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Objective: The National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN), and the American College of Professional Neuropsychology (ACPN) collaborated to publish an update to their original position statements, confirming the organizations' opposition to third party observer (TPO)., Method: A review of literature addressing TPO effects, ethical standards, professional organization position statements, test publisher policies and new telemedicine developments was completed to obtain consensus on relevant issues in TPO and recording of neuropsychological evaluations., Results: TPO has been shown to impact the cognitive functions most often assessed in forensic or medicolegal settings. Third party observation, whether in person, recorded or electronic, remains a potential threat to the validity and reliability of evaluation results, and violates test security guidelines, ethical principles and standards of conduct in the field. Demands for TPO in the context of medicolegal or forensic settings have become a tactic designed to limit the ability of the consulting neuropsychologist to perform assessment and provide information to the trier of fact., Conclusion: The field of neuropsychology opposes the presence of TPO in the setting of medicolegal or forensic neuropsychological evaluations., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permission@oup.com.)

This joint position paper of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology and the National Academy of Neuropsychology sets forth our position on appropriate standards and conventions for computerized neuropsychological assessment devices (CNADs). In this paper, we first define CNADs and distinguish them from examiner-administered neuropsychological instruments. We then set forth position statements on eight key issues relevant to the development and use of CNADs in the healthcare setting. These statements address (a) device marketing and performance claims made by developers of CNADs; (b) issues involved in appropriate end-users for administration and interpretation of CNADs; (c) technical (hardware/software/firmware) issues; (d) privacy, data security, identity verification, and testing environment; (e) psychometric development issues, especially reliability, and validity; (f) cultural, experiential, and disability factors affecting examinee interaction with CNADs; (g) use of computerized testing and reporting services; and (h) the need for checks on response validity and effort in the CNAD environment. This paper is intended to provide guidance for test developers and users of CNADs that will promote accurate and appropriate use of computerized tests in a way that maximizes clinical utility and minimizes risks of misuse. The positions taken in this paper are put forth with an eye toward balancing the need to make validated CNADs accessible to otherwise underserved patients with the need to ensure that such tests are developed and utilized competently, appropriately, and with due concern for patient welfare and quality of care.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) as a modifier of neurodevelopmental (ND) outcomes in preschool children after cardiac surgery in infancy for repair of congenital heart defects (CHD)., Methods: This is a planned analysis of infants enrolled in a prospective study of apolipoprotein E polymorphisms and ND outcome after cardiac surgery. The effect of DHCA was assessed in patients with single or biventricular CHD without aortic arch obstruction. Neurodevelopmental assessment at 4 years of age included cognition, language, attention, impulsivity, executive function, social competence, and visual-motor and fine-motor skills. Patient and procedural variables were evaluated in univariate and multivariate models., Results: Neurodevelopmental testing was completed in 238 of 307 eligible patients (78%). Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was used at the discretion of the surgeon at least once in 92 infants (38.6%) with a median cumulative duration of 36 minutes (range, 1 to 132 minutes). By univariate analysis, DHCA patients were more likely to have single-ventricle CHD (p = 0.013), lower socioeconomic status (p < 0.001), a higher incidence of preoperative ventilation (p < 0.001), and were younger and smaller at the first surgery (p < 0.001). By multivariate analysis, use of DHCA was not predictive of worse performance for any ND outcome., Conclusions: In this cohort of children undergoing repair of CHD in infancy, patients who underwent DHCA had risk factors associated with worse ND outcomes. Despite these, use of DHCA for repair of single-ventricle and biventricular CHD without aortic arch obstruction was not predictive of worse performance for any ND domain tested at 4 years of age., (Copyright © 2010 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Acute care nurses continue to rely on personally created paper-based tools—their “paper brains”—to support work during a shift, although standardized handoff tools are recommended. This interpretive descriptive study examines the functions these paper brains serve beyond handoff in the medical oncology unit at a cancer specialty hospital. Thirteen medical oncology nurses were each shadowed for a single shift and interviewed afterward using a semistructured technique. Field notes, transcribed interviews, images of nurses’ paper brains, and analytic memos were inductively coded, and analysis revealed paper brains are symbols of patient and nurse identity. Caution is necessary when attempting to standardize nurses’ paper brains as nurses may be resistant to such changes due to their pride in constructing personal artifacts to support themselves and their patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To test the association of vascular health (VH) across young adulthood with midlife dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA), gait, and cognition; and to test whether dCA is a modifying factor., Methods: We studied 196 participants from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults cohort who were followed over 30 years. VH was assessed at each visit according to American Heart Association recommendations. At year 30, dCA was measured using transcranial Doppler ultrasound and several gait and cognitive domains were assessed., Results: Worse VH from baseline through year 7, but not at year 30, was associated with less efficient dCA (all P < .05). Worse VH at all visits was associated with slower gait speed, and at year 7 with worse executive and global cognition (all P < .05). The association of baseline VH and midlife gait, but not cognition, was moderated by dCA (interaction P < .05)., Conclusions: VH as early as young adulthood may influence midlife brain health, and dCA may modify this relationship., (© 2020 the Alzheimer's Association.)

