Negative emotion reduces the temporal compression of events in episodic memory

Recent studies have revealed that the continuous flow of information that characterises naturalistic events is temporally compressed in episodic memory, so that remembering an event generally takes less time than the duration of the past episode. However, the specific characteristics of an event that influence its temporal compression in memory remain poorly understood. In the present study, we examined the extent to which the negative valence of events impacts their rate of compression in memory representations. We conducted two experiments in which participants were instructed to mentally replay a series of videos depicting negative or neutral events. The results showed that the time taken to mentally replay a video, relative to the actual video duration, was significantly longer for negative than for neutral videos. These results suggest that negative emotion increases the sampling rate of units of experience that represent the course of events, leading to a lower compression of events in memory representations.

[Caractériser les spécificités de l'apprentissage intergénérationnel à travers un atelier pilote en contexte universitaire]

Notre société segmentée par l'âge offre peu de possibilités d'interactions intergénérationnelles authentiques. Cela contribue aux stéréotypes et préjugés envers les personnes de tous âges, particulièrement les adultes aînés. Pour favoriser une société plus inclusive et lutter contre l'âgisme, un changement de paradigme sociétal devient nécessaire. À partir d'une recherche basée sur la conception et l'apprentissage intergénérationnel, nous avons cherché à mieux caractériser ces apprentissages afin de développer des formations spécifiques pour les appuyer. Basé sur un questionnaire préliminaire (n=79), nous avons conçu un atelier pilote (français/anglais) avec huit adultes aînées et huit jeunes adultes au cours duquel les participants ont dû réaliser en binôme une vidéo sur TikTok. Nos résultats indiquent que l'apprentissage intergénérationnel doit se fonder sur une pédagogie active, les activités et les objectifs pédagogiques doivent être multiples pour être réalisées en binômes intergénérationnels, le format doit permettre de développer une relation de confiance et l'évaluation doit être personnelle.

Hostile Cognitions and Aggressive Responses Toward Excluders in Young Children

Social exclusion heightens hostile cognition and aggressive responses toward excluders. However, its direct causal effects and relationship with self-construal are unclear in early childhood. This study experimentally investigated the effects of social exclusion on later hostile cognition and aggressive responses toward excluders (vs. includers) in Japanese 5- to 6-year-old preschoolers (N = 35; Mage = 70.51 months; 18 females) and explored the role of caregivers' independent selves on those children's responses. The results showed that regardless of the caregivers' independent selves, exclusion increased children's later hostile cognition and aggressive responses toward excluders, particularly in a context related to previous exclusive situations. However, hostile cognition did not mediate the relationship between exclusion and aggressive responses, suggesting that preschoolers' aggressive responses toward excluders not be substantially influenced by their hostility. These findings support existing developmental findings and expand knowledge of retaliative behaviors in young children, highlighting the need for further developmental and cultural research.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Treatment Reduces Variability in Brain Function in Schizophrenia: Data From a Double-Blind, Randomized, Sham-Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND/HYPOTHESIS

There is increasing awareness of interindividual variability in brain function, with potentially major implications for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) efficacy. We perform a secondary analysis using data from a double-blind randomized controlled 4-week trial of 20 Hz active versus sham rTMS to dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during a working memory task in participants with schizophrenia. We hypothesized that rTMS would change local functional activity and variability in the active group compared with sham.

STUDY DESIGN

83 participants were randomized in the original trial, and offered neuroimaging pre- and post-treatment. Of those who successfully completed both scans (n = 57), rigorous quality control left n = 42 (active/sham: n = 19/23), who were included in this analysis. Working memory-evoked activity during an N-Back (3-Back vs 1-Back) task was contrasted. Changes in local brain activity were examined from an 8 mm ROI around the rTMS coordinates. Individual variability was examined as the mean correlational distance (MCD) in brain activity pattern from each participant to others within the same group.

RESULTS

We observed an increase in task-evoked left DLPFC activity in the active group compared with sham (F1,36 = 5.83, False Discovery Rate (FDR))-corrected P = .04). Although whole-brain activation patterns were similar in both groups, active rTMS reduced the MCD in activation pattern compared with sham (F1,36 = 32.57, P < .0001). Reduction in MCD was associated with improvements in attention performance (F1,16 = 14.82, P = .0014, uncorrected).

CONCLUSIONS

Active rTMS to DLPFC reduces individual variability of brain function in people with schizophrenia. Given that individual variability is typically higher in schizophrenia patients compared with controls, such reduction may "normalize" brain function during higher-order cognitive processing.

Cortical representational geometry of diverse tasks reveals subject-specific and subject-invariant cognitive structures

The variability in brain function forms the basis for our uniqueness. Prior studies indicate smaller individual differences and larger inter-subject correlation (ISC) in sensorimotor areas than in the association cortex. These studies, deriving information from brain activity, leave individual differences in cognitive structures based on task similarity relations unexplored. This study quantitatively evaluates these differences by integrating ISC, representational similarity analysis, and vertex-wise encoding models using functional magnetic resonance imaging across 25 cognitive tasks. ISC based on cognitive structures enables subject identification with 100% accuracy using at least 14 tasks. ISC is larger in the fronto-parietal association and higher-order visual cortices, suggesting subject-invariant cognitive structures in these regions. Principal component analysis reveals different cognitive structure configurations within these regions. This study provides evidence of individual variability and similarity in abstract cognitive structures.

Investigation of attachment social exclusion and risky behaviors in adolescents

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between attachment, social exclusion, and risky behaviors in adolescents. The sample comprised 463 adolescents, aged 13-18, attending various high schools in Turkey. Data were collected using three instruments: the Parent and Peer Attachment Inventory, the Ostracism (Social Exclusion) Scale for Adolescents, and the Risk Behaviors Scale. The results revealed a moderate negative correlation between attachment to mothers and risky behaviors, while a weaker negative correlation was observed between attachment to fathers and risky behaviors. Additionally, a low but statistically significant negative correlation was found between peer attachment and risky behaviors. Social exclusion was positively correlated with antisocial behaviors, suicidal tendencies, and school dropout, although the correlations were weak. In contrast, a weak but significant negative relationship was observed between social exclusion and eating habits. No significant association was identified between social exclusion and behaviors such as alcohol consumption or smoking.

Social and Psychological Mediators of Sexual and Physical Male-Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence Against Young African American Women: The Role of Alcohol Use and Drinking Context

Problem alcohol use is prevalent among women who experience male-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV). However, the pathways by which this occurs remain poorly understood and understudied among African American women. This study sought to examine context-specific social and psychological mediators of this association. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we tested a conceptual framework predicting problem alcohol use within 3 months of experiencing physical and/or sexual IPV. The sample included 508 young African American women (median age 21, interquartile range 19-22 years). A modified SEM met prespecified global and local fit index criteria. The model identified four indirect paths from IPV to problem alcohol use. Three of the paths were through the endorsement of drinking contexts: negative coping, social drinking, and intimate drinking. Negative coping and social drinking emerged as the most salient pathways (β = .431, 95% CI [0.107, 0.754]; β = .472 [0.103, 0.841], respectively). A fourth path operated via depressive symptomatology and negative coping. The model predictors explained 35% of the variance in problem alcohol use; findings were consistent with full mediation of IPV and problem drinking. These findings increase the understanding of problem alcohol use among African American women who experience IPV and identify modifiable context-specific risk factors for problem alcohol use. Interventions to reduce problem drinking could incorporate trauma-informed counseling, as part of integrated IPV and substance use care, to reduce depressive symptomatology and enhance drinking refusal skills in response to situational drinking.

