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Cognitive remediation is now widely recognized as an effective treatment for cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Its effects are meaningful, durable, and related to improvements in everyday functional outcomes. As with many therapies, the evolution of cognitive remediation has resulted in treatment programs that use a variety of specific techniques, yet share common core principles. This paper is the product of a cognitive remediation expert working group consensus meeting to identify core features of the treatment and produce recommendations for its design, conduct, reporting, and implementation. Four techniques were identified as core features of cognitive remediation: facilitation by a therapist, cognitive exercise, procedures to develop problem-solving strategies, and procedures to facilitate transfer to real world functioning. Treatment techniques within each of these core features are presented to facilitate decisions for clinical trials and implementation in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Exposing learners to cognitive computing concepts involves new learning strategies. Because cognitive computing is probabilistic, using massive sets of data is fundamental in understanding these concepts. One data set is the release of the Offshore Panama Papers Leaks Database (LeaksDB) in May 2016, in which researchers were able to access this graph database as part of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) Offshore Leaks investigation and to draw conclusions about companies, trusts, foundations, and funds incorporated in 21 tax havens. For the purpose of this research, GraphDB Server was installed and configured by faculty members from a mid-western university. In addition, DBPedia and GeoNames repositories were linked to LeaksDB, leading to the discovery of interesting patterns about these Geo facade relationships between Officers (persons or companies) and Countries. Highlights • Using massive data sets is fundamental to teaching cognitive computing concepts. • Repositories linked to Panama Papers LeaksDB uncovered patterns of relationships. • Top 20 countries are related to 80% of entities listed in the LeaksDB database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between testing mode (taking a test on computer versus paper) and two other factors: (1) cognitive load and (2) scratch paper use in an undergraduate general chemistry class setting. Cognitive load was measured with two self-report questions (perceived mental effort and level of difficulty) and scratch paper use was analyzed manually. All 221 students completed three assessments administered either on computer or paper. The assessments included a variety of chemistry topics with an equal number of three question types (algorithmic, conceptual, and definition). There was no significant difference in the cognitive load imposed by computer or paper-based tests at the overall test level or by question type. Students utilized scratch paper more on paper-based than online tests, especially when the questions were conceptual, and they used scratch paper the most for algorithmic questions. Altogether, these results provide further support that online testing can be implemented in educational settings without imposing additional cognitive load on students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The papers in this issue provide an excellent example of how pertinent distinctions which emerge from analysis of significant data sets can be communicated to colleagues and used to make sense of observations. The distinctions are vividly described, illustrated and exemplified, and used to chart maturation in student use of examples from middle school, through high school and into university. Curiously, no corresponding maturation was detected in students' choice of examples to use for themselves. Contrast was detected between the way students used the same examples for comprehending a conjecture and testing its validity, and the way that some mathematicians used specifically constructed examples for locating underlying structure. What emerged for me from reading these papers is confirmation of the central role of attention, the productiveness of engaging students at the earliest ages and throughout their schooling with the detection and expression of generality, and the importance of being explicit about the scope of generality encompassed by a claim. Purposeful use of examples by students could be expected to develop as teachers explicitly use examples purposefully with and for students. A reasonable conjecture might be that getting students to be explicit about the scope of generality, of possible variation of which they are aware, might shed light on obstacles and barriers to reasoning which might otherwise lead to proof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined two common mechanisms that are used to explain why reading on an electronic screen versus paper result in different reading outcomes: The Cognitive Map Mechanism and the Medium Materiality Mechanism. A laboratory experiment (N = 45), was conducted using a three-group comparison design (paper book vs. digital equivalent vs. digital disrupted view). Our hypotheses that were based on the cognitive map mechanism were largely supported. On the other hand, our hypotheses following the medium materiality mechanism were not sufficiently evidenced. Specifically, our results showed that the paper book was similar to its digital equivalent, and both were better than the digital disrupted view in terms of reading comprehension, feelings of fatigue, and psychological immersion. The findings implied that it is not the materiality of the presentation medium that influences reading outcomes, rather it is the extent to which the text presentation facilitates, or impedes, the reader's ability to construct a cognitive map that influences the reading process. Implications for future research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining the relationship between the responses of a number of different cognitive trainings on cognitive functioning in middle-aged and elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment. Randomized controlled experimental studies published publicly from the time of inception to October 30, 2023 were searched through Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library databases. Traditional and network meta-analyses were performed using Stata 17.0 software. Fifty papers on 4 types of cognitive training were included. Traditional meta-analysis showed that virtual reality training (SMD = 0.53, 95% CI : [0.36,0.70], P = 0.00), neuropsychological training (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI : [0.18,0.70], P = 0.00), cognitive strategy training (SMD = 0.26, 95% CI : [0.16,0.36], P = 0.00), and cognitive behavioral therapy (SMD = 0.25, 95% CI : [0.08,0.41], P = 0.00) all had significant improvement effects on the cognitive function of middle-aged and elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment. Network meta-analysis revealed neuropsychological training as the best cognitive training, and subgroup analysis of cognitive function subdimensions showed that neuropsychological training had the best effects on working memory, lobal cognitive function, memory, and cognitive flexibility improvement. Meanwhile, virtual reality training had the best effects on processing speed, verbal ability, overall executive function, spatial cognitive ability, and attention improvement. Cognitive training can significantly improve the cognitive function of middle-aged and elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment, and neuropsychological training is the best intervention, most effective in interventions lasting more than 8 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There is a shift from a perspective biased towards visual methods to a broader understanding of the multisensory phenomenon known as "sensescape". Yet, the interplay among senses remains underexplored. • There is a lack of a universally agreed-upon definition for certain affects which are often characterized by their longer durations, ambiguity, and irreducibility. • Some functional studies explore attitudes to enhance cycling rates, while identity research emphasizes local context. Identities of cyclists in our sample face marginalization, stigma, disadvantage, and invisibility. • Retrospective surveys and interviews are dominant, but growing interest in mobile methods enhances real-time and context-specific data collection. • The positive values of cycling experiences have been largely ignored in our sample of studies, suggesting that the dominant narrative is still guided by the assumption that mobility is a disutility. When evaluating cycling subjective experiences (CSE), mobility researchers have questioned the depictions of cycling as an efficient, fast, and solitary mobility mode. By reframing cycling in terms of its emotional impact on the cyclist, research to date has explored dimensions such as fun, relaxation, and sociability of cycling experiences. Yet, these insights have not been integrated into a holistic understanding of CSE. Addressing this gap, this paper asks: what is the CSE exactly and how do we measure it? We selected and analysed in-depth 50 articles with the aim of unpacking the innate characteristics of CSE. The paper makes a contribution to the research on CSE by presenting a novel framework that clarifies the relationships within existing literature, and identifies measurement methods aligned with this framework. The three interrelated core aspects of CSE are 1) sensory interpretation, 2) affective states, and 3) cognitive construction. Additionally, the three identified methods are 1) retrospective, 2) interceptive, and 3) mobile methods. Notably, retrospective surveys and interviews emerged as the dominant methods employed in the field. However, there has been a growing interest in mobile methods, which enable the collection of real-time and context-specific data, thereby enhancing the generalizability of research findings. Through our analysis we have found that the positive values of cycling experiences have been largely ignored in our sample of studies, revealing a bias of researchers to focus on