In this commentary, we summarize some of the main themes of the NRC report and note ways in which the papers by Mislevy and Haertel, Gorin, and Abedi and Gándara address the Panel's recommendations. We then briefly review and offer reflections on each paper. We see much to applaud here and also in the broader effort to build bridges between the cognitive and measurement sciences. However, much work remains, not only in building bridges, be also in educating the next generation of psychometricians about cognition and the next generation of teachers about psychometrics. Until that day, even the best work here will have little impact on the business of large-scale assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Hypertension is highly prevalent in patients with CKD as is cognitive impairment and frailty, but the link between them is understudied. Our objective was to determine the association between ambulatory BP patterns, cognitive function, physical function, and frailty among patients with nondialysis-dependent CKD., Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: Ambulatory BP readings were obtained on 1502 participants of the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort. We evaluated the following exposures: ( 1 ) BP patterns (white coat, masked, sustained versus controlled hypertension) and ( 2 ) dipping patterns (reverse, extreme, nondippers versus normal dippers). Outcomes included the following: ( 1 ) cognitive impairment scores from the Modified Mini Mental Status Examination of <85, <80, and <75 for participants <65, 65-79, and ≥80 years, respectively; ( 2 ) physical function, measured by the short physical performance battery (SPPB), with higher scores (0-12) indicating better functioning; and ( 3 ) frailty, measured by meeting three or more of the following criteria: slow gait speed, muscle weakness, low physical activity, exhaustion, and unintentional weight loss. Cognitive function and frailty were assessed at the time of ambulatory BP (baseline) and annually thereafter. SPPB was assessed at baseline logistic and linear regression and Cox discrete models assessed the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between dipping and BP patterns and outcomes., Results: Mean age of participants was 63±10 years, 56% were male, and 39% were black. At baseline, 129 participants had cognitive impairment, and 275 were frail. Median SPPB score was 9 (interquartile range, 7-10). At baseline, participants with masked hypertension had 0.41 (95% CI, -0.78 to -0.05) lower SPPB scores compared with those with controlled hypertension in the fully adjusted model. Over 4 years of follow-up, 529 participants had incident frailty, and 207 had incident cognitive impairment. After multivariable adjustment, there was no association between BP or dipping patterns and incident frailty or cognitive impairment., Conclusions: In patients with CKD, dipping and BP patterns are not associated with incident or prevalent cognitive impairment or prevalent frailty., (Copyright © 2020 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Background: With the development of digital pathology and the renewal of deep learning algorithm, artificial intelligence (AI) is widely applied in tumor pathology. Previous researches have demonstrated that AI-based tumor pathology may help to solve the challenges faced by traditional pathology. This technology has attracted the attention of scholars in many fields and a large amount of articles have been published. This study mainly summarizes the knowledge structure of AI-based tumor pathology through bibliometric analysis, and discusses the potential research trends and foci.Methods: Publications related to AI-based tumor pathology from 1999 to 2021 were selected from Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer and Citespace were mainly used to perform and visualize co-authorship, co-citation, and co-occurrence analysis of countries, institutions, authors, references and keywords in this field.Results: A total of 2753 papers were included. The papers on AI-based tumor pathology research had been continuously increased since 1999. The United States made the largest contribution in this field, in terms of publications (1138, 41.34%), H-index (85) and total citations (35,539 times). We identified the most productive institution and author were Harvard Medical School and Madabhushi Anant, while Jemal Ahmedin was the most co-cited author. Scientific Reports was the most prominent journal and after analysis, Lecture Notes in Computer Science was the journal with highest total link strength. According to the result of references and keywords analysis, "breast cancer histopathology" "convolutional neural network" and "histopathological image" were identified as the major future research foci.Conclusions: AI-based tumor pathology is in the stage of vigorous development and has a bright prospect. International transboundary cooperation among countries and institutions should be strengthened in the future. It is foreseeable that more research foci will be lied in the interpretability of deep learning-based model and the development of multi-modal fusion model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construct validity of novel tablet-based neurocognitive tests (in the NeuroScreen app) measuring processing speed, working memory, and executive functioning in adolescents and young adults (AYA) living with perinatally-acquired HIV (PHIV) and perinatal HIV-exposure without infection (PHEU) was examined. Sixty-two AYA (33 PHIV, 29 PHEU) were recruited from an ongoing longitudinal study (CASAH) in New York City. Medium to large and statistically significant correlations were found between NeuroScreen and gold standard, paper-and-pencil tests of processing speed, working memory, and executive functioning. Results provide partial support for NeuroScreen as an alternative to cumbersome paper-and-pencil tests for assessing neurocognition among HIV-affected AYA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is commonly defined as a transitional subclinical state between normal aging and dementia. A growing body of research indicates that health behaviors may play a protective role against cognitive decline and could potentially slow down the progression from MCI to dementia. The aim of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis of literature focusing on health behaviors and MCI to summarize the factors and evidence regarding the influence of health behaviors on MCI. Methods: The study performed a bibliometric analysis by retrieving publications from the Science Citation Index and Social Sciences Citation Index subdatabases within the Web of Science Core Collection. Utilizing VOSviewer and CiteSpace software, a total of 2,843 eligible articles underwent co-citation, cokeywords, and clustering analyses. This methodology aimed to investigate the current status, trends, major research questions, and potential future directions within the research domain. Results: The bibliometric analysis indicates that research on healthy behaviors in individuals with MCI originated in 2002 and experienced rapid growth in 2014, reflecting the increasing global interest in this area. The United States emerged as the primary contributor, accounting for more than one-third of the total scientific output with 982 articles. Journals that published the most articles on MCI-related health behaviors included "Journal of Alzheimer's Disease," "Neurobiology of Aging," "Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience," and other geriatricsrelated journals. High-impact papers identified by VOSviewer predominantly cover concepts related to MCI, such as diagnostic criteria, assessment, and multifactorial interventions. Co-occurrence keyword analysis highlights five research hotspots in health behavior associated with MCI: exercise, diet, risk factors and preventive measures for dementia, cognitive decline-related biomarkers, and clinical trials. Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive review of literature on health behavior in individuals with MCI, emphasizing influential documents and journals. It outlines research trends and key focal points, offering valuable insights for researchers to comprehend significant contributions and steer future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia in the world. It affects 6 million people in the United States and 50 million people worldwide. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β plaques (Aβ), an increase in tau protein neurofibrillary tangles, and a loss of synapses. Since the 1990s, removing and reducing Aβ has been the focus of Alzheimer's treatment and prevention research. The accumulation of Aβ can lead to oxidative stress, inflammation, neurotoxicity, and eventually apoptosis. These insults impair signaling systems in the brain, potentially leading to memory loss and cognitive decline. Aniracetam is a safe, effective, cognitive-enhancing drug that improves memory in both human and animal studies. Aniracetam may prevent the production and accumulation of Aβ by increasing α-secretase activity through two distinct pathways: 1) increasing brain derived neurotrophic factor expression and 2) positively modulating metabotropic glutamate receptors. This is the first paper to propose an evidence-based model for aniracetam reducing the accumulation and production of Aβ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Japanese-Americans are the sixth largest Asian ethnicity in the United States and represent a highly heterogeneous population. Despite representing a large and diverse group, relatively little attention has been paid to clinical best practices for working with this population in the West, particularly for Japanese speakers and issei (first-generation in the United States). This paper offers guidance for providing competent neuropsychological services to Japanese-Americans. Method: Pertinent facets of Japanese culture are presented within the context of the ECLECTIC framework (education and literacy, culture and acculturation, language, economics, communication, testing situation: comfort and motivation, intelligence conceptualization, and context of immigration; Fujii, 2018). The available literature on clinical neuropsychological tests that are translated into Japanese and normed with Japanese samples was reviewed. Results: Specific recommendations for clinicians providing neuropsychological services to Japanese-Americans are presented with an aim of maximizing test fairness by addressing the following issues: comfort with the testing situation, test biases, accessibility, and validity (American Educational Research Association et al., 2014). Additional recommendations for the use of teleneuropsychology; working with geriatric, pediatric, and multiracial populations; and providing useful recommendations and feedback from clinical assessment are provided. Measures that are appropriately translated and/or adapted for use with Japanese populations are presented by cognitive domain to assist clinicians with test selection. Conclusions: This paper provides concrete recommendations for Western neuropsychologists working with patients of Japanese descent in order to address the current gap in cultural competence among clinicians when working with this heterogeneous population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major disease that affects the elderly worldwide. Several studies have revealed that vitamins may influence the risk of developing AD. However, information in this field remains ambiguous. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between AD and vitamins, identify journal publications and collaborators, and analyze keywords and research trends using a bibliometric method. Methods: We systematically searched the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection for papers published on AD and vitamins. Retrieved data regarding institutions, journals, countries, authors, journal distribution, keywords, and so on. SPSS 25 software was used for the statistical analysis, and CiteSpace V.6.1.R6 was used to visualize the information through collaborative networks. Results: A total of 2,838 publications were ultimately included in accordance with the specified inclusion criteria. The number of publications gradually increased from 1996 to 2023, with papers published in 87 countries/regions and 329 institutions. China (centrality: 0.02) and the University of Kentucky (centrality: 0.09) were the major research countries and institutions, respectively. NEUROLOGY was cited most frequently, reaching 1,573, and had the greatest impact. The cited keywords show that "Alzheimer's disease," "oxidative stress," "vitamin E," and "dementia" have been research hotspots in recent years. Beta-carotene emerged in 2023 and was identified as a developmental trend in this field. Conclusion: This is the first bibliometric analysis of vitamins associated with AD. We identified 2,838 articles in the field of vitamins and AD, analyzed the information of major countries/regions, institutions, and core journals in this field, and summarized the research hotspots and frontiers. These findings provide useful information for researchers to explore the role of vitamins in AD further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper theoretically studies the interaction between an informed borrower and an uninformed lender facing possible default of a loan application. The lender is motivated to invest cognitive resources before making a lending decision. If the regulatory fine is weak, it is impossible for a bad-debt borrower to fully disclose his situation in the application. In this case, when the likelihood of a bad debt is low, the borrower always claims that nothing in the application is wrong. Otherwise, the borrower randomizes between full disclosure and information suppression. The transaction cost of the lender's pre-lending cognition increases with the default probability, as the default probability is small and decreases thereafter. Evidence from a peer-to-peer lending platform with 816,274 observations between 2012 and 2015 in the United States is largely consistent with our model implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The Latina(o)/Hispanic (L/H) population represents the largest and fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States. Migration patterns have evolved and greater diversity (i.e. country of origin) is evident, highlighting the ever-changing heterogeneity of this community and the need for the field of neuropsychology to ensure equitable care for linguistically and culturally diverse communities. This paper aims to provide a flexible protocol of neuropsychological instruments appropriate for primarily Spanish-speaking adults residing in the United States. Method Spanish measures were selected based on availability, translations/cultural modifications, accompanying normative data sets, and clinician experience/acumen. Bilingual/bicultural providers of neuropsychological services to Spanish speakers across the training spectrum working at U.S.-based medical centers implemented a multimodal approach (i.e. literature search, clinical practice parameters, and focus groups) in the development of a multi-domain primary protocol that includes core and supplemental measures that are appropriate for individuals with varying linguistic proficiency and sociocultural demographic characteristics. Results A multi-domain, evidence-based, flexible neuropsychological protocol is presented. Recommendations for test selection based on sociocultural demographic factors and examples of clinical assessment practices are provided via a case illustration. Most instruments included may be applied across cultural and regional backgrounds. Conclusion Provision of neuropsychological services to primarily Spanish-speaking adults presents unique challenges. Existing Spanish measures and accompanying data rarely capture the heterogeneity of L/H individuals. Although Spanish has the largest number of neurocognitive instruments, relative to other languages, robust and representative norms continue to be scarce. Future studies should prioritize collecting normative data from educationally and geographically diverse samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As of 2017, American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) had the highest prevalence of illicit drug use of any ethnic group in the United States, with 17.6% of the population aged 12 and older reporting using illicit drugs in the last month. Studies have shown the positive correlation between a history of trauma and substance use disorder. In fact, the majority of youth in treatment for substance misuse reported a history of trauma. Intergenerational trauma, systematic discrimination, and displacement are downstream effects of colonization, and experiences of racism often define the life experiences of AI/ANs who use substances. This paper describes the process of designing a developmentally and culturally appropriate primary prevention supplement for an evidence‐based program to prevent substance use and increase cultural identity among AI/AN youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A recent meta-analysis suggested that the majority of young people in contact with the criminal justice system have cognitive and/or communication impairments. Over the past 20 years, recognition of these complex needs has resulted in support measures being put in place in courtrooms across the globe. It is therefore timely to review evidence for the efficacy of these measures., Aims: This scoping review evaluates evidence on support measures employed to facilitate access to court proceedings for individuals with cognition and communication impairments, and considers how this evidence might inform future research and practice., Methods: Research databases were searched for studies that: directly or indirectly involved a population with a form of functional impairment and/or diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorder; and refer to support delivered to remove barriers or support access to courtroom processes., Results: Searches identified 3,318 distinct articles. Following review, 37 papers were identified for inclusion. The papers were published between 1993 and 2019, with the majority being published since 2010 (n = 23). The majority of papers were from the United Kingdom (n = 26); other countries represented were Australia (n = 1), Canada (n = 3), New Zealand (n = 2), UK papers don't necessarily state which countries involved (n = 2) Scotland specifically state Scotland only and the United States (n = 3). No papers met the criteria for an experimental research design., Conclusions: Whilst the high level of need in this population is well established, which support measures are most effective in enabling engagement in court processes is not currently clear. More robust evaluative research is therefore required to establish the most effective methods of support. Despite this lack of evidence regarding outcomes, both young people and professionals generally view support measures favourably. There is an increasing onus on professionals to adapt their practice rather than to support/enhance the cognition and communication skills of young people., (© 2022 The Authors. