Prior Testing Research Articles

Material properties and finite element analysis of adhesive cements used for zirconia crowns on dental implants

This study aimed to evaluate the material properties of four dental cements, analyze the stress distribution on the cement layer under various loading conditions, and perform failure analysis on the fractured specimens retrieved from mechanical tests. Microhardness indentation testing is used to measure material hardness microscopically with a diamond indenter. The hardness and elastic moduli of three self-adhesive resin cements (SARC), namely, DEN CEM (DENTEX, Changchun, China), Denali (Glidewell Laboratories, CA, USA), and Glidewell Experimental SARC (GES—Glidewell Laboratories, CA, USA), and a resin-modified glass ionomer (RMGI—Glidewell Laboratories, CA, USA) cement, were measured using microhardness indentation. These values were used in the subsequent Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to analyze the von Mises stress distribution on the cement layer of a 3D implant model constructed in SOLIDWORKS under different mechanical forces. Failure analysis was performed on the fractured specimens retrieved from prior mechanical tests. All the cements, except Denali, had elastic moduli comparable to dentin (8–15 GPa). RMGI with primer and GES cements exhibited the lowest von Mises stresses under tensile and compressive loads. Stress distribution under tensile and compressive loads correlated well with experimental tests, unlike oblique loads. Failure analysis revealed that damages on the abutment and screw vary significantly with loading direction. GES and RMGI cement with primer (Glidewell Laboratories, CA, USA) may be suitable options for cement-retained zirconia crowns on titanium abutments. Adding fillets to the screw thread crests can potentially reduce the extent of the damage under load.

Executive deficits after SARS-CoV-2 infection: A cross-sectional population study

ImportanceDespite the major implications of executive deficits in day-to-day functioning, few studies have investigated this in post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection using standardized measures that differentiate between aspects of executive function. ObjectiveExamine whether SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with deficits in executive functions and if so, investigate the duration of this association. Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThe present research has a cross-sectional design and uses data from the Norwegian Covid-19 Cohort study. The current cohort (n = 8102) completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function- Adult Version (BRIEF-A) electronically between April 2021 and September 2021. During the assessment, 4183 of the included participants had a prior positive polymerase chain reaction test (PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 and 3919 were untested or had a confirmed negative PCR test. ExposureLaboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Main outcomes and measuresExecutive functions were measured using the BRIEF-A, a self-report questionnaire comprising 75 items within nine theoretically and empirically distinct clinical scales. All participants self-reported on demographical variables and comorbidity. Information on sex and age was derived from the personal identification number, and vaccination status was obtained from the Norwegian Immunization Registry (SYSVAK). ResultsParticipants with a positive SARS-CoV-2 status reported executive deficits in everyday life above the clinical threshold (T-score ≥65) more often than non-infected controls (383 vs. 225). Specifically, the SARS-CoV-2 positive status group indicated significantly more deficits related to metacognition, with the greatest difference demonstrated for working memory. This difference remained when adjusting for various demographic factors and comorbidities, with significantly greater odds of reporting above the clinical threshold following SARS-CoV-2 infection, as observed on the global executive composite score 6–12 months after infection (OR 1.97; 95% CI 1.51 to 2.55). ConclusionsOur study confirms more perceived executive deficits following SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to non-infected controls, with metacognitive aspects being the most affected. These findings shed light on the potential functional difficulties that individuals may encounter during the post-acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection and may guide further development of targeted interventions addressing metacognitive domains of executive functioning.

An Integrated Test of Power-Control Theory by Delinquency Types: Assessing Additional Factors Predicting Adolescents’ Risk-taking Preferences

Prior tests of power-control theory (“PCT”) have primarily utilized the U.S. or Canadian samples, lacked integration with other theoretical frameworks, and overlooked diverse offense types. This study aims to address these limitations by testing PCT while considering various criminogenic factors and assessing its relative significance across status, property, and violent offenses using an international sample. Structural equation modeling analysis reveals support for PCT’s core assumption that the gender effect on offending, wherein boys are more likely to commit offenses than girls, is less pronounced in egalitarian families than patriarchal families, particularly in status and violent offenses, but not in property offenses. However, other PCT assumptions were partially supported or not supported. We discuss implications for policy, theory, and future research.