mobility as a disutility. Based on our findings, we urge planners and scholars to rethink their implicit efforts to mitigate the negative effects of cycling experiences and look for opportunities to optimize for positive cycling experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Interaction feature pair (IFP) is introduced as carriers of interaction intents. • A product information model is established for interaction intent transmission. • Behaviors of cognizing interaction structures are achieved based on IFP matching. • Parts are endowed with the cognition behavior to mate with each other autonomously. Interactions of a part with other parts in an assembly constitute the behavior of the part. However, currently parts interact with each other lifelessly in assembly environment due to their incapability of cognizing interaction structures between them, making the assembly modeling of complex products suffer from considerable manual interventions. An intelligent assembly modeling method is proposed for complex products in this paper, by endowing parts with the ability of cognizing interaction structures between them. In this method, the concept of interaction feature pair (IFP) and the corresponding automatic construction algorithms are developed to explicitly describe interaction intent (i.e., how a part will mate with other parts) in designer's mind, providing carriers for part cognition behaviors and dynamical interaction intent in the assembly modeling process. On this basis, an object-oriented product information model considering IFP is established to facilitate the complete capture of interaction intent at part modeling stage and the consistent transmission of it to assembly modeling stage, endowing parts with the cognition ability of foreseeing how to mate with other parts before and after loading into assembly modeling environment. Then, IFP matching algorithms are designed to support the part cognition behaviors of actively cognizing interaction structures, perceiving potential mating parts and mating with other parts with high efficiency. Assembly modeling case studies of a reducer and a Mecanum wheel with few manual interventions indicate the feasibility of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To synthesize the findings of cognitive interview and usability studies performed to assess the measurement equivalence of patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments migrated from paper to electronic formats (ePRO), and make recommendations regarding future migration validation requirements and ePRO design best practice.Methods: We synthesized findings from all cognitive interview and usability studies performed by a contract research organization between 2012 and 2015: 53 studies comprising 68 unique instruments and 101 instrument evaluations. We summarized study findings to make recommendations for best practice and future validation requirements.Results: Five studies (9%) identified minor findings during cognitive interview that may possibly affect instrument measurement properties. All findings could be addressed by application of ePRO best practice, such as eliminating scrolling, ensuring appropriate font size, ensuring suitable thickness of visual analogue scale lines, and providing suitable instructions. Similarly, regarding solution usability, 49 of the 53 studies (92%) recommended no changes in display clarity, navigation, operation, and completion without help. Reported usability findings could be eliminated by following good product design such as the size, location, and responsiveness of navigation buttons.Conclusions: With the benefit of accumulating evidence, it is possible to relax the need to routinely conduct cognitive interview and usability studies when implementing minor changes during instrument migration. Application of design best practice and selecting vendor solutions with good user interface and user experience properties that have been assessed in a representative group may enable many instrument migrations to be accepted without formal validation studies by instead conducting a structured expert screen review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 conspiracy theories have become widespread since the onset of the pandemic and compound the existing challenges of decisional capacity assessment. This paper aims to review the literature pertaining to decisional capacity assessment in the context of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and synthesize a practical approach with an emphasis on differential diagnosis and clinical pearls for the practicing physician. We reviewed papers on decisional capacity assessment and differential diagnosis in the context of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs. A literature search was conducted using the US National Library of Medicine's PubMed.gov resource and Google Scholar. The resulting article content was utilized to synthesize a practical approach to decisional capacity assessment in the context of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs. Specifically, aspects related to the history, taxonomy, evaluation, and management are reviewed. Appreciating the nuanced differences between delusions, overvalued ideas, and obsessions while with integrating the non-cognitive domains of capacity into the assessment are crucial to navigating the wide differential diagnosis of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs. It is important to attempt to clarify and optimize patient decision-making abilities by addressing circumstances, attitudes, and cognitive styles specific to patients with seemingly irrational beliefs about COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehension tends to be less effective when reading on screens than on paper, particularly with texts that require a deeper understanding or when reading under time pressure. Recent evidence indicates that digital readers exhibit a tendency towards more shallow or superficial text processing and less metacognitive regulation. Emerging evidence on the reading of dynamic digital texts reaffirms the importance of visual and attentional constraints as per the reading of static texts, but also highlights the critical role played by contextual factors in guiding the use of reading strategies in digital environments. Although readers can develop adaptive reading strategies in response to different conditions, the efficacy of those strategies depends on various cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational factors. People increasingly read text displayed on digital devices, including computers, handheld e-readers, and smartphones. Given this, there is rapidly growing interest in understanding how the cognitive processes that support the reading of static text (e.g., books, magazines, or newspapers) might be adapted to reading digital texts. Evidence from recent experiments suggests a complex interplay of visual and cognitive influences on how people engage with digital reading. Although readers can strategically adjust their reading behaviors in response to their immediate reading context, the efficacy of these strategies depends on cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational factors. A better understanding of the factors that influence reading offers the promise of leveraging digital technologies to enhance the reading experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: A new patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument to measure fatigue symptoms and impacts in relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) was developed in a qualitative stage, followed by psychometric validation and migration from paper to an electronic format.Methods: Adult patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) were interviewed to elicit fatigue-related symptoms and impacts. A draft questionnaire was debriefed in cognitive interviews with further RRMS patients, and revised. Content confirmation interviews were conducted with patients with progressive-relapsing multiple sclerosis (PRMS) and relapsing secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis (RSPMS). Psychometric analyses used data from adult patients with different RMS subtypes and matched non-RMS controls in a multicenter, observational study. After item reduction, the final instrument was migrated to a smartphone (eDiary) and usability was confirmed in interviews with additional adult RMS patients.Results: The qualitative stage included 37 RRMS, 5 PRMS, and 5 RSPMS patients. Saturation of concepts was reached during concept elicitation. Cognitive interviews confirmed that participants understood the instructions, items, and response options of the instrument-named FSIQ-RMS-as intended. Psychometric validation included 164 RMS and 74 control patients. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were demonstrated. The symptoms domain discriminated along the RMS symptom-severity continuum and between patients and controls. Patients were able to attribute fatigue-related symptoms to RMS. Usability and conceptual equivalence of the eDiary were confirmed (n = 10 participants).Conclusions: With 7 symptom items and 13 impact items (in 3 impacts subdomains: physical, cognitive and emotional, and coping) after item reduction, the FSIQ-RMS is a comprehensive, valid, and reliable measure of fatigue-related symptoms and impacts in RMS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screen media activity (SMA) consumes considerable time in youth's lives, raising concerns about the effects it may have on youth development. Disentangling mixed associations between SMA of youth and developmental measures should move beyond overall screen time and consider types and patterns of SMA. This study aimed to identify reliable and generalizable SMA patterns among youth and examine their associations with behavioral developmental measures and developing brain functional connectivity. Three waves of Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) data were examined. The Lifespan Human Connectome Project in Development (HCP-D) was interrogated as an independent sample. ABCD participants included 11,876 children at baseline. HCP-D participants included 652 children and adolescents. Youth-reported SMA and behavioral developmental measures (neurocognitive performance, behavioral problems, psychotic-like experiences, impulsivity, and sensitivities to punishment/reward) were assessed with validated instruments. We identified SMA patterns in the ABCD baseline data using K-means clustering and sensitivity analyses. Generalizability and stability of the identified SMA patterns were examined in HCP-D data and ABCD follow-up waves, respectively. Relations between SMA patterns and behavioral and brain (resting-state brain functional connectivity) measures were examined using linear mixed effects modeling with false discovery rate (FDR) correction. SMA data from 11,815 children (mean [SD] age = 119.0 [7.5] months; 6,159 [52.1%] boys) were examined; 3,151 (26.7%) demonstrated a video-centric higher-frequency SMA pattern, and 8,664 (73.3%) demonstrated a lower-frequency pattern. SMA patterns were validated in similarly aged HCP-D youth. Compared with the lower-frequency SMA pattern group, the video-centric higher-frequency SMA pattern group showed poorer neurocognitive performance (β = −.12, 95% CI [−0.08, −0.16], FDR-corrected p <.001), more total behavioral problems (β =.13, 95% CI [0.09, 0.18], FDR-corrected p <.001), and more psychotic-like experiences (β =.31, 95% CI [0.27, 0.36], FDR-corrected p <.001). The video-centric higher-frequency SMA pattern group demonstrated higher impulsivity, more sensitivity to punishment/reward, and altered resting-state brain functional connectivity among brain areas implicated previously in cognitive processes. Most of the associations persisted with age in the ABCD data, with more participants (n = 3,378, 30.4%) in the video-centric higher-frequency SMA group at 1-year follow-up. A social communication–centric SMA pattern was observed in HCP-D adolescents. Video-centric SMA patterns are reliable and generalizable during late childhood. A higher-frequency video entertainment SMA pattern group showed altered resting-state brain functional connectivity and poorer developmental measures that persisted longitudinally. The findings suggest that public health strategies to decrease excessive time spent by children on video entertainment–related SMA are needed. Further studies are needed to examine potential video-centric/social communication–centric SMA bifurcation to understand dynamic changes and trajectories of SMA patterns and related outcomes developmentally. We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. We actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our author group. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our reference list. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correlations between cognitive ability and psychopathology are well recognized, but prior research has been limited by focusing on individuals with intellectual disability, single-diagnosis psychiatric populations, or few measures of psychopathology. Here, we quantify relationships between full-scale IQ and multiple dimensions of psychopathology in a diverse care-seeking population, with a novel focus on differential coupling between psychopathology dimensions as a function of IQ. A total of 70 dimensional measures of psychopathology, plus IQ and demographic data, were collated for 2,752 children and adolescents from the Healthy Brain Network dataset. We first examined univariate associations between IQ and psychopathology, and then characterized how the correlational architecture of psychopathology differs between groups at extremes of the IQ distribution. Associations with IQ vary in magnitude between different domains of psychopathology: IQ shows the strongest negative correlations with attentional and social impairments, but is largely unrelated to affective symptoms and psychopathy. Lower IQ is associated with stronger coupling between internalizing problems and aggression, repetitive behaviors, and hyperactivity/inattentiveness. Our analyses reveal that variation in general cognitive ability is associated not only with significant and selective shifts in severity of psychopathology, but also in the coupling between different dimensions of psychopathology. These findings have relevance for the clinical assessment of mental health in populations with varying IQ, and may also inform ongoing efforts to improve the measurement of psychopathology and to understand how relationships between cognition and behavior are reflected in brain organization. We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure sex balance in the selection of non-human subjects. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science. One or more of the authors of this paper received support from a program designed to increase minority representation in science. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. We actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our author group. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our reference list. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented sexual and/or gender groups in science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humans can make assertions and can judge the assertions of other to be true or false. In doing so, humans represent the world. As far as we know, only human being are capable of staking a claim in this way; rocks, roses, and rabbits can't do it. The question addressed in this paper is how children become capable of doing so. Philosophers have imagined that answering this question requires us to give a theory of the nature of the representational content of an assertion – that is, of the way it represents the world. In this paper I apply what we might call the metalinguistic approach , as championed by Talbot Taylor, to the problem of representational content. I do so by providing an account of how children come to be able to engage in acts of assertion and properly respond to the assertions of others in terms of their developing skills. For telling this story, I will rely on an embodied approach to cognition. In particular, I argue that reflexive linguistic skills enable the child to develop a sensitivity to the conditions under which speech acts are correct. Once the reflexive dimension of claim-making practices has come into focus, I conclude that no theory of content is required. Instead, I propose to shift talk away from content to an ability of individuals which I refer to as content-sensitivity. • I propose a metalinguistic approach to the notion of representational content philosophers take to be central to assertions. • This approach enables embodied approaches to cognition to explain how children come to be able to make assertions. • I talk about a child's developing content-sensitivity as expressed in reflexive skills instead of seeing contents as things. • Once we understand the normative reflexive dimension of language, a theory of language's true nature is no longer required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) automatic target recognition (ATR) is a crucial technique utilized in various scenarios of geoscience and remote sensing. Despite the remarkable success of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in optical vision tasks, the application of CNNs in SAR ATR is still a challenging area due to the significant differences in the imaging mechanisms of SAR and optical images. This paper analytically addresses the cognitive gap of CNNs between optical and SAR images by leveraging multi-order interactions to measure their representation capacity. Furthermore, we propose a subjective evaluation strategy to compare human interactions with those of CNNs. Our findings reveal that CNNs operate differently for optical and SAR images. Specifically, for SAR images, CNNs' representation capacity is comparable to that of humans, as they can encode intermediate interactions better than simple and complex ones. In contrast, for optical images, CNNs excel at encoding simple and complex interactions, but not intermediate interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper presents a unique set of data relating to 1,573 older people attending the Memory Clinic of the University Hospital of Angers, France, from the MERE cohort. • Orthostatic hypotension (OH) was associated with executive disorder on the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). • Among the sub-scores of the FAB, only that for the motor sequence of Luria was associated with OH. • These findings shed new light on the relationship between orthostatic hypotension and executive function, which appears to be clinically relevant and may suggest an effect of OH on brain motor control. Orthostatic hypotension (OH) seems to be implicated in cognitive impairment. Nevertheless, not all the cognitive functions affected by OH have been identified. Participants from the MERE cohort were evaluated for OH (i.e. drop in blood pressure ≥20 mmHg for systolic and ≥10 mmHg for diastolic between lying and standing) and executive functions, implicated in brain motor control, and evaluated with the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and its sub-scores. Of the 1573 patients selected, 338 had OH (21.5 %). We found an inverse cross-sectional association between OH and linear FAB score and an association with the sub-score for the motor sequence of Luria. In the MERE cohort, OH was associated with executive function disorder and with a pathological motor sequence of Luria as a melo-kinetic praxis disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Van Duijn and colleagues propose that minimal cognition can be understood in terms of sensorimotor coordination – that is the coordination between sensory apparatus of an organism and the motor processes that move it around the environment (2006). Despite there being much to recommend this account it still faces some challenges. For example, it does not accord with the intuition that there are cognitive processes that have little to do with sensorimotor coupling, it relies on a strong distinction between metabolic and cognitive processes, and perhaps counterintuitively it denies cognition to plants but grants it to the bacteria on their roots that perform various functions for them. Moreover, it is difficult to see how to account for cognition over the transition from single to multicellular organisms. This paper proposes taking a more radical view of cognition to be what happens