Creativity is an elusive construct that is difficult to measure in children, and divergent thinking tasks have been overusedand may be unreliable as measures of creativity (Baer, 2011). This study examines creative process and achievement inchildren using a problem-solving task (Daehler & Chen, 1993). Children (N=98) ages 4 to 6 tried removing a ball from ajar using common objects. Success with retrieving the ball was a measure of creative achievement. Creative process wasassessed by coding creative behaviors such as object exploration, combinations, manipulation, and ball retrieval attempts.Results suggest differences in creative behaviors between successful and unsuccessful children. Successful participantscreated more unique object combinations (p=0.02), spent more time manipulating (p=0.05), and spent less time attemptingto retrieve the ball (p=0.02) than unsuccessful children. Results suggest that this task moves beyond divergent thinkingassessments by measuring both creative process and achievement in children.

Curiosity relates to learning and recent work shows robust associations between curiosity and recall of information in adults and children over age 10. The current study tested a similar association in younger children and explored children’s information-seeking behaviors. Children (n=90, 4-10-year-olds) played a free-exploration game in which they clicked shapes to learn different facts about different topics. They then recalled what they remembered learning on the task (recall) and asked questions about what they were curious to know more about (curiosity). We observed a positive association between children’s curiosity and recall of information, even when controlling for amount of information seeking and children’s age. This association was seen for recall with and without memory cues. There was no association between children’s curiosity and information seeking behavior, and children showed a strong tendency of breadth exploration over exploring in depth with indication of an association between exploring more depth with age.

Children have difficulty reconciling their observations of the sky (an Earth-based perspective) with scientific modelsof the solar system (space-based perspectives) (e.g., Vosniadou & Brewer, 1994). Analogical comparison could be an effectiveway to address this cognitive challenge. By comparing and aligning different perspectives on events, such as sunrise, childrenmay develop a more coherent understanding of the solar system. The present experiment tested this theory by varying the pres-ence of explicit comparisons between Earth-based and space-based perspectives during a multi-day lesson about the day-nightcycle. Children (N=63, Mean age=8.57) were randomly assigned to one of four learning conditions: one that involved guidedcomparison of perspectives, two that involved similar tasks but without comparison, or a control (no instruction) condition. Wefound that children in the guided comparison condition had the greatest learning gains on a task that involved demonstratingthe day-night cycle using a model Earth and Sun.

We compared the associations of diabetes mellitus (DM) and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors with decline in the ankle-brachial index (ABI) over 4 years in participants with and without peripheral artery disease (PAD). A total of 566 participants, 300 with PAD, were followed prospectively for 4 years. Mean (SD) baseline ABI values were 0.70 (0.13) for participants with both PAD and DM, 0.67 (0.14) for participants with only PAD, 1.10 (0.13) for participants with only DM, and 1.10 (0.10) for participants with neither PAD nor DM. After adjusting for age, sex, and baseline ABI, the corresponding ABI change from baseline to 4-year follow-up were -0.02, -0.04, +0.05, and +0.05, respectively. Compared to participants with neither PAD nor DM, participants with only PAD showed significantly more ABI decline (p <0.01), while the decline in participants with both PAD and DM was borderline non-significant (p = 0.06). After adjustments for baseline ABI, age, sex, African American ethnicity, and other CVD risk factors, independent factors associated with ABI decline in participants with PAD in the lower ABI leg were older age and elevated D-dimer. DM was not related to ABI decline. Despite being an important risk factor for PAD, DM was not independently associated with ABI decline. This could reflect the effect of DM promoting both PAD and lower-extremity arterial stiffness, resulting in a small decline in the ABI over time. In conclusion, ABI change over time in persons with diabetes may not accurately reflect underlying atherosclerosis.

Objective

The pursuit of an effective therapeutic intervention for dementia has inspired interest in the class of medications known as tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as bosutinib.

Methods

Thirty-one patients with probable Alzheimer dementia or Parkinson spectrum disorder with dementia completed 12 months of bosutinib therapy and an additional 12 months of follow-up. The Clinical Dementia Rating scale (as estimated by the Quick Dementia Rating System [QDRS]) was the primary cognitive status outcome measure. Secondary outcome measures included the Repeatable Battery Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Cox regression methods were used to compare results with population-based estimates of cognitive decline.

Results

The present article reports on cognitive outcomes obtained at 12 months for 31 participants and up to 24 months for a 16-participant subset. Safety and tolerability of bosutinib were confirmed among the study population (M_age = 73.7 years, SD_age = 14 years). Bosutinib was associated with less worsening in Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores (hazard ratio = -0.62, p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.02 to -0.30) and less decline in RBANS performance (hazard ratio = -3.42, p < 0.001, 95% CI: -3.59 to -3.72) during the year of treatment than population-based estimates of decline. In the 24-month follow-up, wherein 16 patients were observed after 1 year postintervention, 31.2% of participants exhibited worsened CDR levels compared with their 12-month performances.

Conclusions

Results support an overall positive outcome after 1 year of bosutinib. Future studies should explore the relationship between tyrosine kinases and neurodegenerative pathology as well as related avenues of treatment.