The effect of mindfulness-based Tai Chi Chuan on mobile phone addiction among male college students is associated with executive functions

OBJECTIVE

Mindfulness-based Tai Chi Chuan (MTCC) have been shown to contribute to improvements in cognitive and executive functions. Changes in inhibition, an aspect of executive function, have been closely linked to mobile phone addiction. However, the relationship between these elements remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of an 8-week MTCC intervention on executive function, mindfulness levels, and mobile phone addiction in male college students. Additionally, the study explores the role of executive function in improving mobile phone addiction through MTCC interventions.

METHODS

Sixty-six male college students were selected as research subjects and randomly divided into a control group (33) and an experimental group (33). The control group maintained their normal physical activity levels without any additional intervention. In contrast, the experimental group underwent 8 weeks of MTCC training. Mindfulness levels were assessed using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), while mobile phone addiction was evaluated by the Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI). The Flanker task, 1-back task, and More-Odd Shifting task were employed to evaluate inhibition, updating, and shifting aspects of executive function, respectively.

RESULTS

(1) The 8-week MTCC intervention significantly improved mobile phone addiction among male college students, with the intervention group showing a lower post-intervention MPAI score (46.09 ± 18.11) compared to the control group (56.55 ± 16.02), yielding a mean difference of -10.46 (95% CI: -18.92 to -1.99, p = 0.016). Mindfulness levels also improved significantly (p = 0.046), as did specific sub-functions of executive function: inhibition correct rate (p < 0.001), inhibition response (p = 0.001), and shifting correct rate (p = 0.001). No significant effects were observed for updating correct rate (p = 0.527) or updating response (p = 0.303). (2) Mobile phone addiction indices were significantly correlated with changes in inhibition response (r = 0.756, p = 0.000 < 0.01), updating response (r = 0.035, p = 0.045 < 0.05), and shifting response (r = 0.397, p = 0.022 < 0.05). (3) Mindfulness levels and inhibition levels were significantly correlated (r = 0.394, p = 0.023 < 0.05). (4) Changes in inhibition within executive functions partially mediated the improvement of mobile phone addiction, with the direct effect (0.716) and mediating effect (0.483) accounting for 59.72% and 40.28% of the total effect (1.199), respectively.

CONCLUSION

MTCC exercises significantly increase cognitive functions, leading to increased inhibition and attentiveness, and may be helpful in the prevention of addictions, including cell phone addictions.

Role of the neuropeptide S receptor 1 rs324981 polymorphism in modulating emotionality and cognitive flexibility: Insights from a gene-edited mouse model

The neuropeptide S (NPS) and its receptor (NPSR1) are involved in various physiological processes, including arousal, sleep, anxiety, memory, and stress responses in rodents. Recent attention has focused on the association between the NPS/NPSR1 system and stress-related disorders, particularly involving a specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the NPSR1 gene (rs324981). This SNP causes an amino acid change at position 107 in the protein, reducing NPSR1 signalling potency; however, its effects on behavioural, cognitive, and physiological aspects relevant to stress-related disorders remain unclear. Addressing this topic, we characterized the behavioural phenotype of a gene-editing mouse model, expressing either the murine/ancestral NPSR1-I107 variant or the human NPSR1-N107 variant. Both, male and female mice underwent a comprehensive behavioural test battery assessing arousal, exploratory and anxiety-related behaviour under varying levels of novelty stress. Moreover, cognitive functions were evaluated with a special focus on cognitive flexibility using the Attentional Set Shifting Task (ASST). Additionally, markers of behavioural and endocrine stress reactivity were assessed as well as changes in body weight and body composition. Our results showed that NPSR1-N107 mice displayed increased anxiety-related behaviour compared to NPSR1-I107 mice, with no significant differences in arousal, exploratory behaviour or hormonal stress responses. However, NPSR1-N107 mice also exhibited better rule-reversal learning in the ASST, indicating enhanced cognitive flexibility. These findings provide clear evidence for a role of the NPSR1 rs324981 SNP in regulating emotionality and cognitive flexibility, underscoring the potential of the NPSR1-I107N mouse model for further elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying stress-related disorders.

Development of strategic motor behavior during value-guided actions across adolescence and adulthood: An ERP investigation

Successful navigation of real-life environment requires flexible titration of effort based on the possible rewards. Here, we investigate how the flexibility of effort allocation develops throughout adolescence by studying the neural underpinnings of reward-maximizing strategies during a value-guided action. Our main hypothesis is that when faced with an environment with varying rewards and their expectancy, adolescents will use qualitatively different strategies to overcome the cognitive immaturity. Alternatively, adolescents may use an adult-like strategy, but in a lesser degree. Using EEG with a novel analytic technique that separately quantifies motor preparation and execution efforts from the ERP component lateralized readiness potential (LRP), we demonstrate evidence for our main hypothesis. When responding to an unexpected target, adults (21 years and above) showed a greater executional effort for a large than small reward. Such a pattern was somewhat reversed in pre-adolescents' (10-13 years). Meanwhile, adolescents (14-20 years) allocated motor efforts more equally regardless of the reward levels and their expectancy. These manifested differences represent distinct reward-maximizing strategies across development that are shaped by cognitive maturity, which reflects an individual's endeavor to maximize adaptive fit in the dynamics of real-life environment.

Does Musical Experience Facilitate Phonetic Accommodation During Human-Robot Interaction?

PURPOSE

This study investigated the effect of musical training on phonetic accommodation in a second language (L2) after interacting with a social robot, exploring the motivations and reasons behind their accommodation strategies.

METHOD

Fifteen L2 English speakers with long-term musical training experience (musician group) and 15 speakers without musical training experience (nonmusician group) were recruited to complete four conversational tasks with the social robot Furhat. Their production of a list of key words and carrier sentences was collected before and after conversations and used to quantify their phonetic accommodations. The spectral cues and prosodic cues of the production were extracted and analyzed.

RESULTS

Both groups showed similar convergence patterns but different divergence patterns. Specifically, the musician group showed divergence from the robot's production on more prosodic cues (mean fundamental frequency and duration) than the nonmusician group. Both groups converged their vowel formants toward the robot without group differences.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings reflect individuals' assessment of the robot's speech characteristics and their efforts to enhance communication efficiency, which might indicate a special speech register used for addressing the robot. The finding is more noticeable in the musician group compared to the nonmusician group. We proposed two possible explanations of the effect of musical training on phonetic accommodations: one involves the training of auditory attention and working memory and the other relates to the refinement of phonetic talent in L2 acquisition, contributing to theories on the relationship between music and language. This study also has implications for applying musical training to speech communication training in clinical populations and for designing social robots to better serve as speech therapy partners.

Autism Predicts Performance on iPad-Administered Tests of Executive Functioning in Preschoolers in Mainland China

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether autism diagnostic status (versus neurotypical status) predicts performances on iPad-delivered measures of executive functioning (EF) in mainland Chinese preschoolers. The present study included 21 autistic preschoolers and 28 age- and gender-matched neurotypical preschoolers aged 3-6 years old. Participants were administered tests of visuospatial working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility using the Early Years Toolbox. Results showed that autism predicted poorer performances on tests of working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility in Chinese preschoolers. This study provides support for difficulties with visuospatial working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility in autistic preschoolers in mainland China.

