stimulus or abstract, rather than to response conflict detection/resolution. Findings may enable timing ACC conflict effects.

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to scrutinize number line estimation behaviors displayed by children in mathematics classrooms during the first three years of schooling. We extend existing research by not only mapping potential logarithmic-linear shifts but also provide a new perspective by studying in detail the estimation strategies of individual target digits within a number range familiar to children. Methods Typically developing children (n = 67) from Years 1-3 completed a number-to-position numerical estimation task (0-20 number line). Estimation behaviors were first analyzed via logarithmic and linear regression modeling. Subsequently, using an analysis of variance we compared the estimation accuracy of each digit, thus identifying target digits that were estimated with the assistance of arithmetic strategy. Results Our results further confirm a developmental logarithmic-linear shift when utilizing regression modeling; however, uniquely we have identified that children employ variable strategies when completing numerical estimation, with levels of strategy advancing with development. Conclusion In terms of the existing cognitive research, this strategy factor highlights the limitations of any regression modeling approach, or alternatively, it could underpin the developmental time course of the logarithmic-linear shift. Future studies need to systematically investigate this relationship and also consider the implications for educational practice.

Abstract Background This study examined the relationship of the arithmetic mismatch negativity (AMN) and the semantic evaluation of numerical magnitude. The first question was whether the AMN was sensitive to the incongruity in numerical information per se, or rather, to the violation of strategic expectations. The second question was whether the numerical distance effect could appear independently of the AMN. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants decided whether two digits were matching or non-matching in terms of physical similarity. Results The AMN was enhanced in matching trials presented infrequently relative to non-matching trials presented frequently. The numerical distance effect was found over posterior sites during a 92 ms long interval (236-328 ms) but appeared independently of the AMN. Conclusions It was not the incongruity in numerical information per se, but rather, the violation of strategic expectations that elicited the AMN. The numerical distance effect might only temporally coincide with the AMN and did not form an inherent part of it.

Abstract Background The development of an evolutionarily grounded analogue magnitude representation linked to the parietal lobes is frequently thought to be a major factor in the arithmetic development of humans. We investigated the relationship between counting and the development of magnitude representation in children, assessing also children's knowledge of number symbols, their arithmetic fact retrieval, their verbal skills, and their numerical and verbal short-term memory. Methods The magnitude representation was tested by a non-symbolic magnitude comparison task. We have perfected previous experimental designs measuring magnitude discrimination skills in 65 children kindergarten (4-7-year-olds) by controlling for several variables which were not controlled for in previous similar research. We also used a large number of trials which allowed for running a full factorial ANOVA including all relevant factors. Tests of verbal counting, of short term memory, of number knowledge, of problem solving abilities and of verbal fluency were administered and correlated with performance in the magnitude comparison task. Results and discussion Verbal counting knowledge and performance on simple arithmetic tests did not correlate with non-symbolic magnitude comparison at any age. Older children performed successfully on the number comparison task, showing behavioural patterns consistent with an analogue magnitude representation. In contrast, 4-year-olds were unable to discriminate number independently of task-irrelevant perceptual variables. Sensitivity to irrelevant perceptual features of the magnitude discrimination task was also affected by age, and correlated with memory, suggesting that more general cognitive abilities may play a role in performance in magnitude comparison tasks. Conclusion We conclude that young children are not able to discriminate numerical magnitudes when co-varying physical magnitudes are methodically pitted against number. We propose, along with others, that a rather domain general magnitude representation provides the later basis for a specialized representation of numerical magnitudes. For this representational specialization, the acquisition of the concept of abstract numbers, together with the development of other cognitive abilities, is indispensable.

Abstract Background In the numerical Stroop paradigm (NSP) participants decide whether a digit is numerically or physically larger than another simultaneously presented digit. This paradigm is frequently used to assess the automatic number processing abilities of children. Currently it is unclear whether an equally refined evaluation of numerical magnitude occurs in both controlled (the numerical comparison task of the NSP) and automatic (the physical comparison task of the NSP) numerical comparison in both children and adults. One of our objectives was to respond this question by measuring the speed of controlled and automatic magnitude processing in children and adults in the NSP. Another objective was to determine how the immature executive functions of children affect their cognitive functions relative to adults in numerical comparison. Methods and results The speed of numerical comparison was determined by monitoring the electro-encephalographic (EEG) numerical distance effect: The amplitude of EEG measures is modulated as a function of numerical distance between the to-be-compared digits. EEG numerical distance effects occurred between 140–320 ms after stimulus presentation in both controlled and automatic numerical comparison in all age groups. Executive functions were assessed by analyzing facilitation and interference effects on the latency of the P3b event-related potential component and the lateralized readiness potential (LRP). Interference effects were more related to response than to stimulus processing in children as compared with adults. The LRP revealed that the difficulty to inhibit irrelevant response tendencies was a major factor behind interference in the numerical task in children. Conclusion The timing of the EEG distance effect suggests that a refined evaluation of numerical magnitude happened at a similar speed in each age group during both controlled and automatic magnitude processing. The larger response interference in children than in adults suggests that despite the similar behavioural profile of children and adults, partially different cognitive processes underlie their performance in the NSP. Further, behavioural effects in the NSP depend on interactions between comparison, facilitation/interference and response-related processes. Our data suggest that caution is needed when using the NSP to compare behavioural markers of the numerical processing skills of children and adults.

