Metabolic correlates of learning disability.

PubMed

Nyhan, W L; Wulfeck, B B; Tallal, P; Marsden, D L

1989-01-01

To summarize, the neuropsychologic findings in MSUD and MMA children in both groups demonstrated deficits in cognitive/language areas, but interesting individual differences existed. For example, a marked contrast in abilities existed between NT and GV, even taking into account the age difference between these children with MSUD. While NT's general intellectual functioning was within the low-average range, GV was severely impaired. In more specific areas of cognitive functioning, NT had an uneven performance profile with areas of strengths and weaknesses, while GV evidenced a flat profile with significant impairment in all areas. NT demonstrated mild delay in visual-spatial processing, articulation development, motor-speech abilities, and selective attention and concentration; however, his language and psychosocial development were within the broad range of normality. In contrast, GV exhibited severe dysfunction in speech, language, and perceptual/conceptual development. The three children with MMA also exhibited a range of disabilities in cognitive functioning. TJ and SH contrasted in the degree of developmental delay across language and cognitive domains. Both were distractible and exhibited very short attention spans but there was a measurable difference in the extent of their speech, language, visual-spatial development. CH was markedly delayed in all areas of cognitive development, which is consistent with global retardation. The severity of her disease and its probable impact on brain development were undoubtedly related to her intellectual impairment. These datasets illustrate the challenges we face, because within each group we see a range of impairment. Nevertheless, we are optimistic that our efforts to relate metabolic, anatomic and neuropsychologic findings for such children will lead to a better understanding of these disorders. We are hopeful that this will result in new advances in diagnosis and intervention, which will ultimately improve the prognosis for cognitive development. In summary, a multidisciplinary center has been established at UCSD to study the neurologic basis of disorders of language, learning and behavior in infants and children. The center draws together a group of researchers from many fields including neurology, biochemistry, pediatrics, cognitive and developmental neuropsychology, psycholinguistics, neurophysiology and communicative disorders. Because of the diverse interests and expertise of our group, it is hoped to forge a synthesis of the behavioral and neurosciences to study populations of children with a variety of neurologic, metabolic, and language/learning disorders. Disorders currently under study include Lesch-Nyhan disease, oculocutaneous tyrosinemia, propionic acidemia, carnitine palmityl transferase deficiency, Schwachman-Diamond syndrome, histidinemia, Hartnup disease, citrullinemia, galactosemia, maple syrup urine disease, and methylmalonic acidemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Beyond the Map: Enamel Distribution Characterized from 3D Dental Topography

PubMed Central

Thiery, Ghislain; Lazzari, Vincent; Ramdarshan, Anusha; Guy, Franck

2017-01-01

Enamel thickness is highly susceptible to natural selection because thick enamel may prevent tooth failure. Consequently, it has been suggested that primates consuming stress-limited food on a regular basis would have thick-enameled molars in comparison to primates consuming soft food. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of enamel over a single tooth crown is not homogeneous, and thick enamel is expected to be more unevenly distributed in durophagous primates. Still, a proper methodology to quantitatively characterize enamel 3D distribution and test this hypothesis is yet to be developed. Unworn to slightly worn upper second molars belonging to 32 species of anthropoid primates and corresponding to a wide range of diets were digitized using high resolution microcomputed tomography. In addition, their durophagous ability was scored from existing literature. 3D average and relative enamel thickness were computed based on the volumetric reconstruction of the enamel cap. Geometric estimates of their average and relative enamel-dentine distance were also computed using 3D dental topography. Both methods gave different estimations of average and relative enamel thickness. This study also introduces pachymetric profiles, a method inspired from traditional topography to graphically characterize thick enamel distribution. Pachymetric profiles and topographic maps of enamel-dentine distance are combined to assess the evenness of thick enamel distribution. Both pachymetric profiles and topographic maps indicate that thick enamel is not significantly more unevenly distributed in durophagous species, except in Cercopithecidae. In this family, durophagous species such as mangabeys are characterized by an uneven thick enamel and high pachymetric profile slopes at the average enamel thickness, whereas non-durophagous species such as colobine monkeys are not. These results indicate that the distribution of thick enamel follows different patterns across anthropoids. Primates might have developed different durophagous strategies to answer the selective pressure exerted by stress-limited food. PMID:28785226

Intense Imagery Movements (IIM): More to motor stereotypies than meets the eye.

PubMed

Robinson, Sally; Woods, Martin; Cardona, Francesco; Hedderly, Tammy

2016-01-01

A subgroup of children who present with motor stereotypies in the context of episodes of intense imagery have recently been described in the literature,(1) termed Intense Imagery Movements (IIM). All children report conscious engagement in acts of imagery or imagination, with stereotyped movements occurring simultaneously with limited conscious awareness. This article reports preliminary cognitive data to inform clinical management and guide future research. Intellectual functioning was assessed for ten children with IIM (7 boys, 3 girls; mean age = 10;01, age range = 6;06 to 14;04). In-depth neuropsychological assessments were conducted for four of these cases (3 boys, 1 girls; mean age = 9;05), with standardised questionnaires completed to assess mood, behaviour, attention/concentration, sensory functioning, motor functioning and stereotyped movements. All children exhibited discrepant intellectual profiles, especially on perceptual reasoning tasks, with significant impairments in processing speed. In-depth neuropsychological assessments indicated impaired performance on tests of attention and inhibition, but strengths in memory or oral expression. Three of the four children had sensory processing impairments, two had features of developmental co-ordination disorder and one had poor general well-being. None of the children had emotional or behavioural problems. Children with IIM exhibit uneven intellectual and cognitive profiles, with particular discrepancies in perceptual reasoning skills. The case studies suggest that weaker attention, inhibition and processing speed skills may contribute to engagement in IIM, with good memory and/or language skills potentially contributing to the complexity of imagery abilities. Implications for the identification and management of these children in clinical practice, and future research ideas, are discussed. Copyright © 2015 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ray Meta: scalable de novo metagenome assembly and profiling

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Voluminous parallel sequencing datasets, especially metagenomic experiments, require distributed computing for de novo assembly and taxonomic profiling. Ray Meta is a massively distributed metagenome assembler that is coupled with Ray Communities, which profiles microbiomes based on uniquely-colored k-mers. It can accurately assemble and profile a three billion read metagenomic experiment representing 1,000 bacterial genomes of uneven proportions in 15 hours with 1,024 processor cores, using only 1.5 GB per core. The software will facilitate the processing of large and complex datasets, and will help in generating biological insights for specific environments. Ray Meta is open source and available at http://denovoassembler.sf.net. PMID:23259615

Uneven Profiles: Language Minority Learners' Word Reading, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lesaux, Nonie K.; Crosson, Amy C.; Kieffer, Michael J.; Pierce, Margaret

2010-01-01

English reading comprehension skill development was examined in a group of 87 native Spanish-speakers developing English literacy skills, followed from fourth through fifth grade. Specifically, the effects of Spanish (L1) and English (L2) oral language and word reading skills on reading comprehension were investigated. The participants showed…

Elemental depth profiles and plasma etching rates of positive-tone electron beam resists after sequential infiltration synthesis of alumina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozaki, Yuki; Ito, Shunya; Hiroshiba, Nobuya; Nakamura, Takahiro; Nakagawa, Masaru

2018-06-01

By scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM–EDS), we investigated the elemental depth profiles of organic electron beam resist films after the sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) of inorganic alumina. Although a 40-nm-thick poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film was entirely hybridized with alumina, an uneven distribution was observed near the interface between the substrate and the resist as well as near the resist surface. The uneven distribution was observed around the center of a 100-nm-thick PMMA film. The thicknesses of the PMMA and CSAR62 resist films decreased almost linearly as functions of plasma etching period. The comparison of etching rate among oxygen reactive ion etching, C3F8 reactive ion beam etching (RIBE), and Ar ion beam milling suggested that the SIS treatment enhanced the etching resistance of the electron beam resists to chemical reactions rather than to ion collisions. We proposed oxygen- and Ar-assisted C3F8 RIBE for the fabrication of silica imprint molds by electron beam lithography.

Red-cockaded woodpeckers and silvicultural practice: is uneven-aged silviculture preferable to even-aged?

Treesearch

D. Craig Rudolph; Richard N. Conner

1996-01-01

The endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) has become a high-profile management issue in the southeastern United States. Suitable habitat consists of mature to old pine, or mixed pine-hardwood forest, with minimal hardwood midstory vegetation. Loss of habitat, detrimental silvicultural practices, and changes in the fire regime have...

Disorder-specific cognitive profiles in major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Hendriks, Sanne M; Licht, Carmilla M M; Spijker, Jan; Beekman, Aartjan T F; Hardeveld, Florian; de Graaf, Ron; Penninx, Brenda W J H

2014-04-01

This investigation examines differences in cognitive profiles in subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Data were used from subjects with current MDD (n = 655), GAD (n = 107) and comorbid MDD/GAD (n = 266) diagnosis from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). The Composite Interview Diagnostic Instrument was used to diagnose MDD and GAD. Cognitive profiles were measured using the Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, and the Penn State Worry Questionnaire. Results showed that differences in cognitive profiles between single MDD and single GAD subjects were present: scores on hopelessness/suicidality and rumination were significantly higher in MDD than GAD, whereas anxiety sensitivity for physical concerns and pathological worry were higher in GAD than MDD. The cognitive profile of comorbid MDD/GAD showed more extreme depression cognitions compared to single disorders, and a similar anxiety profile compared to single GAD subjects. Despite the commonalities in cognitive profiles in MDD and GAD, there are differences suggesting that MDD and GAD have disorder-specific cognitive profiles. Findings of this investigation give support for models like the cognitive content-specificity model and the tripartite model and could provide useful handles for treatment focus.

Perfect Surface Wave Cloaks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell-Thomas, R. C.; McManus, T. M.; Quevedo-Teruel, O.; Horsley, S. A. R.; Hao, Y.

2013-11-01

This Letter presents a method for making an uneven surface behave as a flat surface. This allows an object to be concealed (cloaked) under an uneven portion of the surface, without disturbing the wave propagation on the surface. The cloaks proposed in this Letter achieve perfect cloaking that only relies upon isotropic radially dependent refractive index profiles, contrary to those previously published. In addition, these cloaks are very thin, just a fraction of a wavelength in thickness, yet can conceal electrically large objects. While this paper focuses on cloaking electromagnetic surface waves, the theory is also valid for other types of surface waves. The performance of these cloaks is simulated using dielectric filled waveguide geometries, and the curvature of the surface is shown to be rendered invisible, hiding any object positioned underneath. Finally, a transformation of the required dielectric slab permittivity was performed for surface wave propagation, demonstrating the practical applicability of this technique.

Developmental profiles and mentality in preschool children with Prader-Willi syndrome: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Chen, Chien-Min; Chen, Chia-Ling; Hou, Jia-Woei; Hsu, Hung-Chih; Chung, Chia-Ying; Chou, Shih-Wei; Lin, Chu-Hsu; Chen, Kai-Hua

2010-01-01

A majority of the children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) have global developmental delay and mental delay. The aim of this study was to investigate the developmental profiles and mental assessments among preschool children with PWS. Ten children with PWS between the ages of 15 months to 6 years, and 11 children with typical development were enrolled. Developmental profiles in terms of their developmental quotient (DQ) for the eight domains of the Chinese Children Developmental Inventory (CCDI) and mental assessments in terms of intelligence quotient (IQ) and developmental index (DI) were carried out for all children. The DQs of all eight domains, including gross motor, fine motor, expressive language, concept comprehension, situation comprehension, self help, personal- social and general development, in the PWS group were lower than the DQs of the children from the typical development group (p < 0.01). Children with PWS had better DQs in the fine motor domain than in the gross motor domain and in the receptive language domain than in the expressive language domain. Furthermore, their verbal IQ were better than their performance IQ and their mental DI was better than their psychomotor DI. These findings suggest that the children with PWS show an uneven global developmental delay together with an uneven mental delay. The results of this study should allow clinicians to better understand the developmental functioning of children with PWS and this will help with the planning of treatment strategies.

The cognitive profile of behavioural variant FTD and its similarities with ALS: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Beeldman, Emma; Raaphorst, Joost; Klein Twennaar, Michelle; Govaarts, Rosanne; Pijnenburg, Yolande A L; de Haan, Rob J; de Visser, Marianne; Schmand, Ben A

2018-02-09

Approximately 30% of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have cognitive impairment and 8%-14% fulfil the criteria for behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bv-FTD). The cognitive profiles of ALS and bv-FTD have been reported to be comparable, but this has never been systematically investigated. We aimed to determine the cognitive profile of bv-FTD and examine its similarities with that of ALS, to provide evidence for the existence of a cognitive disease continuum encompassing bv-FTD and ALS. We therefore systematically reviewed neuropsychological studies on bv-FTD patients and healthy volunteers. Neuropsychological tests were divided in 10 cognitive domains and effect sizes were calculated for all domains and compared with the cognitive profile of ALS by means of a visual comparison and a Pearson's r correlation coefficient. We included 120 studies, totalling 2425 bv-FTD patients and 2798 healthy controls. All cognitive domains showed substantial effect sizes, indicating cognitive impairment in bv-FTD patients compared to healthy controls. The cognitive domains with the largest effect sizes were social cognition, verbal memory and fluency (1.77-1.53). The cognitive profiles of bv-FTD and ALS (10 cognitive domains, 1287 patients) showed similarities on visual comparison and a moderate correlation 0.58 (p=0.13). When social cognition, verbal memory, fluency, executive functions, language and visuoperception were considered, i.e. the cognitive profile of ALS, Pearson's r was 0.73 (p=0.09), which raised to 0.92 (p=0.03), when language was excluded in this systematic analysis of patients with a non-language subtype of FTD. The cognitive profile of bv-FTD consists of deficits in social cognition, verbal memory, fluency and executive functions and shows similarities with the cognitive profile of ALS. These findings support a cognitive continuum encompassing ALS and bv-FTD. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Profiling Fragile X Syndrome in Males: Strengths and Weaknesses in Cognitive Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van der Molen, M. J. W.; Huizinga, M.; Huizenga, H. M.; Ridderinkhof, K. R.; Van der Molen, M. W.; Hamel, B. J. C.; Curfs, L. M. G.; Ramakers, G. J. A.

2010-01-01

The present study examined the cognitive profile in Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) males, and investigated whether cognitive profiles are similar for FXS males at different levels of intellectual functioning. Cognitive abilities in non-verbal, verbal, memory and executive functioning domains were contrasted to both a non-verbal and verbal mental age…

Urinary Metabolite Profiles May be Predictive of Cognitive Performance Under Conditions of Acute Sleep Deprivation

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

temporal changes in urinary metabolite profiles mirrored cognitive performance during continuous wakefulness. Additionally , subjects identified by...profiles mirrored cognitive performance during continuous wakefulness. Additionally , subjects identified by cognitive assessments as having a high...field studies and would have little useful application in occupational or military operational environments. Addition - ally, their usefulness is

What is your patient’s cognitive profile? Three distinct subgroups of cognitive function in persons with heart failure

PubMed Central

Hawkins, Misty A.W.; Schaefer, Julie T.; Gunstad, John; Dolansky, Mary A.; Redle, Joseph D.; Josephson, Richard; Moore, Shirley M.; Hughes, Joel W.

2014-01-01

Purpose To determine whether patients with heart failure (HF) have distinct profiles of cognitive impairment. Background Cognitive impairment is common in HF. Recent work found three cognitive profiles in HF patients— (1) intact, (2) impaired, and (3) memory-impaired. We examined the reproducibility of these profiles and clarified mechanisms. Methods HF patients (68.6±9.7years; N=329) completed neuropsychological testing. Composite scores were created for cognitive domains and used to identify clusters via agglomerative-hierarchical cluster analysis. Results A 3-cluster solution emerged. Cluster 1 (n=109) had intact cognition. Cluster 2 (n=123) was impaired across all domains. Cluster 3 (n=97) had impaired memory only. Clusters differed in age, race, education, SES, IQ, BMI, and diabetes (ps ≤.026) but not in mood, anxiety, cardiovascular, or pulmonary disease (ps≥.118). Conclusions We replicated three distinct patterns of cognitive function in persons with HF. These profiles may help providers offer tailored care to patients with different cognitive and clinical needs. PMID:25510559

Pre-clinical cognitive phenotypes for Alzheimer disease: a latent profile approach.

PubMed

Hayden, Kathleen M; Kuchibhatla, Maragatha; Romero, Heather R; Plassman, Brenda L; Burke, James R; Browndyke, Jeffrey N; Welsh-Bohmer, Kathleen A

2014-11-01

Cognitive profiles for pre-clinical Alzheimer disease (AD) can be used to identify groups of individuals at risk for disease and better characterize pre-clinical disease. Profiles or patterns of performance as pre-clinical phenotypes may be more useful than individual test scores or measures of global decline. To evaluate patterns of cognitive performance in cognitively normal individuals to derive latent profiles associated with later onset of disease using a combination of factor analysis and latent profile analysis. The National Alzheimer Coordinating Centers collect data, including a battery of neuropsychological tests, from participants at 29 National Institute on Aging-funded Alzheimer Disease Centers across the United States. Prior factor analyses of this battery demonstrated a four-factor structure comprising memory, attention, language, and executive function. Factor scores from these analyses were used in a latent profile approach to characterize cognition among a group of cognitively normal participants (N = 3,911). Associations between latent profiles and disease outcomes an average of 3 years later were evaluated with multinomial regression models. Similar analyses were used to determine predictors of profile membership. Four groups were identified; each with distinct characteristics and significantly associated with later disease outcomes. Two groups were significantly associated with development of cognitive impairment. In post hoc analyses, both the Trail Making Test Part B, and a contrast score (Delayed Recall - Trails B), significantly predicted group membership and later cognitive impairment. Latent profile analysis is a useful method to evaluate patterns of cognition in large samples for the identification of preclinical AD phenotypes; comparable results, however, can be achieved with very sensitive tests and contrast scores. Copyright © 2014 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of track load correlation on ground-borne vibration from railways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ntotsios, Evangelos; Thompson, David; Hussein, Mohammed

2017-08-01

In predictions of ground-borne vibration from railways, it is generally assumed that the unevenness profile of the wheel and rail is fully correlated between the two rails and the two wheels of an axle. This leads to identical contact forces at the two rails and can allow further simplifications of the vehicle model, the track model and the track/ground interface conditions. In the present paper, the level of correlation of the track loading at the wheel/rail interface due to rail unevenness and its influence on predictions of ground vibration is investigated. The extent to which the unevenness of the two rails is correlated has been estimated from measurements of track geometry obtained with track recording vehicles for four different tracks. It was found that for wavelengths longer than about 3 m the unevenness of the two rails can be considered to be strongly correlated and in phase. To investigate the effect of this on ground vibration, an existing model expressed in the wavenumber-frequency domain is extended to include separate inputs on the two rails. The track is modelled as an infinite invariant linear structure resting on an elastic stratified half-space. This is excited by the gravitational loading of a passing train and the irregularity of the contact surfaces between the wheels and the rails. The railway model is developed in this work to be versatile so that it can account or discard the effect of load correlations on the two rails beside the effects of variation of the tractions across the width of the track-ground interface and the vehicle sprung mass, as well as the roll motion of the sleepers and the axle. A comparative analysis is carried out on the influence of these factors on the response predictions using numerical simulations. It is shown that, when determining the vibration in the free field, it is important to include in the model the traction variation across the track-ground interface and the non-symmetrical loading at the two rails that occurs for unevenness wavelengths shorter than about 3 m.

Developmental trajectories of pitch-related music skills in children with Williams syndrome.

PubMed

Martínez-Castilla, Pastora; Rodríguez, Manuel; Campos, Ruth

2016-01-01

The study of music cognition in Williams syndrome (WS) has resulted in theoretical debates regarding cognitive modularity and development. However, no research has previously investigated the development of music skills in this population. In this study, we used the cross-sectional developmental trajectories approach to assess the development of pitch-related music skills in children with WS compared with typically developing (TD) peers. Thus, we evaluated the role of change over time on pitch-related music skills and the developmental relationships between music skills and different cognitive areas. In the TD children, the pitch-related music skills improved with chronological age and cognitive development. In the children with WS, developmental relationships were only found between several pitch-related music skills and specific cognitive processes. We also found non-systematic relationships between chronological age and the pitch-related music skills, stabilization in the level reached in music when cognitive development was considered, and uneven associations between cognitive and music skills. In addition, the TD and WS groups differed in their patterns of pitch-related music skill development. These results suggest that the development of pitch-related music skills in children with WS is atypical. Our findings stand in contrast with the views that claim innate modularity for music in WS; rather, they are consistent with neuroconstructivist accounts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discrepancy between WISC-III and WISC-IV Cognitive Profile in Autism Spectrum: What Does It Reveal about Autistic Cognition?

PubMed

Nader, Anne-Marie; Jelenic, Patricia; Soulières, Isabelle

2015-01-01

The cognitive profile and measured intellectual level vary according to assessment tools in children on the autism spectrum, much more so than in typically developing children. The recent inclusion of intellectual functioning in the diagnostic process for autism spectrum disorders leads to the crucial question on how to assess intelligence in autism, especially as some tests and subtests seem more sensitive to certain neurodevelopmental conditions. Our first aim was to examine the cognitive profile on the current version of the most widely used test, the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC-IV), for a homogenous subgroup of children on the autism spectrum, i.e. corresponding to DSM-IV diagnosis of "autism". The second aim was to compare cognitive profiles obtained on the third edition versus 4th edition of WISC, in order to verify whether the WISC-IV yields a more distinctive cognitive profile in autistic children. The third aim was to examine the impact of the WISC-IV on the cognitive profile of another subgroup, children with Asperger's Syndrome. 51 autistic, 15 Asperger and 42 typically developing children completed the WISC-IV and were individually matched to children who completed the WISC-III. Divergent WISC-IV profiles were observed despite no significant intelligence quotient difference between groups. Autistic children scored significantly higher on the Perceptual Reasoning Index than on the Verbal Comprehension Index, a discrepancy that nearly tripled in comparison to WISC-III results. Asperger children scored higher on the VCI than on other indexes, with the lowest score found on the Processing Speed Index. WISC-IV cognitive profiles were consistent with, but more pronounced than WISC-III profiles. Cognitive profiles are a valuable diagnostic tool for differential diagnosis, keeping in mind that children on the autism spectrum might be more sensitive to the choice of subtests used to assess intelligence.

Discrepancy between WISC-III and WISC-IV Cognitive Profile in Autism Spectrum: What Does It Reveal about Autistic Cognition?

PubMed Central

Nader, Anne-Marie; Jelenic, Patricia; Soulières, Isabelle

2015-01-01

The cognitive profile and measured intellectual level vary according to assessment tools in children on the autism spectrum, much more so than in typically developing children. The recent inclusion of intellectual functioning in the diagnostic process for autism spectrum disorders leads to the crucial question on how to assess intelligence in autism, especially as some tests and subtests seem more sensitive to certain neurodevelopmental conditions. Our first aim was to examine the cognitive profile on the current version of the most widely used test, the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children (WISC-IV), for a homogenous subgroup of children on the autism spectrum, i.e. corresponding to DSM-IV diagnosis of “autism”. The second aim was to compare cognitive profiles obtained on the third edition versus 4th edition of WISC, in order to verify whether the WISC-IV yields a more distinctive cognitive profile in autistic children. The third aim was to examine the impact of the WISC-IV on the cognitive profile of another subgroup, children with Asperger’s Syndrome. 51 autistic, 15 Asperger and 42 typically developing children completed the WISC-IV and were individually matched to children who completed the WISC-III. Divergent WISC-IV profiles were observed despite no significant intelligence quotient difference between groups. Autistic children scored significantly higher on the Perceptual Reasoning Index than on the Verbal Comprehension Index, a discrepancy that nearly tripled in comparison to WISC-III results. Asperger children scored higher on the VCI than on other indexes, with the lowest score found on the Processing Speed Index. WISC-IV cognitive profiles were consistent with, but more pronounced than WISC-III profiles. Cognitive profiles are a valuable diagnostic tool for differential diagnosis, keeping in mind that children on the autism spectrum might be more sensitive to the choice of subtests used to assess intelligence. PMID:26673881

Perceptual learning in Williams syndrome: looking beyond averages.

PubMed

Gervan, Patricia; Gombos, Ferenc; Kovacs, Ilona

2012-01-01

Williams Syndrome is a genetically determined neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by an uneven cognitive profile and surprisingly large neurobehavioral differences among individuals. Previous studies have already shown different forms of memory deficiencies and learning difficulties in WS. Here we studied the capacity of WS subjects to improve their performance in a basic visual task. We employed a contour integration paradigm that addresses occipital visual function, and analyzed the initial (i.e. baseline) and after-learning performance of WS individuals. Instead of pooling the very inhomogeneous results of WS subjects together, we evaluated individual performance by expressing it in terms of the deviation from the average performance of the group of typically developing subjects of similar age. This approach helped us to reveal information about the possible origins of poor performance of WS subjects in contour integration. Although the majority of WS individuals showed both reduced baseline and reduced learning performance, individual analysis also revealed a dissociation between baseline and learning capacity in several WS subjects. In spite of impaired initial contour integration performance, some WS individuals presented learning capacity comparable to learning in the typically developing population, and vice versa, poor learning was also observed in subjects with high initial performance levels. These data indicate a dissociation between factors determining initial performance and perceptual learning.