Potential scalp acupuncture and brain stimulation targets for common neurological disorders: evidence from neuroimaging studies

BACKGROUND

Scalp acupuncture is a promising potential therapy for neurological disorders. However, the development of its stimulation targets-both in identifying novel targets and refining the precision of their localization-has advanced slowly, largely due to the inadequate integration of brain science findings. This study leverages advances in brain neuroimaging to identify evidence-based cortical targets, enhancing the potential of scalp acupuncture and other brain stimulation techniques.

METHODS

Using the Neurosynth Compose platform, systematic meta-analyses of neuroimaging studies were conducted to identify potential surface cortical targets for ten neurological conditions: Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), Post-Stroke Aphasia (PSA), Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), Dyslexia, Chronic Pain, and Disorders of Consciousness (DoC). These targets were projected onto the scalp, further localized using scalp acupuncture lines, traditional acupoints and EEG 10-20 system.

RESULTS

We have identified specific cortical targets for scalp acupuncture associated with ten neurological disorders. Our findings are broadly consistent with current scalp acupuncture protocols while introducing additional new stimulation targets, such as the inferior temporal gyrus for memory processing and the angular gyrus for visuospatial attention. Additionally, the identified targets align with evidence from non-invasive brain stimulation, supporting therapeutic strategies for conditions such as movement disorders and cognitive impairments by targeting areas like the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and primary motor cortex.

CONCLUSION

Our findings provide a foundation for developing a brain imaging-based scalp acupuncture protocol for neurological disorders. The identified targets may also be used as brain stimulation targets for these disorders.

Dynamic modular dysregulation in multilayer networks underlies cognitive and clinical deficits in first-episode schizophrenia

Schizophrenia has been identified to exhibit significant abnormalities in brain functional networks, which are likely to underpin the cognitive and functional impairments observed in patients. Graph theoretical analysis revealed the disrupted modularity in schizophrenia, however, the dynamic network abnormalities in schizophrenia remains unclear. We collected the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 82 first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients and 55 healthy control (HC) subjects. Dynamic functional connectivity matrices were constructed and a multilayer network model was employed to run the dynamic modularity analysis. We also performed correlation analyses to investigate the relationship between flexibility, cognitive function and clinical symptoms. Our findings indicate that FES patients exhibit higher multilayer modularity. The node flexibility of FES patients were found elevated in several brain regions, which were included in the default mode network, fronto-parietal network, salience network and visual network. The node flexibility metrics in aberrant brain regions were found to demonstrate significant correlations with cognitive function and negative symptoms in patients with FES. These findings suggest a pathological imbalance in brain network dynamics, where abnormal modular organization might contribute to the cognitive impairment and functional deficits in schizophrenia.

The prevalence of myopia and eye health behaviors among 3 to 18 years: a cross-sectional survey study

AIMS

To determine the current status of self-reported myopia and the relationship between eye health behaviors and myopia in children and adolescents aged 3 to 18 years.

METHODS

Children and adolescents aged 3-18 years from 15 schools were selected for the survey between January and June 2024 in Hubei Province, China. A stratified random cluster sampling method was employed for the collection of samples. All participants were requested to complete the Eye Health Behavior Assessment Scale for Kindergarten and Primary School Students in Grades 1-3-Parent Version (EHBAS-P) and the Eye Health Behavior Assessment Scale for Primary School Students in Grades 4-6 and Middle School Students-Student Version (EHBAS-S) online. Data on socio-demographic factors (gender, grades, region) and myopia rate were collected.

RESULTS

A total of 3500 participants were invited, and 3240 usable questionnaires were collected (response rate, 92.57%). The overall prevalence of self-reported myopia among children and adolescents aged 3-18 years in Hubei Province was 34.35%. Risk of myopia was higher in females than in males (OR = 1.27, P = 0.007), in rural than in urban areas (OR = 1.88, P < 0.001), and in children with myopic parents than with non-myopic parents (OR = 3.21, P < 0.001). Furthermore, of the 3240 participants, only 18.1% (n = 587) had good eye health behavior levels, 46.1% (n = 1494) had moderate eye health behavior levels, and the rest had poor levels, and there was a significantly higher risk of myopia for poor compared to good eye health behavior levels (OR = 1.74, P < 0.001). The regression analysis showed that the level of eye health behaviors varied significantly with many of the demographic variables particularly with grades group, gender and whether myopia.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of self-reported myopia is at a high level among individuals between the ages of 3 and 18 in Hubei province, China, with notable differences between urban and rural populations. The level of eye health behaviors among children and adolescents is suboptimal. A particular focus on fostering the development of positive eye-use habits among younger children should be reinforced in the future.

Cross-Species Framework for Emotional Well-Being and Brain Aging: Lessons From Behavioral Neuroscience

Importance

Emotional well-being (EWB) is an emerging therapeutic target for managing and preventing symptoms associated with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD). However, more research is needed to establish causal inferences between brain changes, EWB, and behavioral changes observed in typical aging and ADRD.

Observations

This article presents a framework for using a cross-species behavioral neuroscience approach to study EWB and brain aging, adopting a well-established biobehavioral model that highlights the reciprocal roles of brain changes, EWB, and ADRD symptoms. First, the challenges and opportunities in this field are reviewed. Then, a practical solution to improve comparability between animal and human studies is proposed.

Conclusions and Relevance

The goal is to draw comprehensive parallels and distinctions that could enhance the understanding of the mechanisms linking brain aging, EWB, and ADRD symptomatic disturbances across different species.

Association between red blood cell distribution width-to-albumin ratio and depression: a cross-sectional analysis among US adults, 2011-2018

BACKGROUND

Red blood cell distribution width (RDW)-to-albumin ratio (RAR) is a novel index. Its relationship with depression, a common and complex psychiatric disorder, remains unclear. This study utilized the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database to investigate this relationship.

METHODS

Multivariate logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and sensitivity analyses were used to examine the relationship between RAR and depression based on NHANES data from 2011-2018. The study also used subgroup analyses and interaction tests to explore whether the relationship was stable across populations.

RESULTS

RAR was positively associated with depression in 18,150 participants aged ≥ 20 years. In fully adjusted models, each one-unit increase in RAR was associated with a 22% increase in the likelihood of depression [1.22 (1.05, 1.41)]. Participants in the highest quartile of RAR had a 30% higher risk of depression than those in the lowest quartile of RAR [1.30 (1.04, 1.63)]. Subgroup analyses revealed that the association between RAR and depression was significantly stronger among men, alcohol-drinking and high-income groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher baseline RAR was associated with an increased risk of depression in US adults and was more informative than RDW, albumin, and hemoglobin-to-RDW ratio (HRR). Further large-scale prospective studies are needed to analyze the role of RAR in depression. These findings emphasize that RAR can be a simple, reliable and cost-effective predictor of depression in clinical practice.

Longitudinal evidence linking childhood energetics, maturation, skeletal muscle mass and adult human male sociosexuality

Humans exhibit variation in their strategic expression of longer-term versus shorter-term mating strategies, including sociosexuality, which is defined as their interest and engagement in sexual activity outside of committed partnerships. There is substantial interest in the factors that drive variation in these strategies between individuals. Early life energetic conditions and psychosocial adversity may play key roles in shaping the expression of shorter-term mating strategies, particularly for males, given male-male mating competition. Drawing on a multi-decade study in the Philippines, we tested for links between males' early life growth/maturation, adult skeletal muscle mass and childhood experiences of adversity with age at sexual debut (n = 965) and adult sociosexuality (n = 1594 obs.). Males who experienced more favourable childhood energetics had sex earlier and had more unrestricted sociosexuality, but these patterns were explained by males' adult skeletal muscle mass. Males who were more maturationally advanced in adolescence also had younger ages at sexual debut and more unrestricted sociosexuality. We did not find evidence supporting the hypothesis that males exposed to early life adversity (family instability and sibling death) and favourable energetic conditions would show 'faster' life history strategies. Our findings point to the importance of developmental growth and maturation trajectories in energetically challenging ecologies to males' later-life mating strategies.