Identification of diagnostic candidates in Mendelian disorders using an RNA sequencing-centric approach

BackgroundRNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is increasingly being used as a complementary tool to DNA sequencing in diagnostics where DNA analysis has been uninformative. RNA-seq enables the identification of aberrant splicing and aberrant gene expression, improving the interpretation of variants of unknown significance (VUSs), and provides the opportunity to scan the transcriptome for aberrant splicing and expression in relevant genes that may be the cause of a patient’s phenotype. This work aims to investigate the feasibility of generating new diagnostic candidates in patients without a previously reported VUS using an RNA-seq-centric approach.MethodsWe systematically assessed the transcriptomic profiles of 86 patients with suspected Mendelian disorders, 38 of whom had no candidate sequence variant, using RNA from blood samples. Each VUS was visually inspected to search for splicing abnormalities. Once aberrant splicing was identified in cases with VUS, multiple open-source alternative splicing tools were used to investigate if they would identify what was observed in IGV. Expression outliers were detected using OUTRIDER. Diagnoses in cases without a VUS were explored using two separate strategies.ResultsRNA-seq allowed us to assess 71% of VUSs, detecting aberrant splicing in 14/48 patients with a VUS. We identified four new diagnoses by detecting novel aberrant splicing events in patients with no candidate sequence variants from prior DNA testing (n = 32) or where the candidate VUS did not affect splicing (n = 23). An additional diagnosis was made through the detection of skewed X-inactivation.ConclusionThis work demonstrates the utility of an RNA-centric approach in identifying novel diagnoses in patients without candidate VUSs. It underscores the utility of blood-based RNA analysis in improving diagnostic yields and highlights optimal approaches for such analyses.

Uptake of Cancer Genetic Services for Chatbot vs Standard-of-Care Delivery Models: The BRIDGE Randomized Clinical Trial.

Increasing numbers of unaffected individuals could benefit from genetic evaluation for inherited cancer susceptibility. Automated conversational agents (ie, chatbots) are being developed for cancer genetics contexts; however, randomized comparisons with standard of care (SOC) are needed. To examine whether chatbot and SOC approaches are equivalent in completion of pretest cancer genetic services and genetic testing. This equivalence trial (Broadening the Reach, Impact, and Delivery of Genetic Services [BRIDGE] randomized clinical trial) was conducted between August 15, 2020, and August 31, 2023, at 2 US health care systems (University of Utah Health and NYU Langone Health). Participants were aged 25 to 60 years, had had a primary care visit in the previous 3 years, were eligible for cancer genetic evaluation, were English or Spanish speaking, had no prior cancer diagnosis other than nonmelanoma skin cancer, had no prior cancer genetic counseling or testing, and had an electronic patient portal account. Participants were randomized 1:1 at the patient level to the study groups at each site. In the chatbot intervention group, patients were invited in a patient portal outreach message to complete a pretest genetics education chat. In the enhanced SOC control group, patients were invited to complete an SOC pretest appointment with a certified genetic counselor. Primary outcomes were completion of pretest cancer genetic services (ie, pretest genetics education chat or pretest genetic counseling appointment) and completion of genetic testing. Equivalence hypothesis testing was used to compare the study groups. This study included 3073 patients (1554 in the chatbot group and 1519 in the enhanced SOC control group). Their mean (SD) age at outreach was 43.8 (9.9) years, and most (2233 of 3063 [72.9%]) were women. A total of 204 patients (7.3%) were Black, 317 (11.4%) were Latinx, and 2094 (75.0%) were White. The estimated percentage point difference for completion of pretest cancer genetic services between groups was 2.0 (95% CI, -1.1 to 5.0). The estimated percentage point difference for completion of genetic testing was -1.3 (95% CI, -3.7 to 1.1). Analyses suggested equivalence in the primary outcomes. The findings of the BRIDGE equivalence trial support the use of chatbot approaches to offer cancer genetic services. Chatbot tools can be a key component of sustainable and scalable population health management strategies to enhance access to cancer genetic services. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03985852.