in swarms – the coordination of multiple processes through the traces of their actions in the environment. Key to this approach is the observation that the structure of the environment plays an active coordinative role and that this structure results in part from the actions of the system that it helps coordinate. Systems develop sensitivity to the appropriate trace variables in the environment. Viewed as collections of processes bacteria, biofilms, plants, animals can be viewed as cognitive systems in this framework and it has the potential to be applied to the social world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite evidence that cognitive remediation improves cognitive and employment outcomes in persons with severe mental illnesses (SMI), its effects have not been systematically compared between Black and White participants. Considering that Black adults have more negative experiences receiving mental health treatment, providers may have greater difficulty engaging and retaining Black Americans in cognitive remediation. Due to the effects of structural racism on reducing employment opportunities for Black Americans, it is unclear whether Black participants will reap the same benefits of cognitive remediation on work outcomes as White Americans. This paper addressed this question. A secondary analysis was conducted of five randomized controlled trials comparing cognitive remediation (the Thinking Skills for Work program: TSW) and vocational rehabilitation vs. vocational rehabilitation only in 137 Black and 147 White Americans (64.2% schizophrenia-schizoaffective disorder) who were followed up for two years. Comparable proportions of Black and White participants were engaged and retained in TSW (>75%). Participants who received TSW improved significantly more in cognition than those receiving vocational services alone, with no racial differences in benefit. Participants in TSW obtained more work, earned more wages, and worked more weeks than those receiving vocational services alone, with no differences between the races. The findings indicate that Black Americans with SMI receiving vocational services could be successfully engaged in and benefit from cognitive remediation, highlighting the vital role of healthcare service systems in giving credence to structural racism to more effectively mitigate racial disparities in treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The terms "extended cognition" and the "extended mind" identify two strands of philosophical argument that are commonly subsumed under the general heading of active externalism. The present paper describes an integrated approach to understanding extended cognition and the extended mind—one that papers over the differences between these two, ostensibly distinct, forms of cognitive extension. As an added bonus, the paper describes how active externalism might be applied to the realm of non-cognitive phenomena, thereby yielding an expansion in the theoretical and empirical scope of the active externalist enterprise. Both these points of progress stem from what is called the dispositional hypothesis. According to the dispositional hypothesis, extended cognition occurs when the mechanisms responsible for the manifestation of dispositional properties include components that lie beyond the borders of the thing to which the dispositional properties are ascribed. • A clearer explication of active externalist theses is required. • According to the dispositional hypothesis, cognitive extension occurs when the mechanisms responsible for the manifestation of dispositional properties extend beyond the borders of the entity to which dispositional properties are ascribed. • A consideration of dispositional properties provides the basis for a unified approach to understanding extended cognition and the extended mind. • Active externalism can be applied to phenomena that do not fall within the empirical orbit of cognitive science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A synopsis of recent papers about the reuniens and rhomboid nuclei (ReRh) is proposed. • Recent findings confirm a key role of ReRh nuclei in a multi-structural circuitry supporting numerous cognitive functions. • ReRh gate the information flow and coordinate activity between the medial prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus • ReRh nuclei are affected in diseases or disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, depression, alcohol abuse, A. ALS). Over the past twenty years, the reuniens and rhomboid (ReRh) nuclei, which constitute the ventral midline thalamus, have received constantly growing attention. Since our first review article about the functional contributions of ReRh nuclei (Cassel et al., 2013), numerous (>80) important papers have extended anatomical knowledge, including at a developmental level, introduced new and very original electrophysiological insights on ReRh functions, and brought novel results on cognitive and non-cognitive implications of the ReRh. The current review will cover these recent articles, more on Re than on Rh, and their contribution will be approached according to their affiliation with work before 2013. These neuroanatomical, electrophysiological or behavioral findings appear coherent and point to the ReRh nuclei as two major components of a multistructural system supporting numerous cognitive (and non-cognitive) functions. They gate the flow of information, perhaps especially from the medial prefrontal cortex to the hippocampus and back, and coordinate activity and processing across these two (and possibly other) brain regions of major cognitive relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The computational theory of cognition, or computationalism, holds that cognition is a form of computation. Two issues related to this view are comprised by the goal of this paper: A) Computing systems are traditionally seen as representational systems, but functional and enactive approaches support non-representational theories; B) Recently, a sociocultural theory against computationalism was proposed with the aim of ontologically reducing computing to cognition. We defend, however, that cognition and computation are in action, thus cognition is just a form of computing and that cognition is the explanatory basis for computation. We state that: 1. Representational theories of computing recurring to intentional content run into metaphysical problems. 2. Functional non-representational theories do not incur this metaphysical problem when describing computing in terms of the abstract machine. 3. Functional theories are consistent with enactive in describing computing machines not in a strictly functional way, but especially in terms of their organization. 4. Enactive cognition is consistent with the computationalism in describing Turing machines as functionally and organizationally closed systems. 5. The cognitive explanatory basis for computing improves the computational theory of cognition. When developed in the human linguistic domain, computer science is seen as a product of human socionatural normative practices, however, cognition is just an explanatory, not ontological, basis for computing. The paper concludes by supporting that computation is in action, that cognition is just one form of computing in the world and the explanatory basis for computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second-generation antidepressants (SGAs) are used widely in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) for the treatment of mood disorder, sleep disturbance and psychiatric symptoms. Several evidences from AD mice confirmed that antidepressants could delaying cognitive decline. However, the conclusions varied in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) based on patients. This meta-analysis summarizes the cognitive impact of SGAs on AD patients with different neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS). Results show there is no effect on cognition and depression between SGAs treatment and controls, and this remains in subgroups analyses of duration of medication (<12 weeks or ≥12 weeks), drug classes (SSRIs or non-SSRIs), combination with anti-dementia medication, various NPS, and degree of AD. The available evidence provides no support for the efficacy of SGAs for cognition and depression of AD patients. The implications of the findings and their mechanism relevance are also discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with specific learning disorder (SLD) have some cognitive and postural stability problems compared to typically developing (TD) children. Their single and dual-task gait performance may be affected depending on these problems. Are there any differences between the gait parameters of children with SLD and TD under single- and dual-task conditions? A comparative-descriptive study was conducted among 35 children with SLD and 33 TD children. All participants were assessed for gait parameters using a custom wireless inertial sensor under single and dual-task conditions. In the dual-task gait tests, there were the following tasks: to carry a glass of water and to tell apart the color of the paper. The children with SLD exhibited gait deterioration in both single and dual-task gait (p < 0.05). Dual-task cost cognitive values were higher in children with SLD (p < 0.05). This study highlights the worse gait performance of children with SLD under single- and dual-task conditions compared with TD children. However, interventions for their gait impairments are limited. At this point, SLD specialists can focus on multitasking to improve their walking skills. • Single- and dual-task gait parameters were affected in children with SLD. • Dual-task cost cognitive values increased in children with SLD. • Dual-task trainings should be added to SLD rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the discourse of 19 episodes from Seasons 1 and 2 of "Paranormal Survivor," a reality TV show about ghosts, haunted property, eeriness, fear, dread, and relief. Using various approaches to discourse analysis and multimodal discourse analysis we uncover the macro-, meso, and micro-level patterns of meaning creation in "Paranormal Survivor" that relate dually to the affective/psychological/sensory experiences of the protagonists as well as the cognitive