Cognitive Profile in Low, Medium and High Creative Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrando, Mercedes; Bermejo, Rosario; Sainz, Marta; Ferrandiz, Carmen; Prieto, Maria Dolores; Soto, Gloria

2012-01-01

Introduction: The aim of the present work is to advance in the study of creativity-intelligence relationship looking into the students' cognitive profiles. It is hypothesized that, if creative ideas emerge as result of connecting distant concepts, and a balanced cognitive profile (without significant differences between ability levels) can…

Unevenness of Sliding Surface of Overhead Rigid Conductor Lines and Method for Reducing Unevenness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aboshi, Mitsuo; Shimizu, Masashi

Rigid conductor lines are used in many subways, because the use of such conductor lines reduces the risk of accidents and because less space is required for their installation. However, as the unevenness of the sliding surface of the rigid conductor lines significantly influences the fluctuations in the contact force between pantographs and contact lines, it is necessary to decrease the unevenness at the construction as well as the maintenance stages. In order to investigate the installation accuracy of overhead rigid conductor lines, we have developed a device that accurately and continuously measures the unevenness of the sliding surface. By using this measuring device, we have confirmed that the unevenness of the sliding surface depends on various factors such as the sag between the support points, the deformation of the aluminum base or the conductive rail in the case of a long wavelength, the slight sagging unevenness between the bolts of the long ear, the undulating wear etc. This paper describes the actual unevenness conditions and the technical methods for decreasing the unevenness of the sliding surface of overhead rigid conductor lines.

Analysis of earing behaviour in deep drawing of ASS 304 at elevated temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Amit Kumar; Deole, Aditya; Kotkunde, Nitin; Singh, Swadesh Kumar; jella, Gangadhar

2016-08-01

Earing tendency in a deep drawn cup of circular blanks is one the most prominent characteristics observed due to anisotropy in a metal sheet. Such formation of uneven rim is mainly due to dissimilarity in yield stress as well as Lankford parameter (r- value) in different orientations. In this paper, an analytical function coupled with different yield functions viz., Hill 1948, Barlat 1989 and Barlat Yld 2000-2d has been used to provide an approximation of earing profile. In order to validate the results, material parameters for yield functions and hardening rule have been calibrated for ASS 304 at 250°C and deep drawing experiment is conducted to measure the earing profile. The predicted earing profiles based on analytical results have been validated using experimental earing profile. Based on this analysis, Barlat Yld 2000-2d has been observed to be a well suited yield model for deep drawing of ASS 304, which also confirms the reliability of analytical function for earing profile estimation.

Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases and Their Unique Cognitive Profiles: Implications for Nursing Practice and Research

PubMed Central

Vance, David E.; Dodson, Joan E.; Watkins, Jason; Kennedy, Bridgett H.; Keltner, Norman L.

2013-01-01

To successfully negotiate and interact with one’s environment, optimal cognitive functioning is needed. Unfortunately, many neurological and psychiatric diseases impede certain cognitive abilities such as executive functioning or speed of processing; this can produce a poor fit between the patient and the cognitive demands of his or her environment. Such non-dementia diseases include bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress syndrome, depression, and anxiety disorders, just to name a few. Each of these diseases negatively affects particular areas of the brain, resulting in distinct cognitive profiles (e.g., deficits in executive functioning but normal speed of processing as seen in schizophrenia). In fact, it is from these cognitive deficits in which such behavioral and emotional symptoms may manifest (e.g., delusions, paranoia). This article highlights the distinct cognitive profiles of such common neurological and psychiatric diseases. An understanding of such disease-specific cognitive profiles can assist nurses in providing care to patients by knowing what cognitive deficits are associated with each disease and how these cognitive deficits impact everyday functioning and social interactions. Implications for nursing practice and research are posited within the framework of cognitive reserve and neuroplasticity. PMID:23422693

ARACNe-AP: Gene Network Reverse Engineering through Adaptive Partitioning inference of Mutual Information. | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

The accurate reconstruction of gene regulatory networks from large scale molecular profile datasets represents one of the grand challenges of Systems Biology. The Algorithm for the Reconstruction of Accurate Cellular Networks (ARACNe) represents one of the most effective tools to accomplish this goal. However, the initial Fixed Bandwidth (FB) implementation is both inefficient and unable to deal with sample sets providing largely uneven coverage of the probability density space.

Cognitive profiles in euthymic patients with bipolar disorders: results from the FACE-BD cohort.

PubMed

Roux, Paul; Raust, Aurélie; Cannavo, Anne Sophie; Aubin, Valérie; Aouizerate, Bruno; Azorin, Jean-Michel; Bellivier, Frank; Belzeaux, Raoul; Bougerol, Thierry; Cussac, Iréna; Courtet, Philippe; Etain, Bruno; Gard, Sébastien; Job, Sophie; Kahn, Jean-Pierre; Leboyer, Marion; Olié, Emilie; Henry, Chantal; Passerieux, Christine

2017-03-01

Although cognitive deficits are a well-established feature of bipolar disorders (BD), even during periods of euthymia, little is known about cognitive phenotype heterogeneity among patients with BD. We investigated neuropsychological performance in 258 euthymic patients with BD recruited via the French network of expert centers for BD. We used a test battery assessing six domains of cognition. Hierarchical cluster analysis of the cross-sectional data was used to determine the optimal number of subgroups and to assign each patient to a specific cognitive cluster. Subsequently, subjects from each cluster were compared on demographic, clinical functioning, and pharmacological variables. A four-cluster solution was identified. The global cognitive performance was above normal in one cluster and below normal in another. The other two clusters had a near-normal cognitive performance, with above and below average verbal memory, respectively. Among the four clusters, significant differences were observed in estimated intelligence quotient and social functioning, which were lower for the low cognitive performers compared to the high cognitive performers. These results confirm the existence of several distinct cognitive profiles in BD. Identification of these profiles may help to develop profile-specific cognitive remediation programs, which might improve functioning in BD. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Cognitive Profile of Adult Dyslexics and Its Relation to Their Reading Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beidas, Hanin; Khateb, Asaid; Breznitz, Zvia

2013-01-01

The question of which cognitive impairments are primarily associated with dyslexia has been a source of continuous debate. This study examined the cognitive profile of Hebrew-speaking compensated adult dyslexics and investigated whether their cognitive abilities accounted for a unique variance in their reading performance. Sixty-nine young adults…

Varieties of Fame in Psychology.

PubMed

Roediger, Henry L

2016-11-01

Fame in psychology, as in all arenas, is a local phenomenon. Psychologists (and probably academics in all fields) often first become well known for studying a subfield of an area (say, the study of attention in cognitive psychology, or even certain tasks used to study attention). Later, the researcher may become famous within cognitive psychology. In a few cases, researchers break out of a discipline to become famous across psychology and (more rarely still) even outside the confines of academe. The progression is slow and uneven. Fame is also temporally constricted. The most famous psychologists today will be forgotten in less than a century, just as the greats from the era of World War I are rarely read or remembered today. Freud and a few others represent exceptions to the rule, but generally fame is fleeting and each generation seems to dispense with the lessons learned by previous ones to claim their place in the sun. © The Author(s) 2016.

Cattell-Horn-Carroll Cognitive Ability Profiles of Poor Comprehenders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Floyd, Randy G.; Bergeron, Renee; Alfonso, Vincent C.

2006-01-01

This study examines cognitive ability profiles of children with specific age-based normative weaknesses in reading comprehension and compares those profiles to the profiles of (a) children with at least average achievement in reading comprehension, reading decoding skills, and mathematics and (b) children with low achievement across the 3…

Cognitive Profiles of Adults with Asperger's Disorder, High-Functioning Autism, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified Based on the WAIS-III

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanai, Chieko; Tani, Masayuki; Hashimoto, Ryuichiro; Yamada, Takashi; Ota, Haruhisa; Watanabe, Hiromi; Iwanami, Akira; Kato, Nobumasa

2012-01-01

Little is known about the cognitive profiles of high-functioning Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) in adults based on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale III (WAIS-III). We examined cognitive profiles of adults with no intellectual disability (IQ greater than 70), and in adults with Asperger's disorder (AS; n = 47), high-functioning autism (HFA;…

Number Sense and Mathematics: Which, When and How?

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Individual differences in number sense correlate with mathematical ability and performance, although the presence and strength of this relationship differs across studies. Inconsistencies in the literature may stem from heterogeneity of number sense and mathematical ability constructs. Sample characteristics may also play a role as changes in the relationship between number sense and mathematics may differ across development and cultural contexts. In this study, 4,984 16-year-old students were assessed on estimation ability, one aspect of number sense. Estimation was measured using 2 different tasks: number line and dot-comparison. Using cognitive and achievement data previously collected from these students at ages 7, 9, 10, 12, and 14, the study explored for which of the measures and when in development these links are observed, and how strong these links are and how much these links are moderated by other cognitive abilities. The 2 number sense measures correlated modestly with each other (r = .22), but moderately with mathematics at age 16. Both measures were also associated with earlier mathematics; but this association was uneven across development and was moderated by other cognitive abilities. PMID:28758784

Reading Comprehension Improvement with Individualized Cognitive Profiles and Metacognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Kathleen D.; Hancock, Thomas E.

2008-01-01

This study models improving classroom reading instruction through valid assessment and individualized metacomprehension. Individualized cognitive profiles of Woodcock-Johnson III cognitive abilities correlated with reading comprehension were used during classroom independent reading for judgments of learning, feedback, self-reflection, and…

Early diffusion of gene expression profiling in breast cancer patients associated with areas of high income inequality.

PubMed

Ponce, Ninez A; Ko, Michelle; Liang, Su-Ying; Armstrong, Joanne; Toscano, Michele; Chanfreau-Coffinier, Catherine; Haas, Jennifer S

2015-04-01

With the Affordable Care Act reducing coverage disparities, social factors could prominently determine where and for whom innovations first diffuse in health care markets. Gene expression profiling is a potentially cost-effective innovation that guides chemotherapy decisions in early-stage breast cancer, but adoption has been uneven across the United States. Using a sample of commercially insured women, we evaluated whether income inequality in metropolitan areas was associated with receipt of gene expression profiling during its initial diffusion in 2006-07. In areas with high income inequality, gene expression profiling receipt was higher than elsewhere, but it was associated with a 10.6-percentage-point gap between high- and low-income women. In areas with low rates of income inequality, gene expression profiling receipt was lower, with no significant differences by income. Even among insured women, income inequality may indirectly shape diffusion of gene expression profiling, with benefits accruing to the highest-income patients in the most unequal places. Policies reducing gene expression profiling disparities should address low-inequality areas and, in unequal places, practice settings serving low-income patients. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Exhaustive methylation analysis revealed uneven profiles of methylation at IGF2/ICR1/H19 11p15 loci in Russell Silver syndrome.

PubMed

Azzi, Salah; Steunou, Virginie; Tost, Jörg; Rossignol, Sylvie; Thibaud, Nathalie; Das Neves, Cristina; Le Jule, Marilyne; Habib, Walid Abi; Blaise, Annick; Koudou, Yves; Busato, Florence; Le Bouc, Yves; Netchine, Irène

2015-01-01

The structural organisation of the human IGF2/ICR1/H19 11p15 domain is very complex, and the mechanisms underlying its regulation are poorly understood. The Imprinted Center Region 1 (ICR1) contains seven binding sites for the zinc-finger protein CTCF (CBS: CTCF Binding Sites); three additional differentially methylated regions (DMR) are located at the H19 promoter (H19DMR) and two in the IGF2 gene (DMR0 and DMR2), respectively. Loss of imprinting at the IGF2/ICR1/H19 domain results in two growth disorders with opposite phenotypes: Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and Russell Silver syndrome (RSS). Despite the IGF2/ICR1/H19 locus being widely studied, the extent of hypomethylation across the domain remains not yet addressed in patients with RSS. We assessed a detailed investigation of the methylation status of the 11p15 ICR1 CBS1-7, IGF2DMR0 and H19DMR (H19 promoter) in a population of controls (n=50) and RSS carrying (n=104) or not (n=65) carrying a hypomethylation at the 11p15 ICR1 region. The methylation indexes (MI) were balanced at all regions in the control population and patients with RSS without any as yet identified molecular anomaly. Interestingly, patients with RSS with ICR1 hypomethylation showed uneven profiles of methylation among the CBSs and DMRs. Furthermore, normal MIs at CBS1 and CBS7 were identified in 9% of patients. The hypomethylation does not spread equally throughout the IGF2/ICR1/H19 locus, and some loci could have normal MI, which may lead to underdiagnosis of patients with RSS with ICR1 hypomethylation. The uneven pattern of methylation suggests that some CBSs may play different roles in the tridimensional chromosomal looping regulation of this locus. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Cognitive Profiles on the Severe Impairment Battery Are Similar in Alzheimer Disease and Down Syndrome With Dementia.

PubMed

Dick, Malcolm B; Doran, Eric; Phelan, Michael; Lott, Ira T

2016-01-01

Previous research has revealed similarities in the neuropathology, clinical presentation, and risk factors between persons with Alzheimer disease from the general population (GP-AD) and those with Down syndrome (DS-AD). Less is known, however, about the extent of similarities and differences in the cognitive profiles of these 2 populations. Fifty-one moderate to severely demented GP-AD and 59 DS-AD individuals participated in this study which compared the cognitive profiles of these 2 populations on the Severe Impairment Battery (SIB), controlling for sex as well as level of functional ability using a modified version of the Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale. Overall, the neuropsychological profiles of the higher-functioning individuals within the DS-AD and advanced GP-AD groups, as represented by mean difference scores on the SIB as a whole and across the 9 separate cognitive domains, were very similar to one another after adjusting for sex and functional impairment. To our knowledge, this is the first study to directly compare the cognitive profiles of these 2 populations on the SIB. Findings suggest that the underlying dementia in GP-AD and DS-AD may have corresponding and parallel effects on cognition.

Uneven-aged management after a half-century of research on the Forest Service Fernow Experimental Forest in West Virgina

Treesearch

Thomas M. Schuler

2014-01-01

Uneven-age management in forestry refers to a system of management that periodically selects individual trees or small groups of trees for harvest. In general, the concept of uneven-age management entails the sustained yield of forest products while maintaining continuous forest cover. In North America, interest in uneven-age management grew in the second half of the...

Cognitive Profile of Turner Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, David; Kent, Jamie Scaletta; Kesler, Shelli

2009-01-01

Turner syndrome (TS) is a relatively common neurogenetic disorder characterized by complete or partial monosomy-X in a phenotypic female. TS is associated with a cognitive profile that typically includes intact intellectual function and verbal abilities with relative weaknesses in visual-spatial, executive, and social cognitive domains. In this…

Cognitive abilities in siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Gizzonio, Valentina; Avanzini, Pietro; Fabbri-Destro, Maddalena; Campi, Cristina; Rizzolatti, Giacomo

2014-07-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the cognitive profiles of children with autistic spectrum disorder and of their healthy siblings (Siblings). With the term cognitive profile, we indicate the relationship extant among the values of verbal and performance subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale. The conducted statistical analyses indicated that, although siblings showed a normal intelligent quotient and did not differ in this aspect from typically developing group, their cognitive profile was amazingly similar to that of their relatives affected by autism. A k-means clustering analysis on the values of single subtests further confirmed this result, showing a clear separation between typically developing children on the one side, and autistics and their siblings on the other. We suggest that the common cognitive profile observed in autistic children and their siblings could represent a marker of liability to autism and, thus, a possible intermediate phenotype of this syndrome.

Reproducibility of Cognitive Profiles in Psychosis Using Cluster Analysis.

PubMed

Lewandowski, Kathryn E; Baker, Justin T; McCarthy, Julie M; Norris, Lesley A; Öngür, Dost

2018-04-01

Cognitive dysfunction is a core symptom dimension that cuts across the psychoses. Recent findings support classification of patients along the cognitive dimension using cluster analysis; however, data-derived groupings may be highly determined by sampling characteristics and the measures used to derive the clusters, and so their interpretability must be established. We examined cognitive clusters in a cross-diagnostic sample of patients with psychosis and associations with clinical and functional outcomes. We then compared our findings to a previous report of cognitive clusters in a separate sample using a different cognitive battery. Participants with affective or non-affective psychosis (n=120) and healthy controls (n=31) were administered the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery, and clinical and community functioning assessments. Cluster analyses were performed on cognitive variables, and clusters were compared on demographic, cognitive, and clinical measures. Results were compared to findings from our previous report. A four-cluster solution provided a good fit to the data; profiles included a neuropsychologically normal cluster, a globally impaired cluster, and two clusters of mixed profiles. Cognitive burden was associated with symptom severity and poorer community functioning. The patterns of cognitive performance by cluster were highly consistent with our previous findings. We found evidence of four cognitive subgroups of patients with psychosis, with cognitive profiles that map closely to those produced in our previous work. Clusters were associated with clinical and community variables and a measure of premorbid functioning, suggesting that they reflect meaningful groupings: replicable, and related to clinical presentation and functional outcomes. (JINS, 2018, 24, 382-390).

Latent Partially Ordered Classification Models and Normal Mixtures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tatsuoka, Curtis; Varadi, Ferenc; Jaeger, Judith

2013-01-01

Latent partially ordered sets (posets) can be employed in modeling cognitive functioning, such as in the analysis of neuropsychological (NP) and educational test data. Posets are cognitively diagnostic in the sense that classification states in these models are associated with detailed profiles of cognitive functioning. These profiles allow for…

Cognitive Profiles of Chinese Adolescents with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Kevin K. H.; Ho, Connie Suk-Han; Chan, David W.; Tsang, Suk-Man; Lee, Suk-Han

2010-01-01

The present study sought to identify cognitive abilities that might distinguish Hong Kong Chinese adolescents with and without dyslexia and examined the cognitive profile of dyslexic adolescents in order to better understand this important problem. The performance of 27 Chinese adolescents with childhood diagnoses of dyslexia was compared with 27…

Profile of cognitive deficits and associations with depressive symptoms and intelligence in chronic early-onset schizophrenia patients.

PubMed

Jepsen, Jens Richardt Møllegaard; Fagerlund, Birgitte; Pagsberg, Anne Katrine; Christensen, Anne Marie Raaberg; Nordentoft, Merete; Mortensen, Erik Lykke

2013-10-01

Cognitive deficits in several domains have been demonstrated in early-onset schizophrenia patients but their profile and relation to depressive symptoms and intelligence need further characterization. The purpose was to characterize the profile of cognitive deficits in chronic, early-onset schizophrenia patients, assess the potential associations with depressive symptom severity, and examine whether cognitive deficits within several domains reflect intelligence impairments. This study compared attention, visual-construction, aspects of visual and verbal memory, and executive functions in chronic, early-onset schizophrenia patients (mean age = 20.7 years) (N = 18) and healthy controls (N = 38). Schizophrenia diagnoses were established at the time of the patients' first clinical presentation during childhood or adolescence and were confirmed five years later. In the chronic phase of early-onset schizophrenia, significant deficits were observed in all specific cognitive functions. The profile of cognitive deficits was jagged, and visual-construction, attention, and one aspect of verbal memory (verbal stories recall) were differentially impaired. Deficits of visual recall, visual recognition, and executive functions were accounted for by deficits in intelligence, while this was not the case for deficits of verbal recall of stories or attention. No significant associations were observed between the severity of cognitive deficits and that of depressive symptoms. Chronic, early-onset schizophrenia is characterized by a broad and jagged profile of cognitive deficits. Deficits of attention and verbal recall of stories appear not to be accounted for by deficits in intelligence, and the severity of cognitive deficits seems independent from that of depressive symptoms. © 2013 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

Analysis on unevenness of skin color using the melanin and hemoglobin components separated by independent component analysis of skin color image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ojima, Nobutoshi; Fujiwara, Izumi; Inoue, Yayoi; Tsumura, Norimichi; Nakaguchi, Toshiya; Iwata, Kayoko

2011-03-01

Uneven distribution of skin color is one of the biggest concerns about facial skin appearance. Recently several techniques to analyze skin color have been introduced by separating skin color information into chromophore components, such as melanin and hemoglobin. However, there are not many reports on quantitative analysis of unevenness of skin color by considering type of chromophore, clusters of different sizes and concentration of the each chromophore. We propose a new image analysis and simulation method based on chromophore analysis and spatial frequency analysis. This method is mainly composed of three techniques: independent component analysis (ICA) to extract hemoglobin and melanin chromophores from a single skin color image, an image pyramid technique which decomposes each chromophore into multi-resolution images, which can be used for identifying different sizes of clusters or spatial frequencies, and analysis of the histogram obtained from each multi-resolution image to extract unevenness parameters. As the application of the method, we also introduce an image processing technique to change unevenness of melanin component. As the result, the method showed high capabilities to analyze unevenness of each skin chromophore: 1) Vague unevenness on skin could be discriminated from noticeable pigmentation such as freckles or acne. 2) By analyzing the unevenness parameters obtained from each multi-resolution image for Japanese ladies, agerelated changes were observed in the parameters of middle spatial frequency. 3) An image processing system modulating the parameters was proposed to change unevenness of skin images along the axis of the obtained age-related change in real time.

New Insights on Developmental Dyslexia Subtypes: Heterogeneity of Mixed Reading Profiles

PubMed Central

Zoubrinetzky, Rachel; Bielle, Frédérique; Valdois, Sylviane

2014-01-01

We examined whether classifications based on reading performance are relevant to identify cognitively homogeneous subgroups of dyslexic children. Each of the 71 dyslexic participants was selected to have a mixed reading profile, i.e. poor irregular word and pseudo-word reading performance (accuracy and speed). Despite their homogeneous reading profile, the participants were found to split into four distinct cognitive subgroups, characterized by a single phonological disorder, a single visual attention span disorder, a double deficit or none of these disorders. The two subgroups characterized by single and contrasted cognitive disorders were found to exhibit a very similar reading pattern but more contrasted spelling performance (quantitative analysis). A qualitative analysis of the error types produced in reading and spelling provided some cues about the participants' underlying cognitive deficit. The overall findings disqualify subtyping based on reading profiles as a classification method to identify cognitively homogeneous subgroups of dyslexic children. They rather show an opaque relationship between the cognitive underpinnings of developmental dyslexia and their behavioral manifestations in reading and spelling. Future neuroimaging and genetic studies should take this issue into account since synthesizing over cognitively heterogeneous children would entail potential pitfalls. PMID:24918441

Old worries and new anxieties: behavioral symptoms and mild cognitive impairment in a population study.

PubMed

Andreescu, Carmen; Teverovsky, Esther; Fu, Bo; Hughes, Tiffany F; Chang, Chung-Chou H; Ganguli, Mary

2014-03-01

To disentangle the complex associations of depression and anxiety with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at the population level. We examined subgroups of anxiety symptoms and depression symptom profiles in relation to MCI, which we defined using both cognitive and functional approaches. We used an epidemiologic, cross-sectional study with an age-stratified, random, population-based sample of 1,982 individuals aged 65 years and over. Three definitions of MCI were used: 1) a purely cognitive classification into amnestic and nonamnestic MCI, 2) a combined cognitive-functional definition by International Working Group (IWG) criteria, and 3) a purely functional definition by the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) of 0.5. Three depression profiles were identified by factor analysis of the modified Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale: core mood, self-esteem/interpersonal, and apathy/neurovegetative profiles. Three anxiety groups, chronic mild worry, chronic severe anxiety, and recent-onset anxiety, were based on screening questions. Recent-onset anxiety was associated with MCI by nonamnestic and IWG criteria, chronic severe anxiety was associated with MCI by all definitions, and chronic mild worry was associated with none. Of the depression profiles, the core mood profile was associated with CDR-defined MCI, the apathy/neurovegetative profile was associated with MCI by amnestic, IWG, and CDR definitions, and the self-esteem/interpersonal profile was associated with none. In this population-based sample, subgroups with different anxiety and depression profiles had different relationships with cognitive and functional definitions of MCI. Anxiety, depression, and MCI are all multidimensional entities, interacting in complex ways that may shed light on underlying neural mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identifying Students with Learning Disabilities: Composite Profile Analysis Using the Cognitive Assessment System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Leesa V.; Bardos, Achilles N.; D'Amato, Rik Carl

2010-01-01

The detection of cognitive patterns in children with learning disabilities (LD) has been a priority in the identification process. Subtest profile analysis from traditional cognitive assessment has drawn sharp criticism for inaccurate identification and weak connections to educational planning. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to use a new…

Psychopathological manifestations of children with intellectual disabilities according to their cognitive and adaptive behavior profile.

PubMed

Tremblay, Karine N; Richer, Louis; Lachance, Lise; Côté, Alain

2010-01-01

Children with intellectual disabilities show deficits in cognitive abilities and adaptive behavior which increase the risk of psychopathological disorders. This exploratory study aims at delineating profiles of children based on their cognitive functioning and adaptive behaviors, and to compare them on psychopathological manifestations. A cognitive assessment and an evaluation of adaptive behaviors are conducted with 52 school-age children receiving services from a rehabilitation center for people with intellectual disabilities. Adaptive behaviors are evaluated by a special educator and a questionnaire concerning psychopathology is filled out by a parent and a teacher. Cluster analyses highlight three profiles among children: Performing, Uncooperative and Non-performing. They differ on cognitive functions, collaboration and in terms of practical abilities of adaptive behaviors. Chi-square tests show significant differences in social competences, but not in problematic behaviors, according to the viewpoint of parents and teachers. Potential explanations are provided to understand the absence of significant differences in problematic behaviors between the three profiles.

The Cognitive and Academic Profiles of Reading and Mathematics Learning Disabilities

PubMed Central

Compton, Donald L.; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Lambert, Warren; Hamlett, Carol

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive and academic profiles associated with learning disability (LD) in reading comprehension, word reading, applied problems, and calculations. The goal was to assess the specificity hypothesis, in which unexpected underachievement associated with LD is represented in terms of distinctive patterns of cognitive and academic strengths and weaknesses. At the start of 3rd grade, the authors assessed 684 students on five cognitive dimensions (nonverbal problem solving, processing speed, concept formation, language, and working memory), and across Grades 3 through 5, the authors assessed performance in each academic area three to four times. Based on final intercept, the authors classified students as LD or not LD in each of the four academic areas. For each of these four LD variables, they conducted multivariate cognitive profile analysis and academic profile analysis. Results, which generally supported the specificity hypothesis, are discussed in terms of the potential connections between reading and mathematics LD. PMID:21444929

Identification of cognitive profiles among women considering BRCA1/2 testing through the utilisation of cluster analytic techniques.

