Inside or outside? The role of classroom setting location on child executive function.

Reliable and non-invasive assessment of affective states is crucial in animal welfare research. Linking affective states to cognitive processes, such as cognitive biases, provides a promising approach. An affect-driven attention bias - the tendency to focus more on threatening than on neutral or positive stimuli when in a negative affective state - has been observed in humans and non-human animal species. However, implementation is often hampered because ecologically relevant test setups need to be adapted to species-specific differences in the perception and processing of information from different modalities. As an initial step towards developing and validating an affect-driven attention bias test for goats, we aimed to identify visual stimuli perceived as potentially threatening using a looking-time paradigm. In a within-subject design, 30 adult female dwarf goats ( Capra hircus ) were presented with photographs of 12 animal species (six natural predators and six non-predators) from three taxa (mammals, reptiles, birds). Each image was shown for 10 seconds on one of two video screens, while the opposite screen remained white. Each goat completed four sessions (one per day) of six trials each: two sessions showing full-body and two sessions showing face/head-only images, resulting in 24 trials per subject. Analysis of relative looking duration revealed a significant interaction between animal taxon and predator category. Goats looked longer at predatory than non-predatory reptiles, while the opposite pattern was found for mammals. No difference was observed for birds. The presented body part (full body vs. face/head only) did not influence looking behaviour. These results suggest that photographs of predatory reptiles, particularly snakes, might be perceived as potentially threatening by goats, indicating their suitability as negative stimuli in future affect-driven attention bias tests. Further validation is needed to confirm their negative valence. • Attention bias tests need validated stimuli in terms of their perceived valence. • We aimed to identify ecologically relevant visual stimuli perceived as potentially threatening by dwarf goats, using a looking-time paradigm. • We presented subjects with photographs of predatory and non-predatory species from three different taxa. • Goats paid more attention to predatory reptiles compared to non-predatory ones. • Further validation is needed to confirm their negative valence.

Embodied representations are known to influence user behavior in virtual environments through stereotypes associated with their appearance, a phenomenon known as the Proteus effect, or through perceived affordances. The latter concept refers to the suggested ways of interacting with the environment as perceived by the capabilities of the user's virtual representation. The inherent ability of virtual reality to support non-anthropomorphic avatars, enabling new interaction modalities, paves the way for a deeper understanding of affordances in virtual environments. We designed an experiment to assess the effect of embodying a chimeric hand (crab claw), compared to a regular hand, on participants' sense of embodiment, presence, character plausibility, mental workload, and behavior. Following a within-subject design, participants took part in a gamified task consisting of finding a key in a wrecked pirate ship. As the key could be hidden in containers of different durability, their strategy (opening or destroying objects) was used as an objective measure. Results indicated a high perceived usability and a low mental workload with both virtual limbs. Participants also performed hitting actions more frequently when using the biomimetic limb than when using the humanoid hand representation. A higher perceived change in the body schema was reported when embodying the crab claw, but a higher sense of body ownership and agency were observed with the anthropomorphic hand. Results revealed no significant difference in terms of plausibility.

On-road evaluation of sickness-less motion planning in automated vehicles: 'Head motion first' helps!

Comparing terror management and time management: The effects of mortality awareness on time perception, delay discounting, and monetary allocation.