Cells have evolved various DNA repair mechanisms to prevent DNA damage from building up. Malfunctions during DNA repair can influence cellular homeostasis because they can bring on genomic instability through the improper recognition of DNA damage or dysregulation of the repair process. Maintaining proper DNA repair is also essential for stem cells (SCs), as they provide a differentiated cell population to the living organism. SCs are regularly used in personalized stem cell therapy. Patients must be treated with specific activators to produce these SCs effectively. This report investigated the impact of treating mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) with lipopolysaccharide, tumor necrosis factor, interferon-gamma, polyinosinic acid, interleukin 1 beta, while monitoring their transcription-related response using next-generation sequencing. RNA sequencing revealed robust gene expression changes, including those of specific genes encoding proteins implicated in DNA damage response. Stem cells can effectively repair specific DNA damages; moreover, they fail to undergo senescence or cell death when genetic lesions accumulate. Here, we draw attention to an elevated DNA repair activation following MSC induction, which may be the main reason for the ineffective stem cell transplantation and may also contribute to the genetic drift that can initiate tumor formation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Math anxiety (MA) is a worldwide appearing academic anxiety that can affect student mental health and deter students from math and science-related career choices., Method: Using the Arabic version of the Modified-Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (m-AMAS), the prevalence of MA was investigated in a very large sample of students (N = 10093) from grades 7 to 12 in Qatar., Results: The results showed a better fit to the original two-factor model of the m-AMAS (learning MA and Evaluation MA) than to a single-factor solution. This two-factor model was also confirmed in each grade. Notably, the distribution of MA scores was right-skewed, especially for learning MA. Using the inter-quartiles ranges, norms for MA were provided: A score of ≤16 indicates low MA whereas a score of ≥30 identifies high MA. Previous studies conducted in Western countries defined high math-anxious students as those who score above the 90th percentile corresponding to a score of 30 on the m-AMAS. Using this cut-off criterion, the current study found that one-fifth of students in Qatar were highly math-anxious, with a higher proportion of females than males. We also calculated the percentage of participants selecting each response category for each questionnaire item. Results showed that attending a long math class was the context that elicited the highest levels of learning MA. In contrast, having an unexpected math test was the situation that triggered the highest levels of evaluation MA., Conclusion: The prevalence of MA might vary across different cultures., (© 2024 British Psychological Society.)

Introduction: Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells are promising contributors to regenerative medicine, exhibiting the ability to regenerate tissues and modulate the immune system, which is particularly beneficial for addressing chronic inflammatory ulcers and wounds. Despite their inherent capabilities, research suggests that pretreatment amplifies therapeutic effectiveness. Methods: Our experimental design exposed adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells to six inflammatory factors for 24 h. We subsequently evaluated gene expression and proteome profile alterations and observed the wound closure rate post-treatment. Results: Specific pretreatments, such as IL-1β, notably demonstrated an accelerated wound-healing process. Analysis of gene and protein expression profiles revealed alterations in pathways associated with tissue regeneration. Discussion: This suggests that licensed cells exhibit potentially higher therapeutic efficiency than untreated cells, shedding light on optimizing regenerative strategies using adipose tissue-derived stem cells., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Szűcs, Monostori, Miklós, Páhi, Póliska, Kemény and Veréb.)

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells are increasingly being used in regenerative medicine as cell therapy targets, including in the treatment of burns and ulcers. The regenerative potential of AD-MSCs and some of their immunological properties are known from in vitro studies; however, in clinical applications, cells are used in non-ideal conditions and can behave differently in inflammatory environments, affecting the efficacy and outcome of therapy. Our aim was to investigate and map the pathways that the inflammatory microenvironment can induce in these cells. High-throughput gene expression assays were performed on AD-MSCs activated with LPS and TNFα. Analysis of RNA-Seq data showed that control, LPS-treated and TNFα-treated samples exhibited distinct gene expression patterns. LPS treatment increased the expression of 926 genes and decreased the expression of 770 genes involved in cell division, DNA repair, the cell cycle, and several metabolic processes. TNFα treatment increased the expression of 174 genes and decreased the expression of 383 genes, which are related to cell division, the immune response, cell proliferation, and differentiation. We also map the biological pathways by further investigating the most altered genes using the Gene Ontology and KEGG databases. Secreted cytokines, which are important in the immunological response, were also examined at the protein level, and a functional assay was performed to assess wound healing. Activated AD-MSC increased the secretion of IL-6, IL-8 and CXCL-10, and also the closure of wounds. AD-MSCs presented accelerated wound healing under inflammation conditions, suggesting that we could use this cell in clinical application.

The proper functioning of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is of paramount importance for the homeostasis of the body. Inflammation and infection can alter the function of MSCs, which can also affect the regenerative potential and immunological status of tissues. It is not known whether human herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV1 and HSV2), well-known human pathogens that can cause lifelong infections, can induce changes in MSCs. In non-healing ulcers, HSV infection is known to affect deeper tissue layers. In addition, HSV infection can recur after initially successful cell therapies. Our aim was to study the response of adipose-derived MSCs (ADMSCs) to HSV infection in vitro. After confirming the phenotype and differentiation capacity of the isolated cells, we infected the cells in vitro with HSV1-KOS, HSV1-532 and HSV2 virus strains. Twenty-four hours after infection, we examined the gene expression of the cells via RNA-seq and RT-PCR; detected secreted cytokines via protein array; and determined autophagy via Western blot, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and fluorescence microscopy. Infection with different HSV strains resulted in different gene-expression patterns. In addition to the activation of pathways characteristic of viral infections, distinct non-immunological pathways (autophagy, tissue regeneration and differentiation) were also activated according to analyses with QIAGEN Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome and Genome Ontology Enrichment. Viral infections increased autophagy, as confirmed via TEM image analysis, and also increased levels of the microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3B) II protein. We identified significantly altered accumulation for 16 cytokines involved in tissue regeneration and inflammation. Our studies demonstrated that HSV infection can alter the viability and immunological status of ADMSCs, which may have implications for ADMSC-based cell therapies. Alterations in autophagy can affect numerous processes in MSCs, including the inhibition of tissue regeneration as well as pathological differentiation.

The importance of three-dimensional (3D) models in pharmacological tests and personalized therapies is significant. These models allow us to gain insight into the cell response during drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination in an organ-like system and are suitable for toxicological testing. In personalized and regenerative medicine, the precise characterization of artificial tissues or drug metabolism processes is more than crucial to gain the safest and the most effective treatment for the patients. Using these 3D cell cultures derived directly from patient, such as spheroids, organoids, and bioprinted structures, allows for testing drugs before administration to the patient. These methods allow us to select the most appropriate drug for the patient. Moreover, they provide chance for better recovery of patients, since time is not wasted during therapy switching. These models could be used in applied and basic research as well, because their response to treatments is quite similar to that of the native tissue. Furthermore, they may replace animal models in the future because these methods are cheaper and can avoid interspecies differences. This review puts a spotlight on this dynamically evolving area and its application in toxicological testing., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Author(s).)