The relationship between parental emotional warmth and school bullying: The chain mediation role of social support and emotional regulation

This study explores the complex interplay between parental emotional warmth, social support, emotional regulation, and school bullying among students. Using a chain mediation model, we investigate how parental emotional warmth indirectly influences school bullying through the mediating roles of social support and emotional regulation. A sample of 566 students aged 10-13 participated in this study. The results indicate that parental emotional warmth significantly enhances social support, which in turn positively influences emotional regulation, thereby reducing school bullying behaviors. However, the direct effect of parental emotional warmth on school bullying was not significant. These findings highlight the importance of social support and emotional regulation as mechanisms through which parental emotional warmth affects school bullying. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of the impact of family dynamics on children's behavior and provides practical insights for developing multi-faceted interventions to prevent and reduce school bullying. Future research should employ longitudinal designs and diverse populations to further validate these findings and explore cultural variations.

The combination of a SPOC with evaluative interactive learning in dental adhesion education: a comparison with a lecture-based learning mode

BACKGROUND

Dental education focuses on the cultivation of students' diagnosis and treatment ability, and improving the teaching effect is an important prerequisite for achieving this goal. This study evaluated whether the combination of a small private online course (SPOC) with evaluative interactive learning (EIL) could effectively enhance students' engagement in learning and improve their ability to understand and apply knowledge pertaining to dental adhesion.

METHODS

A total of 79 undergraduate students were divided into an EIL group and a lecture-based learning (LBL) group. Students' levels of participation were evaluated in terms of the frequency of their speech and interaction. Students' ability to apply their basic knowledge, competency knowledge, and operational skills were assessed with a written test and an operation test. Students' perceptions were assessed via questionnaires.

RESULTS

Students in the EIL group presented higher levels of engagement and interaction frequency than did students in the LBL group. The students in the EIL group outperformed those in the LBL group on the ability analysis test and operation test, whereas no significant differences were observed between the students in these two groups with respect to the basic knowledge test. In addition, the scores obtained by the students in the EIL group exhibited a notable shift toward a higher range. The students in the EIL group also exhibited a better ability to employ various effective bonding methods. The questionnaire results revealed that EIL can promote active learning among students without increasing the burdens that they face.

CONCLUSION

The use of this combination of a SPOC with EIL as an approach to education in dental adhesion can achieve good results, including significant improvements in students' learning participation, clinical thinking, and operational abilities as well as their willingness to learn actively.

The mediating role of SARS-CoV-2 variants between income and hospitalization due to COVID-19: a period-based mediation analysis

The mechanisms facilitating the relationship between low income and COVID-19 severity have not been partitioned in the presence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs). To address this, we used causal mediation analysis to quantify the possible mediating role infection with VOC has on the relationship between neighborhood income (exposure) and hospitalization due to COVID-19 among cases (outcome). A population-based cohort of 65 629 individuals residing in British Columbia, Canada, was divided into 3 periods of VOC co-circulation in the 2021 calendar year, whereby each period included co-circulation of an emerging and an established VOC. Each cohort was subjected to g-formula mediation techniques to decompose the relationship between exposure and outcome into total, direct, and indirect effects. In the mediation analysis, the total effects indicated that low income was associated with increased odds of hospitalization across all periods. Further decomposition of the effects revealed that income is directly and indirectly associated with hospitalization. The resulting indirect effect through VOC accounted for approximately between 6% and 13% of the total effect of income on hospitalization. This study underscores, conditional on the analysis, the importance of addressing underlying inequities to mitigate the disproportionate impact on historically marginalized communities by adopting an equity lens as central to pandemic preparedness and response from the onset.

Characterizing Directional Dynamics of Semantic Prediction Based on Inter-regional Temporal Generalization

The event-related potential/field component N400(m) is a widely accepted neural index for semantic prediction. Top-down input from inferior frontal areas to perceptual brain regions is hypothesized to play a key role in generating the N400, but testing this has been challenging due to limitations of causal connectivity estimation. We here provide new evidence for a predictive model of speech comprehension in which IFG activity feeds back to shape subsequent activity in STG/MTG. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) data was obtained from 21 participants (10 men, 11 women) during a classic N400 paradigm where the semantic predictability of a fixed target noun was manipulated in simple German sentences through the preceding verb. To estimate causality, we implemented a novel approach, based on machine learning and temporal generalization, to test the effect of inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) on temporal regions. A support vector machine (SVM) classifier was trained on IFG activity to classify less predicted (LP) and highly predicted (HP) nouns and tested on superior/middle temporal gyri (STG/MTG) activity, time-point by time-point. The reverse procedure was then performed to establish spatiotemporal evidence for or against causality. Significant decoding results were found in our bottom-up model, which were trained at hierarchically lower level areas (STG/MTG) and tested at the hierarchically higher IFG areas. Most interestingly, decoding accuracy also significantly exceeded chance level when the classifier was trained on IFG activity and tested on successive activity in STG/MTG. Our findings indicate dynamic top-down and bottom-up flow of information between IFG and temporal areas when generating semantic predictions.

Reducing food waste in media age: How does social media usage affect consumers' food waste

The use of social media has the potential to alter consumer habits, possibly resulting in food waste. We conducted an online survey in Shanghai and obtained a dataset of 1024 responses in total. The empirical results confirmed that social media usage contributes to diminishing food waste, whereas compulsive buying may result in food waste. It was observed that materialism mediated the relationship between social media usage and compulsive buying. Compulsive buying mediates the relationship between social media usage and food waste, as well as between materialism and food waste.

Limited Impact of Object Attributes on Event-related Potentials During an Implicit Word Reading Task

BACKGROUND

Previous research in cognitive science has focused on the encoding and activation of sensory-based object knowledge in the brain during language comprehension, including aspects such as appearance, movement, and taste.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate how different object-related attributes affect event-related potentials (ERPs), specifically the N400 component, during word processing in an implicit task setting.

METHOD

We embedded a set of 420 critical nouns within a list of 2,745 total words and asked 240 participants to read each one, but to respond only to words denoting colors. We categorized each noun by attributes such as familiarity, smell, pain, taste, sound, graspability, and motion. We focused primarily on changes in the N400 component, indicative of semantic processing, across nouns with different attributes.

RESULTS

The least familiar stimuli elicited the strongest N400 response, indicating significant ERP variability across familiarity levels with more positive amplitudes for highly familiar stimuli. Among the attributes examined, only the attribute of smell demonstrated a notable, though isolated, increase in N400 amplitude. Other attributes, including pain, taste, sound, graspability, and visual motion showed no significant differences in N400 responses, suggesting a minimal influence on semantic processing in this context.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the specific sensory attributes of objects have limited influence on the N400 component of ERPs in implicit reading tasks, highlighting the complexity of semantic networks in cognitive processing. The subtlety of ERP modulations driven by object-related attributes points to the need for further exploration into how these attributes interact within semantic networks during cognitive tasks.