The Gaylord Occupational Therapy Cognitive screen (GOT-Cog™) is a novel cognitive screening tool developed to support inpatient occupational therapy treatment planning. It has demonstrated excellent content, construct, and criterion validity, as well as good internal consistency. To assess GOT-Cog rater reliability and responsiveness. Repeated-measures design. GOT-Cog was administered to participants twice at admission and once at discharge. When different investigators collected the first two assessments, interrater reliability was tested; when collected by the same investigator, intrarater reliability was tested. The first and final GOT-Cog scores were used to assess responsiveness. Single long-term acute care hospital (LTACH). 192 participants, recruited from inpatients admitted with an order for occupational therapy services. GOT-Cog total score was the primary outcome measure. Rater reliability was evaluated using interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs); responsiveness was calculated using effect size and score change. Scale-level interrater reliability of GOT-Cog was moderate to good, ICC(2, 1) = .80 (95% confidence interval [CI] [.71, .87], r = .81, n = 87); intrarater reliability was good to excellent, ICC(2, 1) = .84 (95% CI [.76, .90], r = .86, n = 89). Domain-level rater reliability ranged from poor to excellent. A small effect size was demonstrated from admission to discharge (d = .37, n = 149) over a mean length of stay of 24.06 d (95% CI [20.70, 27.41]; n = 192). Previous findings are supported, which indicates that GOT-Cog has the validity and reliability needed to support its use in the LTACH setting with a mixed medically complex inpatient population. Plain-Language Summary: Conducted in the long-term care setting, this study explains how consistent the Gaylord Occupational Therapy Cognitive screen (GOT-Cog™) is when given to the same person, multiple times, and by the same or different people, as well as how sensitive it is to change over time. To test this, GOT-Cog was given to participants twice at inpatient admission and once at discharge. GOT-Cog was found to have moderate to good consistency when delivered by different people and good to excellent consistency when used by the same person. Over an average of 24 days, GOT-Cog showed a small level of change in participants who were tested admission and again at discharge.

Climate warming is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, yet the lasting effects of short, extreme thermal events during development on pollinators remain poorly understood. Early life heat stress may generate persistent carry-over effects that influence adult morphology and performance, with consequences for fitness and ecosystem functioning. We experimentally tested how moderate and extreme developmental heatwaves affect adult morphology and flight performance in the red mason bee (Osmia bicornis), a key pollinator across its broad distribution and a model species for solitary bee research. Bees exposed to heat stress emerged with reduced body mass and wing size, with the strongest effects under extreme and prolonged heatwaves. Allometric analyses revealed that heat-stressed bees had systematically smaller wings for a given body mass. These morphological shifts translated into impaired flight performance, including reduced flight initiation, shorter flight distances and lower mean flight speeds under extreme heatwave conditions. In contrast, short moderate heatwaves slightly increased flight speed. Our results demonstrate that developmental heatwaves can induce persistent morphological and functional deficits in pollinators. As extreme thermal events become more frequent, such carry-over effects may reduce pollinator mobility, foraging efficiency and ecosystem service provision, underscoring the need to incorporate thermal extremes into predictions of pollinator resilience.

Operational dual bicarbonate stabilization enables chemical-free high-rate vinasse second-stage methanogenesis with energy and cost benefits.

Development and validation of a robust UPLC-MS/MS method for the analysis of polyamines in cells, biofluids and tissues.

Anxiety influences working memory performance, but the effects on clinical neuropsychological assessments of working memory are not well known. We examined the effect of anxiety, induced using the 7.5% carbon dioxide model of anxiety on standardized clinical neuropsychological tests of working memory and executive function in a single-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover within-subjects design. The CO2-challenge reduced spatial working memory performance and verbal working memory performance accuracy when task demands were high. The CO2-challenge increased effort and reduced processing efficiency across all verbal and spatial working memory tasks. The CO2-challenge resulted in significant reductions in working memory performance and processing efficiency. These results encourage the routine assessment of anxiety when administering and interpreting neuropsychological measures of working memory function in clinical practice.