Medical Emergency In Dentistry By Local Anaesthetics

Justification: Local anaesthesia is widely used in various procedures in dental specialties. However, even though it is rare, a medical emergency may occur. Objective: The article aims to show the necessary care in the administration of local anaesthetic in dentistry and the medical emergencies, signs and symptoms and first procedures. Show the importance of the dental surgeon be alert to any signs and symptoms during the application of anaesthetic, and able to intercede in any risk to health or the patient's death and knowing the formula and possible side effects of anaesthetic use and their medicine interactions with legal and/or illegal drug. Methodology: research on the main electronic health platforms, BIREME, LILACS and Medline, using as descriptors: LOCAL ANAESTHETIC /+/ ODONTOLOGY and MEDICAL EMERGENCIES/AND/ODONTOLOGY, in Portuguese, French, Spanish and English, and the professional experience of the authors in First Aid and Medical Emergency in Dental Offices. Conclusion: There are risks in the administration of local anaesthetics, however they are minimal and can be predicted when there is a correct anamnesis and treatment plan and/or surgical adequate for each identified situation. Knowledge of the anatomy of irrigation and drainage, foramen, among others, besides of the physiology and neuroanatomy of the region where the anaesthetic will be applied, is important to minimise the risks. The dental surgeon should be alert to any signs and symptoms during the application of anaesthetic, and able to intercede in any risk to health or of the patient's death and knowing the formula and possible side effects of anaesthetic use and their medicine interactions with legal and/or illegal drug. The most serious side effects of a local anaesthetic focus on the central and peripheral nervous system, the cardiovascular tract and renal tract. Hence, there need to know both the physiology of the systems and the interaction of the medications with the specific anaesthetics. However, the patient may not always be able to receive anaesthetics with vasoconstrictors, and surgery is not always elective to know such medicine interactions, and not always is possible to know if there is any allergy to any specific anaesthetic without prior testing before surgery. Hence, there is needed to know emergency medical procedures in dental offices and clinics

Electromagnetic Disturbance Source Modeling Scheme and its Interference Estimation of Medium–Low-Speed Maglev Train Interior

Magnetic fields from the linear motor, suspended electromagnet, and collector shoe arcing are the three main electromagnetic interference (EMI) sources for the medium–low-speed maglev train interior. Under their collective influence, the field intensity may exceed the standard threshold, consequently affecting the operational reliability of the train system. However, in previous studies, the EMI sources were analyzed separately, and studies regarding the influence of factors such as the motor states and the train body (TB) shielding against arcing EMI were lacking. Therefore, in this paper, all three EMI source are considered, and an EM disturbance source modeling scheme is proposed using the COMSOL software platform. Its effectiveness is demonstrated and the train interior magnetic field is analyzed, primarily with respect to prior simulations and tests. Subsequent analyses enable a comparative assessment of the individual contributions of each EMI source to the overall interference, considering the EMI control standards. The influence of other EMI source parameters, such as different motor states, is analyzed, and the potential for modifying the material composition and structural thickness of the TB is explored to determine the appropriate EMI inhibition strategy.

Allow Me to Explain: Benefits of Explaining Extend to Distal Academic Performance.

How does the act of explaining influence learning? Prior work has studied effects of explaining through a predominantly proximal lens, measuring short-term outcomes or manipulations within lab settings. Here, we ask whether the benefits of explaining extend to academic performance over time. Specifically, does the quality and frequency of student explanations predict students' later performance on standardized tests of math and English? In Study 1 (N = 127 5th-6th graders), participants completed a causal learning activity during which their explanation quality was evaluated. Controlling for prior test scores, explanation quality directly predicted both math and English standardized test scores the following year. In Study 2 (N = 20,384 10th graders), participants reported aspects of teachers' explanations and their own. Controlling for prior test scores, students' own explanations predicted both math and English state standardized test scores, and teacher explanations were linked to test performance through students' own explanations. Taken together, these findings suggest that benefits of explaining may result in part from the development of a metacognitive explanatory skill that transfers across domains and over time. Implications for cognitive science, pedagogy, and education are discussed.

Patient Perceptions of Hepatitis C Screening and Diagnosis While in a County Jail.