PubMed

Roussi, Pagona; Sherman, Kerry A; Miller, Suzanne M; Hurley, Karen; Daly, Mary B; Godwin, Andrew; Buzaglo, Joanne S; Wen, Kuang-Yi

2011-10-01

Based on the cognitive-social health information processing model, we identified cognitive profiles of women at risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Prior to genetic counselling, participants (N = 171) completed a study questionnaire concerning their cognitive and affective responses to being at genetic risk. Using cluster analysis, four cognitive profiles were generated: (a) high perceived risk/low coping; (b) low value of screening/high expectancy of cancer; (c) moderate perceived risk/moderate efficacy of prevention/low informativeness of test result; and (d) high efficacy of prevention/high coping. The majority of women in Clusters One, Two and Three had no personal history of cancer, whereas Cluster Four consisted almost entirely of women affected with cancer. Women in Cluster One had the highest number of affected relatives and experienced higher levels of distress than women in the other three clusters. These results highlight the need to consider the psychological profile of women undergoing genetic testing when designing counselling interventions and messages.

The cognitive and academic profiles of reading and mathematics learning disabilities.

PubMed

Compton, Donald L; Fuchs, Lynn S; Fuchs, Douglas; Lambert, Warren; Hamlett, Carol

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive and academic profiles associated with learning disability (LD) in reading comprehension, word reading, applied problems, and calculations. The goal was to assess the specificity hypothesis, in which unexpected underachievement associated with LD is represented in terms of distinctive patterns of cognitive and academic strengths and weaknesses. At the start of 3rd grade, the authors assessed 684 students on five cognitive dimensions (nonverbal problem solving, processing speed, concept formation, language, and working memory), and across Grades 3 through 5, the authors assessed performance in each academic area three to four times. Based on final intercept, the authors classified students as LD or not LD in each of the four academic areas. For each of these four LD variables, they conducted multivariate cognitive profile analysis and academic profile analysis. Results, which generally supported the specificity hypothesis, are discussed in terms of the potential connections between reading and mathematics LD.

Dyslexia Heterogeneity: Cognitive Profiling of Portuguese Children with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pacheco, Andreia; Reis, Alexandra; Araújo, Susana; Inácio, Filomena; Petersson, Karl Magnus; Faísca, Luís

2014-01-01

Recent studies have emphasized that developmental dyslexia is a multiple-deficit disorder, in contrast to the traditional single-deficit view. In this context, cognitive profiling of children with dyslexia may be a relevant contribution to this unresolved discussion. The aim of this study was to profile 36 Portuguese children with dyslexia from…

Linguistic and Cognitive Functioning and Autism Symptoms in Young Children with Fragile X Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philofsky, Amy; Hepburn, Susan L.; Hayes, Athena; Hagerman, Randi; Rogers, Sally J.

2004-01-01

Linguistic and cognitive profiles were examined in 18 children with autism and 18 children with fragile X syndrome (mean ages = 34 months). State-of-the-art diagnostic procedures for autism symptom identification were administered. Eight children with fragile X met criteria for autism. Comparison of linguistic and cognitive profiles (autism,…

Is anorexia nervosa a version of autism spectrum disorders?

PubMed

Oldershaw, Anna; Treasure, Janet; Hambrook, David; Tchanturia, Kate; Schmidt, Ulrike

2011-01-01

Similarities have been noted between cognitive profiles of anorexia nervosa (AN) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, there are no direct comparison studies. This study aimed to compare the cognitive profile of AN against published ASD data on tasks measuring empathy, executive function and central coherence. Currently ill AN outpatients (n = 40) were statistically compared against published ASD scores on Reading the Mind in the Eyes, Voice and Films tasks (assessing empathy), Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST) (assessing executive function) and Embedded Figures Task (EFT) (assessing detail focus aspect of central coherence). Cognitive profiles of the groups were statistically similar, except for differences in the relative patterns of empathy scores. The cognitive profile in current AN resembles that of ASD with important clinical implications. Replication studies with planned comparisons, examination of the state-or trait-nature of AN profile and clarification of factors underpinning similarities are required in order to broaden understanding of both disorders. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Number sense and mathematics: Which, when and how?

PubMed

Tosto, Maria G; Petrill, Stephen A; Malykh, Sergey; Malki, Karim; Haworth, Claire M A; Mazzocco, Michele M M; Thompson, Lee; Opfer, John; Bogdanova, Olga Y; Kovas, Yulia

2017-10-01

Individual differences in number sense correlate with mathematical ability and performance, although the presence and strength of this relationship differs across studies. Inconsistencies in the literature may stem from heterogeneity of number sense and mathematical ability constructs. Sample characteristics may also play a role as changes in the relationship between number sense and mathematics may differ across development and cultural contexts. In this study, 4,984 16-year-old students were assessed on estimation ability, one aspect of number sense. Estimation was measured using 2 different tasks: number line and dot-comparison. Using cognitive and achievement data previously collected from these students at ages 7, 9, 10, 12, and 14, the study explored for which of the measures and when in development these links are observed, and how strong these links are and how much these links are moderated by other cognitive abilities. The 2 number sense measures correlated modestly with each other (r = .22), but moderately with mathematics at age 16. Both measures were also associated with earlier mathematics; but this association was uneven across development and was moderated by other cognitive abilities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Uneven-Aged Silviculture for the Loblolly and Shortleaf Pine Forest Cover Types

Treesearch

James B. Baker; Michael D. Cain; James M. Guldin; Paul A. Murphy; Michael G. Shelton

1996-01-01

The results of a half-century of experience and research with uneven-aged silviculture within the loblolly-shortleaf pine type of the Southern United States are summarized, and silvicultural guidelines for developing and managing uneven-aged stands are provided in this publication.

Relationships between gross- and fine motor functions, cognitive abilities, and self-regulatory aspects of students with physical disabilities.

PubMed

Varsamis, Panagiotis; Agaliotis, Ioannis

2015-12-01

This article reports research on self-regulatory aspects (i.e., goal-setting, self-efficacy and self-evaluation) of secondary and post-secondary students with congenital motor disabilities, who performed a ball-throwing-at-a-target task. Participants were divided into four subgroups presenting distinct combinations of motor and cognitive abilities (i.e., normal cognitive development and mild physical disabilities, normal cognitive development and severe physical disabilities, mild-to-moderate intellectual disability and mild physical disabilities, and mild-to-moderate intellectual disability and severe physical disabilities). Results showed that students presenting mild motor disabilities exhibited a positive self-concept and self-regulation profile, irrespective of their cognitive functioning. Students with considerable motor disabilities, but without cognitive challenges, presented a negative, though realistic self-concept and self-regulation profile. Finally, students with considerable motor disabilities and mild-to-moderate cognitive disabilities showed a positive, though unrealistic, self-regulation profile. The nature of the diverse relationship of motor and cognitive (dis)abilities to specific self-regulatory aspects are discussed, and important instructional implications are mentioned. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uneven-aged silviculture, southern style

Treesearch

James M. Guldin; James B. Baker

1998-01-01

Data spanning 60 years on uneven-aged loblolly-shortleaf pine stands in Arkansas show that two regulation methods have been successful in regulating stand development. Key attributes of these methods are that regulation is more important than balance, residual basal area drives stand development, and regeneration is the first indicator of sustainability. Marking uneven...

Quasi-Experimental Study: Head Start Preschoolers' Cognitive Development as Assessed by the Learning Accomplishment Profile--Diagnostic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hines, Jeanne M.

2014-01-01

Abstract Preschoolers' cognitive abilities were assessed each year as part of the Head Start Program requirements. The Head Start PK-4 Center evaluated preschoolers' cognition by administering the Learning Accomplishment Profile-Diagnostic (LAP-D), as a pretest and posttest measure. The LAP-D study used archival data collected from the 2009-2010…

Profiles and Cognitive Predictors of Motor Functions among Early School-Age Children with Mild Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wuang, Y.-P.; Wang, C.-C.; Huang, M.-H.; Su, C.-Y.

2008-01-01

Background: The purpose of the study was to describe sensorimotor profile in children with mild intellectual disability (ID), and to examine the association between cognitive and motor function. Methods: A total of 233 children with mild ID aged 7 to 8 years were evaluated with measures of cognitive, motor and sensory integrative functioning.…

Dissociations among linguistic, cognitive, and auditory-motor neuroanatomical domains in children who stutter.

PubMed

Choo, Ai Leen; Burnham, Evamarie; Hicks, Kristin; Chang, Soo-Eun

2016-01-01

The onset of developmental stuttering typically occurs between 2 to 4 years of age, coinciding with a period of rapid development in speech, language, motor and cognitive domains. Previous studies have reported generally poorer performance and uneven, or "dissociated" development across speech and language domains in children who stutter (CWS) relative to children who do not stutter (CWNS) (Anderson, Pellowski, & Conture, 2005). The aim of this study was to replicate and expand previous findings by examining whether CWS exhibit dissociated development across speech-language, cognitive, and motor domains that are also reflected in measures of neuroanatomical development. Participants were 66CWS (23 females) and 53CWNS (26 females) ranging from 3 to 10 years. Standardized speech, language, cognitive, and motor skills measures, and fractional anisotropy (FA) values derived from diffusion tensor imaging from speech relevant "dorsal auditory" left perisylvian areas (Hickok & Poeppel, 2007) were analyzed using a correlation-based statistical procedure (Coulter, Anderson, & Conture, 2009) that quantified dissociations across domains. Overall, CWS scored consistently lower on speech, language, cognitive and motor measures, and exhibited dissociated development involving these same measures and white matter neuroanatomical indices relative to CWNS. Boys who stutter exhibited a greater number of dissociations compared to girls who stutter. Results suggest a subgroup of CWS may have incongruent development across multiple domains, and the resolution of this imbalance may be a factor in recovery from stuttering. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Computational fluid dynamics modeling of bun baking process under different oven load conditions.

PubMed

Tank, A; Chhanwal, N; Indrani, D; Anandharamakrishnan, C

2014-09-01

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to study the temperature profile of the bun during baking process. Evaporation-condensation mechanism and effect of the latent heat during phase change of water was incorporated in this model to represent actual bun baking process. Simulation results were validated with experimental measurements of bun temperature at two different positions. Baking process is completed within 20 min, after the temperature of crumb become stable at 98 °C. Further, this study was extended to investigate the effect of partially (two baking trays) loaded and fully loaded (eight baking trays) oven on temperature profile of bun. Velocity and temperature profile differs in partially loaded and fully loaded oven. Bun placed in top rack showed rapid baking while bun placed in bottom rack showed slower baking due to uneven temperature distribution in the oven. Hence, placement of bun inside the oven affects temperature of bun and consequently, the quality of the product.

Stand density index in uneven-aged ponderosa pine stands

Treesearch

C.W. Woodall; C.E. Fiedler; K.S. Milner

2003-01-01

Stand density index (SDI) was developed to quantify relative stand density in even-aged stands. Application of SDI in uneven-aged stands has been described mathematically but not justified biologically. Diameter-class trends in SDI and sapwood area across 14 uneven-aged ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. & C. Laws.) stands in eastern...

Cognitive and Mathematical Profiles for Different Forms of Learning Difficulties

PubMed Central

Cirino, Paul T.; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Elias, John T.; Powell, Sarah R.; Schumacher, Robin F.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare subgroups of students with various forms of learning difficulties (< 25th percentile) on cognitive and mathematics characteristics. Students with mathematics difficulty (MD, n = 105), reading difficulty (RD, n = 65), both (MDRD, n = 87), or neither (NoLD, n = 403) were evaluated on an array of cognitive measures (e.g., working memory and language) and on mathematics measures of foundational numerical competencies, computation, and problem solving. Results revealed expected level differences among groups in both domains: NoLD outperformed RD, and MD outperformed MDRD. Profile differences were noted among pairs of subgroups on cognitive measures. On mathematics measures, profile differences were noted between RD and other subgroups, but not between MD and MDRD subgroups. The most discriminating cognitive measures were processing speed and language; the most discriminating mathematics measures depended on the subgroups being compared. Results were further evaluated according to more severe (< 10th percentile) criteria for MD and RD, which generally affected level differences more than the profile patterns. Results have implications for understanding comorbid MD and RD and for conceptualizing core deficits in MD. PMID:23851137

Diagnostic Profiles: A Standard Setting Method for Use with a Cognitive Diagnostic Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skaggs, Gary; Hein, Serge F.; Wilkins, Jesse L. M.

2016-01-01

This article introduces the Diagnostic Profiles (DP) standard setting method for setting a performance standard on a test developed from a cognitive diagnostic model (CDM), the outcome of which is a profile of mastered and not-mastered skills or attributes rather than a single test score. In the DP method, the key judgment task for panelists is a…

Individual differences in brain structure underpin empathizing-systemizing cognitive styles in male adults.

PubMed

Lai, Meng-Chuan; Lombardo, Michael V; Chakrabarti, Bhismadev; Ecker, Christine; Sadek, Susan A; Wheelwright, Sally J; Murphy, Declan G M; Suckling, John; Bullmore, Edward T; Baron-Cohen, Simon

2012-07-16

Individual differences in cognitive style can be characterized along two dimensions: 'systemizing' (S, the drive to analyze or build 'rule-based' systems) and 'empathizing' (E, the drive to identify another's mental state and respond to this with an appropriate emotion). Discrepancies between these two dimensions in one direction (S>E) or the other (E>S) are associated with sex differences in cognition: on average more males show an S>E cognitive style, while on average more females show an E>S profile. The neurobiological basis of these different profiles remains unknown. Since individuals may be typical or atypical for their sex, it is important to move away from the study of sex differences and towards the study of differences in cognitive style. Using structural magnetic resonance imaging we examined how neuroanatomy varies as a function of the discrepancy between E and S in 88 adult males from the general population. Selecting just males allows us to study discrepant E-S profiles in a pure way, unconfounded by other factors related to sex and gender. An increasing S>E profile was associated with increased gray matter volume in cingulate and dorsal medial prefrontal areas which have been implicated in processes related to cognitive control, monitoring, error detection, and probabilistic inference. An increasing E>S profile was associated with larger hypothalamic and ventral basal ganglia regions which have been implicated in neuroendocrine control, motivation and reward. These results suggest an underlying neuroanatomical basis linked to the discrepancy between these two important dimensions of individual differences in cognitive style. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Utility of the Psychoeducational Profile-3 for Assessing Cognitive and Language Skills of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fulton, Mandy L.; D'Entremont, Barbara

2013-01-01

The Psychoeducational Profile-3's (PEP-3) ability to estimate cognitive and language skills of 136 children (20-75 months) with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) across a range of functioning, and the association between the PEP-3 and ASD symptomatology was examined using retrospective data. PEP-3 cognitive and language measures were positively…

Everyday executive functions in Down syndrome from early childhood to young adulthood: evidence for both unique and shared characteristics compared to youth with sex chromosome trisomy (XXX and XXY).

PubMed

Lee, Nancy Raitano; Anand, Payal; Will, Elizabeth; Adeyemi, Elizabeth I; Clasen, Liv S; Blumenthal, Jonathan D; Giedd, Jay N; Daunhauer, Lisa A; Fidler, Deborah J; Edgin, Jamie O

2015-01-01

Executive functions (EF) are thought to be impaired in Down syndrome (DS) and sex chromosome trisomy (Klinefelter and Trisomy X syndromes; +1X). However, the syndromic specificity and developmental trajectories associated with EF difficulties in these groups are poorly understood. The current investigation (a) compared everyday EF difficulties in youth with DS, +1X, and typical development (TD); and (b) examined relations between age and EF difficulties in these two groups and a TD control group cross-sectionally. Study 1 investigated the syndromic specificity of EF profiles on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) in DS (n = 30), +1X (n = 30), and a TD group (n = 30), ages 5-18 years. Study 2 examined age effects on EF in the same cross-sectional sample of participants included in Study 1. Study 3 sought to replicate Study 2's findings for DS by examining age-EF relations in a large independent sample of youth with DS (n = 85) and TD (n = 43), ages 4-24 years. Study 1 found evidence for both unique and shared EF impairments for the DS and +1X groups. Most notably, youth with +1X had relatively uniform EF impairments on the BRIEF scales, while the DS group showed an uneven BRIEF profile with relative strengths and weaknesses. Studies 2 and 3 provided support for fairly similar age-EF relations in the DS and TD groups. In contrast, for the +1X group, findings were mixed; 6 BRIEF scales showed similar age-EF relations to the TD group and 2 showed greater EF difficulties at older ages for +1X. These findings will be discussed within the context of efforts to identify syndrome specific cognitive-behavioral profiles for youth with different genetic syndromes in order to inform basic science investigations into the etiology of EF difficulties in these groups and to develop treatment approaches that are tailored to the needs of these groups.

Everyday executive functions in Down syndrome from early childhood to young adulthood: evidence for both unique and shared characteristics compared to youth with sex chromosome trisomy (XXX and XXY)

PubMed Central

Lee, Nancy Raitano; Anand, Payal; Will, Elizabeth; Adeyemi, Elizabeth I.; Clasen, Liv S.; Blumenthal, Jonathan D.; Giedd, Jay N.; Daunhauer, Lisa A.; Fidler, Deborah J.; Edgin, Jamie O.

2015-01-01

Executive functions (EF) are thought to be impaired in Down syndrome (DS) and sex chromosome trisomy (Klinefelter and Trisomy X syndromes; +1X). However, the syndromic specificity and developmental trajectories associated with EF difficulties in these groups are poorly understood. The current investigation (a) compared everyday EF difficulties in youth with DS, +1X, and typical development (TD); and (b) examined relations between age and EF difficulties in these two groups and a TD control group cross-sectionally. Study 1 investigated the syndromic specificity of EF profiles on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) in DS (n = 30), +1X (n = 30), and a TD group (n = 30), ages 5–18 years. Study 2 examined age effects on EF in the same cross-sectional sample of participants included in Study 1. Study 3 sought to replicate Study 2's findings for DS by examining age-EF relations in a large independent sample of youth with DS (n = 85) and TD (n = 43), ages 4–24 years. Study 1 found evidence for both unique and shared EF impairments for the DS and +1X groups. Most notably, youth with +1X had relatively uniform EF impairments on the BRIEF scales, while the DS group showed an uneven BRIEF profile with relative strengths and weaknesses. Studies 2 and 3 provided support for fairly similar age-EF relations in the DS and TD groups. In contrast, for the +1X group, findings were mixed; 6 BRIEF scales showed similar age-EF relations to the TD group and 2 showed greater EF difficulties at older ages for +1X. These findings will be discussed within the context of efforts to identify syndrome specific cognitive-behavioral profiles for youth with different genetic syndromes in order to inform basic science investigations into the etiology of EF difficulties in these groups and to develop treatment approaches that are tailored to the needs of these groups. PMID:26539087

Profile formation of academic self-concept in elementary school students in grades 1 to 4.

PubMed

Schmidt, Isabelle; Brunner, Martin; Keller, Lena; Scherrer, Vsevolod; Wollschläger, Rachel; Baudson, Tanja Gabriele; Preckel, Franzis

2017-01-01

Academic self-concept (ASC) is comprised of individual perceptions of one's own academic ability. In a cross-sectional quasi-representative sample of 3,779 German elementary school children in grades 1 to 4, we investigated (a) the structure of ASC, (b) ASC profile formation, an aspect of differentiation that is reflected in lower correlations between domain-specific ASCs with increasing grade level, (c) the impact of (internal) dimensional comparisons of one's own ability in different school subjects for profile formation of ASC, and (d) the role played by differences in school grades between subjects for these dimensional comparisons. The nested Marsh/Shavelson model, with general ASC at the apex and math, writing, and reading ASC as specific factors nested under general ASC fitted the data at all grade levels. A first-order factor model with math, writing, reading, and general ASCs as correlated factors provided a good fit, too. ASC profile formation became apparent during the first two to three years of school. Dimensional comparisons across subjects contributed to ASC profile formation. School grades enhanced these comparisons, especially when achievement profiles were uneven. In part, findings depended on the assumed structural model of ASCs. Implications for further research are discussed with special regard to factors influencing and moderating dimensional comparisons.

Profile formation of academic self-concept in elementary school students in grades 1 to 4

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Isabelle; Brunner, Martin; Keller, Lena; Scherrer, Vsevolod; Wollschläger, Rachel; Baudson, Tanja Gabriele; Preckel, Franzis

2017-01-01

Academic self-concept (ASC) is comprised of individual perceptions of one’s own academic ability. In a cross-sectional quasi-representative sample of 3,779 German elementary school children in grades 1 to 4, we investigated (a) the structure of ASC, (b) ASC profile formation, an aspect of differentiation that is reflected in lower correlations between domain-specific ASCs with increasing grade level, (c) the impact of (internal) dimensional comparisons of one’s own ability in different school subjects for profile formation of ASC, and (d) the role played by differences in school grades between subjects for these dimensional comparisons. The nested Marsh/Shavelson model, with general ASC at the apex and math, writing, and reading ASC as specific factors nested under general ASC fitted the data at all grade levels. A first-order factor model with math, writing, reading, and general ASCs as correlated factors provided a good fit, too. ASC profile formation became apparent during the first two to three years of school. Dimensional comparisons across subjects contributed to ASC profile formation. School grades enhanced these comparisons, especially when achievement profiles were uneven. In part, findings depended on the assumed structural model of ASCs. Implications for further research are discussed with special regard to factors influencing and moderating dimensional comparisons. PMID:28542384

The MCCB impairment profile for schizophrenia outpatients: results from the MATRICS psychometric and standardization study.

PubMed

Kern, Robert S; Gold, James M; Dickinson, Dwight; Green, Michael F; Nuechterlein, Keith H; Baade, Lyle E; Keefe, Richard S E; Mesholam-Gately, Raquelle I; Seidman, Larry J; Lee, Cathy; Sugar, Catherine A; Marder, Stephen R

2011-03-01

The MATRICS Psychometric and Standardization Study was conducted as a final stage in the development of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). The study included 176 persons with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 300 community residents. Data were analyzed to examine the cognitive profile of clinically stable schizophrenia patients on the MCCB. Secondarily, the data were analyzed to identify which combination of cognitive domains and corresponding cut-off scores best discriminated patients from community residents, and patients competitively employed vs. those not. Raw scores on the ten MCCB tests were entered into the MCCB scoring program which provided age- and gender-corrected T-scores on seven cognitive domains. To test for between-group differences, we conducted a 2 (group)×7 (cognitive domain) MANOVA with follow-up independent t-tests on the individual domains. Classification and regression trees (CART) were used for the discrimination analyses. Examination of patient T-scores across the seven cognitive domains revealed a relatively compact profile with T-scores ranging from 33.4 for speed of processing to 39.3 for reasoning and problem-solving. Speed of processing and social cognition best distinguished individuals with schizophrenia from community residents; speed of processing along with visual learning and attention/vigilance optimally distinguished patients competitively employed from those who were not. The cognitive profile findings provide a standard to which future studies can compare results from other schizophrenia samples and related disorders; the classification results point to specific areas and levels of cognitive impairment that may advance work rehabilitation efforts. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The MCCB Impairment Profile for Schizophrenia Outpatients:Results from the MATRICS Psychometric and Standardization Study

PubMed Central

Kern, Robert S.; Gold, James M.; Dickinson, Dwight; Green, Michael F.; Nuechterlein, Keith H.; Baade, Lyle E.; Keefe, Richard S. E.; Mesholam-Gately, Raquelle I.; Seidman, Larry J.; Lee, Cathy; Sugar, Catherine A.; Marder, Stephen R.

2010-01-01

The MATRICS Psychometric and Standardization Study was conducted as a final stage in the development of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). The study included 176 persons with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 300 community residents. Data were analyzed to examine the cognitive profile of clinically stable schizophrenia patients on the MCCB. Secondarily, the data were analyzed to identify which combination of cognitive domains and corresponding cut-off scores best discriminated patients from community residents, and patients competitively employed vs. those not. Raw scores on the ten MCCB tests were entered into the MCCB scoring program which provided age-and gender-corrected T-scores on seven cognitive domains. To test for between-group differences, we conducted a 2 (group) × 7 (cognitive domain) MANOVA with follow-up independent t – tests on the individual domains. Classification and regression trees (CART) were used for the discrimination analyses. Examination of patient T-scores across the seven cognitive domains revealed a relatively compact profile with T-scores ranging from 33.4 for speed of processing to 39.3 for reasoning and problem-solving. Speed of processing and social cognition best distinguished individuals with schizophrenia from community residents; speed of processing along with visual learning and attention/vigilance optimally distinguished patients competitively employed from those who were not. The cognitive profile findings provide a standard to which future studies can compare results from other schizophrenia samples and related disorders; the classification results point to specific areas and levels of cognitive impairment that may advance work rehabilitation efforts. PMID:21159492

Disturbance From the Initial Harvest Implementing Uneven-Aged Silviculture in a Pine-Hardwood Stand in Southwestern Mississippi

Treesearch

Michael G. Shelton; Paul A. Murphy

1999-01-01

Logging disturbance is important in uneven-aged stands because harvests are frequent, merchantable trees are retained, and regeneration may be present. Logging disturbance was monitored during the establishment of a study testing the application of uneven-aged silvicufture in an irregularly aged, pine-hardwood stand. Disturbances were: (1) seedbed conditions...

Pro-B selection method for uneven-aged management of longleaf pine forests

Treesearch

Dale G. Brockway; Edward F. Loewenstein; Kenneth W. Outcalt

2015-01-01

Interest in uneven-aged silviculture has increased since advent of ecosystem management programs, which place greater emphasis on ecological values and ecosystem services while also harvesting timber from the forest. However, traditional uneven-aged approaches (e.g., BDq) are often criticized as too complex, costly, and requiring highly-trained staff. The Proportional-...

Breeding birds of even- and uneven-aged pine forests of eastern Texas

Treesearch

Ronald E. Thill; Nancy E. Koerth

2005-01-01

While single-tree selection, uneven-aged management is being used increasingly on southern national forests as an alternative to clearcutting and planting of pine, its effects on wildlife are largely unknown. We compared breeding season bird abundance, species richness, diversity, and composition among uneven-aged stands and six seral stages of even-aged stands in...

Information-Pooling Bias in Collaborative Security Incident Correlation Analysis.