Objective measures should be combined with subjective assessments to monitor pain and discomfort, particularly in sports with a high prevalence of atraumatic injuries. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the reliability of pressure pain threshold (PPT) measurements in competitive swimmers and to explore the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on PPT. Forty-seven swimmers were included in the study. PPT was measured bilaterally in 10 muscles of the upper and lower limbs and trunk using a hand-held algometer. Two trained physiotherapists performed four consecutive evaluations on the same day, with a 5-min interval between repeated measures, in randomized order to minimize carryover effects. Intrinsic variables included age, body mass index, shoulder pain, injury history, and years of practice. Extrinsic variables included swimming style, swimming distance, competitive level, training frequency, and training duration. Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients, standard error of measurement, minimal detectable change, and coefficient of variation. The influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on PPT was explored using multivariate analysis of variance. Reliability varied from good to excellent across all muscles, with ICC values between 0.75 and 0.95. Descriptive data indicated that swimmers competing at the national level had higher PPT values compared with regional/state athletes, and butterfly specialists showed slightly higher PPTs. Across all participants, lower limb muscles consistently exhibited higher PPT values than upper limb muscles (e.g.,rectus femoris mean 4.2kg/cm2 vs. biceps brachii mean 2.8kg/cm2). Reliability was high across all muscles, and PPT differences observed appear to reflect training level, stroke specialization, and muscle group characteristics rather than intrinsic or injury-related factors. Furthermore, applications up to 5 kgf are safe and well tolerated in the lower limb, which differs from the usual threshold of 2.55 kgf commonly used in the upper limb.

To evaluate the association between preconception glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA)/tirzepatide use and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This retrospective cohort study (January 1, 2015-April 30, 2025) utilised the TriNetX multinational network. Women (18-45 years) without pre-existing diabetes were propensity score-matched 1:1 on demographics, numerical BMI, HbA1c and comorbidities. The primary cohort examined preconception GLP-1RA/tirzepatide use 6-18 months before index pregnancy encounter with pre-pregnancy (> 90 days pre-index) discontinuation. Secondary analysis evaluated abrupt discontinuation (prescription issuance ≤ 90 days pre-index). Risk ratios (RR) were estimated in matched cohorts. When matched for pre-pregnancy BMI, preconception GLP-1RA/tirzepatide use was associated with a GDM risk comparable to non-users (N = 892; 16.3% vs. 16.8%; RR: 0.967; 95% CI: 0.719-1.315), despite a higher gestational BMI rebound (+1.8 vs. +1.2 kg/m2; excess gain + 0.6 kg/m2). Conversely, abrupt discontinuation was associated with a 53% increase in GDM risk (N = 578; RR: 1.536; 95% CI 1.020-1.955; p = 0.039), likely driven by a steeper BMI rebound (excess gain + 1.3 kg/m2). Sensitivity analysis, matched on pre-treatment window, confirmed similar GDM incidence despite higher residual mean BMI in treated women (37.0 vs. 35.0 kg/m2; RR: 0.988, 95% CI 0.701-1.378). Preconception GLP-1RA or tirzepatide therapy with pre-pregnancy discontinuation was associated with GDM risk comparable to BMI-matched unexposed women despite a modest BMI rebound. However, abrupt discontinuation close to conception conferred a 53% higher GDM risk, indicating that any pharmacodynamic carry-over effect is contingent upon the discontinuation timing and velocity of weight rebound during gestation, rather than preconception exposure itself. Pending confirmation in prospective studies, these findings identify the post-withdrawal window and subsequent weight rebound as targets for preconception care strategies to preserve a potential residual metabolic benefit in women receiving incretin-based therapy.

Dermal fillers are widely used in aesthetic practice; however, none fully meet expectations in terms of biocompatibility, predictability, and long-term stability. Autologous plasma gel (PG) has been proposed as a biological alternative, yet comparative experimental data remain limited. To evaluate PG as a dermal filler and compare its volumetric behavior and histopathological characteristics with hyaluronic acid fillers and autologous fat graft (FG) in a rat model. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were included. In a within-subject design, PG, FG, and two commercial hyaluronic acid fillers (HA-1 and HA-2) were injected into predefined dorsal quadrants. Volumetric assessment was performed using computed tomography at 1, 3, and 5 months. Histopathological evaluation focused on material persistence, neovascularization, and inflammatory response. At 1-3months, PG demonstrated lower volume compared with the other materials. By 5months, no significant differences were observed. Despite lower early volume, PG exhibited a more stable volumetric profile over time compared with FG and became comparable to hyaluronic acid fillers at later time points. Histologically, PG showed lower inflammatory and neovascularization scores, while material persistence remained similar across groups. PG demonstrated favorable biocompatibility and a stable longitudinal volume profile in this experimental model. Although early volume was lower, long-term outcomes were comparable to established fillers, supporting further clinical investigation of PG as an autologous filler option. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Immediate Effects of Exercise and Manual Therapy on Cervico-Mandibular Mobility and Postural Alignment in Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