puzzles, doubts, and (un)certainties underlying such paranormal phenomena. The macro-level analysis relates to the narrative structure of the program delivered through achronological multi-party perspectives, reflecting varying levels of emotional intensity/objectivity. The meso-level uncovers the various coherently related themes underlying the program. The micro-level examines the smaller bits of discourse that combine as they build the meso- (thematic) and macro- (structural) components of the larger spates of discourse through affect, emotion, believability, evidence, and empathy. This three-tiered analytic approach serves to systematically reveal the ways in which discursive mechanisms combine to enhance suspense, intensify horror, bolster both believability and relatability, and ultimately seek to establish and augment audience engagement. • Stance-taking is a discursively psycho-social cognitive and affective reaction to external stimuli. • Reality TV is both a reflection and magnification of everyday life. • Audience engagement in reality TV is a complex communicative process. • Suspense, curiosity, and surprise link both the affective and epistemic/cognitive domains of stance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In language comprehension, we use perceptual cues to infer meanings. Some of these cues reside on perceptual dimensions. For example, the difference between bear and pear is cued by a difference in voice onset time (VOT), which is a continuous perceptual dimension. The present paper asks whether, and when, experience with a single value on a dimension behaving unexpectedly is used by the learner to reweight the whole dimension. We show that learners reweight the whole VOT dimension when exposed to a single VOT value (e.g., 45 ms) and provided with feedback indicating that the speaker intended to produce a /b/ 50% of the time and a /p/ the other 50% of the time. Importantly, dimensional reweighting occurs only if 1) the 50/50 feedback is unexpected for the VOT value, and 2) there is another dimension that is predictive of feedback. When no predictive dimension is available, listeners reassociate the experienced VOT value with the more surprising outcome but do not downweight the entire VOT dimension. These results provide support for perceptual representations of speech sounds that combine cues and dimensions, for viewing perceptual learning in speech as a combination of error-driven cue reassociation and dimensional reweighting, and for considering dimensional reweighting to be reallocation of attention that occurs only when there is evidence that reallocating attention would improve prediction accuracy (Harmon, Z., Idemaru, K., & Kapatsinski, V. 2019. Learning mechanisms in cue reweighting. Cognition , 189 , 76–88.). • We investigate the learning mechanisms behind perceptual adaptation to a new accent. • Learners experience a single cue residing on a perceptual dimension (voice onset time). • When this would improve prediction accuracy, learners reweight the whole dimension. • Learners also reassociate experienced cues with a priori unexpected outcomes. • Error-driven learning involves both reassociating cues and reweighting dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reducing modifiable risk factors could prevent the onset of cognitive decline. • Physical multimorbidity–cognitive function association was mediated by depression. • Routine screening for depression in multimorbidity patient may delay dementia onset. This paper explores the role of depressive symptoms (mediator/moderator) in the association between physical multimorbidity (exposure) and cognitive function (outcome) among older adults in the three most populous middle-income countries. This study used cross-sectional data from China (2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study), India (2017/2018 Longitudinal Ageing Study in India), and Indonesia (2014/2015 Indonesian Family Life Survey), with a total sample of 73,199 respondents aged ≥ 45 years. Three domains of cognitive tests were harmonised across surveys, including time orientation, word recall, and numeracy. The four-way decomposition analysis assessed the mediation and interaction effects between exposure, mediator/moderator, and outcome, adjusted for covariates. The mean age of the respondents (in years) was slightly younger in Indonesia (56.0, SD = 8.8) than in China (59.5, SD = 9.3) and India (60.0, SD = 10.5). The proportion of male respondents was 49.3 % in China, 47.3 % in India, and 47.5 % in Indonesia. Respondents in China had the highest mean cognitive function z scores (54.7, SD = 19.9), followed by India (51.1, SD = 20.0) and Indonesia (51.0, SD = 18.4). Physical multimorbidity was associated with lower cognitive function in China and India (p < 0.0001), with 48.4 % and 40.0 % of the association explained by the mediating effect of depressive symptoms ('overall proportion due to mediation'). The association was not found in Indonesia. Cognitive functions were lower among individuals with physical multimorbidity, and depressive symptoms mainly explained the association. Addressing depressive symptoms among persons with physical multimorbidity is likely to have not only an impact on their mental health but could prevent cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilient system performance in high-stakes settings, which includes the ability to monitor, respond, anticipate, and learn, can be enhanced for trainees through simulation of realistic scenarios enhanced by augmented reality. Active learning strategies can enhance simulation-based training, particularly the mental model articulation principle where students are prompted to anticipate what will happen next and the reflection principle where students self-assess their performance compared to a gold standard expert model. In this paper, we compared simulation-based training for trauma care with and without active learning strategies during pauses in the simulated action for progressively deteriorating patients. The training was conducted online and real-time without a facilitator, with 42 medical students viewing training materials and then immediately taking an online quiz for three types of trauma cases: hemorrhage, airway obstruction, and tension pneumothorax. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control condition in a between-subjects design. We compared performance in the control and experimental conditions based on: A) the proportion of cues correctly recognized, B) the proportion of accurate diagnoses, C) the proportion of appropriate treatment interventions, and D) verbal briefing quality on a 1–5 scale. We found that the training intervention increased recognition of subtle cues critical for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment interventions; the training did not improve the accuracy of diagnoses or the quality of the verbal briefing. We conclude that incorporating active learning strategies in simulation-based training improved foundational capabilities in detecting subtle cues and intervening to rescue deteriorating patients that can increase the readiness for trainees to contribute to resilient system performance in the high-stakes setting of emergency care in hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with executive function deficits that are improved with medications. However, meta-analyses of stimulant effects on cognition have mostly tested single-dose effects, and there is no meta-analysis of non-stimulant effects. This systematic review and meta-analysis tested the clinically more relevant longer-term effects of Methylphenidate (20 studies; minimum 1 week) and Atomoxetine (8 studies; minimum 3 weeks) on reaction time, attention, inhibition, and working memory, searching papers on PubMed, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. The meta-analysis of 18 studies in 1667 subjects showed that methylphenidate was superior to placebo in all cognitive domains with small to medium effect sizes (Hedges g of 0.34–0.59). The meta-analysis of atomoxetine included 7 studies in 829 subjects and showed no effects in working memory, but superior effects in the other domains with medium to large effect sizes (Hedge's g of 0.36–0.64). Meta-regression analysis showed no drug differences on cognitive effects. The meta-analyses show for the first time that chronic Methylphenidate and Atomoxetine have comparable effects of improving executive functions in people with ADHD. • First meta-analysis of chronic medication effects on cognition in ADHD. • Cognitive domains included attention, inhibition, reaction time and working memory. • Chronic methylphenidate improved performance on all cognitive domains. • Chronic Atomoxetine improved performance on all domains except working memory. • Methylphenidate and Atomoxetine had comparable effects on improving cognition in ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Atypical cultural goods offer novelty and influence how cultural markets evolve. • Measures taken to contain crises such as COVID-19 lockdowns induce negative affects. • Both cognition and affects determine how individuals evaluate categorical atypicality. • Negative affects negatively moderate the impact of atypicality on audiences' evaluations. This paper investigates the impact of atypicality on cultural goods reception. While prior research has assumed controlled and highly cognitive mechanisms in audience evaluations, this paper probes the influence of affective states. We suggest that crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, trigger affective states and sway evaluations of atypical cultural goods. In a longitudinal study on movie evaluations ("Study 1"), we analyze how the external shock of the COVID-19 lockdown announcement — proxying heightened negative affects including anxiety — interacted with movies' atypicality and their subsequent audience evaluations. Furthermore, two preregistered controlled experiments establish causal links at the individual level. Study 2 corroborates the causal relationship between the COVID-19 lockdown announcement and increased negative affects. Study 3 shows that higher negative affects moderate how perceived novelty mediates atypicality's effect on audience evaluations. Overall, this paper has important implications for