Prior research in the Santa Clara County (SCC) Jail showed that knowledge of hepatitis C virus (HCV), perception of risk, and perceived coercion impacted participation in routine HCV screening; however, the experiences of patients undergoing screening were not assessed. The purpose of the study was to understand patient perceptions of undergoing routine viral hepatitis screening and receiving a diagnosis of HCV while incarcerated. A qualitative design was employed using semi-structured interviews of individuals newly diagnosed with HCV via routine screening in the SCC Jail between March and November 2023. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Of the 15 participants, most were within the 35 to 44 (47%) and 25 to 34 (40%) age ranges, were White or Caucasian (47%), and all were male. Nine themes emerged: (1) risk perception as a motivator for testing, (2) testing convenience to maintain health, (3) minimal to no prior testing experience, (4) mixed experiences testing in the jail, (5) negative to neutral reactions to HCV diagnosis, (6) intrinsic motivation to get treated, (7) basic HCV knowledge after diagnosis, (8) seamless treatment experience in the jail, and (9) barriers to continuing care upon release. The HCV screening process, including disclosure, education, and treatment initiation, was positively received among participants.

Evaluation of Hi-C Sequencing for Detection of Gene Fusions in Hematologic and Solid Tumor Pediatric Cancer Samples.

Hi-C sequencing is a DNA-based next-generation sequencing method that preserves the 3D genome conformation and has shown promise in detecting genomic rearrangements in translational research studies. To evaluate Hi-C as a potential clinical diagnostic platform, analytical concordance with routine laboratory testing was assessed using primary pediatric leukemia and sarcoma specimens. Archived viable and non-viable frozen leukemic cells and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor specimens were analyzed. Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (A-RMS) specimens with known genomic rearrangements were subjected to Hi-C to assess analytical concordance. Subsequently, a discovery cohort consisting of AML and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases without known genomic rearrangements based on prior clinical diagnostic testing was evaluated to determine whether Hi-C could detect rearrangements. Using a standard sequencing depth of 50 million raw read-pairs per sample, or approximately 5X raw genomic coverage, we observed 100% concordance between Hi-C and previous clinical cytogenetic and molecular testing. In the discovery cohort, a clinically relevant gene fusion was detected in 45% of leukemia cases (5/11). This study provides an institutional proof of principle evaluation of Hi-C sequencing to medical diagnostic testing as it identified several clinically relevant rearrangements, including those that were missed by current clinical testing workflows.

Application of Diagnostic Stewardship to Fungal Polymerase Chain Reaction: Low Yield of Follow-up Testing on Plasma and Bronchoalveolar Lavage After a Negative Result.

Early diagnosis of invasive fungal disease is essential for optimizing management. Although the clinical utility of fungal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing on plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) has been established, the role of follow-up testing remains unclear. This was a retrospective single-center study. The yield of follow-up PCR for Aspergillus species, Mucorales agents, Fusarium species, Scedosporium species, dimorphic fungi, Pneumocystis jirovecii, and Candida species on plasma and/or BAL was measured at intervals of 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks following a negative result. A total of 1389 follow-up tests on 406 plasma specimens from 264 patients and 983 BAL specimens from 431 patients were evaluated. Overall, the positivity rate at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks was 2.7% (4/148), 3.3% (4/123), 5.1% (4/78), and 3.5% (2/57), respectively, on plasma, and 0% (0/333), 0.3% (1/288), 0.4% (1/228), and 0.7% (1/134), respectively, on BAL. Conversions occurred with Aspergillus species, Mucorales agents, and Fusarium species PCR on plasma and Aspergillus species and P jirovecii PCR on BAL. All patients who converted were immunocompromised. Within 1 week of a prior negative test, 2 Aspergillus and 2 Mucorales PCRs were positive on plasma, and zero tests were positive on BAL. In week 1, only 1 Aspergillus species that was positive on day 7 was classified as probable fungal disease. Fungal PCR follow-up testing on plasma and BAL within 4 weeks of a prior negative result was of low yield and rarely generated a positive result considered clinically significant in the first week.

Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Opt-Out Screening of Justice-Involved Females During Intake at the Los Angeles County Jail: The Pivotal Role of Correctional Health Systems.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide, presenting major public health challenges and resulting in billions of dollars in direct medical costs in the U.S. Incarcerated females have a particularly elevated risk of these infections, which can result in serious sequelae if left untreated. On December 13, 2021, the Los Angeles County Jail system began offering opt-out urogenital chlamydia and gonorrhea screening to all newly incarcerated females. We retrospectively analyzed electronic health record data for completed urogenital chlamydia/gonorrhea screening among newly incarcerated females between December 13, 2021, and May 31, 2023. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the association of STIs and treatment non-initiation outcomes with various demographic and self-reported variables. Of the 13,739 female entrants offered STI testing, 10,717 (78%) completed screening, with 1151 (11%) having a chlamydial infection, 788 (7%) having a gonococcal infection, and 1626 (15%) having >1 infection. STI positivity was associated with age 18-34, reported houselessness, amphetamine use, and history of a positive prior treponemal antibody test. STI treatment non-initiation was associated with shorter jail stay for both chlamydial ([aOR] = 87.4, 95% CI (34.2, 223.2)) and gonococcal ([aOR] = 9.0, 95% CI (5.2, 15.7)) infections. The STI prevalence among female detainees tested was manyfold higher than that of the general population. The implementation of routine opt-out STI screening in carceral settings provides a unique opportunity to benefit the health of both the correctional population and potentially that of the surrounding community.

Colorectal Cancer Recurrence Prediction Using a Tissue-Free Epigenomic Minimal Residual Disease Assay.

Posttreatment detection of ctDNA is strongly predictive of recurrence. Most minimal/molecular residual disease assays require prior tissue testing to guide ctDNA analysis, resulting in lengthy time to initial results and unevaluable patients. We assessed a tissue-free assay (Guardant Reveal) that bioinformatically evaluates >20,000 epigenomic regions for ctDNA detection in 1,977 longitudinally collected postoperative plasma samples from 342 patients with resected colorectal cancer. We observed sensitive and specific detection of minimal/molecular residual disease associated with clinically meaningful differences in recurrence-free intervals at each time point evaluated with a median lead time of 5.3 months. The longitudinal sensitivity in stage II or higher colon cancer was 81%. Sensitivity increased with serial measurement and varied by recurrence site: higher for liver (100%) versus lung (53%) and peritoneal (40%). Sensitivity among patients with rectal cancer was 60% owing to a high proportion of lung metastases. Specificity was 98.2% among 1,461 posttreatment samples (99.1% among those with follow-up longer than the upper IQR of the lead time observed in this study). Our data demonstrate the potential clinical utility of ctDNA as a tool to improve the management of stage II and higher colorectal cancer with a methodology that is noninvasive, accessible, and allows for rapid evaluation to inform clinical decisions.

Uniaxial material model with softening for simulating the cyclic behavior of steel tubes in concrete‐filled steel tube beam‐columns

AbstractThis paper presents a new uniaxial constitutive material formulation with softening for simulating the inelastic behavior of steel rectangular tubes in concrete‐filled steel tube (CFST) members. The primary behavioral characteristics of the steel tube in CFST members are isolated and pronounced through a carefully designed experimental campaign with CFST specimens subjected to uniaxial strain‐based loading protocols. The model is expressed in an effective stress–strain domain, where the effective uniaxial strain is defined as the uniaxial displacement within a dissipative zone over a predefined length. In the pre‐peak state, the proposed model can effectively capture the combined kinematic/isotropic hardening and Bauschinger effect—characteristic of mild structural steels—within the framework of rate‐independent plasticity. In the post‐peak state, the proposed model traces strength deterioration due to outward local buckling, which is a characteristic nonlinear geometric instability in CFST members due to the presence of the filled concrete in the steel tube. The proposed constitutive formulation incorporates a softening branch that exponentially decays to trace the stabilization of the outward buckling wave within the buckling region in successive inelastic loading cycles. Cyclic deterioration of the effective stress is explicitly considered via an energy‐based rule. The proposed model is calibrated to a CFST dataset. Regression equations are proposed for predicting the input model parameters. These equations cover a wide range of geometric parameters and structural steel materials in CFST members. Comparisons with prior tests on actual CFST beam‐columns under planar symmetric cyclic loading suggest that conventional 2‐dimensional displacement‐based beam‐column elements can predict the full‐range of the hysteretic behavior of the CFST members with the proposed constitutive formulation including cases where the post‐peak response of CFST members exhibits negative stiffness.