Beneficial effects of Esketamine on Morphine preference reacquisition in male rats

Addiction is a chronic condition that poses a serious public health challenge, particularly highlighted by the global opioid crisis involving drugs such as morphine (MORPH). One of the major obstacles in effective detoxification is the high relapse rate, with many individuals resuming drug use after withdrawal. Pharmacological treatments developed so far have generally shown limited efficacy in addressing substance use disorder. In this context, esketamine (ESK), the S-ketamine isomer, has been used in cases of treatment-resistant recurrent depression and depression with suicide risk. In our study, rats were treated with two doses of ESK every five days (acute - A-ESK) or daily (sub-chronic - SC-ESK) during MORPH-conditioned place preference (CPP) extinction. After 10 days, the animals were re-exposed to MORPH to assess preference reacquisition in the CPP paradigm. Our findings showed that both acute and sub-chronic ESK (A-ESK and SC-ESK) effectively prevented MORPH-CPP reestablishment. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental study to demonstrate the potential of ESK as a promising treatment for opioid abuse disorder. Clinical studies are needed to confirm its efficacy in human rehabilitation centers.

The olfactory bulbs of homing pigeons are not enlarged compared with other pigeon breeds

The homing pigeon (Columba livia) is one of the best examples of human selection for behaviour among domesticated animals. Several brain regions purportedly differ in size between homing and other pigeons as a result of this selection, one of which is the olfactory bulbs. Olfaction is considered by many to be one of the sensory cues homing pigeons use to orient home. The intense selection for homing could therefore have driven anatomical changes in the olfactory bulbs, the first site of olfactory processing in the brain, in homing pigeons. Here, we compared the size of the olfactory bulbs, as well as size and number of mitral cells, among homing pigeons, feral pigeons, and several sporting and show breeds. Homing pigeons did not differ in absolute of relative olfactory bulb size from wild, feral, or most other pigeon breeds. Only a small show breed (figurita frill) and a meat/show breed (king) differed in absolute and relative olfactory bulb sizes from other pigeon breeds. Similarly, there were no significant differences among breeds in the absolute or relative number of mitral cells or mitral cell soma size. The lack of significant differences among most of the pigeon breeds sampled suggests neither experience nor selection for different behavioural or physical traits affects olfactory bulb size or the number and size of mitral cells. Although the results might indicate that there is not anything special about the olfactory abilities of homing pigeons, we lack data on other aspects of olfactory bulb anatomy and the acuity and sensitivity of the olfactory system across pigeon breeds. The latter knowledge gap could be addressed through genomic and transcriptomic techniques, which would provide new insights to the ongoing debate surrounding the use of olfactory cues in homing.

Perception of the ethical climate among hospital employees in a public healthcare system: a cross-sectional survey at the University Hospital of Split, Croatia

BACKGROUND

In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the ethical climate at the University Hospital of Split in Croatia and investigated its potential indicators.

METHODS

We used a validated Croatian translation of the 36-item Ethical Climate Questionnaire, which we distributed online (via an e-mail sent by the hospital administration to hospital employees) and as a paper and pen survey directly to all hospital departments. We compared ECQ scores between doctors of medicine (MDs)/doctors of dental medicine (DMDs) and other employees; MDs/DMDs and nurses; employees working with patients and those not working with patients; and employees working in the ICU versus those not working in the ICU using the Mann-Whitney U test. We used linear regression to explore the relationship of each ethical climate with gender, age, degree level, and years spent working in the hospital.

RESULTS

We collected 325 physical and 222 online questionnaires (547 responses in total), after which we excluded 146 incomplete responses. This left 401 questionnaires for analysis, primarily from doctors (n = 175; 43.6%) and nursing staff (n = 131; 32.7%). The two dominant climates were 'Company rules' and 'Laws and professional codes'. Stratified by profession, we observed higher scores for 'Personal morality' among doctors of medicine or dental medicine, whereas the group comprising other health professionals and non-medical staff had higher scores for 'Team interests', 'Efficiency', 'Social responsibility', and 'Laws and professional codes'. In comparing nurses and doctors of medicine/dental medicine, we observed the former group had higher scores for 'Social responsibility', 'Efficiency', and 'Team interest', while the latter had higher scores for 'Personal morality'. Those who worked outside of the ICU had higher scores for 'Social responsibility' compared to those who did not. In the regression analyses, age was a significant positive predictor of the 'Laws and professional codes' climates, and years spent working in the hospital acted as a positive predictor of the 'Self-interest' climate.

CONCLUSION

A large university hospital center in a fully publicly funded national healthcare system has a positive ethical work climate, which could be further developed by further development and implementation of codes of ethics to outline expected behaviors from all employees.

Loneliness modulates the neural dynamics of language processing in healthy older adults: evidence from event-related potentials

Loneliness, a distressing emotional response to perceived deficiencies in social interactions, has seen a marked increase in prevalence since the COVID-19 pandemic. While previous research has linked loneliness in older adults to affective disorders and cognitive decline, its impact on language comprehension-a crucial aspect of social interaction-remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining the effects of loneliness on semantic retrieval in healthy older adults. Using event-related potentials, we measured participants' neural responses as they verified category membership across three conditions: high typicality, low typicality, and category violations. We found that loneliness was negatively correlated with an N400 amplitude reduction for low-typicality items compared to category violations. Moreover, individuals who reported a high level of loneliness exhibited attenuated and delayed N400 effects within more restricted time windows compared to their less lonely counterparts. These results indicate that loneliness impairs semantic memory retrieval in older adults, potentially compromising language comprehension and further exacerbating social isolation. This research highlights the detrimental impact of loneliness on linguistic abilities, which may contribute to a vicious cycle of increasing social isolation and deepening loneliness.

Rebuilding Public Trust: Factors Influencing Dengue Vaccine Uptake in the Aftermath of the Dengvaxia Controversy in the Philippines: A Partial Least Structural Equation Modeling Approach

This study examines the factors influencing Dengue vaccine adoption in the Philippines, utilizing an integrated framework based on the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and the Trust-Confidence-Cooperation Framework (TCCF). Data were collected from 2863 respondents and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to explore the relationships between key constructs such as government trust, self-efficacy, observational learning, confidence in vaccines, accessibility, cooperation, and outcome expectations. Ethical clearance was obtained for the study to ensure compliance with research ethics guidelines. The findings reveal that government trust, self-efficacy, observational learning, and accessibility significantly enhance cooperation and vaccine uptake, highlighting their critical roles in shaping vaccination behaviors. However, confidence in vaccines and social influence showed limited direct effects on outcome expectations and self-efficacy, suggesting the need for targeted strategies to bridge these gaps. The study emphasizes the importance of transparent government communication, leveraging trusted role models, and improving accessibility to increase vaccine adoption. While the study offers valuable insights, it acknowledges limitations in sample diversity and the exclusion of certain mediating factors, such as cultural and socio-economic variables. These findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of vaccine adoption and provide practical recommendations for designing effective public health interventions to address vaccine hesitancy and improve adoption rates.

Enhancing Neurodegenerative Disease Diagnosis Through Confidence-Driven Dynamic Spatio-Temporal Convolutional Network

Dynamic brain networks are more effective than static networks in characterizing the evolving patterns of brain functional connectivity, making them a more promising tool for diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases. However, existing classification methods for dynamic brain networks often rely on sliding windows to extract multi-window features, leading to suboptimal performance due to the spatio-temporal coupling on these windows and limited ability to effectively integrate complex topological features. To address these limitations, we propose a novel method called Confidence-Driven Dynamic Spatio-Temporal Convolutional Network (CD-DSTCN). First, our proposed method employs a spatio-temporal convolutional network integrated with a temporal attention mechanism to extract spatio-temporal features within each window. By propagating information across temporal windows during spatial convolution, the method effectively captures and integrates complex temporal and spatial dependencies. Second, each window generates an output probability, which quantifies prediction confidence based on the true class probability (TCP). This confidence score serves as a weight to assess the relative importance of different time windows. Finally, the confidence-weighted fused features are passed through a multilayer perceptron (MLP) for final classification. Extensive experiments on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's datasets show that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art algorithms and can provide valuable biomarkers for brain disease diagnosis. Our code is publicly available at: https://github.com/YNingCode/CD-DSTCN.