PubMed

Rajivan, Prashanth; Cooke, Nancy J

2018-03-01

Incident correlation is a vital step in the cybersecurity threat detection process. This article presents research on the effect of group-level information-pooling bias on collaborative incident correlation analysis in a synthetic task environment. Past research has shown that uneven information distribution biases people to share information that is known to most team members and prevents them from sharing any unique information available with them. The effect of such biases on security team collaborations are largely unknown. Thirty 3-person teams performed two threat detection missions involving information sharing and correlating security incidents. Incidents were predistributed to each person in the team based on the hidden profile paradigm. Participant teams, randomly assigned to three experimental groups, used different collaboration aids during Mission 2. Communication analysis revealed that participant teams were 3 times more likely to discuss security incidents commonly known to the majority. Unaided team collaboration was inefficient in finding associations between security incidents uniquely available to each member of the team. Visualizations that augment perceptual processing and recognition memory were found to mitigate the bias. The data suggest that (a) security analyst teams, when conducting collaborative correlation analysis, could be inefficient in pooling unique information from their peers; (b) employing off-the-shelf collaboration tools in cybersecurity defense environments is inadequate; and (c) collaborative security visualization tools developed considering the human cognitive limitations of security analysts is necessary. Potential applications of this research include development of team training procedures and collaboration tool development for security analysts.

[Cognitive Profiles of Preschool Children with Developmental Coordination Disorders and ADHD].

PubMed

Jascenoka, Julia; Korsch, Franziska; Petermann, Franz; Petermann, Ulrike

2015-01-01

Cognitive Profiles of Preschool Children with Developmental Coordination Disorders and ADHD Studies confirm that developmental coordination disorders (DCD) are often accompanied by ADHD. It is important to know why children with combined disorders show a special profile in a common intelligence test (WPPSI-III). For this purpose, the WPPSI-III results of a total of 125 children aged five to six years with diagnosed isolated DCD, isolated ADHD, combined disorders and a normative sample were compared. Children with isolated ADHD showed the best cognitive profile. Children of all three diagnosis subgroups presented significantly poorer abilities in all WPPSI-III scales than the normative sample. In comparison with preschoolers showing isolated ADHD, children with DCD and ADHD have a significant lower Processing Speed Quotient.

Functional Locomotor Consequences of Uneven Forefeet for Trot Symmetry in Individual Riding Horses

PubMed Central

Wiggers, Nathan; Nauwelaerts, Sandra L. P.; Hobbs, Sarah Jane; Bool, Sophie; Wolschrijn, Claudia F.; Back, Willem

2015-01-01

Left-right symmetrical distal limb conformation can be an important prerequisite for a successful performance, and it is often hypothesized that asymmetric or uneven feet are important enhancing factors for the development of lameness. On a population level, it has been demonstrated that uneven footed horses are retiring earlier from elite level competition, but the biomechanical consequences are not yet known. The objectives of this study were to compare the functional locomotor asymmetries of horses with uneven to those with even feet. Hoof kinetics and distal limb kinematics were collected from horses (n = 34) at trot. Dorsal hoof wall angle was used to classify horses as even or uneven (<1.5 and >1.5° difference between forefeet respectively) and individual feet as flat (<50°), medium (between 50° and 55°) or upright (>55°). Functional kinetic parameters were compared between even and uneven forefeet using MANOVA followed by ANOVA. The relative influences of differences in hoof angle between the forefeet and of absolute hoof angle on functional parameters were analysed using multiple regression analysis (P<0.05). In horses with uneven feet, the side with the flatter foot showed a significantly larger maximal horizontal braking and vertical ground reaction force, a larger vertical fetlock displacement and a suppler fetlock spring. The foot with a steeper hoof angle was linearly correlated with an earlier braking-propulsion transition. The conformational differences between both forefeet were more important for loading characteristics than the individual foot conformation of each individual horse. The differences in vertical force and braking force between uneven forefeet could imply either an asymmetrical loading pattern without a pathological component or a subclinical lameness as a result of a pathological development in the steeper foot. PMID:25646752

Profile of cognitive problems in schizophrenia and implications for vocational functioning.

PubMed

Tan, Bhing-Leet

2009-08-01

This literature review attempts to profile specific areas of cognition that have shown unique and consistent evidence of dysfunction among people with schizophrenia. In addition, their impact on vocational functioning is illustrated, so as to highlight the importance of managing these cognitive difficulties in vocational rehabilitation. Literature search was carried out on seven key cognitive domains identified by the National Institute of Mental Health in the USA. Their impact on vocational function was also reviewed. It is found that attention, declarative and working memory, reasoning, problem-solving and social cognition are areas of impairment that have great impact on vocational functioning. Attention and memory problems affect learning of new work tasks. Executive function is particularly crucial in determining supported and open employment outcomes, as executive dysfunction cannot be easily compensated. Lastly, social cognition plays a major role in determining the success of workplace social exchanges. Occupational therapists need to have a good understanding of the profile of cognitive problems among people with schizophrenia, in order to tailor our intervention according to their cognitive strengths and difficulties. Several cognitive remediation strategies and programs have been designed specifically for people with mental illness. Equipping ourselves with skills in conducting such programs will augment our expertise in vocational rehabilitation.

Design and Validation of an Instrumented Uneven Terrain Treadmill.

PubMed

Voloshina, Alexandra S; Ferris, Daniel P

2018-06-01

Studying human and animal locomotion on an uneven terrain can be beneficial to basic science and applied studies for clinical and robotic applications. Traditional biomechanical analysis of human locomotion has often been limited to laboratory environments with flat, smooth runways and treadmills. The authors modified a regular exercise treadmill by attaching wooden blocks to the treadmill belt to yield an uneven locomotion surface. To ensure that these treadmill modifications facilitated biomechanical measurements, the authors compared ground reaction force data collected while a subject ran on the modified instrumented treadmill with a smooth surface with data collected using a conventional instrumented treadmill. Comparisons showed only minor differences. These results suggest that adding an uneven surface to a modified treadmill is a viable option for studying human or animal locomotion on an uneven terrain. Other types of surfaces (eg, compliant blocks) could be affixed in a similar manner for studies on other types of locomotion surfaces.

Number-specific and general cognitive markers of preschoolers' math ability profiles.

PubMed

Gray, Sarah A; Reeve, Robert A

2016-07-01

Different number-specific and general cognitive markers have been claimed to underlie preschoolers' math ability. It is unclear, however, whether similar/different cognitive markers, or combinations of them, are associated with different patterns of emerging math abilities (i.e., different patterns of strength and weakness). To examine this question, 103 preschoolers (40-60 months of age) completed six math tasks (count sequence, object counting, give a number, naming numbers, ordinal relations, and arithmetic), three number-specific markers of math ability (dot enumeration, magnitude comparison, and spontaneous focusing on numerosity), and four general markers (working memory, response inhibition, attention, and vocabulary). A three-step latent profile modeling procedure identified five math ability profiles that differed in their patterns of math strengths and weaknesses; specifically, the profiles were characterized by (a) excellent math ability on all math tasks, (b) good arithmetic ability, (c) good math ability but relatively poor count sequence recitation ability, (d) average ability on all math tasks, and (e) poor ability on all math tasks. After controlling for age, only dot enumeration and spontaneous focusing on numerosity were associated with the math ability profiles, whereas vocabulary was also marginally significant, and these markers were differentially associated with different profiles; that is, different cognitive markers were associated with different patterns of strengths and weaknesses in math abilities. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for the development of math cognition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition profiles and their relationship to self-reported outcome following traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Harman-Smith, Yasmin E; Mathias, Jane L; Bowden, Stephen C; Rosenfeld, Jeffrey V; Bigler, Erin D

2013-01-01

Neuropsychological assessments of outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI) are often unrelated to self-reported problems after TBI. The current study cluster-analyzed the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III) subtest scores from mild, moderate, and severe TBI (n=220) and orthopedic injury control (n=95) groups, to determine whether specific cognitive profiles are related to people's perceived outcomes after TBI. A two-stage cluster analysis produced 4- and 6-cluster solutions, with the 6-cluster solution better capturing subtle variations in cognitive functioning. The 6 clusters differed in the levels and profiles of cognitive performance, self-reported recovery, and education and injury severity. The findings suggest that subtle cognitive impairments after TBI should be interpreted in conjunction with patient's self-reported problems.

Effects of Pine and Hardwood Basal Areas After Uneven-Aged Silvicultural Treatments on Wildlife Habitat

Treesearch

Darren A. Miller; Bruce D. Leopold; L. Mike Conner; Michael G. Shelton

1999-01-01

Uneven-aged management (UEAM) is becoming increasingly popular in the southeastern United States. However, effects of UEAM on wildlife habitat have not been adequately documented. We examined response of habitat within stands of varying levels of pine and hardwood basal area under an uneven-aged managegement regime in southern Mississippi. Summer and winter trends in...

Diameter Growth in Even- and Uneven-Aged Northern Hardwoods in New Hampshire Under Partial Cutting

Treesearch

William B. Leak

2004-01-01

One important concern in the conversion of even-aged stands to an uneven aged condition through individual-tree or small-group cutting is the growth response throughout the diameter-class distribution, especially of the understoty trees Increment-core sampling of an older, uneven-aged northern hardwood stand in New Hampshire under management for about 50 years...

Scopolamine-induced greater alterations in neurochemical profile and increased oxidative stress demonstrated a better model of dementia: A comparative study.

PubMed

Haider, Saida; Tabassum, Saiqa; Perveen, Tahira

2016-10-01

Cognitive decline is found to be a common feature of various neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease (AD). In order to recapitulate AD associated cognitive deficits and to plan therapeutic strategies researchers have developed various preclinical dementia models to recapitulate different aspects of cognitive domains affected in AD brain. So, the present study was aimed to compare alterations in previously reported dementia models i.e. pharmacological (Scopolamine-induced and corticosterone-induced), Environmental (Aluminium-induced and noise-stress) and physiological (natural aging) models in rats in a single experimental study across three cognitive domains spatial, recognition, and associative memory and associated alterations in their oxidative status and neurochemical profile to select appropriate dementia model. All groups received their respective treatments for 14days after which behavioural analysis was performed including Open Field test to assess ambulatory activity, Novel Object Recognition test, Morris Water Maze test and Passive Avoidance test for the assessment of recognition, spatial and associative memory. After monitoring the behavioural activities, rats were decapitated and their brains and hippocampus samples were collected for analysis of oxidative status and neurochemical profile. Results showed significant decline in different aspects of memory function in all dementia models which was more significant in scopolamine-injected rats. A significant decline in levels of monoamines and acetylcholine was also observed. In addition, significant alterations were also seen in oxidative profile indicating that cognitive decline could be associated with increased oxidative stress. Therefore, present findings highlight that for planning therapeutic strategies against cognitive dysfunctions, scopolamine-induced dementia model is the most appropriate dementia model to reveal AD-related cognitive impairment profile. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning Style Profile: Examiner's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keefe, James W.; Monk, John S.

This examiner's manual accompanies the Learning Style Profile (LSP), which measures cognitive skills as well as affective and environmental preferences. Charles Letteri's General Operations Model was accepted as the prototype for relating learning styles to cognitive information processing. The LSP was developed from 1983 to 1986; several versions…

Cognitive profiles of adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder based on the WAIS-III.

PubMed

Kanai, Chieko; Hashimoto, Ryuichiro; Itahashi, Takashi; Tani, Masayuki; Yamada, Takashi; Ota, Haruhisa; Iwanami, Akira; Kato, Nobumasa

2017-02-01

The cognitive profile differences between adult patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are not well characterized. We examined the cognitive profiles of adults having either ASD (n=120) or ADHD (n=76) with no intellectual disabilities (IQ≥70) using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale III (WAIS-III). Verbal Intelligence (VIQ) - Performance Intelligence (PIQ) difference discrepancies were detected between the two groups. Information subtest scores of the Verbal Comprehension index and Arithmetic and Digit Span subtests of the Freedom from Distractibility index were significantly higher in ASD than in ADHD, while the Picture Completion subtest was significantly lower in ASD. To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the difference in the cognitive profiles of adults with ASD and those with ADHD based on the WAIS III with a large number of participants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disparities in visuo-spatial constructive abilities in Williams syndrome patients with typical deletion on chromosome 7q11.23.

PubMed

Muramatsu, Yukako; Tokita, Yoshihito; Mizuno, Seiji; Nakamura, Miho

2017-02-01

Williams syndrome (WS) is known for its uneven cognitive abilities, especially the difficulty in visuo-spatial cognition, though there are some inter-individual phenotypic differences. It has been proposed that the difficulty in visuo-spatial cognition of WS patients can be attributed to a haploinsufficiency of some genes located on the deleted region in 7q11.23, based on an examination of atypical deletions identified in WS patients with atypical cognitive deficits. According to this hypothesis, the inter-individual differences in visuo-spatial cognitive ability arise from variations in deletion. We investigated whether there were inter-individual differences in the visuo-spatial constructive abilities of five unrelated WS patients with the typical deletion on chromosome 7q11.23 that includes the candidate genes contributing visuo-spatial difficulty in WS patients. We used tests with three-dimensional factors such as Benton's three-dimensional block construction test, which are considered to be more sensitive than those with only two-dimensional factors. There were diverse inter-individual differences in the visuo-spatial constructive abilities among the present participants who shared the same typical genomic deletion of WS. One of the participants showed almost equivalent performances to typically developing adults in those tests. In the present study, we found a wide range of cognitive abilities in visuo-spatial construction even among the patients with a common deletion pattern of WS. The findings suggest that attributing differences in the phenotypes entirely to genetic factors such as an atypical deletion may not be always correct. Copyright © 2016 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cognitive and mathematical profiles for different forms of learning difficulties.

PubMed

Cirino, Paul T; Fuchs, Lynn S; Elias, John T; Powell, Sarah R; Schumacher, Robin F

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare subgroups of students with various forms of learning difficulties (< 25th percentile) on cognitive and mathematics characteristics. Students with mathematics difficulty (MD, n = 105), reading difficulty (RD, n = 65), both (MDRD, n = 87), or neither (NoLD, n = 403) were evaluated on an array of cognitive measures (e.g., working memory and language) and on mathematics measures of foundational numerical competencies, computation, and problem solving. Results revealed expected level differences among groups in both domains: NoLD outperformed RD, and MD outperformed MDRD. Profile differences were noted among pairs of subgroups on cognitive measures. On mathematics measures, profile differences were noted between RD and other subgroups, but not between MD and MDRD subgroups. The most discriminating cognitive measures were processing speed and language; the most discriminating mathematics measures depended on the subgroups being compared. Results were further evaluated according to more severe (< 10th percentile) criteria for MD and RD, which generally affected level differences more than the profile patterns. Results have implications for understanding comorbid MD and RD and for conceptualizing core deficits in MD. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2013.

Parkinson's patients' executive profile and goals they set for improvement: Why is cognitive rehabilitation not common practice?

PubMed

Vlagsma, T T; Koerts, J; Fasotti, L; Tucha, O; van Laar, T; Dijkstra, H; Spikman, J M

2016-01-01

Impairments in executive functions (EF) are the core cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Surprisingly, cognitive rehabilitation is not routinely offered to patients with PD. However, in patients with acquired brain injury (ABI), cognitive rehabilitation, in particular strategic executive training, is common practice and has been shown to be effective. In this study, we determined whether PD patients have different needs and aims with regard to strategic executive training than ABI patients, and whether possible differences might be a reason for not offering this kind of cognitive rehabilitation programme to patients with PD. Patients' needs and aims were operationalised by individually set goals, which were classified into domains of EF and daily life. In addition, patients with PD and ABI were compared on their cognitive, in particular EF, profile. Overall, PD patients' goals and cognitive profile were similar to those of patients with ABI. Therefore, based on the findings of this study, there is no reason to assume that strategic executive training cannot be part of standard therapy in PD. However, when strategic executive training is applied in clinical practice, disease-specific characteristics need to be taken into account.

Cognitive Profile: Increasing Student Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Letteri, Charles A.

Past and ongoing research on cognition indicates that its effects on academic achievement are more direct than those of environmental, affective, or behavioral factors. The research has analyzed cognitive factors, the remediation of cognitive differences, and the transferability of remediation practices. Other cognition researchers have focused on…

Optimal uneven-aged stocking guides: an application to spruce-fir stands in New England

Treesearch

Jeffrey H. Gove; Mark J. Ducey

2014-01-01

Management guides for uneven-aged forest stands periodically need to be revisited and updated based on new information and methods. The current silvicultural guide for uneven-aged spruce-fir management in Maine and the northeast (Frank, R.M. and Bjorkbom, J.C. 1973 A silvicultural guide for spruce-fir in the northeast. General Technical Report NE-6, Forest Service. U.S...

Quantifying Trade-Offs Between Economic and Ecological Objectives in Uneven-Aged Mixed- Species Forests in the Southern United States

Treesearch

Joseph Buongiorno; Benedict Schulte; Kenneth E. Skog

2004-01-01

This paper summarizes research on the management of uneven-aged loblolly pine-hardwood stands in the southern United States. This research was composed of three elements: (1) modeling of biological growth of uneven-aged stands of mixed loblolly pine and hardwood trees, (2) optimization to discover sustainable regimes that would best meet economic and ecological...

SouthPro : a computer program for managing uneven-aged loblolly pine stands

Treesearch

Benedict Schulte; Joseph Buongiorno; Ching-Rong Lin; Kenneth E. Skog

1998-01-01

SouthPro is a Microsoft Excel add-in program that simulates the management, growth, and yield of uneven-aged loblolly pine stands in the Southern United States. The built-in growth model of this program was calibrated from 991 uneven-aged plots in seven states, covering most growing conditions and sites. Stands are described by the number of trees in 13 size classes...

Interpolation of unevenly spaced data using a parabolic leapfrog correction method and cubic splines

Treesearch

Julio L. Guardado; William T. Sommers

1977-01-01

The technique proposed allows interpolation of data recorded at unevenly spaced sites to a regular grid or to other sites. Known data are interpolated to an initial guess field grid of unevenly spaced rows and columns by a simple distance weighting procedure. The initial guess field is then adjusted by using a parabolic leapfrog correction and the known data. The final...

Ground-layer plant community responses to even-age and uneven-age silvicultural treatments in Wisconsin northern hardwood forests

Treesearch

Cristel C. Kern; Brian J. Palik; Terry F. Strong

2006-01-01

We evaluated ground-layer plant diversity and community composition in northern hardwood forests among uncut controls and stands managed with even-age or uneven-age silvicultural systems. Even-age treatments included diameter-limit cuttings (20-cm diameter at 30-cm stem height) in 1952 and shelterwood removals in 1964. Uneven-age treatments included three intensities...

Effects of stand and site variables on the lumber value of uneven-aged loblolly pine stands

Treesearch

David W. Patterson; Paul A. Murphy; Michael G. Shelton

2000-01-01

Uneven-aged silviculture using single-tree selection provides the landowner with periodic income from a continuous forest which has a varied canopy. Data were collected from 24 plots of a larger study to determine if site index, basal area, and maximum dbh affected volume and value of lumber from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees in uneven-aged...

Statistical process control: A feasibility study of the application of time-series measurement in early neurorehabilitation after acquired brain injury.

PubMed

Markovic, Gabriela; Schult, Marie-Louise; Bartfai, Aniko; Elg, Mattias

2017-01-31

Progress in early cognitive recovery after acquired brain injury is uneven and unpredictable, and thus the evaluation of rehabilitation is complex. The use of time-series measurements is susceptible to statistical change due to process variation. To evaluate the feasibility of using a time-series method, statistical process control, in early cognitive rehabilitation. Participants were 27 patients with acquired brain injury undergoing interdisciplinary rehabilitation of attention within 4 months post-injury. The outcome measure, the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test, was analysed using statistical process control. Statistical process control identifies if and when change occurs in the process according to 3 patterns: rapid, steady or stationary performers. The statistical process control method was adjusted, in terms of constructing the baseline and the total number of measurement points, in order to measure a process in change. Statistical process control methodology is feasible for use in early cognitive rehabilitation, since it provides information about change in a process, thus enabling adjustment of the individual treatment response. Together with the results indicating discernible subgroups that respond differently to rehabilitation, statistical process control could be a valid tool in clinical decision-making. This study is a starting-point in understanding the rehabilitation process using a real-time-measurements approach.

Characterizing decision-making and reward processing in bipolar disorder: A cluster analysis.

PubMed

Jiménez, E; Solé, B; Arias, B; Mitjans, M; Varo, C; Reinares, M; Bonnín, C M; Salagre, E; Ruíz, V; Torres, I; Tomioka, Y; Sáiz, P A; García-Portilla, M P; Burón, P; Bobes, J; Martínez-Arán, A; Torrent, C; Vieta, E; Benabarre, A

2018-05-25

The presence of abnormalities in emotional decision-making and reward processing among bipolar patients (BP) has been well rehearsed. These disturbances are not limited to acute phases and are common even during remission. In recent years, the existence of discrete cognitive profiles in this psychiatric population has been replicated. However, emotional decision making and reward processing domains have barely been studied. Therefore, our aim was to explore the existence of different profiles on the aforementioned cognitive dimensions in BP. The sample consisted of 126 euthymic BP. Main sociodemographic, clinical, functioning, and neurocognitive variables were gathered. A hierarchical-clustering technique was used to identify discrete neurocognitive profiles based on the performance in the Iowa Gambling Task. Afterward, the resulting clusters were compared using ANOVA or Chi-squared Test, as appropriate. Evidence for the existence of three different profiles was provided. Cluster 1 was mainly characterized by poor decision ability. Cluster 2 presented the lowest sensitivity to punishment. Finally, cluster 3 presented the best decision-making ability and the highest levels of punishment sensitivity. Comparison between the three clusters indicated that cluster 2 was the most functionally impaired group. The poorest outcomes in attention, executive function domains, and social cognition were also observed within the same group. In conclusion, similarly to that observed in "cold cognitive" domains, our results suggest the existence of three discrete cognitive profiles concerning emotional decision making and reward processing. Amongst all the indexes explored, low punishment sensitivity emerge as a potential correlate of poorer cognitive and functional outcomes in bipolar disorder. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

[Psychiatric, Cognitive and Emotional Profile in Ex-combatants of Illegal Armed Groups in Colombia].

PubMed

Tobón, Carlos; Aguirre-Acevedo, Daniel Camilo; Velilla, Lina; Duque, Jon; Ramos, Claudia Patricia; Pineda, David

2016-01-01

Exposure to armed conflict produces biological adaptations oriented to handle the highly stressful conditions in war environments. The special features of The Colombian armed create a special scenario to evaluate the human behavior. In this study, psychiatric, cognitive and emotional processing characteristics of a group of Colombian armed illegal forces of ex-combatants are described. Sixty-three ex combatants and 22 controls were assessed with WAIS (IQ), INECO frontal screening (executive functions), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (empathy), emotional features recognition and MINI (psychiatric profile). When compared to the control group, ex-combatants showed higher frequency of antisocial personality disorder (P=.031) and behavioral dissocial disorder (P=.017). In cognitive profile, the ex-combatants showed a lower score in the executive function test (Me=18.50; RQ=4.00), control (Me=23.00; RQ=5.25), with a poor personal distress in emphatic profile (Me=10.00; RQ=5.00) compared to control group (Me=37.00; RQ=7.25). We found differences in cognitive and psychiatric profile in ex-combatants in comparison with controls. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

The MCCB impairment profile in a Spanish sample of patients with schizophrenia: Effects of diagnosis, age, and gender on cognitive functioning.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Jimenez, R; Dompablo, M; Bagney, A; Santabárbara, J; Aparicio, A I; Torio, I; Moreno-Ortega, M; Lopez-Anton, R; Lobo, A; Kern, R S; Green, M F; Jimenez-Arriero, M A; Santos, J L; Nuechterlein, K H; Palomo, T

2015-12-01

The MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) was administered to 293 schizophrenia outpatients and 210 community residents in Spain. Our first objective was to identify the age- and gender-corrected MCCB cognitive profile of patients with schizophrenia. The profile of schizophrenia patients showed deficits when compared to controls across the seven MCCB domains. Reasoning and Problem Solving and Social Cognition were the least impaired, while Visual Learning and Verbal Learning showed the greatest deficits. Our second objective was to study the effects on cognitive functioning of age and gender, in addition to diagnosis. Diagnosis was found to have the greatest effect on cognition (Cohen's d>0.8 for all MCCB domains); age and gender also had effects on cognitive functioning, although to a lesser degree (with age usually having slightly larger effects than gender). The effects of age were apparent in all domains (with better performance in younger subjects), except for Social Cognition. Gender had effects on Attention/Vigilance, Working Memory, Reasoning and Problem Solving (better performance in males), and Social Cognition (better performance in females). No interaction effects were found between diagnosis and age, or between diagnosis and gender. This lack of interactions suggests that age and gender effects are not different in patients and controls. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Cognitive impairment, nutritional status and clinical profile in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

PubMed

López Torres, Isabel; Torres-Sánchez, Irene; Martín Salvador, Adelina; Ortiz Rubio, Araceli; Rodríguez Alzueta, Elisabeth; Valenza, Marie Carmen

2014-11-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive disease with a prevalence that increases with the aging of the subject. It presents a high prevalence of comorbidities, such as cognitive decline, which is gaining great clinical relevance in recent years. Factors such as pulmonary function, hypoxemia, hypercapnia or exacerbations contribute to the decline of cognitive functions. The nutritional status has been added to these factors as contributing to cognitive function decline when presenting in COPD. To evidence the relationship between cognitive decline, nutritional status and the clinical profile of patients admitted because of an acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). 110 subjects hospitalized because of COPD, divided in two groups according to their nutritional status and assessment of cognitive decline at admittance, nutritional status and clinical profile. Significant differences between groups concerning nutritional status in anthropometric variables (sex and IMC), functional ability (Barthel index and Daily Life Activities Scale), quality of life (Euroqol- 5D y SGRQ), sleep quality (Pittsburgh), mood (HAD) and cognitive decline (MoCa attention, MoCa abstraction). (p<0.05). Cognitive function is affected in COPD patients with an altered nutritional status when compared to those with a normal nutritional status. The nutritional decline is a factor contributing to the impairment of cognitive functions in this kind of patients, particularly a decline in attention and abstraction ability. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

A Cognitive-Creative Profile of Emotional Talent

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bermejo, Rosario; Prieto, María Dolores; Fernández, Mari Carmen; Soto, Gloria; Sainz, Marta

2013-01-01

Much attention has been paid to emotional intelligence and its correlations with other psychological constructs during the last few years. Nevertheless, studies focusing on emotionally intelligent persons are scarce. The present work aims to study the cognitive and creative profile of students who stand out for their high emotional intelligence. A…

Are Males and Females with Autism Spectrum Disorder More Similar than We Thought?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mussey, Joanna L.; Ginn, Nicole C.; Klinger, Laura G.