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Numerous academic, personal, and social challenges create impediments to student success in postsecondary education, causing immense concern relative to retention and graduation. Additionally, higher learning institutions are noticing a shift in the characteristics of the student body as well as a growing student presence in fully online courses. The need to increase student engagement and retention is greater than ever following the sudden disruption to the learning environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, postsecondary institutions should not merely focus on retention rates but also uphold a commitment to high expectations and quality from students and faculty alike. In order to engage and retain students, faculty must shift the academic environment to adapt and accommodate the evolving characteristics of the modern student (e.g., students over the age of 25 who have competing work/life demands). Framework: We propose a 3-tier framework based on existing evidence regarding the student engagement theory and provide undergraduate student retention strategies. Objective: The objective of this paper is to develop an adaptive student engagement and retention model using the Middle Georgia State University's Program of Health Services Administration (HSA) student demographic data from student and course management systems to provide higher education faculty and students with useful measures to ensure student success throughout their educational endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerated resolution therapy (ART) is a psychotherapy for the treatment of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) defined as severe, enduring longing for the lost person. Currently, ART lacks examination of intrapersonal processes, like expectancy, as behavioural mechanisms for action. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to present the findings on participants' treatment expectations of ART for PGD and then discuss potential hypotheses for future testing. This study was a primary qualitative descriptive analysis of prospectively collected interview data (collected 2017–2019) accrued as part of a randomised, wait‐list controlled clinical trial in bereaved hospice family caregivers in the United States. The sample included 29 former informal caregivers who were at least 1‐year post death of their care recipient. They were primarily female, older (67.4 ± 7.1 years), and a little over half (n = 18) had been married to their care recipient. Thematic analysis resulted in three distinct themes with six sub‐themes: The role of knowledge in expectations (sub‐themes uncertainty, prior knowledge); The role of personality in expectations (sub‐themes openness, positive affect); and Expecting a process (sub‐themes cognitive processes, affective processes) which described the interaction of person and process in shaping expectations of our intervention. An across theme analysis of the specificity of the participants' expectations uncovered that knowledge and personality inform expectations of ART and that individuals who verbalise a process for recovery tend to be very specific in their expectations. Three hypotheses for testing are put forward and implications for practice, research and policy discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although previous studies have investigated the ability of traditional Chinese health exercises (TCHEs) to improve cognitive function, few have utilized bibliometric analyses to address this topic. We aimed to investigate the current status of and developmental trends in this field from 2001 to 2020. We searched the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) for all research publications on cognitive function in relation to TCHEs. CiteSpace V was used to analyze the number of papers, countries, institutions, journals, authors, and citations. We identified hotspots and trends in the field by drawing co-citation reference and co-occurrence keyword maps. From 2001 to 2020, 406 relevant articles were published in the WoSCC, with a gradual increase in the annual number of publications. The three countries/regions with the most publications were the Chinese mainland, the United States, and Canada. Six universities from China and four from the United States were identified as the top 10 institutions. Most research was conducted at universities. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine was identified as the most productive journal. Together, these findings indicate that TCHEs have received increasing attention as a method for improving cognition., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Li, Weng, Xiang and Fan.)

A recent paper reported that 14 weeks of treatment with 2100 mg of EPA+DHA from krill oil had no effect on cognitive function in US Army Ranger trainees. Although the authors stated that poor compliance "may have contributed to a failure to detect a response," no indication of exactly how poor the compliance was is given. We have therefore calculated, based on their reported blood EPA+DHA levels and published equations predicting how a given dose of EPA+DHA should affect erythrocyte EPA+DHA levels (i.e., the Omega-3 Index), that the effective compliance was actually <3%. This study underscores the importance of adhering to ISSFAL recommendations that baseline and end of study blood Omega-3 levels always be reported in intervention studies. In this case the observed changes in blood levels are critical for interpreting the findings: there was no effect because there was essentially no intervention., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In the rapidly changing circumstances of our increasingly digital world, reading is also becoming an increasingly digital experience: electronic books (e-books) are now outselling print books in the United States and the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, many readers still view e-books as less readable than print books. The present study thus used combined EEG and eyetracking measures in order to test whether reading from digital media requires higher cognitive effort than reading conventional books. Young and elderly adults read short texts on three different reading devices: a paper page, an e-reader and a tablet computer and answered comprehension questions about them while their eye movements and EEG were recorded. The results of a debriefing questionnaire replicated previous findings in that participants overwhelmingly chose the paper page over the two electronic devices as their preferred reading medium. Online measures, by contrast, showed shorter mean fixation durations and lower EEG theta band voltage density – known to covary with memory encoding and retrieval – for the older adults when reading from a tablet computer in comparison to the other two devices. Young adults showed comparable fixation durations and theta activity for all three devices. Comprehension accuracy did not differ across the three media for either group. We argue that these results can be explained in terms of the better text discriminability (higher contrast) produced by the backlit display of the tablet computer. Contrast sensitivity decreases with age and degraded contrast conditions lead to longer reading times, thus supporting the conclusion that older readers may benefit particularly from the enhanced contrast of the tablet. Our findings thus indicate that people's subjective evaluation of digital reading media must be dissociated from the cognitive and neural effort expended in online information processing while reading from such devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dementia, depression, and delirium alone or in combination (3Ds) can threaten independence among older adults, and polypharmacy may further accelerate decline. Clinical pharmacists can play an important role on multidisciplinary home-based care teams by identifying medication therapy problems (MTPs) involving cognition. Within a larger ongoing clinical trial, this paper describes cognition-related MTPs and pharmacist recommendations among older adults with 3Ds followed by a home-based care team., Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of medication data among Medicare Advantage members aged ≥ 65 years living at home in Connecticut with International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision codes related to 3Ds; analyses include the first 105 subjects randomized to the home-based care team from March 2017 to January 2019. Advanced practice registered nurses conducted in-home medication reconciliations along with medical and cognitive assessments. Clinical pharmacists then conducted medication reviews centered on agents treating or exacerbating 3Ds. After review by the study advanced practice registered nurse, geriatrician, and psychiatrist, salient recommendations were forwarded to primary care providers for consideration. Medication therapy problems related to cognition were retrospectively abstracted and classified as: (1) indication: underuse or overuse; (2) effectiveness: ineffective agent or low dose (mainly for antidepressants); and (3) safety: undesirable effect (e.g., impaired cognition, dementia treatment side effects), unsafe medication (e.g., potentially inappropriate medications that can harm cognition), drug interaction, or high dose., Results: Pharmacists identified 166 cognitive MTPs, with a mean (standard deviation) of 1.58 (1.35) [range 0-6] MTPs per subject. Indication MTPs represented 34% of total MTPs, of which 79% involved underuse and 21% overuse; effectiveness represented 13% of total MTPs; and safety represented over half (52%) of all MTPs, with benzodiazepines and anticholinergics frequently implicated. Recommendations commonly included medication reduction (discontinuation 23% and dose reduction 19%). We found MTPs involving cognition among most (79%) patients., Conclusions: Our study findings support the role of pharmacists on multidisciplinary teams to identify cognitively harmful medications, dementia treatment side effects, and untreated cognitive conditions., Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02945085.