Motor interventions initiated prior hospital discharge to prevent neurodevelopmental impairment in preterm infants

OBJECTIVES

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the benefits and harms of motor interventions initiated prior hospital discharge to prevent neurodevelopmental and motor impairment in preterm infants compared to standard care, post-discharge motor interventions, and different modalities of the same motor intervention.

Impact of childhood trauma on suicidal ideation: Sequential mediating effects of interpersonal sensitivity and interpersonal needs

BACKGROUND

The potential mediators between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation are unclear; only a few research studies have discussed interpersonal aspects as a mediator. We examined the relationships between childhood trauma, suicidal ideation, and its mediators-interpersonal sensitivity and needs-among patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar II disorder (BP-II), and bipolar I disorder (BP-I).

METHODS

We reviewed the data of 248 patients diagnosed with MDD, 228 patients with BP-II, and 87 patients with BP-I. Childhood trauma, interpersonal sensitivity, interpersonal needs, and suicidal ideation were each measured by using the Short Form of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Korean version of the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure, the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire-15, and the Depressive Symptom Inventory-Suicidality Subscale. Multilevel structural equation modeling was conducted to examine whether the relationships among main variables were different according to mood disorder diagnoses. Thereafter, structural equation modeling was conducted to explore the mediating roles of interpersonal sensitivity and interpersonal needs in the relationship between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation.

RESULTS

The results indicated that the relationship between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation is positively and sequentially mediated by interpersonal sensitivity and interpersonal needs, specifically perceived burdensomeness (β = 0.046, 95 % CI = [0.023, 0.070]) and thwarted belongingness (β = 0.008, 95 % CI = [0.001, 0.014]). The results revealed that there were no differences in the mechanisms among the three groups: MDD, BP-II, and BP-I (χ2(34) = 45.51, p = .09).

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions on the interpersonal aspects of individuals who have experienced childhood trauma could be beneficial for their mental health. Providing identical interventions were revealed to be effective in all the three groups of patients with different mood disorders.

Resilience Trajectories Among Older Adults With Disabilities: A Longitudinal Study in Anhui, China

This study applied Richardson's Resiliency Model to measure resilience in depressive symptoms among older adults with disabilities in rural China and examined its association with age-related and cohort-specific temporal effects using the Growth Curve Model to analyze resilience trajectories. We innovatively used propensity score matching to address confounding variables when calculating the resilience score. Data were derived from the Longitudinal Study of Older Adults in Anhui Province, China, with 3,672 observations from 2001 to 2021. The results revealed that 28.30 percent of rural older adults demonstrated resilience by maintaining or improving depressive symptoms post-disability onset. Resilience scores exhibited inverted U-shaped trajectories with increasing age. Similarly, resilience trajectories followed an inverted U-shape from the earlier cohort (born in 1924 or earlier) to the later cohort (born in 1950 or later). These insights into resilience trajectories can inform targeted policies and interventions, crucial as populations age and the prevalence of disability increases.

Word Reading and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children With Developmental Language Disorder

PURPOSE

This study evaluated the relationship between word reading and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in school-age children with and without developmental language disorder (DLD), considering the influence of cognitive-linguistic mechanisms associated with dyslexia (phonological memory) and ADHD (working memory).

METHOD

Community ascertainment and blinded assessments identified 46 confirmed DLD and 76 cases of typical language development from a screening sample of 420 second and third graders. Language, word reading, ADHD symptoms, nonverbal intelligence, working memory, and phonological memory were assessed.

RESULTS

In all models, phonological memory was associated with word reading, and working memory was associated with ADHD symptoms. Additionally, in the new model of association that accounted for comorbidity with cognitive-linguistic indices, named the "Reading, ADHD, and Language (RE.A.L.) Comorbidity Model," word reading was uniquely mediated by phonological memory.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight the unique role cognitive-linguistic indices associated with dyslexia and ADHD play in explaining the relationship between DLD, word reading, and ADHD symptoms. Results indicate that ADHD symptoms did not predict poor word reading; only phonological memory mediated the relationship between DLD and word reading difficulties associated with dyslexia. Similarly, working memory was associated with ADHD symptoms only. Findings underline the importance of including cognitive-linguistic indices associated with dyslexia and ADHD in evaluating word reading and ADHD symptoms in children with DLD.

The effect of socioeconomic status on postpartum depression: a parallel mediation model

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have proposed that socioeconomic status (SES) can affect postpartum depression (PPD) through the mediators of satisfaction with material needs, healthcare, maternity leave, and postpartum social support. However, empirical data to validate these propositions has been lacking. This study aims to examine if all the four mediators can significantly mediate the effects of SES on PPD, as well as to compare the effect sizes of these mediators using a parallel mediation model.

METHODS

A total of 328 mothers within 1 year after childbirth completed the Socioeconomic Status Questionnaire, Met Material Needs Questionnaire, Inpatient Satisfaction with Care Questionnaire, Self-care Ability Scale for Puerperal Women, Maternity Leave Questionnaire, Questionnaire for Social Support during the Postpartum Period, and Beck Depression Inventory.

RESULTS

The level of depression in lower-SES mothers (M = 18.38, SD = 6.88) was significantly higher than that in medium-SES mothers (M = 14.54, SD = 8.58), which was significantly higher than that in higher-SES mothers (M = 10.61, SD = 8.25). SES significantly affected satisfaction with material needs, healthcare, maternity leave, and postpartum social support. Satisfaction with material needs and postpartum social support had a significant impact on PPD, and played a significant mediating role in the relationship between SES and PPD, with mediating effect sizes of 40.0% and 30.3%, respectively. In contrast, healthcare and maternity leave did not significantly influence PPD, nor did they significantly mediate the effect of SES on PPD.

CONCLUSIONS

Postpartum social support and satisfaction with material needs are two important mediators between SES and PPD, whereas healthcare and maternity leave are two insignificant mediators in this relationship. More actions should be taken to reduce PPD in postpartum mothers, particularly those lower-SES mothers.

Cultivating the Critical Thinking Dispositions of Undergraduate Speech-Language Pathology Students

PURPOSE

This study examined whether a course in critical thinking (CT) facilitates change in undergraduate students' self-reported CT dispositions (CTDs). This study also examined whether students' postcourse CTDs predict real-world outcomes after controlling for students' baseline grade point average, need for cognition, and precourse CTDs.

METHOD

One hundred thirty-eight undergraduate communication sciences and disorders (CSD) students participated in the study. All students were enrolled in a course that applied evidence-based characteristics of an effective CT course. Students completed the Student-Educator Negotiated Critical Thinking Disposition Scale (SENCTDS), Need for Cognition Scale-Short Form, Real-World Outcomes inventory, and CT subscale of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire before and after taking the course. Data were analyzed using a paired-samples t test and structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant difference between pre- and posttest scores on the SENCTDS. After controlling for all sources of influence in the structural model, postcourse CTD scores were significantly related to postcourse RWO scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the study indicate the CT course may be effective for facilitating change in undergraduate CSD students' CTDs. The results suggest the possibility that students who receive direct instruction related to CT may be more likely to demonstrate reflective, attentive, open-minded, organized, and persistent dispositions and may be more internally motivated to solve complex problems. These findings suggest a robust effect of CTDs on real-world outcomes and that the CT course produced a clear benefit. More research is warranted to identify the active ingredients responsible for the self-reported change in students' CTDs.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.28711154.