2017-01-01

Differences in behavioral and cognitive profiles have been suggested to potentially impact the presentation of social and communication symptoms in females with autism spectrum disorder. This study examined gender differences in age of diagnosis, cognitive profiles, social communication symptomatology, and autism spectrum disorder symptom severity…

CSF proteomic fingerprints for HIV-associated cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Laspiur, Juliana Pérez; Anderson, Eric R; Ciborowski, Pawel; Wojna, Valerie; Rozek, Wojciech; Duan, Fenghai; Mayo, Raul; Rodríguez, Elaine; Plaud-Valentín, Marinés; Rodríguez-Orengo, José; Gendelman, Howard E; Meléndez, Loyda M

2007-12-01

Cognitive impairment remains a major complication of advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection despite the widespread use of anti-retroviral therapy. Diagnosis is made by exclusion making biomarkers of great potential use. Thus, we used an integrated proteomics platform to assess cerebrospinal fluid protein profiles from 50 HIV-1 seropositive Hispanic women. Nine of 38 proteins identified were unique in those patients with cognitive impairment (CI). These proteins were linked to cell signaling, structural function, and antioxidant activities. This work highlights, in a preliminary manner, the utility of proteomic profiling for biomarker discovery for HIV-1 associated cognitive dysfunction.

CSF proteomic fingerprints for HIV- associated cognitive impairment

PubMed Central

Laspiur, Juliana Pérez; Anderson, Eric R.; Ciborowski, Pawel; Wojna, Valerie; Rozek, Wojciech; Duan, Fenghai; Mayo, Raul; Rodríguez, Elaine; Plaud-Valentín, Marinés; Rodríguez-Orengo, José; Gendelman, Howard E.; Meléndez, Loyda M.

2008-01-01

Cognitive impairment remains a major complication of advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection despite the wide spread use of anti-retroviral therapy. Diagnosis is made by exclusion making biomarkers of great potential use. Thus, we used an integrated proteomics platform to assess cerebrospinal fluid protein profiles from 50 HIV-1 seropositive Hispanic women. Nine of 38 proteins identified were unique in those patients with cognitive impairment. These proteins were linked to cell signaling, structural function, and antioxidant activities. This work highlights, in a preliminary manner, the utility of proteomic profiling for biomarker discovery for HIV-1 associated cognitive dysfunction. PMID:17950469

Metabolite Profiling of Candidatus Liberibacter Infection in Hamlin Sweet Oranges.

PubMed

Hung, Wei-Lun; Wang, Yu

2018-04-18

Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening disease, caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), is considered the most serious citrus disease in the world. CLas infection has been shown to greatly affect metabolite profiles in citrus fruits. However, because of uneven distribution of CLas throughout the tree and a minimum bacterial titer requirement for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection, the infected trees may test false negative. To prevent this, metabolites of healthy Hamlin oranges (CLas-) obtained from the citrus undercover protection systems (CUPS) were investigated. Comparison of the metabolite profile of juice obtained from CLas- and CLas+ (asymptomatic and symptomatic) trees revealed significant differences in both volatile and nonvolatile metabolites. However, no consistent pattern could be observed in alcohols, esters, sesquiterpenes, sugars, flavanones, and limonoids as compared to previous studies. These results suggest that CLas may affect metabolite profiles of citrus fruits earlier than detecting infection by PCR. Citric acid, nobiletin, malic acid, and phenylalanine were identified as the metabolic biomarkers associated with the progression of HLB. Thus, the differential metabolites found in this study may serve as the biomarkers of HLB in its early stage, and the metabolite signature of CLas infection may provide useful information for developing a potential treatment strategy.

Uneven biofilm and current distribution in three-dimensional macroporous anodes of bio-electrochemical systems composed of graphite electrode arrays.

PubMed

Li, Jun; Hu, Linbin; Zhang, Liang; Ye, Ding-Ding; Zhu, Xun; Liao, Qiang

2017-03-01

A 3-D macroporous anode was constructed using different numbers of graphite rod arrays in fixed-volume bio-electrochemical systems (BESs), and the current and biofilm distribution were investigated by dividing the 3-D anode into several subunits. In the fixed-volume chamber, current production was not significantly improved after the electrode number increased to 36. In the case of 100 electrodes, a significant uneven current distribution was found in the macroporous anode. This was attributed to a differential pH distribution, which resulted from proton accumulation inside the macroporous anode. The pH distribution influenced the biofilm development and led to an uneven biofilm distribution. With respect to current generation, the uneven distribution of both the pH and biofilm contributed to the uneven current distribution. The center had a low pH, which led to less biofilm and a lower contribution to the total current, limiting the performance of the BESs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of log quality from even-aged and uneven-aged loblolly pine stands in south Arkansas

Treesearch

James M. Guldin; Michael W. Fitzpatrick

1991-01-01

Log grade, number of knots, and log volume of the first two logs, as well as form class of the butt log, were compared across three broad sawtimber categories among even-aged plantations, even-aged natural stands, and uneven-aged natural stands of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L .) in Ashley County, AR. Trees from uneven-aged stands had butt logs of...

SDI-Flex: a new technique of allocating growing stock for developing treatment prescriptions in uneven-aged forest stands

Treesearch

Wayne D. Shepperd

2007-01-01

One of the difficulties of apportioning growing stock across diameter classes in multi- or uneven-aged forests is estimating how closely the target stocking value compares to the maximum stocking that could occur in a particular forest type and eco-region. Although the BDQ method had been used to develop uneven-aged prescriptions, it is not inherently related to any...

Optimizing management regimes for carbon storage and other benefits in uneven-aged stands dominated by Norway spruce, with a derivation of the economic supply of carbon storage

Treesearch

Joseph Buongiorno; Espen Andreas Halvorsen; Ole Martin Bollandsas; Terje Gobakken; Ole Hofstad

2012-01-01

This study sought optimal sustainable management regimes of uneven-aged Norway spruce-dominated stands with multiple objectives. The criteria were financial returns, CO2 sequestration and diversity of tree size and species. At prevailing timber prices, harvest and transport costs, and interest rates, uneven-aged management for timber alone was...

Variance Analysis if Unevenly Spaced Time Series Data

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-12-01

Daka were subsequently removed from mch simulated data set using typical TWSTFT data patterns to create lwo unevenly spaced sets with average...and techniqw are presented for cowecking errors caused by uneven data spacing in typical TWSTFT daka sets. INTRODUCTION Data points obtained from an...the possible data available. In TWSTFT , the task is less daunting: time transfers are typically measured on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so, in a

Cognitive Styles in Admission Procedures for Assessing Candidates of Architecture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casakin, Hernan; Gigi, Ariela

2016-01-01

Cognitive style has a strong predictive power in academic and professional success. This study investigated the cognitive profile of candidates studying architecture. Specifically, it explored the relation between visual and verbal cognitive styles, and the performance of candidates in admission procedures. The cognitive styles of candidates who…

Different Cognitive Profiles of Patients with Severe Aphasia.

PubMed

Marinelli, Chiara Valeria; Spaccavento, Simona; Craca, Angela; Marangolo, Paola; Angelelli, Paola

2017-01-01

Cognitive dysfunction frequently occurs in aphasic patients and primarily compromises linguistic skills. However, patients suffering from severe aphasia show heterogeneous performance in basic cognition. Our aim was to characterize the cognitive profiles of patients with severe aphasia and to determine whether they also differ as to residual linguistic abilities. We examined 189 patients with severe aphasia with standard language tests and with the CoBaGA (Cognitive Test Battery for Global Aphasia), a battery of nonverbal tests that assesses a wide range of cognitive domains such as attention, executive functions, intelligence, memory, visual-auditory recognition, and visual-spatial abilities. Twenty patients were also followed longitudinally in order to assess their improvement in cognitive skills after speech therapy. Three different subgroups of patients with different types and severity of cognitive impairment were evidenced. Subgroups differed as to residual linguistic skills, in particular comprehension and reading-writing abilities. Attention, reasoning, and executive functions improved after language rehabilitation. This study highlights the importance of an extensive evaluation of cognitive functions in patients with severe aphasia.

Subjective cognitive complaints included in diagnostic evaluation of dementia helps accurate diagnosis in a mixed memory clinic cohort.

PubMed

Salem, L C; Vogel, A; Ebstrup, J; Linneberg, A; Waldemar, G

2015-12-01

Our objective was to examine the quantity and profile of subjective cognitive complaints in young patients as compared with elderly patients referred to a memory clinic. Patients were consecutively recruited from the Copenhagen University Hospital Memory Clinic at Rigshospitalet. In total, 307 patients and 149 age-matched healthy controls were included. Patients were classified in 4 diagnostic groups: dementia, mild cognitive impairment, affective disorders and no cognitive impairment. Subjective memory was assessed with subjective memory complaints (SMC) scale. Global cognitive functions were assessed with the Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Addenbrooke's cognitive examination (ACE), and symptoms of depression were rated with Major Depression Inventory (MDI). All interviews and the diagnostic conclusion were blinded to the SMC score. We found that young patients with dementia have a significantly higher level and a different profile of subjective cognitive complaints as compared with elderly patients with dementia. Furthermore, young patients, diagnosed with an affective disorder, had the highest level of subjective cognitive complaints of all patients in a memory clinic. The age of the patients and MDI score (but not MMSE or ACE) had significant impact on the level of subjective cognitive complaints. We have established that young patients with dementia have a different profile of subjective cognitive complaints than elderly patients, and further studies are needed to clarify possible relation to specific subtypes of dementia. Altogether, a systematic interview on subjective cognitive complaints may contribute to the diagnostic evaluation of patients referred to a memory clinic. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Psychological profiles in patients with Sjögren's syndrome related to fatigue: a cluster analysis.

PubMed

van Leeuwen, Ninke; Bossema, Ercolie R; Knoop, Hans; Kruize, Aike A; Bootsma, Hendrika; Bijlsma, Johannes W J; Geenen, Rinie

2015-05-01

Fatigue is a highly prevalent and debilitating symptom in the autoimmune disease SS. Although the disease process plays a role in fatigue, psychological factors may influence fatigue and the ability to deal with its consequences. Profiles of co-occurring psychological factors may suggest potential targets for the treatment of fatigue. The aim of this study was to identify psychological profiles in patients with SS and the accompanying levels of fatigue. Three hundred patients with primary SS (mean age 57 years, 93% female) completed questionnaires on fatigue (multidimensional fatigue inventory), physical activity cognitions (TAMPA-SK), illness cognitions, cognitive regulation, emotion processing and regulation [Toronto Alexithymia Scale 20, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire], coping strategies (Brief COPE) and social support. Principal axis factor analysis (oblimin rotation) yielded six psychological factors: social support, negative thinking, positive thinking, emotional expressivity, avoidance and alexithymia (i.e. the inability to differentiate emotions). Using cluster analyses, these factors were grouped in four psychological profiles: functional (39%), alexithymic (27%), self-reliant (23%) and dysfunctional (11%). Irrespective of the psychological profile, the level of fatigue was substantially higher in patients than in the general population. Patients with a dysfunctional or an alexithymic profile reported more fatigue than those with a self-reliant profile. Our study in SS yielded four psychological profiles that were differentially associated with fatigue. These profiles can be used to examine determinants and prognosis of fatigue as well as the possibility of customizing cognitive behavioural interventions for chronic fatigue. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cognitive Profile of Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Rethinking Nonverbal Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutting, Laurie E.; Clements, Amy M.; Lightman, Andrea D.; Yerby-Hammack, Pamula D.; Denckla, Martha Bridge

2004-01-01

The cognitive profiles of children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF-1) have many similarities to those observed in learning disabilities in the general school population, as well as some distinct features. Approximately 30-65 percent of children with NF-1 have learning disabilities; most commonly, they have language and reading disabilities,…

An Investigation of Cognitive Skills and Behavior in High Ability Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alloway, Tracy Packiam; Elsworth, Miquela

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cognitive and behavioral profiles of high ability students. Performance on measures of verbal and visuo-spatial working memory and general ability (vocabulary and block design) was compared across the following groups: high, average, and low ability students. The behavioral profile of high ability…

Profiles of Academic Achievement and Cognitive Processing in College Students with Foreign Language Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prevatt, Frances; Proctor, Briley; Swartz, Stacy L.; Canto, Angela I.

2003-01-01

This study evaluated the cognitive and achievement profiles of college students experiencing difficulties in foreign language (FLD group). Because past research appears to have generated different results based on the type of comparison groups utilized, we attempted to obtain a better representation of students with foreign language difficulties.…

Cognitive Profiles of Finnish Preschool Children with Expressive and Receptive Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saar, Virpi; Levänen, Sari; Komulainen, Erkki

2018-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the verbal and nonverbal cognitive profiles of children with specific language impairment (SLI) with problems predominantly in expressive (SLI-E) or receptive (SLI-R) language skills. These diagnostic subgroups have not been compared before in psychological studies. Method: Participants were…

Learning Style Profile Handbook: I. Developing Cognitive Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, John M.; And Others

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) published a new learning style instrument in 1986--the NASSP Learning Style Profile (LSP). The LSP yields independent scores on 24 discrete elements of learning style. Its purpose is to provide educators with a well-validated and easy to use instrument for diagnosing cognitive styles,…

Cognitive status and profile validity on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) in offenders with serious mental illness.

PubMed

Matlasz, Tatiana M; Brylski, Jamie L; Leidenfrost, Corey M; Scalco, Matt; Sinclair, Samuel J; Schoelerman, Ronald M; Tsang, Valerie; Antonius, Daniel

Cognitive impairment among seriously mentally ill offenders has implications for legal matters (e.g., competency to stand trial), as well as clinical treatment and care. Thus, being able to identify potential cognitive concerns early in the adjudication process can be important when deciding on further interventions. In this study, we examined the validity scales of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), scores on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV), and competency findings in male inmates (n=61) diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Lower scores on the WAIS-IV significantly (p=0.001) predicted invalid, versus valid, PAI profiles, with working memory impairment being the most significant (p=0.004) predictor of an invalid profile. Ancillary analyses on a smaller sample (n=18) indicate that those with invalid PAI profiles were more likely to be deemed legally incompetent (p=0.03). These findings suggest that the PAI validity scales may be informative in detecting cognitive concerns and help clinicians make determinations about competency restoration and treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal Cognitive Profiles in Diabetes: Results From the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center's Uniform Data.

PubMed

Sano, Mary; Zhu, Carolyn W; Grossman, Hillel; Schimming, Corbett

2017-10-01

Diabetes is a risk factor for the development of cognitive impairment and possibly for accelerated progression to Alzheimer disease (AD) and other dementias, though the trajectory of cognitive decline in general and in specfic cognitive domains by diabetes is unclear. Using the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center's Uniform Data Det (NACC-UDS) to identify cohorts of elders with normal cognition (N = 7,663) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI, N = 4,114), we compared overall cognitive composite and domain specific sub-scores and their progression over time between diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Diabetes was more common among those with MCI (14.7%) than among subjects who were cognitively normal (11.7%). In subjects who were cognitively normal, baseline cognitive composite scores, attention, and executive function sub-scores were lower in diabetics than non-diabetics (by 0.098, 0.066, and 0.015 points, respectively). Over time, cognitive composite score showed subtle worsening in non-diabetics (0.025 points every 6 months), with an additional worsening of 0.01 points every 6 months in diabetics compared to non-diabetics. In the MCI groups, baseline cognitive composite as well as attention and executive domain sub-scores were lower in diabetics than non-diabetics (by 0.078, 0.092, and 0.032 points, respectively). Over time, cognitive composite (by 0.103 points every 6 months) and all domain specific sub-scores showed subtle worsening in non-diabetics, but diabetics had significantly slower worsening than non-diabetics on both cognitive composite (by 0.028 points) and domain specific sub-scores. Among elders, diabetes may be associated with lower cognitive performance, primarily in non-memory domains. However it is not associated with continued worsening, suggesting a static deficit with minimal memory involvement. This data suggest that diabetes may contribute more to a vascular profile of cognitive impairment than a profile more typical of AD. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Randomized controlled trial of the cognitive side-effects of magnetic seizure therapy (MST) and electroconvulsive shock (ECS).

PubMed

Moscrip, Tammy D; Terrace, Herbert S; Sackeim, Harold A; Lisanby, Sarah H

2006-02-01

Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is under development as a means of improving the cognitive side-effect profile of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) by inducing more spatially delimited seizures that spare cortical regions involved in memory. We tested whether MST had a cognitive side-effect profile distinct from electroconvulsive shock (ECS) in a non-human primate model, using the Columbia University Primate Cognitive Profile, which has been shown to be sensitive to the cognitive effects of ECS. Using a within-subject cross-over design, daily ECS, MST, and sham (anaesthesia-only) interventions were administered in 5-wk blocks. Rhesus macaques (n = 2) were trained on a long-term memory task, an anterograde learning and memory task, and a combined anterograde and retrograde task where learning and memory were evaluated for new and previously learned 3-item lists. Acutely following each intervention, monkeys were tested on the cognitive battery twice daily, separated by a 3-h retention interval. Overall, monkeys were least accurate following ECS (p's < 0.05) compared to sham and MST. This effect was most marked for long-term memory of a constant target, short-term memory of a variable target and recall of previously learned 3-item lists. Monkeys were slowest to complete all tasks following ECS (p's = 0.0001). Time to task completion following MST did not differ from sham. These findings suggest that MST results in a more benign acute cognitive side-effect profile than ECS in this model, consistent with initial observations with human MST.

Decision making, central coherence and set-shifting: a comparison between Binge Eating Disorder, Anorexia Nervosa and Healthy Controls.

PubMed

Aloi, Matteo; Rania, Marianna; Caroleo, Mariarita; Bruni, Antonella; Palmieri, Antonella; Cauteruccio, Maria Antonella; De Fazio, Pasquale; Segura-García, Cristina

2015-01-24

Several studies have investigated the cognitive profile in patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN); on the contrary few studies have evaluated it in patients with Binge Eating Disorder (BED). The purpose of this study was to compare decision making, central coherence and set-shifting between BED and AN patients. A battery of neuropsychological tests including the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (RCFT), the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), the Trial Making Task (TMT) and the Hayling Sentence Completion Task (HSCT) were administered in a sample of 135 women (45 AN, 45 BED, 45 Healthy Controls [HC]). Furthermore, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was administered to evaluate depressive symptoms. Years of education, age, Body Mass Index (BMI) and depression severity were considered as covariates in statistical analyses. BED and AN patients showed high rates of cognitive impairment compared to HC on the domains investigated; furthermore, the cognitive profile of BED patients was characterised by poorer decision making and cognitive flexibility compared to patients with AN. Cognitive performance was strongly associated with depressive symptoms. In the present sample, two different neurocognitive profiles emerged: a strong cognitive rigidity and a central coherence based on the details was predominant in patients with AN, while a lack of attention and difficulty in adapting to changes in a new situation seemed to better describe patients with BED. The knowledge of the different cognitive profiles of EDs patients may be important for the planning their psychotherapeutic intervention.

[An international neuropsychological assessment tool for children, adolescents, and adults with anorexia nervosa – the German adaptation of the Ravello Profile].

PubMed

van Noort, Betteke Maria; Pfeiffer, Ernst; Lehmkuhl, Ulrike; Kappel, Viola

2013-11-01

Adults with anorexia nervosa (AN) show weaknesses in several cognitive functions before and after weight restoration. There is a great demand for standardized examinations of executive functioning in the field of child and adolescent AN. Previous studies exhibited methodological inconsistencies regarding test selection and operationalization of cognitive functions, making the interpretation of their findings difficult. In order to overcome these inconsistencies, a neuropsychological assessment tool, the "Ravello Profile," was developed, though previously not available in German. This paper presents a German adaptation of the Ravello Profile and illustrates its applicability in children and adolescents via three case descriptions. The Ravello Profile was adapted for the German-speaking area. The applicability of the Ravello Profile was evaluated in three children and adolescents with AN. The cases presented confirm the feasible implementation of this adaptation of the Ravello Profile, both in children and adolescents. Hence, it enables a methodologically consistent examination of executive functioning in German-speaking children, adolescents, and adults with AN. Using the Ravello Profile, the role of cognitive functions in the development of AN can be systematically examined over a broad age range.

Profile of Cognitive Ability and Multiple Intelligence of Vocational Students in Application of Electric Energy Conservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurniawan, A.; Rustaman, N. Y.; Kaniawati, I.; Hasanah, L.

2017-09-01

The purpose of this study is to obtain a profile picture of cognitive ability and multiple intelligence of students on physics learning activities in relation to the discourse of conservation of electrical energy. Research activities are conducted in the even semester of the 2015/2016 school year. The subjects of the study were the students of class XI (36 students) in one of the state vocational schools in Bandung consisting of one class chosen at random (cluster random sampling). Research data in the form of cognitive ability test results and multiple intelligences are analyzed descriptively and qualitatively. Research data is then analyzed and compared with predetermined success indicators. The results showed that the cognitive abilities profile of students in vocational schools in Bandung is still low. This can be seen from the average score of cognitive ability of students in remember (C1) of 57.75, understanding (C2) of 53.50, applying (C3) of 43.75, and analyzing (C4) of 37.75. The multiple intelligence profiles indicate frequency of linguistic intelligence number 9 students, musical intelligence 3 students, logical mathematical intelligence 13 students, spatial intelligence 7 students, kinesthetic intelligence 5 students, intrapersonal intelligence 7 students, interpersonal intelligence 6 students, and naturalistic intelligence 5 students.

Cognitive Variability in Adults with ADHD and AS: Disentangling the Roles of Executive Functions and Social Cognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez-Gadea, Maria Luz; Baez, Sandra; Torralva, Teresa; Castellanos, Francisco Xavier; Rattazzi, Alexia; Bein, Victoria; Rogg, Katharina; Manes, Facundo; Ibanez, Agustin

2013-01-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Asperger's Syndrome (AS) share a heterogeneous cognitive profile. Studies assessing executive functions (EF) and social cognition in both groups have found preserved and impaired performances. These inconsistent findings would be partially explained by the cognitive variability reported in these…

Utility of the Psychoeducational Profile-3 for assessing cognitive and language skills of children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Fulton, Mandy L; D'Entremont, Barbara

2013-10-01

The Psychoeducational Profile-3's (PEP-3) ability to estimate cognitive and language skills of 136 children (20-75 months) with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) across a range of functioning, and the association between the PEP-3 and ASD symptomatology was examined using retrospective data. PEP-3 cognitive and language measures were positively correlated with similar measures on the Child Development Inventory, the Merrill-Palmer Revised, and the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale-2. The PEP-3 sometimes provided higher or lower estimates than other measures. Significant differences were found between diagnostic groups on PEP-3 cognitive and language measures. PEP-3 cognitive scores correlated positively with scores on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. Findings support the use of the PEP-3 to measure cognition and language in children with ASDs.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a case study and literature review

PubMed Central

Miguel, Carmen Sílvia; Chaim-Avancini, Tiffany M; Silva, Maria Aparecida; Louzã, Mario Rodrigues

2015-01-01

Background The cognitive profile of children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been well characterized, but few studies have evaluated the cognitive abilities of adults with NF1 and ADHD. Objectives We investigated 1) the cognitive profile of an adult patient with NF1 and inattention problems, 2) changes in his cognition after 14 months of follow-up, and 3) whether the patient exhibited comorbid NF1 and ADHD or secondary ADHD-like symptoms. Methods We administered neuropsychological tests of executive function, attention, verbal and visual memory, visuospatial function, and language during two evaluations separated by 14 months. Results We found no changes in sustained attention, language, or verbal memory. Visual memory, verbal learning, selective attention inhibitory control, and problem solving declined over time, whereas visual search, psychomotor speed, visuospatial function, and mental flexibility improved. Conclusion Our patient exhibited a cognitive profile characteristic of both NF1 and ADHD, leading to the hypothesis that the patient had comorbid ADHD instead of secondary ADHD-like symptoms. More studies are necessary to characterize the cognition of patients with NF1 and ADHD. PMID:25848279

Three studies on ponderosa pine management on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation: stocking control in uneven-aged stands, forest products from fire-damage trees, and fuels reduction

Treesearch

John V. Arena

2005-01-01

Over 60,000 acres of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa P. and C. Lawson) forest on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation (WSIR) in Oregon are managed using an uneven-age system. Three on-going studies on WSIR address current issues in the management of pine forests: determining levels of growing stock for uneven-age management, fire effects on wood...

Impact of pain on cognitive functions in primary Sjögren syndrome with small fiber neuropathy

PubMed Central

Indart, Sandrine; Hugon, Jacques; Guillausseau, Pierre Jean; Gilbert, Alice; Dumurgier, Julien; Paquet, Claire; Sène, Damien

2017-01-01

Abstract Primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by xerophthalmia, xerostomia, and potential peripheral or central neurological involvement. In pSS, the prevalence of cognitive disorders is generally sparse across literature and the impact of pain on cognitive profile is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between pain, cognitive complaint, and impairment in a very homogenous population of 10 pSS patients with painful small fiber neuropathy (PSFN) and spontaneous cognitive complaint. Neurological exam, neuropsychological assessment, clinical evaluation measuring pain level, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and cognitive complaint were performed. Our results showed that 100% of patients had cognitive dysfunction especially in executive domain (80%). The most sensitive test was the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), abnormal in 70% of our population. Moreover, we found clear cut significant correlations between pain levels and 3 measures of WCST: the number of errors (R = –0.768, P = .0062), perseverations (R = 0.831, P = .0042), and categories (R = 0.705, P = .02). In the literature review, the impact of pain is underexplored and results could be discordant. In a homogeneous cohort of pSS patients with PSFN, a cognitive complaint seems to be a valid reflection of cognitive dysfunction marked by a specific executive profile found with the WCST. In this preliminary study, this profile is linked to the level of pain and highlights that an appropriate management of pain control and a cognitive readaptation in patients could improve the quality of life. PMID:28422829

Impact of pain on cognitive functions in primary Sjögren syndrome with small fiber neuropathy: 10 cases and a literature review.