The distribution of effect sizes may offer insights about the research done and reported in a scientific field. We have evaluated 12 412 manually collected correlation effect sizes (Sample 1) and 31 157 computer-extracted correlation effect sizes (Sample 2) published in journals focused on social or developmental psychology. Sample 1 consisted of 243 studies from six journals published in 2010 and 2019. Sample 2 consisted of 5012 papers published in 10 journals between 2010 and 2019. The 25th, 50th and 75th effect size percentiles were 0.08, 0.17 and 0.33, and 0.17, 0.31 and 0.52 in Samples 1 and 2, respectively. Sample 2 percentiles were probably larger because Sample 2 only included effect sizes from the text but not from tables. In text authors may have emphasized larger correlations. Large sample sizes were associated with smaller reported correlations. In Sample 1 about 70% of studies specified a directional hypothesis. In 2010 no papers had power calculations, while in 2019 14% of papers had power calculations. These data offer empirical insights into the distribution of reported correlations and may inform the interpretation of effect sizes. They also demonstrate the importance of computation of statistical power and highlight potential reporting bias., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Background and Aims: From 2019 till the present, infections induced by the novel coronavirus and its mutations have posed a new challenge for healthcare. However, comparative studies on pediatric infections throughout waves are few. During four different pandemic waves, we intended to investigate the clinical and epidemiological characteristic of the pediatric population hospitalized for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus infection., Methods: Between March 2020 and December 2021, we performed our retrospective research on children infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus at the University of Szeged. We analyzed the data of all patients who required hospitalization due to positive results of SARS-CoV-2 tests (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test or rapid antigen test). Data analysis included demographic data, medical history, clinical findings, length of hospitalization, and complications, using medical records., Results: In this study, data from 358 coronavirus-infected children were analyzed. The most affected age group was children over 1 month and under 1 year (30.2%). The highest number of cases was recorded in the fourth wave (53.6%). Fever (65.6%), cough (51.4%), nasal discharge (35.3%), nausea and vomiting (31.3%), and decreased oral intake (28.9%) were the most common symptoms. The most common complications were dehydration (50.5%), pneumonia (14.9%), and bronchitis/bronchiolitis (14.5%). Based on RR values, there are considerable differences in the prevalence of the symptoms and complications between the different age groups and waves. Cox proportional hazard model analyzes showed that fever and tachypnoea had a relevant effect on days to recovery., Conclusions: We found trends similar to those previously published, overall statistics. The proportion of children requiring hospitalization varied from wave to wave, with the fourth wave affecting the Hungarian child population the most. Our findings suggest that hospitalization time is unrelated to age, but that certain symptoms (fever and tachypnoea) are associated with longer hospitalization. The onset of certain symptoms may differ by age group., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Health Science Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Ubiquitylation is critical for preventing aberrant DNA repair and for efficient maintenance of genome stability. As deubiquitylases (DUBs) counteract ubiquitylation, they must have a great influence on many biological processes, including DNA damage response. To elucidate the role of DUBs in DNA repair in Drosophila melanogaster, systematic siRNA screening was applied to identify DUBs with a reduced survival rate following exposure to ultraviolet and X-ray radiations. As a secondary validation, we applied the direct repeat (DR)-white reporter system with which we induced site-specific DSBs and affirmed the importance of the DUBs Ovarian tumor domain-containing deubiquitinating enzyme 1 (Otu1), Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 5 (Usp5), and Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 34 (Usp34) in DSB repair pathways using Drosophila. Our results indicate that the loss of Otu1 and Usp5 induces strong position effect variegation in Drosophila eye following I-SceI-induced DSB deployment. Otu1 and Usp5 are essential in DNA damage-induced cellular response, and both DUBs are required for the fine-tuned regulation of the non-homologous end joining pathway. Furthermore, the Drosophila DR-white assay demonstrated that homologous recombination does not occur in the absence of Usp34, indicating an indispensable role of Usp34 in this process., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Összefoglaló. A bőrpótlóknak mind a klinikumban, mind a gyógyszerkutatásokban kiemelt szerepük van. Ezek a kezdetleges mesterséges bőrszövetek segíthetik a bőr regenerálódását, modellezhetik a főbb funkciókat, de megvannak a korlátaik is, mechanikailag sérülékenyek, és nem tartósak. A legtöbb bőrpótló vagy acelluláris, vagy csak egy-két sejttípust tartalmaz. Az eredeti bőrrel megegyező szerkezetű, teljesen funkcionális mesterséges bőrszövet a mai napig nem létezik. A háromdimenziós szövetnyomtatás megoldást kínálhat erre a problémára is, hiszen a bőrszövet minden sejtes eleme felhasználható, megfelelő hidrogélek és biotinták segítségével pedig olyan komplex struktúrák hozhatók létre, amelyek képesek a bőr teljes funkcionális repertoárját biztosítani. Ez nemcsak klinikai szempontból kiemelt jelentőségű, hanem a preklinikai kísérletek esetében kiválthatja az állatmodelleket és számos toxikológiai vizsgálatot is. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(10): 375-385. Summary. Skin substitutes have a prominent role in therapeutic applications and drug research. These simple artificial skin tissues can support skin regeneration, in vitro they can model the main functions of the skin but they also have limitations such as being mechanically vulnerable and not durable enough. Most skin substitutes are either acellular or contain only one or two cell types. Fully functional artificial skin substitute with the same structure as the original skin has not been produced to this day. Three-dimensional tissue bioprinting can also offer a solution to this problem, as all cellular elements of skin tissue can be used, and with the help of appropriate hydrogels and bioinks, complex structures can be created that can provide a complete functional repertoire of the skin. It is important not just in the clinical therapeutic use, but it can also trigger the replacement of animal models and a number of toxicological studies in preclinical trials. Orv Hetil. 2022; 163(10): 375-385.