In vitro identification of underutilized β-lactam combinations against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia isolates.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia is a serious clinical challenge with high mortality rates. Antibiotic combination therapy is currently used in cases of persistent infection; however, the limited development of new antibiotics will likely increase the need for combination therapy, and better methods are needed for identifying effective combinations for treating persistent bacteremia. To identify pairwise combinations with the most consistent potential for benefit compared to monotherapy with a primary anti-MRSA agent, we conducted a systematic study with an in vitro high-throughput methodology. We tested daptomycin and vancomycin each in combination with gentamicin, rifampicin, cefazolin, and oxacillin, and ceftaroline with daptomycin, gentamicin, and rifampicin. Combining cefazolin with daptomycin lowered the daptomycin concentration required to reach 95% growth inhibition (IC95) for all isolates tested and lowered daptomycin IC95 below the sensitivity breakpoint for five out of six isolates that had daptomycin minimum inhibitory concentrations at or above the sensitivity breakpoint. Similarly, vancomycin IC95s were decreased when vancomycin was combined with cefazolin for 86.7% of the isolates tested. This was a higher percentage than was achieved by adding any other secondary antibiotic to vancomycin. Adding rifampicin to daptomycin or vancomycin did not always reduce IC95s and failed to produce synergistic interaction in any of the isolates tested; the addition of rifampicin to ceftaroline was frequently synergistic and always lowered the amount of ceftaroline required to reach the IC95. These analyses rationalize further in vivo evaluation of three drug pairs for MRSA bacteremia: daptomycin+cefazolin, vancomycin+cefazolin, and ceftaroline+rifampicin.IMPORTANCEBloodstream infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have a high mortality rate despite the availability of vancomycin, daptomycin, and newer antibiotics including ceftaroline. With the slow output of the antibiotic pipeline and the serious clinical challenge posed by persistent MRSA infections, better strategies for utilizing combination therapy are becoming increasingly necessary. We demonstrated the value of a systematic high-throughput approach, adapted from prior work testing antibiotic combinations against tuberculosis and other mycobacteria, by using this approach to test antibiotic pairs against a panel of MRSA isolates with diverse patterns of antibiotic susceptibility. We identified three antibiotic pairs-daptomycin+cefazolin, vancomycin+cefazolin, and ceftaroline+rifampicin-where the addition of the second antibiotic improved the potency of the first antibiotic across all or most isolates tested. Our results indicate that these pairs warrant further evaluation in the clinical setting.

Potential of Pan-Tuberculosis Treatment to Drive Emergence of Novel Resistance.

New tuberculosis (TB) drugs with little existing antimicrobial resistance enable a pan-TB treatment regimen, intended for universal use without prior drug-susceptibility testing. However, widespread use of such a regimen could contribute to an increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, potentially rendering the pan-TB regimen ineffective or driving clinically problematic patterns of resistance. We developed a model of multiple sequential TB patient cohorts to compare treatment outcomes between continued use of current standards of care (guided by rifampin-susceptibility testing) and a hypothetical pan-TB approach. A pan-TB regimen that met current target profiles was likely to initially outperform the standard of care; however, a rising prevalence of transmitted resistance to component drugs could make underperformance likely among subsequent cohorts. Although the pan-TB approach led to an increased prevalence of resistance to novel drugs, it was unlikely to cause accumulation of concurrent resistance to novel drugs and current first-line drugs.

False memories in bilinguals: Integration of information across languages and limits on proficiency effects.