research on categorization, social evaluations, and the consequences of COVID-19 policy consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with a broad range of deficits in cognitive functions which has significant implications for quality of life. Psychostimulants are demonstrated to improve symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity, however, their impact on cognition remains incompletely characterized. Herein, the aim of this systematic review is to synthesize the extant literature reporting on the effects of psychostimulants on cognitive function in individuals with ADHD. A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to July 2021 was conducted. Additional studies were identified through Google Scholar and a manual search of the reference lists of relevant articles. Inclusion criteria were original studies that evaluated the cognitive function of individuals with ADHD taking psychostimulants drugs. We assessed the quality of the included papers using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale (NOS). A total of 10 studies involving 753 subjects with ADHD and 194 healthy controls were identified and eligible for inclusion. Nine studies evaluated the impact of methylphenidate on cognitive function and one study investigated the use of lisdexamfetamine. Results indicated that attentional deficits such as memory, vigilance, divided attention, phasic and tonic alertness, and focused attention were improved in ADHD patients treated with psychostimulants. The efficacy of psychostimulants in improving other domains of cognition remains inconclusive due to conflicting evidence or insignificant findings (ie. academic performance and executive function). Overall, results indicate that psychostimulants may improve only select domains of cognition (ie. memory and attention). Psychostimulants are reported to improve several disparate aspects of cognition among individuals with ADHD. Further research is needed to better understand the complex relationships between cognition and behavior in ADHD, as well as the impact of medication on these distinct aspects of functioning. Further research is also needed to determine whether the pro-cognitive effect of stimulants would be transferable to other mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with a host of psychiatric and neurobehavioral problems. As mortality rates have declined for severe TBI, attention has turned to the cognitive, affective, and behavioral sequelae of injuries across the severity spectrum, which are often more disabling than residual physical effects. Moderate and severe TBI can cause personality changes including impulsivity, severe irritability, affective instability, and apathy. Mild TBI, once considered a largely benign phenomenon, is now known to be associated with a range of affective symptoms, with suicidality, and with worsening or new onset of several psychiatric disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder. Repetitive head impacts, often in athletic contexts, are now believed to be associated with a number of emotional and behavioral sequelae. The nature and etiology of mental health manifestations of TBI (including a combination of brain dysfunction and psychological trauma and interrelationships between cognitive, affective, and physical symptoms) are complex and have been a focus of recent epidemiological and mechanistic studies. This paper will review the epidemiology of psychiatric and neurobehavioral problems after TBI in military, civilian, and athletic contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing an initial belief rule base (BRB) expert system typically relies on expert knowledge. However, the heterogeneity in knowledge arising from variations in expert cognition directly impacts the accuracy and robustness of BRB. Furthermore, the existing research lacks a discussion on building the initial BRB under multi-expert knowledge. In response to this challenge, a novel game-based belief rule base (GBRB) is proposed in this paper. First, a consensus matrix is introduced to formalize the interaction among expert knowledge, which is the foundation for constructing a multi-expert evolutionary game. Subsequently, the replicator equation for population dynamics is employed to simulate the dynamic process of the multi-expert evolutionary game. Finally, optimal expert knowledge, which refers to referential values and belief degrees, is determined based on the evolution results to participate in establishing GBRB. Case studies are conducted to illustrate the construction process and effectiveness of the GBRB. The experimental results are compared with machine learning-related methodologies. The comparative results demonstrate the good performance of GBRB in modeling effectiveness and prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the tremendous success of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in computer vision, the mechanism of CNNs still lacks clear interpretation. Currently, class activation mapping (CAM), a famous visualization technique to interpret CNN's decision, has drawn increasing attention. Gradient-based CAMs are efficient, while the performance is heavily affected by gradient vanishing and exploding. In contrast, gradient-free CAMs can avoid computing gradients to produce more understandable results. However, they are quite time-consuming because hundreds of forward interference per image are required. In this paper, we proposed Cluster-CAM, an effective and efficient gradient-free CNN interpretation algorithm. Cluster-CAM can significantly reduce the times of forward propagation by splitting the feature maps into clusters. Furthermore, we propose an artful strategy to forge a cognition-base map and cognition-scissors from clustered feature maps. The final salience heatmap will be produced by merging the above cognition maps. Qualitative results conspicuously show that Cluster-CAM can produce heatmaps where the highlighted regions match the human's cognition more precisely than existing CAMs. The quantitative evaluation further demonstrates the superiority of Cluster-CAM in both effectiveness and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I believe consciousness is a property of advanced nervous systems, and as such a product of evolution. Thus, to understand consciousness we need to describe the trajectory leading to its evolution and the selective advantages conferred. A deeper understanding of the neurology would be a significant contribution, but other advanced functions, such as hearing and vision, are explained with a comparable lack of detailed knowledge of the brain processes responsible. In this paper, I try to add details and credence to a previously suggested, evolution-based model of consciousness. According to this model, the feature started to evolve in early amniotes (reptiles, birds, and mammals) some 320 million years ago. The reason was the introduction of feelings as a strategy for making behavioral decisions. • A model for the evolutionary trajectory and advantages of consciousness. • The evolution of consciousness started in amniotes some 320 Mya. • The rationale was the introduction of feelings as a strategy for behavioral decisions. • Nonamniote animals are unlikely to harbor consciousness. • Advanced consciousness is not a feature with a high fitness value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of cognitive intelligence, concept cognition for knowledge graphs aims to clearly grasp the typical characteristics of the things referred to by the concept, which can provide prior knowledge for machine understanding and thinking. Different from concept learning and formal concept analysis that learn new concepts from data and the general decision rule that comes from an independent decision table, this paper cognizes an existing concept by decision rules that come from multiple granularities. Specifically, 1) concept cognition for knowledge graphs is realized from the perspective of mining multi-granularity decision rule. 2) Decision tables corresponding to four granularities form a multi-granularity decision table group, and then the result from coarser granularity can guide and help obtaining the result from finer granularity. 3) We propose a framework for mining multi-granularity decision rules, which involves going from a multi-granularity decision table group to the frequent maximal attribute patterns to the decision rules to the credible decision rules. Finally, we verified effectiveness of dividing positive and negative data, monotonicity of attribute patterns in a multi-granularity decision table group, and downward monotonicity of credibility, and observed the impact of the parameter min_cov and min_conf on execution times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human vestibular system is adversely affected by the aging process. Recent evidence indicates that vestibular information and cognitive functions are related, suggesting that age-related vestibular loss may contribute to cognitive impairment. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of repetitive, home-based galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) on cognitive functions in healthy older adults. Twenty-one participants (age = 64.66 ± 2.97 years, 12 females) were randomly allocated to either a home-based GVS or an active control group. The GVS intervention lasted 20 min per session, five times a week, for two weeks (10 sessions). Cognitive functions were assessed before and after the intervention using the Stroop Test, Trail Making Test A&B, and Dual-Task (digit recall and paper-pencil tracking test). Our findings revealed a significant group-by-time interaction effect for the tracking accuracy (F (1,18) = 7.713, p = 0.012, η p 2 = 0.30), with only the home-based GVS group showing significant improvement (t = −2.544, p = 0.029). The proposed home-based GVS protocol offers a promising non-pharmacological avenue for enhancing visuospatial ability in healthy older adults. Further research is needed to investigate the effects of different GVS protocols on various cognitive functions, particularly in older individuals with different health conditions. • Home-based GVS is feasible for older adults. • Repetitive GVS improves visuospatial ability in healthy older adults. • GVS is a promising non-pharmacological tool for improving cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image captioning requires not only accurate recognition of objects and corresponding relationships, but also full comprehension of the scene information. However, existing models suffer from partial understanding and object hallucination. In this paper, a Cross-modal retrievAl and viSual condiTioning model (CAST) is proposed to address the above issues for image captioning with three key modules: an image–text retriever, an image & memory comprehender and a dual attention decoder. Aiming at a comprehensive understanding, we propose to exploit cross-modal retrieval to mimic human cognition, i.e. , to trigger retrieval of contextual information (called episodic memory) about a specific event. Specifically, the image–text retriever searches the top n relevant sentences which serve as episodic memory for each input image. Then the image & memory comprehender encodes an input image and enriches episodic memory by self-attention and relevance attention respectively, which can encourage CAST to comprehend the scene thoroughly and support decoding more effectively. Finally, such image representation and memory are integrated into our dual attention decoder, which performs visual conditioning by re-weighting image and text features to alleviate object hallucination. Extensive experiments are conducted on MS COCO and Flickr30k datasets, which demonstrate that our CAST achieves state-of-the-art performance. Our model also has a promising performance even in low-resource scenarios (i.e. 0.1%, 0.5% and 1% of MS COCO training set). • An image–text retriever is proposed to search contextual information for captioning. • An image & memory comprehender is proposed for further understanding the scene. • A dual attention decoder is proposed to alleviate object hallucination. • The cross-modal retrieval and visual conditioning model achieves SOTA performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite assumptions that wearable self-care technologies such as smart wristbands and smart watches help users to monitor and self-manage health in daily life, adherence rates are often quite low. In an effort to better understand what determines adherence to wearable self-care technologies, researchers have started to consider the extent to which a technology is perceived as being part of the user (i.e., technology embodiment) and the extent to which users feel they can influence reaching their health goals (i.e., empowerment). Although both concepts are assumed to determine adherence, few studies have empirically validated their influence. Furthermore, the relationships between technology embodiment, empowerment, and adherence to wearable self-care technology have also not been addressed. Drawing upon embodied theory and embodiment cognition theory, this research paper introduces and empirically validates 'embodied empowerment' as a predictor of adherence to wearable self-care technology. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling and multigroup analysis on a dataset of 317 wearable self-care technology users, we find empirical evidence of the validity of embodied empowerment as a determinant of adherence. We also discuss the implications for research and practice. • We introduce embodied empowerment to explain adherence to self-care wearables. • Embodiment and empowerment reinforce each other and function in conjunction. • Embodied and empowerment predict adherence to wearable self-care technology. • The results are consistent for male versus female and younger versus older users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students' ability to solve mathematical problems is a standard mathematical skill; however, its cognitive correlates are unclear. Thus, this study aimed to examine whether spatial processing (mental rotation, paper folding, and the Corsi blocks test) and logical reasoning (abstract and concrete syllogisms) were correlated with mathematical problem-solving (word problems and geometric proofing) for college students. The regression results showed that after controlling for gender, age, general IQ, language processing, cognitive processing (visual perception, attention, and memory skills), and number sense and arithmetic computation skills, spatial processing skills still predicted mathematical problem-solving and geometry skills in Chinese college students. Contrastingly, logical reasoning measures related to syllogisms did not predict after controlling for these variables. Further, notably, it did not correlate significantly with geometry performance when no control variables were included. Our results suggest that spatial processing is a significant component of math skills involving word and geometry problems (even after controlling for multiple key cognitive factors). • Revealed the key cognitive factor predicting mathematical problem-solving. • The additional factors were strictly controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive impairment is common and debilitating in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), and further is poorly-managed by pharmacotherapy. Cognitive rehabilitation and exercise training have been identified as promising behavioral approaches for managing MS-related cognitive impairment based on systematic reviews and meta-analyses. However, each body of literature is associated with similar sets of methodological shortcomings, as has been identified by periodic systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Thus, there is little generalizability or transportability research supporting either behavioral approach for managing cognitive dysfunction in this population under real-world conditions (i.e., as a standard-of-care). To that end, this paper aims to catalyze the advancement of cognitive rehabilitation and exercise training research in MS, respectively, towards the successful implementation of generalizability/transportability trials. This first involves critical examinations of the respective cognitive rehabilitation and exercise training literatures in MS from a chronological perspective, with particular emphasis on how the fields have each evolved in response to systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Accordingly, the current paper then provides a roadmap for harmonizing research in those areas to systematically and efficiently inform the development of generalizability/transportability trials for behavioral approaches to manage MS-related cognitive dysfunction. This involves the recognition of overlapping facilitators and impediments for progress in each field, including considerations for the implementation of neuroimaging. Ultimately, the provision of such a framework aims to shorten the timeline for research to influence clinical practice and improve the lives of cognitively-impaired persons with MS. • Cognitive impairment is common and disabling in multiple sclerosis (MS). • Rehabilitative approaches are promising for managing cognitive problems in MS. • The two most promising approaches are cognitive rehabilitation and exercise. • However, there is little research on either approach under real-world conditions. • This paper provides a framework for advancing such research into clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Editor's Introduction to the Cognitive Systems Research special issue, "Innovative Dynamical Approaches to Cognitive Systems," has three aims: First, the background and motivation for the topic are stated. Second, overviews of the contributing papers are presented. Third, based on the papers, speculations on future directions in dynamical approaches to the investigation of cognitive systems are presented. Here, the focus is on concepts, data analysis methods, and computational modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A commonly held position is that AEDs slow patients with epilepsy down. • An open question is whether it is really speed or the cognitive processing which is affected. • Test parameters representing cognitive processing show much greater correlation to drug treatment than psychomotor speed. • Adverse AED side effects may be missed by focusing on speed. • Drug monitoring should address psychomotor speed and cognitive processing independently. The study evaluated whether it is psychomotor speed or higher-order cognitive processing which is primarily affected by antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment in epilepsy and whether computerized testing versus paper-pencil testing of executive functions is more sensitive. In this retrospective observational study, 55 patients with epilepsy underwent NeuroCog FXⓇ , a computerized battery assessing "psychomotor speed/alertness" and "cognitive processing" via 8 tasks, and EpiTrackⓇ , a paper-pencil screening of "executive functions and working memory" based on 6 subtests. Test performance was related to the number of drugs and the Defined Daily Dose and the presence/absence of AEDs with known adverse psychotropic effects. EpiTrackⓇ performance correlated with "cognitive processing" of the NeuroCog FXⓇ but not with "psychomotor speed/alertness". Significant correlations with drug load were mainly yielded for EpiTrackⓇ (number of AEDs: r = –0.551, total DDD: r = –0.452) and "cognitive processing" (number of AEDs: r = -0.433, total DDD: r = –0.415). "Psychomotor speed/alertness" was less related to drug load (number of AEDs: r = -0.285, total DDD: r = –0.232). Statistical control for "psychomotor speed/alertness" hardly changed the correlations of EpiTrackⓇ or "cognitive processing" with drug load indices. AEDs with known adverse profiles negatively affected EpiTrackⓇ and the "cognitive processing" but not the "psychomotor speed/alertness" domain of the computerized test. The results demonstrate that it is less basal psychomotor speed than higher-order cognitive processing which is negatively affected by antiepileptic pharmacotherapy. The results question the value of (computer-)tests with a major emphasis on psychomotor speed and alertness for cognitive drug monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The review focuses on Aβ, p-tau, NfL, GFAP, NDEs, and TDP-43 as blood AD biomarkers. • Progress in the area was accelerated in part due to advanced analytic platforms. • Blood