A diagnosis of drowning is not always possible based on the traditional autopsy findings. The most widely used ancillary methods are based on the detection of diatoms and other waterborne organisms in the organs of the systemic circulation by light microscope or polymerase chain reaction (PCR). One of the greatest concerns is sample contamination. Bone marrow is a favourable source because the compact bone protects the sample from water ingress in the case of advanced decay. In our pilot study, we aimed to adopt sternal bone marrow aspiration - which is a widely used technique in haematology - for postmortem sampling. Control experiments of non-drowning victims showed that cleaning the skin over the sternum can prevent external contamination. Sternal aspirate samples were taken from seven suspected drowning victims along with lung, spleen, and femoral bone marrow samples. All specimens were examined for the presence of diatoms by light microscope and Cyanobacteria-specific DNA by PCR. We were able to obtain bone marrow aspirates from all cases without complications. In four of the sternal samples both diatoms and cyanobacterial DNA were detected, while one additional sternum sample was tested positive with PCR, but no diatom shells were detectable. Sternal bone marrow aspiration is simple and quick, which can be performed at the beginning of an autopsy, minimizing the chance of contamination. We have shown that this sampling method can be adopted for postmortem diatom testing. This minimally invasive technique might be used in virtual autopsy (postmortem computed tomography, PMCT) settings without opening body cavities., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Poor response to treatment is a defining characteristic of reading disorder. In the present systematic review and meta-analysis, we found that the overall average effect size for treatment efficacy was modest, with a mean standardized difference of 0.38. Small true effects, combined with the difficulty to recruit large samples, seriously challenge researchers planning to test treatment efficacy in dyslexia and potentially in other learning disorders. Nonetheless, most published studies claim effectiveness, generally based on liberal use of multiple testing. This inflates the risk that most statistically significant results are associated with overestimated effect sizes. To enhance power, we propose the strategic use of repeated measurements with mixed-effects modelling. This novel approach would enable us to estimate both individual parameters and population-level effects more reliably. We suggest assessing a reading outcome not once, but three times, at pre-treatment and three times at post-treatment. Such design would require only modest additional efforts compared to current practices. Based on this, we performed ad hoc a priori design analyses via simulation studies. Results showed that using the novel design may allow one to reach adequate power even with low sample sizes of 30-40 participants (i.e., 15-20 participants per group) for a typical effect size of d = 0.38. Nonetheless, more conservative assumptions are warranted for various reasons, including a high risk of publication bias in the extant literature. Our considerations can be extended to intervention studies of other types of neurodevelopmental disorders., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Objectives: According to the Porto criteria, upper endoscopy and ileocolonoscopy with histology for patients with pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (pIBD) are recommended with small bowel imaging (SBI). We aimed to evaluate the adherence to the Porto criteria and biopsy sampling practice and to evaluate the diagnostic yield of magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) first time in a nationwide pIBD inception cohort. Methods: Newly diagnosed pIBD cases (ages 0-18 years) are registered in the prospective, nationwide Hungarian Paediatric IBD Registry (HUPIR). We analyzed the diagnostic workup of patients recorded between the 1st of January 2007 and the 31st of December 2016. Results: Data for diagnostic workup was available in 1,523 cases. Forty percent of the cases had complied with the Porto criteria. Adherence to the Porto criteria increased significantly from 20 to 57% ( p < 0.0001) between 2007 and 2016. The most frequent reason for the incomplete diagnostic work-up was the lack of small bowel imaging (59%). In 2007, 8% of cases had a biopsy from all segments, and this rate reached 51% by 2016 ( p < 0.0001). We analyzed the diagnostic yield of MRE in 113 patients (10.1%), who did not have any characteristic lesion for Crohn's disease. The MRE was positive for the small bowel in 44 cases (39%). Conclusions: Adherence to the Porto criteria increased significantly during the 10-year period. This is the first study that reports multiple biopsy sampling as the less accepted recommendation. The diagnostic yield of MRE in patients without characteristic lesion for Crohn's disease is 39%., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Müller, Dezsőfi, Cseh, Szűcs, Vass, Nemes, Kadenczki, Tárnok, Szakos, Guthy, Kovács, Karoliny, Czelecz, Tokodi, Tomsits and Veres.)

Background: Two hypotheses were tested regarding the characteristics of children with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD): (a) that children with MLD would have a 'core deficit' in basic number processing skills; and (b) that children with MLD would be at the end of a developmental continuum and have impairments in many cognitive skills., Methods: From a large sample (N = 1,303) of typically developing children, we selected a group definable as having MLD. The children were given measures of basic number processing and domain-general constructs. Differences between the observed sample and a simulated population were estimated using Cohen's d and Bayes factors. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted, and the area under the curve was computed to ascertain the diagnostic power of measures., Results: Results suggest that the differences between the MLD and control group can be defined along with general characteristics of the population rather than assuming single or multiple 'core deficits'. None of the measures of interest exceeded the diagnostic power that could be derived via simulation from the dimensional characteristics of the general population., Conclusions: There is no evidence for core deficit(s) in MLD. We suggest that future research should focus on representative samples of typical populations and on carefully tested clinical samples confirming to the criteria of international diagnostic manuals. Clinical diagnoses require that MLD is persistent and resistant to intervention, so studies would deliver results less exposed to measurement fluctuations. Uniform diagnostic criteria would also allow for the easy cross-study comparison of samples overcoming a serious limitation of the current literature., (© 2021 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.)