Adaptive evolution has long been hypothesized to be possible in the absence of genetic molecules, but experimental evidence remains lacking. Fatty acid vesicles can spontaneously grow and divide and might therefore be capable of nongenetic inheritance, making them ideal for exploring the emergence of prebiotic evolution. In this study, we tested whether vesicle populations can respond to artificial selection for greater turbidity and, if so, whether that response can be tied to an inheritance-like mechanism. We prepared 192 independent vesicle populations, incubated them for 24 h, and then selected half of the populations to propagate into the next generation. The populations to propagate were picked either randomly, representing drift controls, or were those with the greatest turbidity, representing selection. Population propagation involved resuspension, transfer into fresh buffer, feeding with an amphiphile stock, and then incubating for the next 24 h. In three replicate experiments run for at least 10 generations, we observed consistently greater turbidity in selection compared with drift lineages. This was accompanied by a reduction in the heritability (the regression slope between parent and offspring turbidities) of the selected lineages. We conducted additional experiments to evaluate whether this response to selection is caused by a simple carryover effect or reflects cooperative dynamics where vesicles from a parental population affect newly formed vesicles in the next generation. The response to selection is much lower when the resuspension step was omitted and/or if new amphiphiles were provided as preformed vesicles. Combined with fluorescence analyses of the resuspension and feeding processes, these results suggest that cooperative vesicle dynamics occur in cases where a small number of intact vesicles from a parental generation interact with an excess of incorporated amphiphiles. Overall, this study represents the first experimental finding of a response to artificial selection in prebiotic chemistry.

Poor oral health and oropharyngeal dysphagia are modifiable risk factors for aspiration pneumonia. Dental hygienists (DHs) and speech-language pathologists (SLP) provide specialized services to individuals with these issues and may benefit from interdisciplinary knowledge in these areas. The objective of this study was to assess how an interprofessional education (IPE) event influenced students' knowledge and competence in working with individuals at risk for aspiration pneumonia. The current study was a prospective, within-subjects cohort design. Participants included speech-language pathology and dental hygiene students (N = 52). The 3-hr IPE event provided didactic and hands-on training that focused on the modifiable risk factors for aspiration pneumonia. Outcomes were assessed with a content assessment, the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Competency Self-Assessment Tool (Version 3), the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale (IPAS), and written feedback. Students scored significantly higher on the content assessment following the IPE event than at baseline. Ratings on the IPEC Interprofessional Interaction and the Interprofessional Values domains significantly increased following the IPE event, but their IPAS scores did not differ. Three themes emerged in students' written feedback, including: appreciation for an interactive and hands-on educational experience, growth through interprofessional content exploration, and desire for expanded interprofessional opportunities. Students particularly appreciated the hands-on activities (e.g., providing oral care, observing an endoscopy of the upper airway). The IPE event enhanced the interprofessional knowledge and short-term perceived competence of the student clinicians. Long-term interprofessional competence may be best supported by integrating IPE programmatically into academic curricula and assessing outcomes with longitudinal, behavior-based evaluations.

This study investigated the impact of fluctuating indoor air-conditioned environments and seasonal air pollution on physical symptoms among office workers in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Using a longitudinal repeated measures design, the same cohort of 27 office workers was monitored over an 8-week period to capture variations between seasons. Indoor air quality parameters, including indoor PM2.5, CO2, temperature, and humidity, were monitored continuously during office hours. The multivariable binary logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age, gender, and office location, demonstrated that indoor PM2.5 concentrations were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of nasal symptoms (adjusted OR = 3.99, 95% CI: 1.48-10.76, p = 0.01). Furthermore, significant associations were observed with relative humidity and temperature, while no other statistically significant associations were found for ocular, respiratory, or skin symptoms in the balanced 25-participant cohort. These findings highlight that indoor fine particulate matter is a primary environmental factor related to health complaints in air-conditioned office settings, underscoring the need for targeted workplace policies during seasonal pollution episodes.