Using pledges to improve the effectiveness of environmental information campaigns: The case of biowaste recycling

Through a field study (N = 1,519) that uses a technology to record real-time data on waste sorting, we find that offering the opportunity to sign a pledge increases the effectiveness of an environmental campaign. With a timespan of over four years, the pledge increased waste sorting participation by 4.55 to 5.10 percentage points (SD = 0.1997). The effect is greater immediately after the campaign (around 9 to 10 pp during the first 15 wk), but it remains sizable and statistically significant 150 to 210 wk after signing (3.11 to 4.45 pp).

Testing theories of political persuasion using AI

Despite its importance to society and many decades of research, key questions about the social and psychological processes of political persuasion remain unanswered, often due to data limitations. We propose that AI tools, specifically generative large language models (LLMs), can be used to address these limitations, offering important advantages in the study of political persuasion. In two preregistered online survey experiments, we demonstrate the potential of generative AI as a tool to study persuasion and provide important insights about the psychological and communicative processes that lead to increased persuasion. Specifically, we test the effects of four AI-generated counterattitudinal persuasive strategies, designed to test the effectiveness of messages that include customization (writing messages based on a receiver's personal traits and beliefs), and elaboration (increased psychological engagement with the argument through interaction). We find that all four types of persuasive AI produce significant attitude change relative to the control and shift vote support for candidates espousing views consistent with the treatments. However, we do not find evidence that message customization via microtargeting or cognitive elaboration through interaction with the AI have much more persuasive effect than a single generic message. These findings have implications for different theories of persuasion, which we discuss. Finally, we find that although persuasive messages are able to moderate some people's attitudes, they have inconsistent and weaker effects on the democratic reciprocity people grant to their political opponents. This suggests that attitude moderation (ideological depolarization) does not necessarily lead to increased democratic tolerance or decreased affective polarization.

The mechanism of chunk restructuring in the memory superiority effect of Insight: Dissociating the roles of decomposition and composition

This study investigates the role of chunk restructuring, particularly its decomposition and composition processes, in the memory superiority effect of insight. Participants completed a Chinese character transformation task in three conditions: decomposition-focused (DE), composition-focused (CO), and control. Individuals made old/new judgments on Chinese characters and confidence judgments after 4 min or 24 h later. Results showed that for the solution character obtained from decomposition, the DE condition had higher recognition rates and confidence compared to the CO and control conditions, with no significant difference between the latter two. Similarly, for the solution character obtained from composition, the CO condition had higher recognition rates and confidence compared to the DE and control conditions, with no significant difference between the latter two. The study dissociated the critical roles of the decomposition and composition processes of chunk restructuring in the insight memory advantage effect.

Psychosocial Correlates of Adherence to Mind-Body Interventions

Mind-body interventions involve practices that intentionally combine mental and physical fitness, showing promise for improving psychological and cognitive health in older adults. Limited research exists on adherence to these interventions and the demographic and psychosocial factors that may predict variability in compliance. In the current study, we identified key correlates-demographic, psychosocial, and cognitive-of adherence to two mind-body interventions. Baseline and intervention data were analyzed together from a randomized controlled trial of older adults who participated in two four-week mind-body interventions and completed practice logs (n = 60). Adherence was defined as the average weekly self-reported minutes of homework practice during the intervention. Baseline correlates included education, sex assigned at birth, working memory score, emotion dysregulation, positive and negative affect, trait mindfulness, and depression. Partial least squares regression was used to identify latent components. A significant one-component solution from the final model explained 23.08% of the variance in practice minutes. Greater adherence was associated with mild depressive symptoms, difficulties with emotion regulation, and lower working memory scores. These findings suggest that participants with mild emotional and cognitive difficulties may be more likely to adhere to mind-body interventions. These results emphasize the target population likely to engage in mind-body interventions and may be valuable for designing tailored interventions and developing strategies to maximize adherence. This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (#NCT03432754) on February 14, 2018.

Move to learn: considerations for providing upright, hands-free, self-initiated mobility to children with severe physical and communication disabilities

Development in children is sometimes described as a series of isolated milestones, e.g., first smile, first word, sitting, crawling, first step, and so on, even though that is not actually how human development unfolds. Rather, many of the skills that emerge during childhood are better understood using neuroplasticity, dynamic systems theory, and embodied cognition. Based on these findings and theories, we explore the potential impact that upright, hands-free, self-initiated mobility can have on children with severe physical and communication disabilities who use augmentative and alternative communication, specifically focusing on their growth in communicative competence. We discuss research that demonstrates the benefits to children with different physical abilities when they engage in upright, hands-free, self-initiated mobility. This article reflects the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth by considering the importance of identifying functional communication needs and goals, taking into account participation barriers, communication limitations, and personal and environmental factors. We advocate for adopting family-centered, interprofessional collaborative service delivery models that more directly align with current theories of human development. Finally, we call for the adoption of implementation science to help bridge the existing gaps between theory and evidence-based practices.

Environmental degradation does not induce cortisol-measured stress in environmentally aware participants

It is well established that exposure to nature can reduce stress - but what if that "nature" is in a degraded state? We suggest a gap in research on nature-stress connections--and attempt to fill that gap. We conducted an experiment to test whether viewing photographs of polluted water would induce stress, as compared to photographs of clean water. In two conditions, we used sets of images that we digitally altered to be equivalent in every way except for the condition of the water. In the polluted-water treatment, all images depicted Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), also sometimes called cyanobacteria blooms; in the clean-water (control) group, water looked free from HABs. Using a before-after-control-impact design, we tested pre- and post-intervention salivary cortisol to measure response to intervention exposure (i.e., photographs of lakes with or without HABs). We also collected qualitative data related to participants' reflections on the images they observed, and quantitative data on their connectedness to nature and climate anxiety. Participants recognized the HABs and their negative effects. Yet our hypothesis-that participants who viewed HABs-infested images would have larger increases in cortisol-was not supported, even when considering participants with high and low measures of connectedness to nature and climate anxiety. We discuss possible explanations for the lack of effect found.

Sexism in teams: Exposure to sexist comments increases emotional synchrony but eliminates its benefits for team performance

In a world where teams serve as the backbone of collaboration and innovation, women must feel safe when contributing to teamwork. Unfortunately, an increasing number of women report experiencing sexual harassment in workplaces and other collective settings. This research included an examination of how exposure to sexist insults affects collaborative efforts. We argue that in addition to its well-documented effects on individuals, sexism within teams undermines team performance. Hence, emotional synchrony-temporally coordinated emotional facial expressions between individuals-loses its ability to enhance collaboration when team members are exposed to sexism. Under the threat of sexist comments, emotional synchrony signals social bonding rather than focusing team members on performance goals. To test this theory, 177 woman dyads interacting on a video-conferencing platform received instructions for a cooperative task with/without sexist comments from an actor-experimenter in sexism/control conditions. Emotional synchrony was assessed through temporal alignment in facial expressions between dyad members and was correlated with team performance. Our findings revealed a significant increase in facial expressive synchrony among teams in the sexism condition. Whereas facial expressive synchrony predicted better performance in the control condition, its classic positive effects on team performance vanished under sexism. These results suggest that exposure to sexism, while enhancing social cohesion, eliminates the benefits of emotional synchrony, which is considered the social glue of collective action. These findings suggest that zero-tolerance policies for sexual harassment are not only more ethical but can also promote effective teamwork.