Purpose: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a safe method to feed patients with feeding difficulty. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of conventional PEG and laparoscopic-assisted PEG (L-PEG) placement in high-risk pediatric patients., Methods: In our tertiary pediatric department, 90 PEG insertions were performed between 2014 and 2019. Children with severe thoracoabdominal deformity (TAD), previous abdominal surgery, ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt, and abdominal tumors were considered as high-risk patients. Age, sex, diagnosis, operative time, complications, and mortality were compared among patients who underwent conventional PEG placement (first group) and those who underwent L-PEG placement (second group)., Results: We analyzed the outcomes of conventional PEG placement (first group, n=15; patients with severe TAD [n=7], abdominal tumor [n=6], and VP shunts [n=2]) and L-PEG placement (second group, n=10; patients with VP shunts [n=5], previous abdominal surgery [n=4], and severe TAD [n=1]). Regarding minor complications, 1 (6.6%) patient in the first group underwent unplanned PEG removal and 1 (10%) patient in the second group had peristomal granuloma. We observed three major complications: colon perforation (6.6%) in a patient with VP shunt, gastrocolic fistula (6.6%) in a patient with Fallot-tetralogy and severe TAD, and pneumoperitoneum (6.6%) caused by early tube dislodgement in an autistic patient with severe TAD. All the three complications occurred in the first group (20%). No major complications occurred in the second group., Conclusion: In high-risk patients, L-PEG may be safer than conventional PEG. Thus, L-PEG is recommended for high-risk patients., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have no financial conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 by The Korean Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.)

Science anxiety refers to students' negative emotions about learning science. Across two studies, we investigated the psychometric properties of the newly developed Abbreviated Science Anxiety Scale (ASAS), which was adapted from the modified Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (m-AMAS) (Carey E., 2017). Using a sample of students in grades 7 to 10 (N = 710), Study 1 reported a two-factor structure of the ASAS (learning science anxiety and science evaluation anxiety) and negative associations between the ASAS factors and science achievement. Study 2 replicated this two-factor model in students in grades 11 and 12 (N = 362) and found that students in the "Arts" track were more anxious about science than those in "Sciences" track. Both studies consistently reported positive inter-correlations between the ASAS factors, with good internal reliabilities and modest meaningful associations with test anxiety and general anxiety, suggesting that science anxiety might be a distinct construct. Further, female students had higher science anxiety (especially science evaluation anxiety) than male students, even when test anxiety and general anxiety were considered in models. In summary, the ASAS is a brief, valid, and reliable instrument that can be used to guide and improve science education., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

We determined the relative importance of the so-called approximate number system (ANS), symbolic number comparison (SNC) and verbal and spatial short-term and working memory (WM) capacity for mathematics achievement in 1,254 Grade 2, 4 and 6 children. The large sample size assured high power and low false report probability and allowed us to determine effect sizes precisely. We used reading decoding as a control outcome measure to test whether findings were specific to mathematics. Bayesian analysis allowed us to provide support for both null and alternative hypotheses. We found very weak zero-order correlations between ANS measures and math achievement. These correlations were not specific to mathematics, became non-significant once intelligence was considered and ANS measures were not selected as predictors of math by regression models. In contrast, overall SNC accuracy and spatial WM measures were reliable and mostly specific predictors of math achievement. Verbal short-term and WM and SNC reaction time were predictors of both reading and math achievement. We conclude that ANS tasks are not suitable as measures of math development in school-age populations. In contrast, all other cognitive functions we studied are promising markers of mathematics development., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Gut microbial composition alters in some special situations, such as in ulcerative colits (UC) after total proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) surgery. The aim of our study was to determine the composition of the intestinal microbiome in UC patients after IPAA surgery, compared with UC patients, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) patients after IPAA surgery and healthy controls. Clinical data of patients, blood and faecal samples were collected. Faecal microbiota structure was determined by sequencing the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. Overall, 56 patients were enrolled. Compared to the Healthy group, both the Pouch active and UC active groups had higher Enterobacteriaceae , Enterococcaceae and Pasteurellaceae abundance. The Pouch and UC groups showed distinct separation based on their alpha and beta bacterial diversities. The UC group had higher Prevotellaceae , Rikenellaceae , Ruminococcaceae abundance compared to the Pouch active group. Pouch and FAP participants showed similar bacterial community composition. There was no significant difference in the bacterial abundance between the active and inactive subgroups of the Pouch or UC groups. Gut microbiome and anatomical status together construct a functional unit that has influence on diversity, in addition to intestinal inflammation that is a part of the pathomechanism in UC.

Introduction: Exudative tonsillitis is a common clinical picture during childhood. The majority of these cases are caused by viruses (Epstein-Barr virus [EBV], cytomegalovirus [CMV], influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, and adenovirus), and only some infections are caused by bacteria, mainly group A streptococci (GAS). On the basis of international guidelines, routine use of early antibiotic treatment is not recommended in these cases, because it seems not to prevent GAS-associated complications. Aim: Our aim was to determine those laboratory results which are useful to distinguish between bacterial and viral infections in children with exudative tonsillitis to reduce antibiotic overuse. Method: In our study, we evaluated 135 clinical data from 133 children with exudative tonsillitis. Patients were grouped according to the following criteria: the first group contained patients with acute CMV or EBV infections, while in the second group, CMV or EBV infections were not confirmed using serology. Results: On the basis of our results, EBV or CMV infections (66/135, 48.8%) were serologically confirmed in the majority of cases with exudative tonsillitis between 2016 and 2017, while the causative role of GAS was minimal in this patient group (3/65, 4.61%). In spite of this finding, the majority of patients (92%) were treated with antibiotics. Conclusion: Our retrospective findings confirmed that it is not possible to determine the causative agent of this clinical picture on the basis of symptoms, and physical findings, moreover laboratory results, such as high white blood cell count could not confirm bacterial infection. At the same time, elevated transaminase levels may refer to viral origin of infection, especially EBV or CMV with high predictive value; the use of extended laboratory tests may reduce the unnecessary antibiotic consumption. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(2): 50-55.