PubMed

Indart, Sandrine; Hugon, Jacques; Guillausseau, Pierre Jean; Gilbert, Alice; Dumurgier, Julien; Paquet, Claire; Sène, Damien

2017-04-01

Primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by xerophthalmia, xerostomia, and potential peripheral or central neurological involvement. In pSS, the prevalence of cognitive disorders is generally sparse across literature and the impact of pain on cognitive profile is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between pain, cognitive complaint, and impairment in a very homogenous population of 10 pSS patients with painful small fiber neuropathy (PSFN) and spontaneous cognitive complaint. Neurological exam, neuropsychological assessment, clinical evaluation measuring pain level, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and cognitive complaint were performed. Our results showed that 100% of patients had cognitive dysfunction especially in executive domain (80%). The most sensitive test was the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), abnormal in 70% of our population. Moreover, we found clear cut significant correlations between pain levels and 3 measures of WCST: the number of errors (R = -0.768, P = .0062), perseverations (R = 0.831, P = .0042), and categories (R = 0.705, P = .02). In the literature review, the impact of pain is underexplored and results could be discordant. In a homogeneous cohort of pSS patients with PSFN, a cognitive complaint seems to be a valid reflection of cognitive dysfunction marked by a specific executive profile found with the WCST. In this preliminary study, this profile is linked to the level of pain and highlights that an appropriate management of pain control and a cognitive readaptation in patients could improve the quality of life.

Variance Analysis of Unevenly Spaced Time Series Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hackman, Christine; Parker, Thomas E.

1996-01-01

We have investigated the effect of uneven data spacing on the computation of delta (sub chi)(gamma). Evenly spaced simulated data sets were generated for noise processes ranging from white phase modulation (PM) to random walk frequency modulation (FM). Delta(sub chi)(gamma) was then calculated for each noise type. Data were subsequently removed from each simulated data set using typical two-way satellite time and frequency transfer (TWSTFT) data patterns to create two unevenly spaced sets with average intervals of 2.8 and 3.6 days. Delta(sub chi)(gamma) was then calculated for each sparse data set using two different approaches. First the missing data points were replaced by linear interpolation and delta (sub chi)(gamma) calculated from this now full data set. The second approach ignored the fact that the data were unevenly spaced and calculated delta(sub chi)(gamma) as if the data were equally spaced with average spacing of 2.8 or 3.6 days. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages, and techniques are presented for correcting errors caused by uneven data spacing in typical TWSTFT data sets.

Outcome of extremely low birth weight infants: what's new in the third millennium? Neuropsychological profiles at four years.

PubMed

Olivieri, Ivana; Bova, Stefania Maria; Urgesi, Cosimo; Ariaudo, Giada; Perotto, Eleonora; Fazzi, Elisa; Stronati, Mauro; Fabbro, Franco; Balottin, Umberto; Orcesi, Simona

2012-04-01

Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants, even those not presenting severe neuromotor sequelae, continue to be at risk of developing multiple, complex disorders involving the cognitive, emotional and behavioural domains. Follow-up protocols are able, in the short term, to identify subjects at risk of developing major sequelae, however they fail to identify all children at risk of developing disorders. To investigate the cognitive, neuropsychological and behavioural outcomes of a sample of ELBW children at the age of four years in order to identify characteristic profiles. Longitudinal study. 16 healthy ELBW children born in 2005 and followed up until the age of four. Performances on standardised tests evaluating intelligence, memory, cognitive visual functions, attention, and executive functions. General intelligence was within normal range. Cognitive profile showed mild or moderate deficits with different levels of involvement in many of the examined functions, in particular executive functions, attention and naming. There emerged a wide-ranging spectrum of weaknesses and deficits involving all the functions examined, which together give rise to a dysexecutive syndrome. Analysis of cognitive profiles showed that the sample could be divided into two subgroups of subjects that differ in the quality of their global cognitive and behavioural functioning. Our results confirm the need to continue follow up of ELBW children until school age, as this will allow early detection of at-risk children and the planning of timely preventive interventions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systematic Review of Cognitive Development across Childhood in Down Syndrome: Implications for Treatment Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, T.; Rapsey, C. M.; Glue, P.

2013-01-01

Background: There is conjecture regarding the profile of cognitive development over time in children with Down syndrome (DS). Characterising this profile would be valuable for the planning and assessment of intervention studies. Method: A systematic search of the literature from 1990 to the present was conducted to identify longitudinal data on…

Cognitive Dysfunction Is Worse among Pediatric Patients with Bipolar Disorder Type I than Type II

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schenkel, Lindsay S.; West, Amy E.; Jacobs, Rachel; Sweeney, John A.; Pavuluri, Mani N.

2012-01-01

Background: Impaired profiles of neurocognitive function have been consistently demonstrated among pediatric patients with bipolar disorder (BD), and may aid in the identification of endophenotypes across subtypes of the disorder. This study aims to determine phenotypic cognitive profiles of patients with BD Type I and II. Methods: Subjects (N =…

Children with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome: Can We Differentiate Their Cognitive Profiles?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Planche, Pascale; Lemonnier, Eric

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether children with high-functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger's syndrome (AS) can be differentiated from each other and from typically developing children on their cognitive profiles. The present study included a total of 45 participants: children with autism (high-functioning autism or Asperger's…

Number Processing and Heterogeneity of Developmental Dyscalculia: Subtypes with Different Cognitive Profiles and Deficits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skagerlund, Kenny; Träff, Ulf

2016-01-01

This study investigated if developmental dyscalculia (DD) in children with different profiles of mathematical deficits has the same or different cognitive origins. The defective approximate number system hypothesis and the access deficit hypothesis were tested using two different groups of children with DD (11-13 years old): a group with…

Gender Ratio and Cognitive Profiles in Dyslexia: A Cross-National Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jimenez, Juan E.; de la Cadena, Claudia Garcia; Siegel, Linda S.; O'Shanahan, Isabel; Garcia, Eduardo; Rodriguez, Cristina

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze possible gender-related differences in the prevalence of dyslexia. A cross-national comparison of Spain and Guatemala was conducted. Both countries speak the same language but have a different standard of living and educational level. A second purpose of this study was to analyze the cognitive profile of…

Social Indicators, Dysfunctional Career Cognitions, and Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy in Work Role Participation of Welfare Recipients.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodge, Sharon

Profiles of 104 welfare recipients in Georgia were examined to identify social indicators and cognitive variables that influenced work role participation. Three instruments were administered the Career Thought Inventory, the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form, and the demographic profile and participation scale of the Salience…

Revisiting Cognitive and Adaptive Functioning in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Nicole L.; Pollard, Elena; Ober-Reynolds, Sharman; Kirwan, Janet; Malligo, Amanda; Smith, Christopher J.

2015-01-01

Profiles of performance on the Stanford Binet Intelligence Scales (SB5) and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) were examined in 73 children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. SB5 cognitive profiles were observed to be similar between participants with and without early language delay, but different between participants with and…

Nonverbal and Verbal Cognitive Discrepancy Profiles in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Influence of Age and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ankenman, Katy; Elgin, Jenna; Sullivan, Katherine; Vincent, Logan; Bernier, Raphael

2014-01-01

Research suggests that discrepant cognitive abilities are more common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and may indicate an important ASD endophenotype. The current study examined the frequency of IQ discrepancy profiles (nonverbal IQ greater than verbal IQ [NVIQ greater than VIQ], verbal IQ greater than nonverbal IQ [VIQ greater…

Social justice issues related to uneven distribution of resources.

PubMed

Ervin, Naomi E; Bell, Sue Ellen

2004-01-01

This article examines the social justice issues resulting from the uneven distribution of resources. In this article, justice theories are discussed in relation to two of these issues: lack of adequate food and shelter and inequitable access to an appropriate continuum of health care. Public health nurses have the obligation to deal with the results of poverty and the uneven distribution of resources, which pose a threat to the common good in the United States and throughout the global community.

Reading and math achievement profiles and longitudinal growth trajectories of children with an autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Wei, Xin; Christiano, Elizabeth R A; Yu, Jennifer W; Wagner, Mary; Spiker, Donna

2015-02-01

This study examined the reading and math achievement profiles and longitudinal growth trajectories of a nationally representative sample of children ages 6 through 9 with an autism spectrum disorder. Four distinct achievement profiles were identified: higher-achieving (39%), hyperlexia (9%), hypercalculia (20%) and lower-achieving (32%). Children with hypercalculia and lower-achieving profiles were more likely to be from low socioeconomic families and had lower functional cognitive skills than the higher-achieving profile. All four profiles lost ground in passage comprehension over time. Slower improvement occurred for the higher-achieving group on letter-word identification, the hyperlexia group on conversation abilities and the hypercalculia group on calculation and functional cognitive skills relative to the lower-achieving group. © The Author(s) 2014.

MO-FG-204-08: Optimization-Based Image Reconstruction From Unevenly Distributed Sparse Projection Views

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xie, Huiqiao; Yang, Yi; Tang, Xiangyang

2015-06-15

Purpose: Optimization-based reconstruction has been proposed and investigated for reconstructing CT images from sparse views, as such the radiation dose can be substantially reduced while maintaining acceptable image quality. The investigation has so far focused on reconstruction from evenly distributed sparse views. Recognizing the clinical situations wherein only unevenly sparse views are available, e.g., image guided radiation therapy, CT perfusion and multi-cycle cardiovascular imaging, we investigate the performance of optimization-based image reconstruction from unevenly sparse projection views in this work. Methods: The investigation is carried out using the FORBILD and an anthropomorphic head phantoms. In the study, 82 views, whichmore » are evenly sorted out from a full (360°) axial CT scan consisting of 984 views, form sub-scan I. Another 82 views are sorted out in a similar manner to form sub-scan II. As such, a CT scan with sparse (164) views at 1:6 ratio are formed. By shifting the two sub-scans relatively in view angulation, a CT scan with unevenly distributed sparse (164) views at 1:6 ratio are formed. An optimization-based method is implemented to reconstruct images from the unevenly distributed views. By taking the FBP reconstruction from the full scan (984 views) as the reference, the root mean square (RMS) between the reference and the optimization-based reconstruction is used to evaluate the performance quantitatively. Results: In visual inspection, the optimization-based method outperforms the FBP substantially in the reconstruction from unevenly distributed, which are quantitatively verified by the RMS gauged globally and in ROIs in both the FORBILD and anthropomorphic head phantoms. The RMS increases with increasing severity in the uneven angular distribution, especially in the case of anthropomorphic head phantom. Conclusion: The optimization-based image reconstruction can save radiation dose up to 12-fold while providing acceptable image quality for advanced clinical applications wherein only unevenly distributed sparse views are available. Research Grants: W81XWH-12-1-0138 (DoD), Sinovision Technologies.« less

Intraindividual variability across cognitive domains: investigation of dispersion levels and performance profiles in older adults.

PubMed

Hilborn, Jennifer V; Strauss, Esther; Hultsch, David F; Hunter, Michael A

2009-05-01

A growing body of research suggests that substantial variability exists among cognitive abilities within individuals. This within-person variability across cognitive domains is termed dispersion. The present study investigated the relationship between aging and dispersion of cognitive functions both quantitatively (overall levels of dispersion) and qualitatively (patterns of dispersion) in a sample of 304 nondemented, older adults aged 64 to 92 years (M = 74.02). Quantitatively, higher levels of dispersion were observed in the old-old adults (aged 75-92 years) and those identified as having experienced cognitive decline, suggesting that dispersion level may serve as a marker of cognitive integrity. Qualitatively, three distinct dispersion profiles were identified through clustering methods, and these were found to be related to demographic, health, and performance characteristics of the individuals, suggesting that patterns of dispersion may be meaningful indicators of individual differences.

Combining select neuropsychological assessment with blood-based biomarkers to detect mild Alzheimer's disease: a molecular neuropsychology approach.

PubMed

Edwards, Melissa; Balldin, Valerie Hobson; Hall, James; O'Bryant, Sid

2014-01-01

Current work has sought to establish a rapid and cost effective means of screening for Alzheimer's disease (AD) with the most recent findings showing utility of integrating blood-based biomarkers with cognitive measures. The current project sought to create a combined biomarker-cognitive profile to detect mild AD. Data was analyzed from 266 participants (129 AD cases [Early AD n = 93; Very Early AD n = 36]; 137 controls) enrolled in the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium (TARCC). Non-fasting serum samples were collected from each participant and assayed via a multi-plex biomarker assay platform using electrochemiluminescence. Logistic Regression was utilized to detect early AD using two serum biomarkers (TNFα and IL7), demographic information (age), and one neuropsychological measure (Clock 4-point) as predictor variable. Disease severity was determined via Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale global scores. In the total sample (all levels of CDR scores), the combination of biomarkers, cognitive test score, and demographics yielded the obtained sensitivity (SN) of 0.94, specificity (SP) of 0.90, and an overall accuracy of 0.92. When examining early AD cases (i.e.m CDR = 0.5-1), the biomarker-cognitive profile yielded SN of 0.94, SP of 0.85, and an overall accuracy of 0.91. When restricted to very early AD cases (i.e., CDR = 0.5), the biomarker-cognitive profile yielded SN of 0.97 and SP of 0.72, with an overall accuracy of 0.91. The combination of demographics, two biomarkers, and one cognitive test created a biomarker-cognitive profile that was highly accurate in detecting the presence of AD, even in the very early stages.

Short-term memory loss over time without retroactive stimulus interference.

PubMed

Cowan, Nelson; AuBuchon, Angela M

2008-02-01

A key question in cognitive psychology is whether information in short-term memory is lost as a function of time. Lewandowsky, Duncan, and Brown (2004) argued against that memory loss because forgetting in serial recall occurred to the same extent across serial positions regardless of the rate of recall. However, we believe Lewandowsky et al. (2004) only prevented one of two types of rehearsal; they did not prevent nonarticulatory rehearsal via attention. To prevent articulatory and nonarticulatory rehearsal without introducing interference, we presented unevenly timed stimuli for serial recall and, on some trials, required that the timing of stimuli be reproduced in the response. In those trials only, evidence of memory loss over time emerged. Further research is needed to identify whether this memory loss is decay or lost distinctiveness.

Linked Sex Differences in Cognition and Functional Connectivity in Youth.

PubMed

Satterthwaite, Theodore D; Wolf, Daniel H; Roalf, David R; Ruparel, Kosha; Erus, Guray; Vandekar, Simon; Gennatas, Efstathios D; Elliott, Mark A; Smith, Alex; Hakonarson, Hakon; Verma, Ragini; Davatzikos, Christos; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C

2015-09-01

Sex differences in human cognition are marked, but little is known regarding their neural origins. Here, in a sample of 674 human participants ages 9-22, we demonstrate that sex differences in cognitive profiles are related to multivariate patterns of resting-state functional connectivity MRI (rsfc-MRI). Males outperformed females on motor and spatial cognitive tasks; females were faster in tasks of emotion identification and nonverbal reasoning. Sex differences were also prominent in the rsfc-MRI data at multiple scales of analysis, with males displaying more between-module connectivity, while females demonstrated more within-module connectivity. Multivariate pattern analysis using support vector machines classified subject sex on the basis of their cognitive profile with 63% accuracy (P < 0.001), but was more accurate using functional connectivity data (71% accuracy; P < 0.001). Moreover, the degree to which a given participant's cognitive profile was "male" or "female" was significantly related to the masculinity or femininity of their pattern of brain connectivity (P = 2.3 × 10(-7)). This relationship was present even when considering males and female separately. Taken together, these results demonstrate for the first time that sex differences in patterns of cognition are in part represented on a neural level through divergent patterns of brain connectivity. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Shared genetic aetiology between cognitive functions and physical and mental health in UK Biobank (N=112 151) and 24 GWAS consortia.

PubMed

Hagenaars, S P; Harris, S E; Davies, G; Hill, W D; Liewald, D C M; Ritchie, S J; Marioni, R E; Fawns-Ritchie, C; Cullen, B; Malik, R; Worrall, B B; Sudlow, C L M; Wardlaw, J M; Gallacher, J; Pell, J; McIntosh, A M; Smith, D J; Gale, C R; Deary, I J

2016-11-01

Causes of the well-documented association between low levels of cognitive functioning and many adverse neuropsychiatric outcomes, poorer physical health and earlier death remain unknown. We used linkage disequilibrium regression and polygenic profile scoring to test for shared genetic aetiology between cognitive functions and neuropsychiatric disorders and physical health. Using information provided by many published genome-wide association study consortia, we created polygenic profile scores for 24 vascular-metabolic, neuropsychiatric, physiological-anthropometric and cognitive traits in the participants of UK Biobank, a very large population-based sample (N=112 151). Pleiotropy between cognitive and health traits was quantified by deriving genetic correlations using summary genome-wide association study statistics and to the method of linkage disequilibrium score regression. Substantial and significant genetic correlations were observed between cognitive test scores in the UK Biobank sample and many of the mental and physical health-related traits and disorders assessed here. In addition, highly significant associations were observed between the cognitive test scores in the UK Biobank sample and many polygenic profile scores, including coronary artery disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, autism, major depressive disorder, body mass index, intracranial volume, infant head circumference and childhood cognitive ability. Where disease diagnosis was available for UK Biobank participants, we were able to show that these results were not confounded by those who had the relevant disease. These findings indicate that a substantial level of pleiotropy exists between cognitive abilities and many human mental and physical health disorders and traits and that it can be used to predict phenotypic variance across samples.

Cognitive Profiles in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Investigation of Base Rate Discrepancies Using the Differential Ability Scales-Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nowell, Kerri P.; Schanding, G. Thomas, Jr.; Kanne, Stephen M.; Goin-Kochel, Robin P.

2015-01-01

Extant data suggest that the cognitive profiles of individuals with ASD may be characterized by variability, particularly in terms of verbal intellectual functioning (VIQ) and non-verbal intellectual functioning (NVIQ) discrepancies. The "Differential Ability Scales, Second Edition" (DAS-II) has limited data available on its use with…

Numerical Simulation of Bulging Deformation for Wide-Thick Slab Under Uneven Cooling Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Chenhui; Ji, Cheng; Zhu, Miaoyong

2018-06-01

In the present work, the bulging deformation of a wide-thick slab under uneven cooling conditions was studied using finite element method. The non-uniform solidification was first calculated using a 2D heat transfer model. The thermal material properties were derived based on a microsegregation model, and the water flux distribution was measured and applied to calculate the cooling boundary conditions. Based on the solidification results, a 3D bulging model was established. The 2D heat transfer model was verified by the measured shell thickness and the slab surface temperature, and the 3D bulging model was verified by the calculated maximum bulging deflections using formulas. The bulging deformation behavior of the wide-thick slab under uneven cooling condition was then determined, and the effect of uneven solidification, casting speed, and roll misalignment were investigated.

Numerical Simulation of Bulging Deformation for Wide-Thick Slab Under Uneven Cooling Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Chenhui; Ji, Cheng; Zhu, Miaoyong

2018-02-01

In the present work, the bulging deformation of a wide-thick slab under uneven cooling conditions was studied using finite element method. The non-uniform solidification was first calculated using a 2D heat transfer model. The thermal material properties were derived based on a microsegregation model, and the water flux distribution was measured and applied to calculate the cooling boundary conditions. Based on the solidification results, a 3D bulging model was established. The 2D heat transfer model was verified by the measured shell thickness and the slab surface temperature, and the 3D bulging model was verified by the calculated maximum bulging deflections using formulas. The bulging deformation behavior of the wide-thick slab under uneven cooling condition was then determined, and the effect of uneven solidification, casting speed, and roll misalignment were investigated.

Gait efficiency on an uneven surface is associated with falls and injury in older subjects with a spectrum of lower limb neuromuscular function: a prospective study

PubMed Central

Zurales, Katie; DeMott, Trina K.; Kim, Hogene; Allet, Lara; Ashton-Miller, James A.; Richardson, James K.

2015-01-01

Objective To determine which gait measures on smooth and uneven surfaces predict falls and fall-related injuries in older subjects with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Design Twenty-seven subjects (12 women) with a spectrum of peripheral nerve function ranging from normal to moderately severe DPN walked on smooth and uneven surfaces, with gait parameters determined by optoelectronic kinematic techniques. Falls and injuries were then determined prospectively over the following year. Results Seventeen subjects (62.9%) fell and 12 (44.4%) sustained a fall-related injury. As compared to non-fallers, the subject group reporting any fall, as well as the subject group reporting fall-related injury, demonstrated decreased speed, greater step width (SW), shorter step length (SL) and greater step-width-to-step-length ratio (SW:SL) on both surfaces. Uneven surface SW:SL was the strongest predictor of falls (pseudo-R2 = 0.65; p = .012) and remained so with inclusion of other relevant variables into the model. Post-hoc analysis comparing injured with non-injured fallers showed no difference in any gait parameter. Conclusion SW:SL on an uneven surface is the strongest predictor of falls and injuries in older subjects with a spectrum of peripheral neurologic function. Given the relationship between SW:SL and efficiency, older neuropathic patients at increased fall risk appear to sacrifice efficiency for stability on uneven surfaces. PMID:26053187

Real-time and accurate rail wear measurement method and experimental analysis.

PubMed

Liu, Zhen; Li, Fengjiao; Huang, Bangkui; Zhang, Guangjun

2014-08-01

When a train is running on uneven or curved rails, it generates violent vibrations on the rails. As a result, the light plane of the single-line structured light vision sensor is not vertical, causing errors in rail wear measurements (referred to as vibration errors in this paper). To avoid vibration errors, a novel rail wear measurement method is introduced in this paper, which involves three main steps. First, a multi-line structured light vision sensor (which has at least two linear laser projectors) projects a stripe-shaped light onto the inside of the rail. Second, the central points of the light stripes in the image are extracted quickly, and the three-dimensional profile of the rail is obtained based on the mathematical model of the structured light vision sensor. Then, the obtained rail profile is transformed from the measurement coordinate frame (MCF) to the standard rail coordinate frame (RCF) by taking the three-dimensional profile of the measured rail waist as the datum. Finally, rail wear constraint points are adopted to simplify the location of the rail wear points, and the profile composed of the rail wear points are compared with the standard rail profile in RCF to determine the rail wear. Both real data experiments and simulation experiments show that the vibration errors can be eliminated when the proposed method is used.

Cognitive factors affecting children's nonsymbolic and symbolic magnitude judgment abilities: A latent profile analysis.

PubMed

Chew, Cindy S; Forte, Jason D; Reeve, Robert A

2016-12-01

Early math abilities are claimed to be linked to magnitude representation ability. Some claim that nonsymbolic magnitude abilities scaffold the acquisition of symbolic (Arabic number) magnitude abilities and influence math ability. Others claim that symbolic magnitude abilities, and ipso facto math abilities, are independent of nonsymbolic abilities and instead depend on the ability to process number symbols (e.g., 2, 7). Currently, the issue of whether symbolic abilities are or are not related to nonsymbolic abilities, and the cognitive factors associated with nonsymbolic-symbolic relationships, remains unresolved. We suggest that different nonsymbolic-symbolic relationships reside within the general magnitude ability distribution and that different cognitive abilities are likely associated with these different relationships. We further suggest that the different nonsymbolic-symbolic relationships and cognitive abilities in combination differentially predict math abilities. To test these claims, we used latent profile analysis to identify nonsymbolic-symbolic judgment patterns of 124, 5- to 7-year-olds. We also assessed four cognitive factors (visuospatial working memory [VSWM], naming numbers, nonverbal IQ, and basic reaction time [RT]) and two math abilities (number transcoding and single-digit addition abilities). Four nonsymbolic-symbolic ability profiles were identified. Naming numbers, VSWM, and basic RT abilities were differentially associated with the different ability profiles and in combination differentially predicted math abilities. Findings show that different patterns of nonsymbolic-symbolic magnitude abilities can be identified and suggest that an adequate account of math development should specify the inter-relationship between cognitive factors and nonsymbolic-symbolic ability patterns. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rebelling against the brain: public engagement with the 'neurological adolescent'.

PubMed

Choudhury, Suparna; McKinney, Kelly A; Merten, Moritz

2012-02-01

The adolescent brain has become a flourishing project for cognitive neuroscience. In the mid 1990s, MRI studies mapped out extended neuro-development in several cortical regions beyond childhood, and during adolescence. In the last ten years, numerous functional MRI studies have suggested that functions associated with these brain regions, such as cognitive control and social cognition undergo a period of development. These changes have been anecdotally and clinically used to account for behavioural changes during adolescence. The interpretation of these data that the "teen brain" is different has gained increasing visibility outside the neuroscience community, among policy makers and in the media, resonating strongly with current cultural conceptions of teenagers in Western societies. In the last two years, a new impetus has been placed on public engagement activities in science and in the popular science genre of the media that specifically attempts to educate children and teenagers about emerging models of the developing brain. In this article, we draw on data from an adolescent focus group and a questionnaire completed by 85 teenage students at a UK school, to show how teens may hold ambivalent and sometimes resistant views of cognitive neuroscience's teen brain model in terms of their own self-understandings. Our findings indicate that new "neuro"-identity formations are more fractured, resisted and incomplete than some of the current social science literature on neuro-subjectivities seem to suggest and that the effects of public policy and popular education initiatives in this domain will be more uneven and complex than currently imagined. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brief Report: Predicting Inner Speech Use amongst Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)--The Roles of Verbal Ability and Cognitive Profile

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, David M.; Jarrold, Christopher

2010-01-01

Studies of inner speech use in ASD have produced conflicting results. Lidstone et al., J "Autism Dev Disord" (2009) hypothesised that Cognitive Profile (i.e., "discrepancy" between non-verbal and verbal abilities) is a predictor of inner speech use amongst children with ASD. They suggested other, contradictory results might be explained in terms…

Child Prodigy: A Novel Cognitive Profile Places Elevated General Intelligence, Exceptional Working Memory and Attention to Detail at the Root of Prodigiousness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruthsatz, Joanne; Urbach, Jourdan B.