Background: Cognitive ability refers to the ability to receive, process, store, and extract information. It is the most important psychological condition for people to successfully complete activities. Previous studies have shown that the design of the human-computer interface of the command and control system cannot exceed the cognitive ability of the operator of the command and control system, and it must match the cognitive ability of the operator in order to reduce the mental load intensity, and improve the accuracy, timeliness and work efficiency. However, previous researchers in the field of cognitive science have not put forward a core index system that can represent the cognitive ability of ship command and control system operators and the importance of each index, and there are few achievements that can be used for reference., Objective: To explore the core index system of cognitive ability that affecting the cognitive process of command and control system operators, and to verify the index system., Methods: Based on the classic O*NET questionnaire, two indexes of O*NET were revised, three indexes of response ability were added, and then a questionnaire on the importance evaluation of cognitive abilities index was formed. The questionnaire includes 24 indexes in six aspects: verbal abilities, idea generation and reasoning abilities, quantitative abilities, visual perception abilities, mnemonic and attentive abilities, and response abilities. The cognitive ability importance evaluation data of 202 people from different positions in the ship command and control system were collected. These data reflect the overall level of cognitive ability of operators in the whole ship command and control field., Results: The data analysis results show that: firstly, the most important cognitive abilities affecting command and control system operators were visual perception abilities, mnemonic and attentive abilities, and response abilities. Secondly, the results of confirmatory factor analysis show that CMIN/DF, GFI, CFI, TLI, RMSEA, RMR and other indicators used in the model test all meet the requirements. The model has a good fitting degree, and the overall index extraction method is feasible. Thirdly, the independence T test results show that for beginners and experienced experts, there is a significant difference in the important evaluation of mnemonic and attentive abilities, while there is no significant difference in the important evaluation of response and visual perception abilities. Fourthly, the results of Bi-group confirmatory factor analysis experiment show that the structural model has good stability and factor invariance., Conclusions: Through the research of this paper, the index system which can express the core cognitive ability of the commander of command and control system is successfully constructed, and the index system has been fully verified by mathematics. The 3 abilities and 10 indexes in the index system are closely related to the work tasks of operators, which also reflects the correctness of our construction results to a certain extent. According to the results of data analysis, there are differences between assistant commanders and professional commanders in the evaluation of the importance of some indexes, which reflects the importance of working age and experience to the promotion of position skills. The results of this research are of great significance for the subsequent acquisition of cognitive ability data and assessment of post cognitive ability of command and control system operators., Competing Interests: NO authors have competing interests.

The field of neuropsychology is becoming increasingly responsive to addressing the specific needs of an ever-growing Hispanic/Latinx population. As such, bilingualism and bilingual education are at the forefront of considerations for neuropsychologists. This paper examines models of bilingual academic instruction and levels of bilingualism and how they impact neuropsychological findings and diagnostic determinations in pediatrics. The present case series highlights five children assessed in a pediatric medical setting. Various profiles are analyzed to highlight the intricacies in assessment that must be considered. These findings present a set of considerations as a step toward a systematic approach to bilingual neuropsychological assessment.

Economic inequality and ensuing economic stratification in educational and community contexts are growing in the United States. Given these patterns, it is essential to understand the implications of economic stratification in early education settings. This paper delineates repercussions of the concentration of poor children in preschool programs using lagged structural equation models estimated in two longitudinal studies following 3396 4-year-old children in 486 primarily publicly-funded preschool classrooms through kindergarten entrance. Concentrated poverty in preschool classrooms was associated with lower language and reading skills in kindergarten in part through children's exposure to less cognitively-skilled peers, with teacher instructional quality not serving as a reliable mediator. These associations did not emerge in relation to children's math skills. Results expand conceptual models of peer effects and inform preschool policies which seek to increase quality and equity and enhance children's learning., (Copyright © 2019 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The mainstay of the paper is formed by an analysis of the role of cognitive skills in the process of economic development, growing educational wage gaps, and markets for academic research. This paper seeks to fill a gap in the current literature by examining cognitive skills as a direct measure of human capital, the impact of cognitive skills on individual earnings, and the implications of policies designed to improve educational outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A concept elicitation, cognitive debriefing, and usability study was undertaken to: (1) explore migraine symptoms and day‐to‐day impacts; (2) determine the comprehensiveness and comprehensibility of the previously developed 24‐Hour Migraine Quality of Life Questionnaire electronic patient‐reported outcome (24‐Hr MQoLQ ePRO) items, and the appropriateness and understanding of the recall period, response options, and instructions; and (3) assess the usability on an electronic hand‐held device. Methods: Eleven United States English‐speaking people with episodic migraine were recruited to participate in one‐on‐one interviews, which followed methods appropriate for concept elicitation, cognitive debriefing, and usability testing. Interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed, and analyzed following the constant comparative method. Results: Participants had a mean age of 42 years, and 8 were female. Through spontaneous mention or probing, all concepts of the 24‐Hr MQoLQ ePRO were endorsed by a majority of the participants. Cognitive interviewing confirmed the 24‐Hr MQoLQ ePRO instructions were clear, meaningful, and important to assess as symptoms and day‐to‐day impacts experienced as a result of migraine. Overall impressions of the ePRO device were overwhelmingly favorable, and the ePRO device was preferred to paper and pencil by all participants. Participant responses regarding the level of headache pain that would be acceptable in order to continue to go about daily activities ranged from 3 to 6, on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being "no headache" and 10 being "the worst headache." Conclusions: The 24‐Hr MQoLQ ePRO is content‐valid and appropriate for inclusion in future acute treatment for migraine studies designed to measure the symptoms and health‐related quality of life of migraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalent method in syntax and semantics research involves obtaining a judgement of the acceptability of a sentence/meaning pair, typically by just the author of the paper, sometimes with feedback from colleagues. This methodology does not allow proper testing of scientific hypotheses because of (a) the small number of experimental participants (typically one); (b) the small number of experimental stimuli (typically one); (c) cognitive biases on the part of the researcher and participants; and (d) the effect of the preceding context (e.g., other constructions the researcher may have been recently considering). In the current paper we respond to some arguments that have been given in support