Nickel(ii) complexes of peptides CSSACS-NH2, ACSSACS-NH2, SSCSSACS-NH2 and GACAAH-NH2 have been studied by potentiometric and various spectroscopic (UV-vis, CD, NMR, and ESI-MS) techniques. All peptides have high nickel(ii) binding ability in the form of square planar complexes and the stability order of the peptides is: CSSACS-NH2 > ACSSACS-NH2 > SSCSSACS-NH2 ∼ GACAAH-NH2. The different metal binding affinities of these peptides are related to the differences in the speciation and in the binding modes of the major species. An almost exclusive formation of bis(ligand) complexes via an (NH2,S-) 5-membered chelate from the amino terminus is characteristic of CSSACS-NH2. The (NH2,N-,S-) tridentate chelate is the major coordination mode of ACSSACS-NH2 but the distant cysteine can also contribute to metal binding. The higher nickel(ii) binding ability of AC[combining low line]SSAC[combining low line]S-NH2 relative to the peptides containing an N-terminal XY-Cys motif may have important biological consequences. For example, the occurrence of the (NH2,N-,S-,S-) donor set is a common feature of both the ACSSACS-NH2 ligand and the nickel(ii) binding loop of the NiSOD enzyme (HC[combining low line]DLPC[combining low line]G…..,). In the case of SSCSSACS-NH2 and GACAAH-NH2 the amino terminus of one peptide can completely saturate the coordination sphere of the nickel(ii) ion via the formation of the (NH2,N-,N-,S-) binding mode. This rules out the formation of bis(ligand) complexes and any contribution of the distant cysteine or histidine to nickel(ii) binding in the 1 : 1 complexes. On the other hand the distant cysteine of SSCSSACS-NH2 and histidine of GACAAH-NH2 can behave as independent metal binding sites for the formation of dinuclear complexes in the presence of excess metal ions.

Introduction: Transfer is a planned movement of patients and their medical records from one provider to another. Only a few data are available from real life in inflammatory bowel disease patients in this topic., Aim: Our aim was to retrospectively evaluate the results of the transfer of our patients without longitudinal transition., Method: Data of the transferred patients at the University of Szeged were analysed. Patients were diagnosed in paediatric care. Transfer strategy at our departments was detailed medical summary., Results: 59 patients were enrolled in this study. 28.8% of the patients had mild to moderate disease activity and 71.2% was in remission at the time of transfer. Steroid therapy was initiated in 58% of the patients within an average of 9.1 months after the transfer. Anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy was given to 24% of the patients during the paediatric care and to an additional 23% in the adult care within an average of 28 months. Almost 70% of the patients received immunosuppressive therapy during paediatric and adult care. Surgery was required in 17% of the patients within an average 10.7 months after the transfer., Conclusion: Our results revealed that one-third of the paediatric patients have been transferred to adult care in active stage of disease. Shortly after the transfer 58% of the patients required corticosteroids and 17% surgery. Every fifth patient needed biological therapy to be initiated after the transfer. Longitudinal transition may have a potential to decrease the need for therapeutic change and the relatively high rate of surgery. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(44): 1789-1793.

This study examined visual, spatial-sequential, and spatial-simultaneous working memory (WM) performance in children with mathematical learning disability (MLD) and low mathematics achievement (LMA) compared with typically developing (TD) children. Groups were matched on reading decoding performance and verbal intelligence. Besides statistical significance testing, we used bootstrap confidence interval estimation and computed effect sizes. Children were individually tested with six computerized tasks, two for each visuospatial WM subcomponent. We found that both MLD and LMA children had low visuospatial WM function in both spatial-simultaneous and spatial-sequential WM tasks. The WM deficit was most expressed in MLD children and less in LMA children. This suggests that WM scores are distributed along a continuum with TD children achieving top scores and MLD children achieving low scores. The theoretical and practical significance of findings is discussed. Statement of Contribution What is already known on this subject? Working memory plays an important role in mathematical achievement. Children with mathematical learning disability (MLD) usually have low working memory resources. Conflicting results have been reported concerning the role of VSWM in individuals with MLD. What the present study adds? Children with different degree of impairment in math achievement and typically developing children were tested. Visual, spatial-sequential, and spatial-simultaneous working memory tasks were examined. Only spatial-sequential and spatial-simultaneous working memory tasks discriminated the two impairments groups., (© 2017 The British Psychological Society.)

Recent studies have highlighted the fact that some tasks used to study symbolic number representations are confounded by judgments about physical similarity. Here, we investigated whether the contribution of physical similarity and numerical representation differed in the often-used symbolic same-different, numerical comparison, physical comparison, and priming tasks. Experiment 1 showed that subjective physical similarity was the best predictor of participants' performance in the same-different task, regardless of simultaneous or sequential presentation. Furthermore, the contribution of subjective physical similarity was larger in a simultaneous presentation than in a sequential presentation. Experiment 2 showed that only numerical representation was involved in numerical comparison. Experiment 3 showed that both subjective physical similarity and numerical representation contributed to participants' physical comparison performance. Finally, only numerical representation contributed to participants' performance in a priming task as revealed by Experiment 4. Taken together, the contribution of physical similarity and numerical representation depends on task demands. Performance primarily seems to rely on numerical properties in tasks that require explicit quantitative comparison judgments (physical or numerical), while physical stimulus properties exert an effect in the same-different task.

Most mathematical cognition research has focused on understanding normal adult function and child development as well as mildly and moderately impaired mathematical skill, often labeled developmental dyscalculia and/or mathematical learning disability. In contrast, much less research is available on cognitive and neural correlates of gifted/excellent mathematical knowledge in adults and children. In order to facilitate further inquiry into this area, here we review 40 available studies, which examine the cognitive and neural basis of gifted mathematics. Studies associated a large number of cognitive factors with gifted mathematics, with spatial processing and working memory being the most frequently identified contributors. However, the current literature suffers from low statistical power, which most probably contributes to variability across findings. Other major shortcomings include failing to establish domain and stimulus specificity of findings, suggesting causation without sufficient evidence and the frequent use of invalid backward inference in neuro-imaging studies. Future studies must increase statistical power and neuro-imaging studies must rely on supporting behavioral data when interpreting findings. Studies should investigate the factors shown to correlate with math giftedness in a more specific manner and determine exactly how individual factors may contribute to gifted math ability.