2012-01-01

Child prodigies are unusual for their early and exceptional adoption of what are traditionally thought of as adult abilities. As part of an effort to better understand the underpinnings of these extraordinary individuals' talent, the researcher examined the cognitive and developmental profiles of eight child prodigies by taking their developmental…

Cognitive Profile in Young Icelandic Children with Cerebral Palsy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sigurdardottir, Solveig; Eiriksdottir, Audur; Gunnarsdottir, Eva; Meintema, Marrit; Arnadottir, Unnur; Vik, Torstein

2008-01-01

We describe the cognitive profile in a complete national cohort of children with cerebral palsy (CP). One hundred and twenty-seven Icelandic children (67 females, 60 males) with CP, born between 1985 and 2000 and assessed between the ages of 4 and 6 years 6 months (mean age 5y 5mo, SD 6mo), were included in the study. IQ was measured using the…

Comparing the Broad Socio-Cognitive Profile of Youth with Williams Syndrome and 22Q11.2 Deletion Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisman, O.; Feldman, R.; Burg-Malki, M.; Keren, M.; Geva, R.; Diesendruck, G.; Gothelf, D.

2017-01-01

Background: Numerous studies have assessed the socio-cognitive profile in Williams syndrome (WS) and, independently, in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS). Yet, a cross-syndrome comparison of these abilities between individuals with these two syndromes with known social deficits has not been conducted. Methods: Eighty-two children participated…

A fault tolerant gait for a hexapod robot over uneven terrain.

PubMed

Yang, J M; Kim, J H

2000-01-01

The fault tolerant gait of legged robots in static walking is a gait which maintains its stability against a fault event preventing a leg from having the support state. In this paper, a fault tolerant quadruped gait is proposed for a hexapod traversing uneven terrain with forbidden regions, which do not offer viable footholds but can be stepped over. By comparing performance of straight-line motion and crab walking over even terrain, it is shown that the proposed gait has better mobility and terrain adaptability than previously developed gaits. Based on the proposed gait, we present a method for the generation of the fault tolerant locomotion of a hexapod over uneven terrain with forbidden regions. The proposed method minimizes the number of legs on the ground during walking, and foot adjustment algorithm is used for avoiding steps on forbidden regions. The effectiveness of the proposed strategy over uneven terrain is demonstrated with a computer simulation.

Evaluating the Invariance of Cognitive Profile Patterns Derived from Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS): A Bootstrapping Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Se-Kang

2010-01-01

The aim of the current study is to validate the invariance of major profile patterns derived from multidimensional scaling (MDS) by bootstrapping. Profile Analysis via Multidimensional Scaling (PAMS) was employed to obtain profiles and bootstrapping was used to construct the sampling distributions of the profile coordinates and the empirical…

Cascade of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Correlational Study of Cognition, Postconcussion Symptoms, and Quality of Life.

PubMed

Reddy, Rajakumari Pampa; Rajeswaran, Jamuna; Devi, B Indira; Kandavel, Thennarasu

2017-01-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) constitutes a significant burden on health care resources in India. TBI is a dynamic process which involves damage to the brain thus leading to behavior cognitive and emotional consequences. To study the cognitive profile, post-concussion symptoms (PCS), quality of life (QOL), and their correlation. A total of 60 patients with TBI were recruited and assessed for neuropsychological profile, PCS, and QOL, the correlation among the variables were analyzed. The results suggest that TBI has series of consequences which is interrelated, and the study has implications for rehabilitation of TBI. The study highlights the deficits of cognition, and its correlation with PCS and QOL, emphasizing integrated rehabilitation approach for patients with TBI.

Deep drawing of 304 L Steel Sheet using Vegetable oils as Forming Lubricants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shashidhara, Y. M.; Jayaram, S. R.

2012-12-01

The study involves the evaluation of deep drawing process using two non edible oils, Pongam (Pongammia pinnata) and Jatropha (Jatropha carcass) as metal forming lubricants. Experiments are conducted on 304L steel sheets under the raw and modified oils with suitable punch and die on a hydraulic press of 200 ton capacity. The punch load, draw-in-length and wall thickness distribution for deep drawn cups are observed. The drawn cups are scanned using laser scanning technique and 3D models are generated using modeling package. The wall thickness profiles of cups at different sections (or height) are measured using CAD package. Among the two raw oils, the drawn cups under Jatropha oil, have uniform wall thickness profile compared to Pongam oil. Uneven flow of material and cup rupturing is observed under methyl esters of Pongam and Jatropha oil lubricated conditions. However, the results are observed under epoxidised Jatropha oil with uniform metal flow and wall thicknesses compared to mineral and other versions of vegetable oils.

Shared genetic aetiology between cognitive functions and physical and mental health in UK Biobank (N=112 151) and 24 GWAS consortia

PubMed Central

Hagenaars, S P; Harris, S E; Davies, G; Hill, W D; Liewald, D C M; Ritchie, S J; Marioni, R E; Fawns-Ritchie, C; Cullen, B; Malik, R; Worrall, B B; Sudlow, C L M; Wardlaw, J M; Gallacher, J; Pell, J; McIntosh, A M; Smith, D J; Gale, C R; Deary, I J

2016-01-01

Causes of the well-documented association between low levels of cognitive functioning and many adverse neuropsychiatric outcomes, poorer physical health and earlier death remain unknown. We used linkage disequilibrium regression and polygenic profile scoring to test for shared genetic aetiology between cognitive functions and neuropsychiatric disorders and physical health. Using information provided by many published genome-wide association study consortia, we created polygenic profile scores for 24 vascular–metabolic, neuropsychiatric, physiological–anthropometric and cognitive traits in the participants of UK Biobank, a very large population-based sample (N=112 151). Pleiotropy between cognitive and health traits was quantified by deriving genetic correlations using summary genome-wide association study statistics and to the method of linkage disequilibrium score regression. Substantial and significant genetic correlations were observed between cognitive test scores in the UK Biobank sample and many of the mental and physical health-related traits and disorders assessed here. In addition, highly significant associations were observed between the cognitive test scores in the UK Biobank sample and many polygenic profile scores, including coronary artery disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, autism, major depressive disorder, body mass index, intracranial volume, infant head circumference and childhood cognitive ability. Where disease diagnosis was available for UK Biobank participants, we were able to show that these results were not confounded by those who had the relevant disease. These findings indicate that a substantial level of pleiotropy exists between cognitive abilities and many human mental and physical health disorders and traits and that it can be used to predict phenotypic variance across samples. PMID:26809841

Combined Socio-Behavioral Evaluation Improves the Differential Diagnosis Between the Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease: In Search of Neuropsychological Markers.

PubMed

Dodich, Alessandra; Cerami, Chiara; Cappa, Stefano F; Marcone, Alessandra; Golzi, Valeria; Zamboni, Michele; Giusti, Maria Cristina; Iannaccone, Sandro

2018-01-01

Current diagnostic criteria for behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and typical Alzheimer's disease (AD) include a differential pattern of neuropsychological impairments (episodic memory deficit in typical AD and dysexecutive syndrome in bvFTD). There is, however, large evidence of a frequent overlap in neuropsychological features, making the differential diagnosis extremely difficult. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the diagnostic value of different cognitive and neurobehavioral markers in bvFTD and AD patient groups. We included 95 dementia patients with a clinical and biomarker evidence of bvFTD (n = 48) or typical AD (n = 47) pathology. A clinical 2-year follow-up confirmed clinical classification. Performances at basic cognitive tasks (memory, executive functions, visuo-spatial, language) as well as social cognition skills and neurobehavioral profiles have been recorded. A stepwise logistic regression model compared the neuropsychological profiles between groups and assessed the accuracy of cognitive and neurobehavioral markers in discriminating bvFTD from AD. Statistical comparison between patient groups proved social cognition and episodic memory impairments as main cognitive signatures of bvFTD and AD neuropsychological profiles, respectively. Only half of bvFTD patients showed attentive/executive deficits, questioning their role as cognitive marker of bvFTD. Notably, the large majority of bvFTD sample (i.e., 70%) poorly performed at delayed recall tasks. Logistic regression analysis identified social cognition performances, Frontal Behavioral Inventory and Mini-Mental State Examination scores as the best combination in distinguishing bvFTD from AD. Social cognition tasks and socio-behavioral questionnaires are recommended in clinical settings to improve the accuracy of early diagnosis of bvFTD.

Mutual Information Item Selection Method in Cognitive Diagnostic Computerized Adaptive Testing with Short Test Length

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Chun

2013-01-01

Cognitive diagnostic computerized adaptive testing (CD-CAT) purports to combine the strengths of both CAT and cognitive diagnosis. Cognitive diagnosis models aim at classifying examinees into the correct mastery profile group so as to pinpoint the strengths and weakness of each examinee whereas CAT algorithms choose items to determine those…

Heterogeneity of Developmental Dyscalculia: Cases with Different Deficit Profiles

PubMed Central

Träff, Ulf; Olsson, Linda; Östergren, Rickard; Skagerlund, Kenny

2017-01-01

Developmental Dyscalculia (DD) has long been thought to be a monolithic learning disorder that can be attributed to a specific neurocognitive dysfunction. However, recent research has increasingly recognized the heterogeneity of DD, where DD can be differentiated into subtypes in which the underlying cognitive deficits and neural dysfunctions may differ. The aim was to further understand the heterogeneity of developmental dyscalculia (DD) from a cognitive psychological perspective. Utilizing four children (8–9 year-old) we administered a comprehensive cognitive test battery that shed light on the cognitive-behavioral profile of each child. The children were compared against norm groups of aged-matched peers. Performance was then contrasted against predominant hypotheses of DD, which would also give insight into candidate neurocognitive correlates. Despite showing similar mathematical deficits, these children showed remarkable interindividual variability regarding cognitive profile and deficits. Two cases were consistent with the approximate number system deficit account and also the general magnitude-processing deficit account. These cases showed indications of having domain-general deficits as well. One case had an access deficit in combination with a general cognitive deficit. One case suffered from general cognitive deficits only. The results showed that DD cannot be attributed to a single explanatory factor. These findings support a multiple deficits account of DD and suggest that some cases have multiple deficits, whereas other cases have a single deficit. We discuss a previously proposed distinction between primary DD and secondary DD, and suggest hypotheses of dysfunctional neurocognitive correlates responsible for the displayed deficits. PMID:28101068

Heterogeneity of Developmental Dyscalculia: Cases with Different Deficit Profiles.

PubMed

Träff, Ulf; Olsson, Linda; Östergren, Rickard; Skagerlund, Kenny

2016-01-01

Developmental Dyscalculia (DD) has long been thought to be a monolithic learning disorder that can be attributed to a specific neurocognitive dysfunction. However, recent research has increasingly recognized the heterogeneity of DD, where DD can be differentiated into subtypes in which the underlying cognitive deficits and neural dysfunctions may differ. The aim was to further understand the heterogeneity of developmental dyscalculia (DD) from a cognitive psychological perspective. Utilizing four children (8-9 year-old) we administered a comprehensive cognitive test battery that shed light on the cognitive-behavioral profile of each child. The children were compared against norm groups of aged-matched peers. Performance was then contrasted against predominant hypotheses of DD, which would also give insight into candidate neurocognitive correlates. Despite showing similar mathematical deficits, these children showed remarkable interindividual variability regarding cognitive profile and deficits. Two cases were consistent with the approximate number system deficit account and also the general magnitude-processing deficit account. These cases showed indications of having domain-general deficits as well. One case had an access deficit in combination with a general cognitive deficit. One case suffered from general cognitive deficits only. The results showed that DD cannot be attributed to a single explanatory factor. These findings support a multiple deficits account of DD and suggest that some cases have multiple deficits, whereas other cases have a single deficit. We discuss a previously proposed distinction between primary DD and secondary DD, and suggest hypotheses of dysfunctional neurocognitive correlates responsible for the displayed deficits.

Exploratory study on cognitive abilities and social responsiveness in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) and children with idiopathic intellectual disability (IID).

PubMed

Van Den Heuvel, Ellen; Jonkers, Evi; Rombouts, Ellen; Manders, Eric; Zink, Inge; Swillen, Ann

2018-06-20

Development of cognitive skills and social responsiveness are areas of concern in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS). It remains unclear if the cognitive and social profiles and trajectories are syndrome-specific or similar to those of children with idiopathic intellectual disabilities (IID) with or without comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this exploratory study, we examined and compared five broad cognitive abilities (BCAs) and the social responsiveness in primary school-aged children with 22q11DS (age 6-13, n = 21) and IQ-matched peers with IID (n = 21). The relative strengths and weaknesses of both groups were re-evaluated after 19 to 30 months. Four different cognitive trajectories (i.e. absolute progress, stability, growing into deficit, and absolute decline) were demonstrated in both groups. Most children showed combined types of trajectories across BCAs resulting in a complex changing cognitive profile. In the 22q11DS group, social responsiveness problems increased, whereas no significant change was observed in the IID group. Results reflect similar cognitive and social responsiveness profiles and trajectories across groups with children with 22q11DS being more at risk for growing into a social deficit. We recommend repeated monitoring of social skills development to adapt the environmental demands to the child's individual social capacities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A-Book: A Feedback-Based Adaptive System to Enhance Meta-Cognitive Skills during Reading.

PubMed

Guerra, Ernesto; Mellado, Guido

2017-01-01

In the digital era, tech devices (hardware and software) are increasingly within hand's reach. Yet, implementing information and communication technologies for educational contexts that have robust and long-lasting effects on student learning outcomes is still a challenge. We propose that any such system must a) be theoretically motivated and designed to tackle specific cognitive skills (e.g., inference making) supporting a given cognitive task (e.g., reading comprehension) and b) must be able to identify and adapt to the user's profile. In the present study, we implemented a feedback-based adaptive system called A-book (assisted-reading book) and tested it in a sample of 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. To assess our hypotheses, we contrasted three experimental assisted-reading conditions; one that supported meta-cognitive skills and adapted to the user profile (adaptive condition), one that supported meta-cognitive skills but did not adapt to the user profile (training condition) and a control condition. The results provide initial support for our proposal; participants in the adaptive condition improved their accuracy scores on inference making questions over time, outperforming both the training and control groups. There was no evidence, however, of significant improvements on other tested meta-cognitive skills (i.e., text structure knowledge, comprehension monitoring). We discussed the practical implications of using the A-book for the enhancement of meta-cognitive skills in school contexts, as well as its current limitations and future developments that could improve the system.

Modulatory Effects of Modafinil on Neural Circuits Regulating Emotion and Cognition

PubMed Central

Rasetti, Roberta; Mattay, Venkata S; Stankevich, Beth; Skjei, Kelsey; Blasi, Giuseppe; Sambataro, Fabio; Arrillaga-Romany, Isabel C; Goldberg, Terry E; Callicott, Joseph H; Apud, José A; Weinberger, Daniel R

2010-01-01

Modafinil differs from other arousal-enhancing agents in chemical structure, neurochemical profile, and behavioral effects. Most functional neuroimaging studies to date examined the effect of modafinil only on information processing underlying executive cognition, but cognitive enhancers in general have been shown to have pronounced effects on emotional behavior, too. We examined the effect of modafinil on neural circuits underlying affective processing and cognitive functions. Healthy volunteers were enrolled in this double-blinded placebo-controlled trial (100 mg/day for 7 days). They underwent BOLD fMRI while performing an emotion information-processing task that activates the amygdala and two prefrontally dependent cognitive tasks—a working memory (WM) task and a variable attentional control (VAC) task. A clinical assessment that included measurement of blood pressure, heart rate, the Hamilton anxiety scale, and the profile of mood state (POMS) questionnaire was also performed on each test day. BOLD fMRI revealed significantly decreased amygdala reactivity to fearful stimuli on modafinil compared with the placebo condition. During executive cognition tasks, a WM task and a VAC task, modafinil reduced BOLD signal in the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate. Although not statistically significant, there were trends for reduced anxiety, for decreased fatigue-inertia and increased vigor-activity, as well as decreased anger-hostility on modafinil. Modafinil in low doses has a unique physiologic profile compared with stimulant drugs: it enhances the efficiency of prefrontal cortical cognitive information processing, while dampening reactivity to threatening stimuli in the amygdala, a brain region implicated in anxiety. PMID:20555311

Getting past first base: Going all the way with Cognitive Work Analysis.

PubMed

McIlroy, Rich C; Stanton, Neville A

2011-01-01

This paper reports the application of Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) to the problem of communications planning in military aviation. Applications of CWA rarely get beyond the first one or two phases; this paper presents an analysis in which all five phases have been completed. The method offers a formative description of the system, defining the set of boundaries and constraints that shape system activity in terms of work domain, recurring activities, decision making, social organisation and worker competency requirements. It is an analysis that is well suited to environments in which the occurrence of unanticipated events can have serious implications for both safety and productivity. Communications planning in military aviation is such an environment. The outputs of the analysis provided an extensive and exhaustive description of the system, highlighting the uneven spread of activity, across actors involved in communications planning and across the situations in which planning can occur. In addition, a new method for informing worker competency requirements based on abstract functions rather than specific decision steps is proposed and discussed in terms of job design, interface design, and person specification. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Lost in translation? Moving contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy into clinical practice.

PubMed

Carroll, Kathleen M

2014-10-01

In the treatment of addictions, the gap between the availability of evidence-based therapies and their limited implementation in practice has not yet been bridged. Two empirically validated behavioral therapies, contingency management (CM) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exemplify this challenge. Both have a relatively strong level of empirical support but each has weak and uneven adoption in clinical practice. This review highlights examples of how barriers to their implementation in practice have been addressed systematically, using the Stage Model of Behavioral Therapies Development as an organizing framework. For CM, barriers such as cost and ideology have been addressed through the development of lower-cost and other adaptations to make it more community friendly. For CBT, barriers such as relative complexity, lack of trained providers, and need for supervision have been addressed via conversion to standardized computer-assisted versions that can serve as clinician extenders. Although these and other modifications have rendered both interventions more disseminable, diffusion of innovation remains a complex, often unpredictable process. The existing specialty addiction-treatment system may require significant reforms to fully implement CBT and CM, particularly greater focus on definable treatment goals and performance-based outcomes. © 2014 New York Academy of Sciences.

A Cognitive Profile of Obesity and Its Translation into New Interventions

PubMed Central

Jansen, Anita; Houben, Katrijn; Roefs, Anne

2015-01-01

Change your lifestyle: decrease your energy intake and increase your energy expenditure, is what obesity experts tell people who need to lose weight. Though the advice might be correct, it appears to be extremely difficult to change one’s lifestyle. Unhealthy habits usually are ingrained and hard to change, especially for people with an “obese cognitive profile.” Knowledge of the cognitive mechanisms that maintain unhealthy eating habits is necessary for the development of interventions that can change behavior effectively. This paper discusses some cognitive processes that might maintain unhealthy eating habits and make healthier eating difficult, like increased food cue reactivity, weak executive skills and attention bias. An effort is also done to translate these basic scientific findings into new interventions which aim to tackle the sabotaging cognitive processes. Preliminary studies into the effectiveness of these interventions, if available, are presented. PMID:26640451

Brief report: cognitive performance in autism and Asperger's syndrome: what are the differences?

PubMed

Taddei, Stefano; Contena, Bastianina

2013-12-01

Autism spectrum disorders include autistic and Asperger's Syndrome (AS), often studied in terms of executive functions (EF), with controversial results. Using Planning Attention Simultaneous Successive theory (PASS; Das et al. in Assessment of cognitive processes: the PASS theory of intelligence. Allyn and Bacon, Boston, MA, 1994), this research compares the cognitive profiles obtained by the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS; Naglieri and Das in Cognitive assessment system. Riverside, Itasca, IL, 1997) of 15 subjects with typical development, 18 with autistic disorder and 20 with AS. Results highlight lower profiles for children with autistic and AS compared with typical development and even lower Planning and Attention processes for the group with autistic disorders than that with Asperger's. Subjects with Asperger's diagnosis do not differ from those with typical development as regards Simultaneous and Successive processes. Results are discussed in the light of current studies about EF.

Cognitive profile in Duchenne muscular dystrophy boys without intellectual disability: The role of executive functions.

PubMed

Battini, R; Chieffo, D; Bulgheroni, S; Piccini, G; Pecini, C; Lucibello, S; Lenzi, S; Moriconi, F; Pane, M; Astrea, G; Baranello, G; Alfieri, P; Vicari, S; Riva, D; Cioni, G; Mercuri, E

2018-02-01

The aim of our prospective observational study was to assess profiles of cognitive function and a possible impairment of executive functions in a cohort of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy without intellectual and behavior disability. Forty Duchenne boys (range of age: 6 years to 11 years and 6 months) were assessed by Wechsler Intelligence scale and battery of tests including tasks assessing working memory and executive functions (inhibition and switching, problem solving and planning). In our cohort some aspects of cognitive function were often impaired. These included multitasking, problem solving, inhibition and working memory necessary to plan and direct goal oriented behavior. Our results support the suggestion that aspects of cognitive function could be impaired even in boys without intellectual disability and support the hypothesis that executive functions may play an important role in specific aspects of cognitive impairment in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Profile of Creativity and Proposing Statistical Problem Quality Level Reviewed From Cognitive Style

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Awi; Ahmar, A. S.; Rahman, A.; Minggi, I.; Mulbar, U.; Asdar; Ruslan; Upu, H.; Alimuddin; Hamda; Rosidah; Sutamrin; Tiro, M. A.; Rusli

2018-01-01

This research aims to reveal the profile about the level of creativity and the ability to propose statistical problem of students at Mathematics Education 2014 Batch in the State University of Makassar in terms of their cognitive style. This research uses explorative qualitative method by giving meta-cognitive scaffolding at the time of research. The hypothesis of research is that students who have field independent (FI) cognitive style in statistics problem posing from the provided information already able to propose the statistical problem that can be solved and create new data and the problem is already been included as a high quality statistical problem, while students who have dependent cognitive field (FD) commonly are still limited in statistics problem posing that can be finished and do not load new data and the problem is included as medium quality statistical problem.

Verbal Interaction Project: Mother-Child Home Program. Family Cognitive Profile Study. Final Report to the Foundation for Child Development, September, 1972-September, 1973.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levenstein, Phyllis; Phillips, Juliet R.

This report examines the Family Cognitive Profile Study which provided for the collection and analysis of data regarding the IQ gains of children enrolled in the Mother Child Home Program (MCHP). The existence of siblings among the subjects of the MCHP was noted by the Verbal Interaction Project (VIP), the research organization responsible for…

Can PEP-3 Provide a Cognitive Profile in Children with ASD? A Comparison between the Developmental Ages of PEP-3 and IQ of Leiter-R

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Giacomo, Andrea; Craig, Francesco; Cristella, Arcangelo; Terenzio, Vanessa; Buttiglione, Maura; Margari, Lucia

2016-01-01

Background: The assessment of the intelligence quotient (IQ) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is important to plan a detailed therapeutic-educative programme. The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of the Psychoeducational Profile-third edition (PEP-3) to estimate the general cognitive development of children with ASD.…

Characterization of potential plasma biomarkers related to cognitive impairment by untargeted profiling of phospholipids using the HILIC-ESI-IT-TOF-MS system.

PubMed

Song, Shuang; Cheong, Ling-Zhi; Man, Qing-Qing; Pang, Shao-Jie; Li, Yue-Qi; Ren, Biao; Zhang, Jian

2018-05-01

Early diagnosis of neural changes causing cognitive impairment is critical for development of preventive therapies for dementia. Biomarkers currently characterized cannot be extensively applied due to the invasive sampling of cerebrospinal fluid. The other imaging approaches are either expensive or require a high technique. Phospholipids (PLs), which are basic constituents of neurons, might be a key variable in the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment. Changes in plasma PL provide the possibility for development of novel biomarkers with minimal invasion and high patient acceptance. In this work, a HILIC-ESI-IT-TOF-MS system was introduced for untargeted profiling of plasma PLs to investigate the relationship between changes of plasma PL profiles and cognitive impairment. A total of 272 types of PL molecular structures were characterized in human plasma and quantified through the internal standard method. Univariate analysis shows 29 PLs were significantly different between the control (n = 41) and the cognitive impairment (CI) group (n = 41). Multivariate analysis (PCA and OPLS-DA) was conducted based on these 29 potential PL biomarkers. Both univariate and multivariate analyses show abnormality of PL metabolism in the CI group, and the downregulation of ethanolamine plasmalogen (pPE) supply, especially those with PUFAs, in the circulation system should be strongly associated with neurodegeneration. A discriminative model was established with satisfied fit (R2) and prediction (Q2) abilities, and the classification test showed better recognition of the CI group than the control group indicating that this model of PL biomarkers could be used as indicators for screening of CI. Graphical abstract Characterization of potential plasma biomarkers related to cognitive impairment by untargeted profiling of phospholipids.