of continuing to use the traditional nonquantitative method in syntax/semantics research. One recent defence of the traditional method comes from Phillips (2009), who argues that no harm has come from the nonquantitative approach in syntax research thus far. Phillips argues that there are no cases in the literature where an incorrect intuitive judgement has become the basis for a widely accepted generalisation or an important theoretical claim. He therefore concludes that there is no reason to adopt more rigorous data collection standards. We challenge Philips' conclusion by presenting three cases from the literature where a faulty intuition has led to incorrect generalisations and mistaken theorising, plausibly due to cognitive biases on the part of the researchers. Furthermore, we present additional arguments for rigorous data collection standards. For example, allowing lax data collection standards has the undesirable effect that the results and claims will often be ignored by researchers with stronger methodological standards. Finally, we observe that behavioural experiments are easier to conduct in English than ever before, with the advent of Amazon.com's Mechanical Turk, a marketplace interface that can be used for collecting behavioural data over the internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many diabetes patients utilize mobile health applications for their personalized self-management needs, but a majority of these systems have deficient usability. To assess the usability, different evaluation methods can be used. Two such methods are the expert-based cognitive walkthrough (CW) and user-based think aloud (TA) which have different advantages and disadvantages and can lead to the detection of many types of usability problems. There is, however, a lack of research on how the evaluators experience performing these different methods; an important aspect to include due to its possible implications for the evaluation overall. In this paper the focus was on assessing the evaluators' cognitive load and method acceptance through an instrument novel for this particular purpose, the NASA RTLX, and through in-depth interviews. Six usability experts and 6 diabetes patients performed the evaluations where 18 usability problems were found with the CW and 20 with the TA and with system usability (SUS) scores of 23.75 and 59.58. Both methods had similarly high cognitive loads: the CW with a RTLX score of 56.11, and the TA of 53.47 and both were experienced as cognitively demanding. The results indicate the potential importance of these dimensions for decision-making purposes between different evaluation methods.

The many tools that social and behavioral scientists use to gather data from their fellow humans have, in most cases, been honed on a rarefied subset of humanity: highly educated participants with unique capacities, experiences, motivations, and social expectations. Through this honing process, researchers have developed protocols that extract information from these participants with great efficiency. However, as researchers reach out to broader populations, it is unclear whether these highly refined protocols are robust to cultural differences in skills, motivations, and expected modes of social interaction. In this paper, we illustrate the kinds of mismatches that can arise when using these highly refined protocols with nontypical populations by describing our experience translating an apparently simple social discounting protocol to work in rural Bangladesh. Multiple rounds of piloting and revision revealed a number of tacit assumptions about how participants should perceive, understand, and respond to key elements of the protocol. These included facility with numbers, letters, abstract number lines, and 2D geometric shapes, and the treatment of decisions as a series of isolated events. Through on-the-ground observation and a collaborative refinement process, we developed a protocol that worked both in Bangladesh and among US college students. More systematic study of the process of adapting common protocols to new contexts will provide valuable information about the range of skills, motivations, and modes of interaction that participants bring to studies as we develop a more diverse and inclusive social and behavioral science., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

In a previous paper titled, The Taxonomy of Urgent Wayfinding, twelve evacuation maps used in the United States were assessed by the following criteria: components (external and internal identification, level of organization, and length of components); variables (size, value, texture, color, orientation, and shape variation); and the general rules of legibility (graphic density, angular legibility and retinal legibility) as defined in the Semiology of Graphics by Jacques Bertin (1983). The influential effect of mental health and physical stress was also identified as key components in decision-making and wayfinding design for urgent and emergency situations. A unifying, consistent or cohesive set of design principles within which the maps were created could not be established, neither by the taxonomy or strategies of the maps' graphic variables, components and rules of legibility. This paper continues the analysis of artifacts created for people in urgent and emergency situations. The following considerations will be included: 1) the psychologyof emergency egress and ingress, crowd psychology, the unconscious personality, andleader influence; 2) visual literacy and cognition; 3) survey of graphic variables; 4) brief reviewof semantics and the advantages of text; and 5) strategies in instructional and documentdesign. The objective in examining airline safety cards is to explore a model of design principles that include the consideration of human cognition and regulated content applicable to urgent and emergency reading situations by a single authoritative body. Evacuation orders, evacuation maps and airline safetyinstructions share commonalities in the behavior and psychology of its intended readers as well astheir shared messages. The conclusion of this paper will be one of the supporting references used in developing performance tasks and conductinga benchmark of evacuation documents currentlygiven to residentswhen asked to evacuate their home. Even though differences in spatiallimitations and relationships between an aircraft and residential evacuation are exceptional,foundational principles in creating instructional directives for a passenger are applicable toinstructional directives for a resident. Both events acquire a human cognition of urgencyand/or emergency and the message is the same-to safely evacuate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Recognizing the need for more evidence-based multiple sclerosis (MS) rehabilitation, in the mid-2000s several initiatives were undertaken to explore why there had been a paucity of such research and to determine strategies to reverse this pattern. Expert-Opinion-Paper In 2004 the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) convened an expert opinion panel, reviewed evidence-based MS rehabilitation research, and published the paper on the web. It was concluded that much of the MS rehabilitation carried out was based on experience, with little research backing it up. Increasing the Quality and Quantity of MS Rehabilitation Research Largely as a result of the conclusions of the Expert-Opinion-Paper, the NMSS convened a conference of a large number of MS and rehabilitation experts in New York in May, 2005. This conference made many recommendations of ways to increase the quantity and quality of MS research. State of the Science Conference In September, 2006, a follow-up conference was held in Washington, D.C… This conference, primarily sponsored by the University of Washington Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MS RRTC), focused on some of the under-studied "hidden" disabilities present in persons with MS. This paper discusses the details and recommendations of these latter two conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While road safety in the United States (U.S.) has been continually improving since the 1970's, there are indications that these improvements are becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. Strategic Highway Safety Plans (SHSPs) are prepared by States to guide road safety management, however assessing the appropriateness of these plans remains a significant challenge, especially for the future in