Research on false memory in bilinguals using the DRM task has shown that false memories transfer across languages, but comparisons to within-language conditions have yielded mixed results. In two experiments, Spanish-English bilinguals completed standardized language assessments and a DRM task. Experiment 1 (N = 96) had several study-recall cycles before a final recognition test, and Experiment 2 (N = 72) only tested recognition. Relative to within-language conditions, more critical lures were recalled when the language changed from study to test and when words were studied in mixed-language sequences. With no prior recall test, the rate of critical lure recognition did not differ across language conditions. Language proficiency was not associated with the false-memory effects. Associations of false and veridical memory were negative in recall and positive in recognition. Overall, the findings indicate that proficient bilinguals can integrate information across their languages via a shared semantic network to form false memories.

Self-reported hepatitis B testing among noninstitutionalized adults in the United States before the implementation of universal screening, 2013-2017: A nationwide population-based study.

In 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended universal screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV); however, the proportion of US adults screened before implementing this recommendation is unknown. We analysed nationally representative data from the National Health Interview Survey (2013-2017) on self-reported HBV testing among noninstitutionalized US adults ≥18 years. We employed Poisson logistic regression to identify factors associated with self-reported testing, using a conceptual framework that included four overarching factors: sociodemographic characteristics, healthcare access, health-seeking behaviours and experiences, and access to internet-based health information. Among 149,628 survey respondents, the self-reported HBV testing rate was 27.2% (95% CI 26.2-28.7) and increased by 1.7% from 2013 to 2017 (p = .006). In adjusted analysis, health-seeking behaviours and experiences had the strongest associations of self-reported testing including a history of hepatitis (AOR 2.68, 95% CI 1.92-3.73), receipt of hepatitis B vaccination (AOR 5.11, 95% CI 4.61-5.68) and prior testing for hepatitis C (AOR 9.14, 95% CI 7.97-10.48) and HIV (AOR 2.69, 95% CI 2.44-2.97). Other factors associated with testing included being male (AOR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03-1.26), ages 30-44 years (AOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.17-1.61), 45-60 years (AOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.30-1.80) and ≥60 years (AOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.28-1.84), residence in the Western US region (AOR 1.23, 95% CI 1.06-1.43), and access to internet-based health information (AOR 1.32, 95% CI 1.18-1.47). Being Hispanic was associated with lower odds of testing (AOR 0.80, 95% CI 0.66-0.97). These findings may help guide optimal HBV screening in the universal testing era.

Increased metamemory accuracy with practice does not require practice with metamemory.

Given that learners do not always predict their future memory performance accurately, there is a need to better understand how metamemory accuracy can be improved. Prior research suggests that one way to improve is practice-participants tend to become better at predicting their future memory performance over the course of multi-trial learning experiments. However, it is currently unclear whether such improvements result from participants having practised making metamemory judgements or whether comparable improvements occur even in their absence. This issue was investigated in three multi-trial, cued recall experiments wherein participants either did or did not receive practice making judgements of learning. Metamemory accuracy increased across study blocks but did so equally for the two groups. These results indicate that increased metamemory accuracy with practice is not due to participants having practised explicit metamemory monitoring but instead due to other factors associated with multi-trial learning such as retrieval practice and the availability of prior test performance as a metamemory cue.

Effect of label elements in bottled water: Impact on consumer preferences, purchase intentions and health perception through affective sensory tests

Bottled water has become a popular beverage choice worldwide, with consumers increasingly seeking healthier options. However, label elements can significantly influence consumer perception and purchasing decisions. The research aimed to assess how label elements affect the liking, purchase intention, preference and concept of healthy bottled water. Two stages involved 180 and 100 participants aged between 18 and 40, provided sociodemographic information. The first stage used a hedonic scale and ranking test to perception of nine labels with different elements. The second stage selected a consensus label from prior tests. Four labels were designed, differing in brand color and nutritional information placement. In this last stage, the acceptability, preference ranking and concept of healthy were re-evaluated and eye tracking via the Pupil Lab program. Findings showed varied responses in acceptability and purchase intention among consumers. However, significant differences were observed in preferences and healthiness perceptions based on label characteristics. The label with the highest preference and perceived healthiness featured a sky-blue design with nutritional information on the right side. Combining sensory testing and eye tracking offers valuable insights for designing labels that positively impact consumer perception. The results provide important implications for bottled water manufacturers and marketers in developing effective labeling strategies to meet consumer preferences and promote healthier choices.