biomarkers enable broad initial screening, succeeded by in-depth assessments. • Blood biomarkers can evaluate the impact of AD-modifying treatments. • Equitable diagnosis across socioeconomics is needed to mitigate disparities. The field of blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) has advanced at an incredible pace, especially after the development of sensitive analytic platforms that can facilitate large-scale screening. Such screening will be important when more sophisticated diagnostic methods are scarce and expensive. Thus, blood-based biomarkers can potentially reduce diagnosis inequities among populations from different socioeconomic contexts. This large-scale screening can be performed so that older adults at risk of cognitive decline assessed using these methods can then undergo more complete assessments with classic biomarkers, increasing diagnosis efficiency and reducing costs to the health systems. Blood-based biomarkers can also aid in assessing the effect of new disease-modifying treatments. This paper reviews recent advances in the area, focusing on the following leading candidates for blood-based biomarkers: amyloid-beta (Aβ), phosphorylated tau isoforms (p-tau), neurofilament light (NfL), and glial fibrillary acidic (GFAP) proteins, as well as on new candidates, Neuron-Derived Exosomes contents (NDEs) and Transactive response DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43), based on data from longitudinal observational cohort studies. The underlying challenges of validating and incorporating these biomarkers into routine clinical practice and primary care settings are also discussed. Importantly, challenges related to the underrepresentation of ethnic minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged persons must be considered. If these challenges are overcome, a new time of cost-effective blood-based biomarkers for AD could represent the future of clinical procedures in the field and, together with continued prevention strategies, the beginning of an era with a lower incidence of dementia worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling reading comprehension processes is a critical task for Learning Analytics, as accurate models of the reading process can be used to match students to texts, identify appropriate interventions, and predict learning outcomes. This paper introduces an improved version of the Automated Model of Comprehension, namely version 4.0. AMoC has its roots in two theoretical models of the comprehension process (i.e., the Construction-Integration model and the Landscape model), and the new version leverages state-of-the-art Large Language models, more specifically ChatGPT, to have a better contextualization of the text and a simplified construction of the underlying graph model. Besides showcasing the usage of the model, the study introduces three in-depth psychological validations that argue for the model's adequacy in modeling reading comprehension. In these studies, we demonstrated that AMoC is in line with the theoretical background proposed by the Construction-Integration and Landscape models, and it is better at replicating results from previous human psychological experiments than its predecessor. Thus, AMoC v4.0 can be further used as an educational tool to, for example, help teachers design better learning materials personalized for student profiles. Additionally, we release the code from AMoC v4.0 as open source in a Google Collab Notebook and a GitHub repository. • Introduce the Automated Model of Comprehension version 4.0 that integrates state-of-the-art Large Language models - ChatGPT. • Perform 3 in-depth psychological validation studies to support the model's adequacy in modeling reading comprehension. • AMoC v4.0 aligns with theoretical frameworks, namely Construction-Integration and Landscape models. • The model outperforms its predecessor and replicates results from human psychological experiments. • AMoC v4.0 can serve as an educational tool for designing personalized learning materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) is an analytical decision-making framework which gathers the views of multiple experts, and they often assess alternatives by degree adverbs in realistic scenarios. In order to treat expert opinions well, q-rung orthopair fuzzy sets (q-ROF) emerged as a data disposal tool, however, how to aggregate the information rationally remains a challenge. In this paper, q-ROF evidential reasoning methodology (q-ROF ERM) is proposed to guarantee the functionality in the case of conflicting, extreme information evaluations from experts and attributes. Second, the q-ROF attribute reduction (AR) framework is invented for attribute importance measurement. The flexibility and elegance of the model are boosted by the variation of the λ parameter and its lead to the elimination of redundant attributes. In addition to this, the q-ROF output three-way decision (TWD) framework is created to give the classification and ranking of alternatives. The relative output function derived from fuzzy distance measure and the adjustable utility pursuit coefficient τ afford both objectivity and subjectivity to the program selection, allowing the evaluation outcomes to be relevant to human cognition. Finally, the comparative experiments and sensitivity analyses of the two cases illustrate the scientificity and reliability of the presented framework in the MAGDM scenario. • A q-ROF contradictory information fusion method is proposed. • A similarity attribute reduction with λ method is established for q-ROF weights. • Q-ROF output three-way decision considers the utility pursuit τ is designed. • A q-ROF classification and ranking that fits human psychology is conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every day we trust other individuals as we engage in social interactions in which various desirable outcomes depend on others acting the way we hope, or they have indicated. Trust extends beyond specific individuals, however, as we might trust unknown others – individuals, institutions, corporations, and governments. Some also say that we trust various artifacts, such as machines. But what is the basis of trust, and can we really trust technology? Trust is intimately connected to the notion ethos from the study of rhetoric and human persuasion, which is often used to describe various characteristics of the speaker, the audience, the relationship between the speaker and the audience, and the wider context in which communication and interaction occurs. In this article I explore to what degree machines can be considered to have ethos, and consequently whether ethos is a useful concept for understanding persuasive and credibility-related situations in HMI and by extension key aspects of human-machine trust. This allows us to draw on a long lineage of research from, for example, rhetoric, communication studies, and cognitive and social psychology to better understand the usefulness – or not – of using the notion of trust to describe our relationship with machines. • Trust in machines partly parallels trust in humans, institutions, and artifacts. • Ethos, from rhetoric, relates to credibility and trust in human-machine interaction. • This paper explores if machines can have ethos, and how this relates to trust. • Machine ethos is about perceived credibility and not the machine's ethics. • Examining ethos enriches understanding of trust and design in HMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws a parallel between creative cognition and a multi-armed bandit problem involving learning from experience in an uncertain environment. Special emphasis is put on the optimal sequencing of divergent and convergent behavior by showing that divergence must be inhibited at one point to converge toward creative behavior so that excessive divergence is counterproductive. We test this hypothesis with a behavioral experiment, using measures of individual divergence and convergence components of creative potential in high school students. Results confirmed that a mix of divergence and convergence predicted high performance in a bandit task but not in a purely random task or in a simple repetitive task. These predictions are maintained after controlling for sex, personality, incentives, and other factors. As hypothesized, creative cognition was necessary for high performance under the appropriate conditions. However, it was not necessary to get high grades in a traditional school system. Relating to the goal of educators and public policies in the 21st century to make children and adolescents more creative, and schools more receptive to creative thinking, this research focuses on the creative potential and behavior of high school students. It provides an evidence-based policy argument in support of the screening and development by the educational sector of the creative potential of students. • We draw a parallel between creative cognition and the multi-armed bandit problem. • Divergence (exploration) must be inhibited at one point to converge toward creative behavior. • Adolescents with a high creative potential behave optimally as efficient explorers and convergers. • Creative cognition is necessary for high performance in these tasks. • Creative cognition was not necessary to get high grades in a traditional school system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender gaps in skills exist around the world but differ remarkably among countries. This paper uses a unique data set with more than 20,000 adolescents in rural India to explore gender gaps in cognitive and noncognitive skills. We find that boys have considerable advantages over girls on several indicators of cognitive and noncognitive skills that remains robust to a wide range of controls and specification choices. We also examine the correlates of cognitive and noncognitive outcomes, paying close attention to socioeconomic status (SES) and pro-female gender attitudes. We find a steep positive gradient in SES as well as for pro-female gender attitudes, with stronger associations between the SES gradient and skills. Further, high socioeconomic status and more pro-female gender attitudes are both strongly correlated with reducing the gender gap in cognitive and noncognitive outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]