which they are to be applied. This study developed a new methodology to assess SHSPs from the perspectives of comprehensive system-based safety management and relevant future issues that can be applied before SHSPs are implemented, thereby avoiding long periods after implementation before assessing the appropriateness of the plans. A rating scale was developed and applied to assess 48 U.S. SHSPs against two key criteria: 1. a comprehensive framework for road safety, and 2. the anticipated changing, difficult and unpredictable nature of future transport and its context. The analysis concluded that current SHSPs have good national oversight with several strengths but were weak in some areas of content and did not address future challenges. Improvements are suggested to strengthen the plans’ thoroughness by being consistent with systems theory and practice, as well as ways that these SHSPs can be more resilient to future circumstances. Implementing the recommendations in this paper provides the opportunity to adopt a system-based safety management practice that has been successful in other hazardous industries. Doing so is expected to most efficiently and effectively continue the recent improvements to road safety, which is likely to be increasingly difficult otherwise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study examines the intricate language and communication patterns of nurse‐to‐nurse handoffs across three units with varying patient acuity levels and nurse–patient ratios, seeking to identify linguistic factors that may affect the quality of information transfer and patient outcomes. Design: A mixed‐methods cross‐sectional design. Methods: This study used the Nurse‐to‐Nurse Transition of Care Communication Model to explore the content and meaning of language in nursing handoffs within a large academic medical centre. Data were collected on three units through digital audio recordings of 20 handoffs between June and September 2022, which were transcribed and analysed using the Linguistic Inquiry Word Count programme. Trustworthiness was established by adhering to COREQ and STROBE guidelines for qualitative and quantitative research, respectively. Results: Analysis revealed a preference for casual, narrative language across all units, with ICU nurses demonstrating a higher confidence and leadership in communication. Cognitive processes such as insight and causation were found to be underrepresented, indicating a potential area for miscommunication. Communication motives driven by affiliation were more pronounced in ICU settings, suggesting a strong collaborative nature. No significant differences were observed among the units post multiple testing adjustments. Speech dysfluencies were most pronounced in ICU handoffs, reflecting possible stress and cognitive overload. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for improved communication strategies such as interventions to enhance language clarity and incorporating technological tools into handoff processes to mitigate potential miscommunications and errors. The findings advance nursing science by highlighting the critical role of nuanced language in varied‐acuity hospital settings and the necessity for structured nurse education in handoff communication and standardized handoff procedures. Implications for the profession and patient care: This study underscores the critical role of language in nurse‐to‐nurse handoffs. It calls for enhanced communication strategies, technology integration and training to reduce medical errors, improving patient outcomes in high‐acuity hospital settings. Patient or Public Contribution: Nurses only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early detection of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has the potential to significantly reduce the impact of the condition, however previous reviews have found little evidence to support screening programs for ASD in young children. Methods: We conducted a review with the aim of updating evidence on 3 aspects: (a) diagnostic stability of ASD in young children; (b) accuracy of ASD screening tools in young children; and (c) the benefits of early interventions in screen-detected young children with ASD. Results: A total of 33 studies were included in our review. Five studies looking at diagnostic stability reported estimates ranging from 71.9% to 100%, however the majority only included a follow-up of 24 months and all studies raised concerns regarding the risk of bias due particularly to lack of blinding, sample size, and patient flow. A total of 25 studies, reported in 26 articles, were identified that reported accuracy data on 11 screening tools. Most of the reports were concerned with versions of M-CHAT, reporting sensitivity estimates from 0.67 to 1.0; however, many of these were deemed to be of high risk of bias due to lack of blinding and follow-up. Four studies reported on early interventions in screen-detected children; however, the majority did not find significant improvements on the relevant outcomes. Conclusions: Overall, the evidence on screening for ASD in young children captured by this review is not conclusive regarding the 3 aspects of screening in this population. Future studies should attempt to ensure blinded diagnostic assessments, include longer follow-up periods and limit attrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Literature supports including occupational therapists on primary care teams. Few occupational therapists practice in this setting. The health care community needs more information regarding the benefits of occupational therapists on the team. Method: We completed an 18-month pilot integrating an occupational therapist in a primary care team, tracking conditions treated by the occupational therapist, visit duration, reimbursement, and level of primary care providers’ (PCP) satisfaction. We then evaluated outcomes via a retrospective chart review. Results: Visits were brief, averaging 35 min. Longer visits did not improve outcomes. Occupational therapists were reimbursed by Medicare (47%), commercial (47%), both (6%). PCPs referred numerous conditions, and > 50% related to musculoskeletal pain. Most of the patients, 84%, reported partial (30%) or complete (54%) improvement; 60% required one-time treatment; and 40% were referred for further treatment on-site or outside the department for additional or specialty treatment. After the pilot, most of the PCPs felt an occupational therapist on the team was absolutely essential (n = 14; 61%), or very important (n = 7; 30%). Conclusion: Embedded occupational therapy treatment resulted in symptom improvement in 84% of patients across a variety of conditions, and brief visits were effective. Occupational therapist services were reimbursed across insurance plans. After working with an occupational therapist, 91% of the PCPs viewed the occupational therapist as a very important or essential team member. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper comments on the approach and findings of the preceding papers on the psychology of enemy images, and presents numerous suggestions about needed and feasible research. The research cited mostly used the approaches of attitude measurement and of social-cognitive theories, including attribution and social identity theories, and it employed various research methods, including survey, quasiexperimental, and experimental methods. The main empirical focus of these studies was recent U.S. attitudes toward the USSR, which were found to bias the attitude holders' information processing, mostly in predicted ways. Nevertheless, available evidence suggests that most of the American public do not have extremely stereotyped, diabolical enemy images of the Soviet Union, its people, or its leaders, and furthermore, that U.S. attitudes toward the USSR are softening rapidly under the impact of events of the last few years. Determinants of anti-Soviet attitudes are discussed, and hypotheses and speculations are presented about the motivations and sources of enemy images generally, how they may be changed, and their larger implications from the standpoint of cognitive and ego-developmental theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addiction to psychostimulants like cocaine, methamphetamine, and nicotine poses a continuing medical and social challenge both in the United States and all over the world. Despite a desire to quit drug use, return to drug use after a period of abstinence is a common problem among individuals dependent