Working memory allows complex information to be remembered and manipulated over short periods of time. Correlations between working memory and mathematics achievement have been shown across the lifespan. However, only a few studies have examined the potentially distinct contributions of domain-specific visuospatial and verbal working memory resources in mental arithmetic computation. Here we aimed to fill this gap in a series of six experiments pairing addition and subtraction tasks with verbal and visuospatial working memory and interference tasks. In general, we found higher levels of interference between mental arithmetic and visuospatial working memory tasks than between mental arithmetic and verbal working memory tasks. Additionally, we found that interference that matched the working memory domain of the task (e.g., verbal task with verbal interference) lowered working memory performance more than mismatched interference (verbal task with visuospatial interference). Findings suggest that mental arithmetic relies on domain-specific working memory resources.

Introduction: Individuals with high levels of mathematics anxiety are more likely to have other forms of anxiety, such as general anxiety and test anxiety, and tend to have some math performance decrement compared to those with low math anxiety. However, it is unclear how the anxiety forms cluster in individuals, or how the presence of other anxiety forms influences the relationship between math anxiety and math performance., Method: We measured math anxiety, test anxiety, general anxiety and mathematics and reading performance in 1720 UK students (year 4, aged 8-9, and years 7 and 8, aged 11-13). We conducted latent profile analysis of students' anxiety scores in order to examine the developmental change in anxiety profiles, the demographics of each anxiety profile and the relationship between profiles and academic performance., Results: Anxiety profiles appeared to change in specificity between the two age groups studied. Only in the older students did clusters emerge with specifically elevated general anxiety or academic anxiety (test and math anxiety). Our findings suggest that boys are slightly more likely than girls to have elevated academic anxieties relative to their general anxiety. Year 7/8 students with specifically academic anxiety show lower academic performance than those who also have elevated general anxiety., Conclusions: There may be a developmental change in the specificity of anxiety and gender seems to play a strong role in determining one's anxiety profile. The anxiety profiles present in our year 7/8 sample, and their relationships with math performance, suggest a bidirectional relationship between math anxiety and math performance.

Mathematics anxiety (MA) can be observed in children from primary school age into the teenage years and adulthood, but many MA rating scales are only suitable for use with adults or older adolescents. We have adapted one such rating scale, the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS), to be used with British children aged 8-13. In this study, we assess the scale's reliability, factor structure, and divergent validity. The modified AMAS (mAMAS) was administered to a very large ( n = 1746) cohort of British children and adolescents. This large sample size meant that as well as conducting confirmatory factor analysis on the scale itself, we were also able to split the sample to conduct exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of items from the mAMAS alongside items from child test anxiety and general anxiety rating scales. Factor analysis of the mAMAS confirmed that it has the same underlying factor structure as the original AMAS, with subscales measuring anxiety about Learning and Evaluation in math. Furthermore, both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the mAMAS alongside scales measuring test anxiety and general anxiety showed that mAMAS items cluster onto one factor (perceived to represent MA). The mAMAS provides a valid and reliable scale for measuring MA in children and adolescents, from a younger age than is possible with the original AMAS. Results from this study also suggest that MA is truly a unique construct, separate from both test anxiety and general anxiety, even in childhood.

Phase entrainment of neuronal oscillations is thought to play a central role in encoding speech. Children with developmental dyslexia show impaired phonological processing of speech, proposed theoretically to be related to atypical phase entrainment to slower temporal modulations in speech (<10Hz). While studies of children with dyslexia have found atypical phase entrainment in the delta band (~2Hz), some studies of adults with developmental dyslexia have shown impaired entrainment in the low gamma band (~35-50Hz). Meanwhile, studies of neurotypical adults suggest asymmetric temporal sensitivity in auditory cortex, with preferential processing of slower modulations by right auditory cortex, and faster modulations processed bilaterally. Here we compared neural entrainment to slow (2Hz) versus faster (40Hz) amplitude-modulated noise using fNIRS to study possible hemispheric asymmetry effects in children with developmental dyslexia. We predicted atypical right hemisphere responding to 2Hz modulations for the children with dyslexia in comparison to control children, but equivalent responding to 40Hz modulations in both hemispheres. Analyses of HbO concentration revealed a right-lateralised region focused on the supra-marginal gyrus that was more active in children with dyslexia than in control children for 2Hz stimulation. We discuss possible links to linguistic prosodic processing, and interpret the data with respect to a neural 'temporal sampling' framework for conceptualizing the phonological deficits that characterise children with developmental dyslexia across languages., (Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Our ability to allocate attention at different moments in time can sometimes fail to select stimuli occurring in close succession, preventing visual information from reaching awareness. This so-called attentional blink (AB) occurs when the second of two targets (T2) is presented closely after the first (T1) in a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP). We hypothesized that entrainment to a rhythmic stream of stimuli-before visual targets appear-would reduce the AB. Experiment 1 tested the effect of auditory entrainment by presenting sounds with a regular or irregular interstimulus interval prior to a RSVP where T1 and T2 were separated by three possible lags (1, 3 and 8). Experiment 2 examined visual entrainment by presenting visual stimuli in place of auditory stimuli. Results revealed that irrespective of sensory modality, arrhythmic stimuli preceding the RSVP triggered an alerting effect that improved the T2 identification at lag 1, but impaired the recovery from the AB at lag 8. Importantly, only auditory rhythmic entrainment was effective in reducing the AB at lag 3. Our findings demonstrate that manipulating the pre-stimulus condition can reduce deficits in temporal attention characterizing the human cognitive architecture, suggesting innovative trainings for acquired and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Aim: To evaluate the role of microRNA (miR)-146a, -155 and -122 in the duodenal mucosa of pediatric patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and the effect of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) on these miRs in duodenal epithelial and fibroblast cells., Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsies derived from the macroscopically inflamed (CD inflamed: n = 10) and intact (CD intact: n = 10) duodenal mucosa of pediatric CD patients and control children (C: n = 10) were examined. Expression of miR-146a, -155 and -122 was determined by real-time polymerase-chain reaction (PCR). The expression of the above miRs was investigated in recombinant human TGF-β (1 nmol/L, 24 h) or vehicle treated small intestinal epithelial cells (CCL-241) and primary duodenal fibroblast cells derived from healthy children as well., Results: Expression of miR-146a was significantly higher in the inflamed duodenal mucosa compared to the intact duodenal mucosa of children with CD (CD inflamed: 3.21 ± 0.50 vs CD intact: 0.62 ± 0.26, P ≤ 0.01) and to the control group (CD inflamed: 3.21 ± 0.50 vs C: 1.00 ± 0.33, P ≤ 0.05). The expression of miR-155 was significantly increased in the inflamed region of the duodenum compared to the control group (CD inflamed: 4.87 ± 1.02 vs, Control: 1.00 ± 0.40, P ≤ 0.001). The expression of miR-122 was unchanged in the inflamed or intact mucosa of CD patients compared to controls. TGF-β treatment significantly decreased the expression of miR-155 in small intestinal epithelial cells (TGF-β: 0.7 ± 0.083 vs, Control: 1 ± 0.09, P ≤ 0.05) and also the expression of miR-146a (TGF-β: 0.67 ± 0.04 vs, Control: 1 ± 0.15, P ≤ 0.01) and miR-155 (TGF-β: 0.72 ± 0.09 vs, Control: 1 ± 0.06, P ≤ 0.05) in primary duodenal fibroblasts compared to corresponding vehicle treated controls. TGF-β treatment did not influence the expression of miR-122., Conclusion: The elevated expression of miR-146a and -155 in the inflamed duodenal mucosa of CD patients suggests the role of these miRs in the pathomechanism of inflammatory bowel disease. Anti-inflammatory TGF-β plays an important role in the regulation of the expression of these miRs.