Humans exhibit associative symmetry in the absence of backward training and stimulus overlap

A recent survey of the evidence on associative symmetry in humans revealed that nearly all the demonstrations either unintentionally trained backward stimulus pairings and/or had a temporal overlap between the stimuli being trained. We consider these criticisms and improve on our own method of "associative networks." In this method, participants learn multiple stimulus pairings via arbitrary matching-to-sample tasks in which the stimuli are concurrently presented as sample and comparison stimuli. In Experiment 1, human participants learned a bidirectional network (in which symmetry was synergistic) and a unidirectional network (in which symmetry was antagonistic) or two unidirectional networks (removing explicit reinforcement of backward stimulus pairings). In Experiment 2, participants learned two unidirectional networks; however, we removed the temporal overlap between sample and comparison stimuli by imposing a 1-s delay between them. Both experiments showed robust evidence of symmetry, suggesting that the expression of symmetry in humans survives the most common confounds in published research.

Changes in cognitive function and functional brain networks in chemotherapy-exposed patients with breast cancer: A longitudinal study

Despite the accumulating evidence on cognitive impairment in patients with cancer after chemotherapy, it remains unclear whether changes in cognitive function after chemotherapy are related to changes in brain function, because most of the previous studies were cross-sectional. Additionally, little is known regarding changes in functional brain network topological measurements (which quantify different features of brain network organization) after chemotherapy. Therefore, by applying graph theoretical analysis to resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data in a longitudinal study design, we investigated whether patients with breast cancer (n = 17) had changes in cognitive function and in topological properties of the functional brain network before and after chemotherapy (particularly within 6 months to 1 year after chemotherapy) and whether these changes were correlated. Patients exhibited a higher cognitive function (visual and spatial memory) and some network topological properties at a certain sparsity threshold after treatment, showing better memory function, network segregation, and small-worldness. We also observed a correlation between changes in the observed cognitive functions and network topological properties. These novel findings improve our understanding of the long-term effects of chemotherapy on cognitive function and functional brain network in patients with breast cancer, revealing part of the trajectories of changes after chemotherapy. Furthermore, these findings provide insights into cognitive and neural recovery and the associated neural mechanisms of network topological properties.

Using photovoice to facilitate the report of emotions in an interview setting: An experimental study

BACKGROUND

Finding words to describe emotional experiences can be challenging. Photovoice (PV) represents a possible way of facilitating the report of emotions. In the PV approach, people take pictures that they feel are related to a certain topic. Afterwards, they are invited to talk about this topic based on the pictures. There is a lack of experimental studies investigating the effectiveness of PV to aid in emotional processing in comparison to other methods.

METHODS

Sixty-five participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups (mean age: 28.23 years [SD = 9.23], 76% female). The photovoice-group received the task to take pictures that reflect future worries about something in the future. Participants in the active control group, the writing group, were instructed to write down their future worries. The control group did not receive an assignment. In a subsequent semi-structured interview, all participants were invited to talk about their future worries. The interviews were audio-recorded and later transcribed. The number of emotion words was counted during the transcriptions. After the interview, participants completed an online self-report questionnaire addressing a range of variables such as the participants' emotional state and their perceived difficulty identifying emotions.

RESULTS

Contrary to our hypotheses, one-way ANOVAs revealed no differences in any of the self-report measures between the three study groups (all p values > 0.14). Planned contrasts regarding the transcribed interviews revealed, however, that the PV-group reported more negative emotion words compared to the two other groups t(62) = 2.79, p = .007, and also compared to the WG only, t(62) = 2.48, p = .016.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The discrepancy between self-report regarding emotionality in the questionnaires and emotion words observed during the interviews is notable. PV increased the observational emotion report even in a sample with high emotional awareness. Future research should examine if PV can facilitate emotion reporting in a clinical sample.

Who benefits from debiasing?

Reasoning errors significantly impede sound decision-making. Despite advancements in debiasing interventions designed to improve reasoning, not all individuals benefit from these approaches. This study explores the individual differences that contribute to variability in debiasing success, focusing on thinking dispositions, cognitive capacities, and pre-training conflict detection. Using the two-response paradigm, we measured intuitive and deliberative responses both before and after a base-rate neglect debiasing intervention to better understand the relationship between individual differences and training effects. Participants were categorized into three groups: consistently biased (those who did not benefit from the training), improved (those who showed better performance either intuitively or deliberately after the training), and consistently correct (those who produced correct responses without needing the training). Each group differed across the measured variables, with the improved group falling between the consistently correct and consistently biased groups. Our findings indicate that thinking dispositions, such as open-minded thinking, played a more critical role in debiasing success than cognitive capacities. Although cognitive capacity does predict overall accuracy in reasoning, once thinking dispositions were taken into account, cognitive capacity did not predict the success of the training effect. We also found that conflict detection served as a signal prompting additional cognitive effort during the intervention, suggesting that the benefit from training depended on both recognizing errors and the motivation to engage in reflective thinking during the training. These findings challenge the idea that cognitive abilities are the primary drivers of reasoning improvement and emphasize the crucial role of thinking dispositions in achieving debiasing success.

Assessing autobiographical memory consistency: Machine and human approaches

Memory is far from a stable representation of what we have encountered. Over time, we can forget, modify, and distort the details of our experiences. How autobiographical memory-the memories we have for our personal past-changes has important ramifications in both personal and public contexts. However, methodological challenges have hampered research in this area. Here, we introduce a standardized manual scoring procedure for systematically quantifying the consistency of narrative autobiographical memory recall and review advancements in natural language processing models that might be applied to examine changes in memory narratives. We compare the performance of manual and automated approaches on a large dataset of memories recalled at two time points placed approximately 2 months apart (N(memory pairs) = 1,026). We show that human and automated approaches are moderately correlated (r = .21-.46), though numerically human scorers provide conservative measures of consistency, while machines provide a liberal measure. We conclude by highlighting the strengths and limitations of both manual and automated approaches and recommend that human scoring be employed when the types of mnemonic details that are consistent over time and/or what drives inconsistencies in memory are of interest.

Accelerated HD-tACS for craving and cognition in synthetic cannabinoid use disorder: a case report

INTRODUCTION

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), a noninvasive neuromodulation technique, has been demonstrated to improve cognitive function. Recent advances in neuromodulation protocols have introduced an accelerated intervention paradigm, which has shown promising therapeutic outcomes across various noninvasive brain stimulation modalities. Despite these encouraging developments in cognitive enhancement, there remains a significant gap in the literature regarding the potential therapeutic applications of accelerated tACS protocols in substance use disorders.

CASE SUMMARY

We present the case of a 22-year-old man diagnosed with synthetic cannabinoid use disorder (SCUD), who underwent accelerated high-definition tACS (HD-tACS) over two days. Changes in attention bias, craving, and impulsivity were assessed by electroencephalography (EEG), standardized scale, and behavioral test. The results revealed that the patient experienced reductions in pathological attention bias, drug craving, and impulsive and risk-taking behaviors following the accelerated HD-tACS intervention, with reductions in drug craving and behavior control sustained for five weeks post-treatment.

CONCLUSION

This is the first case to confirm the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of accelerated HD-tACS in treating SCUD, with therapeutic effects sustained for up to five weeks, highlighting the need for further systematic investigations in substance use disorders.