on psychostimulants. Recovery for psychostimulant drug-dependent individuals is particularly challenging because psychostimulant drugs induce significant changes in brain regions associated with cognitive functions leading to cognitive deficits. These cognitive deficits include impairments in learning/memory, poor decision making, and impaired control of behavioral output. Importantly, these drug-induced cognitive deficits often impact adherence to addiction treatment programs and predispose abstinent addicts to drug use relapse. Additionally, these cognitive deficits impact effective social and professional rehabilitation of abstinent addicts. The goal of this paper is to review neural substrates based on animal studies that could be pharmacologically targeted to reverse psychostimulant-induced cognitive deficits such as impulsivity and impairment in learning and memory. Further, the review will discuss neural substrates that could be used to facilitate extinction learning and thus reduce emotional and behavioral responses to drug-associated cues. Moreover, the review will discuss some non-pharmacological approaches that could be used either alone or in combination with pharmacological compounds to treat the above-mentioned cognitive deficits. Psychostimulant addiction treatment, which includes treatment for cognitive deficits, will help promote abstinence and allow for better rehabilitation and integration of abstinent individuals into society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer around the world, and it represents the main cause of death in the USA. Surgical treatment is the optimal therapeutic strategy for resectable non-small cell lung cancer. The principal factor for long-term survival after complete resection is the anatomic extension of the neoplasm. However, other factors also have adverse effects on operative mortality, and influence long-term outcome. In this paper we propose an algorithmic solution for the estimation of 5-years survival rate in lung cancer patients undertaking pulmonary resection. Materials and methods: We address the issue of survival analysis through decision-making techniques based on fuzzy and soft set theories. We develop an expert system based on clinical and functional data of lung cancer resections in patients with cancer that can be used to predict the survival of patients. Results: The evaluation of surgical risk in patients undertaking pulmonary resection is a primary target for thoracic surgeons. Lung cancer survival is influenced by many factors. The computational performance of our algorithm is critically analyzed by an experimental study. The correct survival classification is achieved with an accuracy of 79.0%. Our novel soft-set based criterion is an effective and precise diagnosis application for the determination of the survival rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale is a widely used instrument for studying depression in the general population. It has been translated into several languages. Cross-cultural relevance of the construct of depression and cultural equivalence of the CES-D items used to measure it are crucial for international research on depression. Given the increasing number of refugees from Eritrea entering the USA and Europe, there is a need among health care researchers and providers for an instrument to assess depressive symptoms in the native language of this vulnerable population. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed forward–backward translation and assessed the CES-D scale for cross-cultural research and depression screening among Tigrigna-speaking Eritrean refugees. Forward–backward translation, cognitive interview and semantic analysis were conducted to ensure equivalence of comprehension of the items and instructions between Tigrigna- and English-speaking samples. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the measurement invariance of the translated version. Findings: Translation efforts were successful as reflected by the results of semantic analysis and pilot testing. Evidence supporting the measurement invariance of data collected using the Tigrigna version of the CES-D was obtained from a sample of 253 Eritrean refugees in the USA. Practical implications: The findings of this study provide support for reliability and validity of data collected using the Tigrigna version of the CES-D scale. This important tool for assessing depression symptoms among Eritrean refugees is now available for health care providers and researchers working with this vulnerable population. Originality/value: This work is an original work of the authors and it has not been published previously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the results of an 18 month study of a variety of participants involved in written reflection on their learning, both in classes at two universities in the Southern US or in voluntary focus groups. The purpose of the study was to analyze the effects of including autobiographical tools in written reflection. Participants used three tools from the genre of autobiography as they reflected on their learning inside either course content, internship experiences, experiential learning, or goal-setting. Over 500 samples were gathered, offering a large data set for analysis of what kinds of best practice produce quality reflective writing. Through analysis of the data and student surveys and interviews, results show increased attention to critical thinking and metacognition; expressed flexibility, adaptability, and ability to handle ambiguity; and value in connection to others/empathy-building as a result of incorporating autobiographical tools in reflective prompts. The study indicated that reflections using the same autobiographical tool over the course of several sessions seemed to produce deeper levels of reflection and more engagement with the autobiographical tool. Of the three autobiographical tools used in the study, the tool that seemed most helpful to participants was reflection as storytelling that revealed aspects of the self. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implicit in the assertion that an individual has consented to/has capacity to decide, is the concept that the individual has understood that which needed to be understood, retained the same and used/weighed this information as part of their decision-making process and thereafter communicated their wishes in whatever way possible. What invariably underpins the decision-making process is the information available to the individual (relevant information) and how this information is influenced by the functioning of their mind/brain. Consent given without an individual having processed the information relevant to the decision at hand is arguably invalid. This paper seeks to draw attention to the underpinning role of "what the patient needs to know" – (relevant information) in the correct determination of an individual's decisional capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more than three decades, the prevailing view in Hispanic marketing is that US Hispanics have a 'preference' for Spanish. This paper contends that this is an over-simplification, and applies two theories of bilingual memory — the Revised Hierarchical Model and the Conceptual Feature Model — to help examine the cognitive structure of foreign-born Hispanics in the USA. Cognitive structure refers to a mental framework or schema that organises and retains learned facts. This study proposes that the cognitive structure of foreign-born Hispanics changes based on their level of acculturation. Using experiments, the study finds statistically significant differences in the cognitive structures of firstgeneration Hispanics across three levels of acculturation — low, moderate and high. These results suggest that the optimal way to target foreign-born Hispanics depends on their level of acculturation. This challenges the commonly held view that first-generation Hispanics are a monolithic group and that Spanish is their language of'preference'. This study has the potential to influence how organisations develop segmentation and communication strategies to target first-generation Hispanics, who make up an estimated 40 per cent of the total Hispanic population, and clarify the role that Spanish plays in marketing to this segment. Although conducted in the context of Hispanics, this study has similar implications for other ethnic groups and thus has implications beyond Hispanic marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]