Telehealth could expand access to specialised concussion care; however, physiotherapists report low confidence in assessing physical symptoms remotely. This study adapted measures of vestibular, oculomotor, cervical and autonomic function for telehealth delivery, and evaluated their feasibility and comparability with in-person assessment. Using a repeated-measures design, 16 participants with concussion and 20 controls completed assessment modalities in random order (3×4 block randomisation). Feasibility was evaluated through completion rates, technical issues, adverse events and clinician feedback. Concurrent validity was examined using percentage agreement, Cohen's kappa, and sensitivity and specificity analyses. Telehealth assessment was feasible; most concussion participants and all controls completed the protocols, there were minimal technical issues, no adverse events and shorter administration times. Clinicians reported high usability and efficiency. High agreement and sensitivity were observed across vestibular, ocular convergence, autonomic and cervical range of motion measures. Nuanced assessment of ocular smooth pursuits showed lower agreement, and a potential ceiling effect on autonomic assessment was identified. This study preliminarily supports the feasibility and comparability of telehealth compared with in-person physical concussion assessments. Assessment of smooth pursuits and autonomic function require protocol refinement to enhance accuracy. Replication in larger samples is required to establish comparability.

Background: Medical adhesive-related skin injury (MARSI) is a common complication associated with acrylic-based adhesive removal. Topical agents such as 0.9% NaCl (normal saline), white petrolatum, and 70% alcohol are commonly used to assist adhesive removal; however, their effectiveness in reducing MARSI remains unclear. Methods: This single-blind randomized controlled trial with a within-subject design included 56 healthy adults. Acrylic-based adhesives were applied to four sites on the upper arms. Adhesive removal was performed on days 3 and 6 using three interventions (normal saline, petrolatum, alcohol) and one control (no topical agent). Outcomes included MARSI incidence, clinical erythema score, erythema index, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and pain assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS). Results: Overall, MARSI incidence was 49.5% on day 3 and 59.3% on day 6 across all three interventions and the control group. No statistically significant difference in incidence was observed between intervention and control groups (p = 0.421). Alcohol demonstrated more consistent improvement in erythema-related parameters, including lower clinical erythema scores and reduced erythema index (p = 0.024). Changes in TEWL and pain scores did not differ significantly across groups. Conclusion: The use of topical agents did not significantly reduce the incidence of MARSI. However, alcohol showed more favorable effects on erythema-related parameters and pain. This study was limited by its single-center design, short observation period, and inclusion of healthy adult subjects, which may limit generalizability.

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) operating in ambiguous shared spaces, such as parking lots and residential streets, must negotiate priority with pedestrians through social communication, paralleling the challenges faced by service robots in human-occupied environments. Drawing on sociolinguistic theory and human-robot interaction research, this study investigated how request directness (direct vs. indirect) and role-centricity (vehicle-centric vs. pedestrian-centric) influence pedestrians’ cooperative intentions and perceptions. In a 2 × 2 within-subject design, 44 participants evaluated four request strategies across multiple simulated AV-pedestrian scenarios. Results showed that indirect requests (e.g., “Could I go first?”) consistently led to higher compliance, yielding a greater willingness and acceptance than direct requests (e.g., “Please let me go first”). For the mediation analysis, we computed a composite indicator of cooperative intention by averaging compliance and yielding willingness. The analysis revealed a dual-pathway mechanism: perceived autonomy partly mediated the effect of indirectness on cooperative intention, while perceived politeness fully mediated its effect on acceptance. Furthermore, pedestrian-centric framing enhanced perceived politeness and acceptance specifically under direct request conditions. These findings suggest that indirect request strategies provide an effective and socially appropriate means for AVs and other low-speed autonomous systems to request the right of way from pedestrians, offering valuable insights for developing more effective and user-friendly human–computer communication systems in the future.