Human attention fluctuates across time, and even when stimuli have identical physical characteristics and the task demands are the same, relevant information is sometimes consciously perceived and at other times not. A typical example of this phenomenon is the attentional blink, where participants show a robust deficit in reporting the second of two targets (T2) in a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) stream. Previous electroencephalographical (EEG) studies showed that neural correlates of correct T2 report are not limited to the RSVP period, but extend before visual stimulation begins. In particular, reduced oscillatory neural activity in the alpha band (8-12 Hz) before the onset of the RSVP has been linked to lower T2 accuracy. We therefore examined whether auditory rhythmic stimuli presented at a rate of 10 Hz (within the alpha band) could increase oscillatory alpha-band activity and improve T2 performance in the attentional blink time window. Behaviourally, the auditory rhythmic stimulation worked to enhance T2 accuracy. This enhanced perception was associated with increases in the posterior T2-evoked N2 component of the event-related potentials and this effect was observed selectively at lag 3. Frontal and posterior oscillatory alpha-band activity was also enhanced during auditory stimulation in the pre-RSVP period and positively correlated with T2 accuracy. These findings suggest that ongoing fluctuations can be shaped by sensorial events to improve the allocation of attention in time.

Background: Evidence suggests the central role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the pathomechanism of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, its effect on epigenetic factors, including small non-coding microRNAs (miRs), is less known. Our present aim was the comparative investigation of the expression of TNF-α and immune response-related miRs in children with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC)., Methods: Fresh-frozen (FF) and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) biopsies were used to analyze the expression of miR-146a, -155, -122, and TNF-α by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in macroscopically inflamed (CD: 12 FFPE and 24 FF; UC: 10 FF) and intact (CD: 12 FFPE; 14 FF) colonic biopsies of children with IBD and controls (16 FFPE; 23 FF). The expression of miR-146a, -155, and -122 was also determined in TNF-α-treated HT-29 colonic epithelial cells., Results: Increased expression of TNF-α was observed in the colonic mucosa of children with CD and UC in comparison with controls. Expression of miR-146a and -155 was higher in the inflamed mucosa of children with CD and UC than in the intact mucosa. Expression of miR-122 elevated in the macroscopically intact colonic regions of CD compared with controls and patients with UC. In HT-29 cells, TNF-α treatment increased the expression of miR-146a and -155, but not that of miR-122., Conclusions: Our results showed altered expression of miR-146a, -155, and -122 in the colonic mucosa of children with IBD and in TNF-α-treated colonic epithelial cells. Our data suggest the TNF-α-related involvement of these miRs in the pathogenesis of IBD.

Although several studies have compared the representation of fractions and decimals, no study has investigated whether fractions and decimals, as two types of rational numbers, share a common representation of magnitude. The current study aimed to answer the question of whether fractions and decimals share a common representation of magnitude and whether the answer is influenced by task paradigms. We included two different number pairs, which were presented sequentially: fraction-decimal mixed pairs and decimal-fraction mixed pairs in all four experiments. Results showed that when the mixed pairs were very close numerically with the distance 0.1 or 0.3, there was a significant distance effect in the comparison task but not in the matching task. However, when the mixed pairs were further apart numerically with the distance 0.3 or 1.3, the distance effect appeared in the matching task regardless of the specific stimuli. We conclude that magnitudes of fractions and decimals can be represented in a common manner, but how they are represented is dependent on the given task. Fractions and decimals could be translated into a common representation of magnitude in the numerical comparison task. In the numerical matching task, fractions and decimals also shared a common representation. However, both of them were represented coarsely, leading to a weak distance effect. Specifically, fractions and decimals produced a significant distance effect only when the numerical distance was larger.

A large body of research suggests that mathematical learning disability (MLD) is related to working memory impairment. Here, I organize part of this literature through a meta-analysis of 36 studies with 665 MLD and 1049 control participants. I demonstrate that one subtype of MLD is associated with reading problems and weak verbal short-term and working memory. Another subtype of MLD does not have associated reading problems and is linked to weak visuospatial short-term and working memory. In order to better understand MLD we need to precisely define potentially modality-specific memory subprocesses and supporting executive functions, relevant for mathematical learning. This can be achieved by taking a multidimensional parametric approach systematically probing an extended network of cognitive functions. Rather than creating arbitrary subgroups and/or focus on a single factor, highly powered studies need to position individuals in a multidimensional parametric space. This will allow us to understand the multidimensional structure of cognitive functions and their relationship to mathematical performance., (© 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)