Combining Select Neuropsychological Assessment With Blood-Based Biomarkers to detect Mild Alzheimer’s disease: A Molecular Neuropsychology approach

PubMed Central

Edwards, Melissa; Balldin, Valerie Hobson; Hall, James; O’Bryant, Sid

2015-01-01

Background The current project sought to create combined biomarker-cognitive profile to detect mild Alzheimer’s disease. Methods Data was analyzed from 266 participants (129 AD cases [Early AD n=93; Very Early AD n=36]; 137 controls) enrolled in the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium (TARCC). Non-fasting serum samples were collected from each participant and assayed via a multi-plex biomarker assay platform using electrochmiluminescence (ECL). Logistic Regression was utilized to detect early AD using two serum biomarkers (TNFα and IL7), demographic information (age) and one neuropsychological measure (Clock-4 point) as predictor variable. Disease severity was determined via Clinical Dementia Rating scale global scores. Results In the total sample (all levels of CDR scores), the combination of biomarkers, cognitive test score, and demographics yielded the obtained sensitivity (SN) of 0.94, specificity (SP) of 0.90 and an overall accuracy of 0.92. When examining early AD cases (i.e. CDR=0.5-1), the biomarker-cognitive profile yielded SN of 0.94, SP of 0.85 and an overall accuracy of 0.91. When restricted to very early AD cases (i.e CDR=0.5), the biomarker-cognitive profile yielded SN of 0.97, SP of 0.72 with an overall accuracy of 0.91. Conclusions The combination of demographics + 2 biomarkers + 1 cognitive test created a biomarker-cognitive profile that was highly accurate in detecting AD presence, even in the very early stages. This work demonstrates the complementary nature of each modality (blood biomarkers + neuropsychological assessment) and supports our previously proposed concept for Molecular Neuropsychology. PMID:24916542

A systematic review of the effects of experimental fasting on cognition.

PubMed

Benau, Erik M; Orloff, Natalia C; Janke, E Amy; Serpell, Lucy; Timko, C Alix

2014-06-01

Numerous investigations have been conducted on the impact of short-term fasting on cognition in healthy individuals. Some studies have suggested that fasting is associated with executive function deficits; however, findings have been inconsistent. The lack of consensus regarding the impact of short-term fasting in healthy controls has impeded investigation of the impact of starvation or malnutrition in clinical groups, such as anorexia nervosa (AN). One method of disentangling these effects is to examine acute episodes of starvation experimentally. The present review systematically investigated the impact of short-term fasting on cognition. Studies investigating attentional bias to food-related stimuli were excluded so as to focus on general cognition. Ten articles were included in the review. The combined results are equivocal: several studies report no observable differences as a result of fasting and others show specific deficits on tasks designed to test psychomotor speed, executive function, and mental rotation. This inconsistent profile of fasting in healthy individuals demonstrates the complexity of the role of short-term fasting in cognition; the variety of tasks used, composition of the sample, and type and duration of fasting across studies may also have contributed to the inconsistent profile. Additional focused studies on neuropsychological profiles of healthy individuals are warranted in order to better develop an understanding of the role of hunger in cognition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The unwary purchaser: consumer psychology and the regulation of commerce in America.

PubMed

Pettit, Michael J

2007-01-01

Starting in the 1870s, American jurists deciding cases of trademark infringement began advancing arguments that the ordinary purchaser was an unwary one, easily deceived by imitations. Embedded within their legal decisions was a vision of the typical consumers' habitual behavior and cognitive ability. In response to legal critics who argued that the presumed psychology of the consumer was unevenly deployed, applied psychologists developed laboratory-based experiments and scales for determining the likelihood that the "average" purchaser would be confused. Although these psychologists failed in their goal of securing regular legal patronage, this commercial context and the resulting experiments were constitutive of the delineation of "recognition" as a distinct mental process. Furthermore, this case study complicates the scholarly consensus about the role of standardization and personal responsibility in the liberal administration of mass society.

Cognitive and Academic Profiles Associated with Math Disability Subtypes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubas, Hanna A.; Schmid, Amy D.; Drefs, Michelle A.; Poole, Jennifer M.; Holland, Sara; Fiorello, Catherine A.

2014-01-01

Children with math disabilities (MD) represent a heterogeneous group and often display deficits in one or more cognitive domains. Math proficiency requires a number of different cognitive processes, including quantitative knowledge, working memory, processing speed, fluid reasoning, and executive functions. Assessment practices that do not address…

Cognitive Subclinical Markers in Autism: Brief Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smalley, Susan L.; Asarnow, Robert F.

1990-01-01

The study compared 9 nonretarded autistic males and 25 of their first-degree relatives with 22 control relatives, to identify potential cognitive subclinical markers in autism and differences in emotion recognition and labeling. Subjects showed an atypical cognitive profile with above average visuospatial ability and difficulty in recognizing…

Improving Social Cognition in People with Schizophrenia with RC2S: Two Single-Case Studies.

PubMed

Peyroux, Elodie; Franck, Nicolas

2016-01-01

Difficulties in social interactions are a central characteristic of people with schizophrenia, and can be partly explained by impairments of social cognitive processes. New strategies of cognitive remediation have been recently developed to target these deficits. The RC2S therapy is an individualized and partly computerized program through which patients practice social interactions and develop social cognitive abilities with simulation techniques in a realistic environment. Here, we present the results of two case-studies involving two patients with schizophrenia presenting with specific profiles of impaired social cognition. Each patient completed three baseline sessions, 14 treatment sessions, and 3 follow-up sessions at the end of the therapy - and for 1 patient, another 3 sessions 9 months later. We used a multiple baseline design to assess specific components of social cognition according to the patients' profiles. Functioning and symptomatology were also assessed at the end of the treatment and 6 months later. Results highlight significant improvements in the targeted social cognitive processes and positive changes in functioning in the long term. The RC2S program seems, thus, to be a new useful program for social cognitive remediation in schizophrenia.

Improving Social Cognition in People with Schizophrenia with RC2S: Two Single-Case Studies

PubMed Central

Peyroux, Elodie; Franck, Nicolas

2016-01-01

Difficulties in social interactions are a central characteristic of people with schizophrenia, and can be partly explained by impairments of social cognitive processes. New strategies of cognitive remediation have been recently developed to target these deficits. The RC2S therapy is an individualized and partly computerized program through which patients practice social interactions and develop social cognitive abilities with simulation techniques in a realistic environment. Here, we present the results of two case-studies involving two patients with schizophrenia presenting with specific profiles of impaired social cognition. Each patient completed three baseline sessions, 14 treatment sessions, and 3 follow-up sessions at the end of the therapy – and for 1 patient, another 3 sessions 9 months later. We used a multiple baseline design to assess specific components of social cognition according to the patients’ profiles. Functioning and symptomatology were also assessed at the end of the treatment and 6 months later. Results highlight significant improvements in the targeted social cognitive processes and positive changes in functioning in the long term. The RC2S program seems, thus, to be a new useful program for social cognitive remediation in schizophrenia. PMID:27199776

Strengths and weaknesses in the cognitive profile of youngsters with Prader-Willi syndrome.

PubMed

Curfs, L M; Wiegers, A M; Sommers, J R; Borghgraef, M; Fryns, J P

1991-12-01

In this report we present the results of a study of the intellectual functioning and cognitive profile of 26 Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) patients. The mean IQ score was 62.3 (range 39-96). In 13 patients a significant difference between verbal and performance IQ was found. In 10 of them the performance IQ was higher than the verbal. The results of subtest analysis indicate that cognitive strengths are more visible than cognitive weaknesses. Highest scores were noted especially in the performance scale, i.e. Block Design (9 children) and Coding or Mazes (5 children). Analysis of all available data indicates that PWS patients score better on visual motor discrimination skills than on auditory verbal processing skills. These results are promising for intervention programs and education strategies.

Harvesting Productionin Uneven-Aged Loblolly-Shortleaf Pine Stands:The Crossett Farm Forestry Forties

Treesearch

R. Kluender; B. Stokes; S. Woodfin

1992-01-01

Twostands managed using uneven-aged techniques werehar- vested aspar-t of a5-year entry schedule. Felling and skidding productivity varied significantly with average stem diameter and volume and was affected by diameter distribution of the removed material.

Cognitive Characteristics of Children with Genetic Syndromes

PubMed Central

Simon, Tony J.

2008-01-01

The cognitive profile of several different populations of children, each with a distinct neurogenetic disorder that has been described as fitting the pattern of a “nonverbal learning disorder”, is examined. In particular, this paper presents the view that a cognitive endophenotype, specified in terms of specific cognitive processes involving the spatial, temporal and attentional domains, can be used to generate an explanation of the neurocognitive foundation of the common impairments found in these disorders. Methods for evaluating cognitive impairments are first compared and contrasted and the concept of “nonverbal learning disorders” is described. The paper then examines data from experimental tests of spatiotemporal and executive cognitive function acquired from children with one of several disorders to determine whether such a cognitive endophenotype holds promise for moving from descriptions of to explanations for the impairments observed and whether prescriptions for therapeutic interventions might flow from such an account. Synopsis This paper presents the cognitive profile observed in children with one of several common genetic syndromes associated with “nonverbal learning disorders”. It introduces the concept of a cognitive endophenotype in order to help explain the similar pattern of impairments across the syndromes. It explores the explanation of diverse impairments in higher-order visual, spatial, temporal, numerical and executive cognitive competencies deriving from origins in more basic attentional and spatial cognitive dysfunctions. The importance of a developmental approach to understanding dysfunction is stressed. PMID:17562581

The program structure does not reliably recover the correct population structure when sampling is uneven: subsampling and new estimators alleviate the problem.

PubMed

Puechmaille, Sebastien J

2016-05-01

Inferences of population structure and more precisely the identification of genetically homogeneous groups of individuals are essential to the fields of ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation biology. Such population structure inferences are routinely investigated via the program structure implementing a Bayesian algorithm to identify groups of individuals at Hardy-Weinberg and linkage equilibrium. While the method is performing relatively well under various population models with even sampling between subpopulations, the robustness of the method to uneven sample size between subpopulations and/or hierarchical levels of population structure has not yet been tested despite being commonly encountered in empirical data sets. In this study, I used simulated and empirical microsatellite data sets to investigate the impact of uneven sample size between subpopulations and/or hierarchical levels of population structure on the detected population structure. The results demonstrated that uneven sampling often leads to wrong inferences on hierarchical structure and downward-biased estimates of the true number of subpopulations. Distinct subpopulations with reduced sampling tended to be merged together, while at the same time, individuals from extensively sampled subpopulations were generally split, despite belonging to the same panmictic population. Four new supervised methods to detect the number of clusters were developed and tested as part of this study and were found to outperform the existing methods using both evenly and unevenly sampled data sets. Additionally, a subsampling strategy aiming to reduce sampling unevenness between subpopulations is presented and tested. These results altogether demonstrate that when sampling evenness is accounted for, the detection of the correct population structure is greatly improved. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cognitive Profiles Associated with Responsiveness to Fraction Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krowka, Sarah K.; Fuchs, Lynn S.

2017-01-01

This study examined differences in cognitive processing between 4th-grade students who respond adequately, as opposed to inadequately, to intervention on 3 fraction outcomes: number-line estimation, calculation, and word problems. Students were assessed on 7 cognitive processes and on the 3 fraction outcomes. Students were grouped as adequate or…

A Comparison of Cognitive Flexibility and Metalinguistic Skills in Adult Good and Poor Comprehenders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cartwright, Kelly B.; Bock, Allison M.; Coppage, Elizabeth A.; Hodgkiss, Melinda D.; Nelson, Marisa Isaac

2017-01-01

Good and poor comprehenders exhibit different profiles of cognitive abilities, despite comparable decoding skills. Recent work suggests that executive functions, particularly cognitive flexibility, may underlie poor comprehenders' difficulties in childhood and adulthood. However, metalinguistic skills that enable readers to reflect on various…

A Comparative Neuropsychological Test Battery Differentiates Cognitive Signatures of Fragile X and Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kogan, C. S.; Boutet, I.; Cornish, K.; Graham, G. E.; Berry-Kravis, E.; Drouin, A.; Milgram, N. W.

2009-01-01

Background: Standardised neuropsychological and cognitive measures present some limitations in their applicability and generalisability to individuals with intellectual disability (ID). Alternative approaches to defining the cognitive signatures of various forms of ID are needed to advance our understanding of the profiles of strengths and…

A Comparison of Social Cognitive Profiles in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Matter of Quantitative but Not Qualitative Difference?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demopoulos, Carly; Hopkins, Joyce; Davis, Amy

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare social cognitive profiles of children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and ADHD. Participants diagnosed with an ASD (n = 137) were compared to participants with ADHD (n = 436) on tests of facial and vocal affect recognition, social judgment and problem-solving, and parent- and teacher-report…

Technology and informal education: what is taught, what is learned.

PubMed

Greenfield, Patricia M

2009-01-02

The informal learning environments of television, video games, and the Internet are producing learners with a new profile of cognitive skills. This profile features widespread and sophisticated development of visual-spatial skills, such as iconic representation and spatial visualization. A pressing social problem is the prevalence of violent video games, leading to desensitization, aggressive behavior, and gender inequity in opportunities to develop visual-spatial skills. Formal education must adapt to these changes, taking advantage of new strengths in visual-spatial intelligence and compensating for new weaknesses in higher-order cognitive processes: abstract vocabulary, mindfulness, reflection, inductive problem solving, critical thinking, and imagination. These develop through the use of an older technology, reading, which, along with audio media such as radio, also stimulates imagination. Informal education therefore requires a balanced media diet using each technology's specific strengths in order to develop a complete profile of cognitive skills.

Cognitive inconsistency in bipolar patients is determined by increased intra-individual variability in initial phase of task performance.

PubMed

Krukow, Paweł; Szaniawska, Ola; Harciarek, Michał; Plechawska-Wójcik, Małgorzata; Jonak, Kamil

2017-03-01

Bipolar patients show high intra-individual variability during cognitive processing. However, it is not known whether there are a specific fluctuations of variability contributing to the overall high cognitive inconsistency. The objective was to compare dynamic profiles of patients and healthy controls to identify hypothetical differences and their associations with overall variability and processing speed. Changes of reaction times iSD during processing speed test performance over time was measured by dividing the iSD for whole task into four consecutive parts. Motor speed and cognitive effort were controlled. Patients with BD exhibited significantly lower results regarding processing speed and higher intra-individual variability comparing with HC. The profile of intra-individual variability changes over time of performance was significantly different in BD versus HC groups: F(3, 207)=8.60, p<0.0001, η p 2 =0.11. iSD of BD patients in the initial phase of performance was three times higher than in the last. There was no significant differences between four intervals in HC group. Inter-group difference in the initial part of the profiles was significant also after controlling for several cognitive and clinical variables. Applied computer version of Cognitive Speed Test was relatively new and, thus, replication studies are needed. Effect seen in the present study is driven mainly by the BD type I. Patients with BD exhibits problems with setting a stimulus-response association in starting phase of cognitive processing. This deficit may negatively interfere with the other cognitive functions, decreasing level of psychosocial functioning, therefore should be explored in future studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Venus and Mars in the cognitive sky of schizophrenia. Results from the first-step national FACE-SZ cohort.

PubMed

Fond, G; Boyer, L; Leboyer, M; Godin, O; Llorca, P M; Andrianarisoa, M; Berna, F; Brunel, L; Aouizerate, B; Capdevielle, D; Chereau, I; D'Amato, T; Dubertret, C; Dubreucq, J; Faget, C; Gabayet, F; Mallet, J; Misdrahi, D; Rey, R; Lancon, C; Passerieux, C; Roux, P; Vidailhet, P; Yazbek, H; Schürhoff, F; Bulzacka, E

2018-05-01

Sex differences can yield important clues regarding illness pathophysiology and its treatment. Schizophrenia (SZ) has a lower incidence rate, and a better prognosis, in women versus men. The present study investigated the cognitive profiles of both sexes in a large multi-centre sample of community-dwelling SZ patients. 544 community-dwelling stable SZ subjects (141 women and 403 men; mean age 34.5±12.1 and 31.6±8.7years, respectively) were tested with a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests. Although community-dwelling SZ men had more risk factors for impaired cognition (including first-generation antipsychotics administration and comorbid addictive disorders), women had lower scores on a wide range of cognitive functions, including current and premorbid intellectual functioning, working memory, semantic memory, non-verbal abstract thinking and aspects of visual exploration. However, women scored higher in tests of processing speed and verbal learning, as well as having a lower verbal learning bias. No sex difference were evident for visuospatial learning abilities, cued verbal recall, sustained attention and tests of executive functions, including cognitive flexibility, verbal abstract thinking, verbal fluency and planning abilities. Sex differences are evident in the cognitive profiles of SZ patients. The impact on daily functioning and prognosis, as well as longitudinal trajectory, should be further investigated in the FACE-SZ follow-up study. Sex differences in cognition have implications for precision-medicine determined therapeutic strategies. Given the restricted age range of the sample, future research will have to determine cognitive profiles across gender in late onset SZ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Periodic spring-mass running over uneven terrain through feedforward control of landing conditions.

PubMed

Palmer, Luther R; Eaton, Caitrin E

2014-09-01

This work pursues a feedforward control algorithm for high-speed legged locomotion over uneven terrain. Being able to rapidly negotiate uneven terrain without visual or a priori information about the terrain will allow legged systems to be used in time-critical applications and alongside fast-moving humans or vehicles. The algorithm is shown here implemented on a spring-loaded inverted pendulum model in simulation, and can be configured to approach fixed running height over uneven terrain or self-stable terrain following. Offline search identifies unique landing conditions that achieve a desired apex height with a constant stride period over varying ground levels. Because the time between the apex and touchdown events is directly related to ground height, the landing conditions can be computed in real time as continuous functions of this falling time. Enforcing a constant stride period reduces the need for inertial sensing of the apex event, which is nontrivial for physical systems, and allows for clocked feedfoward control of the swing leg.

[Clinical and neuropsychological characteristics in congenital central hypoventilation syndrome].

PubMed

Seijas-Gomez, R; Esteso-Orduna, B; Melero-Llorente, J; Fournier-Del Castillo, M C

2018-05-01

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) syndrome is a rare disease caused by mutations in the PHOX2B gene. Patients show a reduced response to hypercapnia and hypoxia accompanied by diffuse disturbances of the autonomic nervous system and occasionaly also disturbances in neuroimaging. A specific neuropsychological profile has not been described in children and adolescents with CCHS. We describe three cases (aged between 4 and 19 years) with different profiles of affectation in cognitive and functionality. These profiles are compared with the features described in the literature about neuropsychology in CCHS. The profile of functional impairment in the CCHS is variable: in case 1, a severe global developmental delay with autistic features and marked functional involvement is described. In case 2, bilateral atrophy of the hippocampus is associated with involvement in social cognition and in executive functions with moderate functional repercussion. Case 3 shows difficulties in some cognitive executive functions (planning and non-verbal fluency), but without functional repercussion. Neuropsychological assessment can help in the clinical management of these patients by determining and guiding the need for rehabilitation treatments.

Neuropsychological profile in adult schizophrenia measured with the CMINDS.

PubMed

van Erp, Theo G M; Preda, Adrian; Turner, Jessica A; Callahan, Shawn; Calhoun, Vince D; Bustillo, Juan R; Lim, Kelvin O; Mueller, Bryon; Brown, Gregory G; Vaidya, Jatin G; McEwen, Sarah; Belger, Aysenil; Voyvodic, James; Mathalon, Daniel H; Nguyen, Dana; Ford, Judith M; Potkin, Steven G

2015-12-30

Schizophrenia neurocognitive domain profiles are predominantly based on paper-and-pencil batteries. This study presents the first schizophrenia domain profile based on the Computerized Multiphasic Interactive Neurocognitive System (CMINDS(®)). Neurocognitive domain z-scores were computed from computerized neuropsychological tests, similar to those in the Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), administered to 175 patients with schizophrenia and 169 demographically similar healthy volunteers. The schizophrenia domain profile order by effect size was Speed of Processing (d=-1.14), Attention/Vigilance (d=-1.04), Working Memory (d=-1.03), Verbal Learning (d=-1.02), Visual Learning (d=-0.91), and Reasoning/Problem Solving (d=-0.67). There were no significant group by sex interactions, but overall women, compared to men, showed advantages on Attention/Vigilance, Verbal Learning, and Visual Learning compared to Reasoning/Problem Solving on which men showed an advantage over women. The CMINDS can readily be employed in the assessment of cognitive deficits in neuropsychiatric disorders; particularly in large-scale studies that may benefit most from electronic data capture. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of a combined autosomal/Y-chromosomal STR approach for analyzing typical biological stains in sexual-assault cases.

PubMed

Purps, Josephine; Geppert, Maria; Nagy, Marion; Roewer, Lutz

2015-11-01

DNA testing is an established part of the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault. The primary purpose of DNA evidence is to identify a suspect and/or to demonstrate sexual contact. However, due to highly uneven proportions of female and male DNA in typical stains, routine autosomal analysis often fails to detect the DNA of the assailant. To evaluate the forensic efficiency of the combined application of autosomal and Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (STR) markers, we present a large retrospective casework study of probative evidence collected in sexual-assault cases. We investigated up to 39 STR markers by testing combinations of the 16-locus NGMSElect kit with both the 23-locus PowerPlex Y23 and the 17-locus Yfiler kit. Using this dual approach we analyzed DNA extracts from 2077 biological stains collected in 287 cases over 30 months. To assess the outcome of the combined approach in comparison to stand-alone autosomal analysis we evaluated informative DNA profiles. Our investigation revealed that Y-STR analysis added up to 21% additional, highly informative (complete, single-source) profiles to the set of reportable autosomal STR profiles for typical stains collected in sexual-assault cases. Detection of multiple male contributors was approximately three times more likely with Y-chromosomal profiling than with autosomal STR profiling. In summary, 1/10 cases would have remained inconclusive (and could have been dismissed) if Y-STR analysis had been omitted from DNA profiling in sexual-assault cases. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Etching Behavior of Aluminum Alloy Extrusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Hanliang

2014-11-01

The etching treatment is an important process step in influencing the surface quality of anodized aluminum alloy extrusions. The aim of etching is to produce a homogeneously matte surface. However, in the etching process, further surface imperfections can be generated on the extrusion surface due to uneven materials loss from different microstructural components. These surface imperfections formed prior to anodizing can significantly influence the surface quality of the final anodized extrusion products. In this article, various factors that influence the materials loss during alkaline etching of aluminum alloy extrusions are investigated. The influencing variables considered include etching process parameters, Fe-rich particles, Mg-Si precipitates, and extrusion profiles. This study provides a basis for improving the surface quality in industrial extrusion products by optimizing various process parameters.

Neuro- and social-cognitive clustering highlights distinct profiles in adults with anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Renwick, Beth; Musiat, Peter; Lose, Anna; DeJong, Hannah; Broadbent, Hannah; Kenyon, Martha; Loomes, Rachel; Watson, Charlotte; Ghelani, Shreena; Serpell, Lucy; Richards, Lorna; Johnson-Sabine, Eric; Boughton, Nicky; Treasure, Janet; Schmidt, Ulrike

2015-01-01

This study aimed to explore the neuro- and social-cognitive profile of a consecutive series of adult outpatients with anorexia nervosa (AN) when compared with widely available age and gender matched historical control data. The relationship between performance profiles, clinical characteristics, service utilization, and treatment adherence was also investigated. Consecutively recruited outpatients with a broad diagnosis of AN (restricting subtype AN-R: n = 44, binge-purge subtype AN-BP: n = 33 or Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified-AN subtype EDNOS-AN: n = 23) completed a comprehensive set of neurocognitive (set-shifting, central coherence) and social-cognitive measures (Emotional Theory of Mind). Data were subjected to hierarchical cluster analysis and a discriminant function analysis. Three separate, meaningful clusters emerged. Cluster 1 (n = 45) showed overall average to high average neuro- and social- cognitive performance, Cluster 2 (n = 38) showed mixed performance characterized by distinct strengths and weaknesses, and Cluster 3 (n = 17) showed poor overall performance (Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) like cluster). The three clusters did not differ in terms of eating disorder symptoms, comorbid features or service utilization and treatment adherence. A discriminant function analysis confirmed that the clusters were best characterized by performance in perseveration and set-shifting measures. The findings suggest that considerable neuro- and social-cognitive heterogeneity exists in patients with AN, with a subset showing ASD-like features. The value of this method of profiling in predicting longer term patient outcomes and in guiding development of etiologically targeted treatments remains to be seen. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Behavioral profiles in frontal lobe epilepsy: Autobiographic memory versus mood impairment.

PubMed

Rayner, Genevieve; Jackson, Graeme D; Wilson, Sarah J

2015-02-01

Autobiographic memory encompasses the encoding and retrieval of episodes, people, and places encountered in everyday life. It can be impaired in both epilepsy and frontal lobe damage. Here, we performed an initial investigation of how autobiographic memory is impacted by chronic frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) together with its underlying pathology. We prospectively studied a series of nine consecutive patients with medically refractory FLE, relative to 24 matched healthy controls. Seven of the nine patients had frontal lobe structural abnormalities. Episodic and semantic autobiographic memory functioning was profiled, and factors associated with impaired autobiographic memory were identified among epileptologic, neuroimaging, neuropsychiatric, and cognitive variables including auditory-verbal and visual memory, and the executive function of cognitive control. Results showed that the FLE group experienced significantly higher rates of autobiographic memory and mood disturbance (p < 0.001), with detailed assessment of individual patients revealing two profiles of impairment, primarily characterized by cognitive or mood disturbance. Five of the patients (56%) exhibited significant episodic autobiographic memory deficits, whereas in three of these, knowledge of semantic autobiographic facts was preserved. Four of them also had reduced cognitive control. Mood disorder was largely unrelated to poor autobiographic memory. In contrast, the four cases with preserved autobiographic memory were notable for their past or current depressive symptoms. These findings provide preliminary data that frontal lobe seizure activity with its underlying pathology may selectively disrupt large-scale cognitive or affective networks, giving rise to different neurobehavioral profiles that may be used to inform clinical management. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 International League Against Epilepsy.

Five factor model personality traits relate to adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder but not to their distinct neurocognitive profiles.

PubMed

Van Dijk, Fiona E; Mostert, Jeannette; Glennon, Jeffrey; Onnink, Marten; Dammers, Janneke; Vasquez, Alejandro Arias; Kan, Cornelis; Verkes, Robbert Jan; Hoogman, Martine; Franke, Barbara; Buitelaar, Jan K

2017-12-01

Deficits in multiple neuropsychological domains and specific personality profiles have been observed in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this study we investigated whether personality traits are related to neurocognitive profiles in adults with ADHD. Neuropsychological performance and Five Factor Model (FFM) personality traits were measured in adults with ADHD (n = 133) and healthy controls (n = 132). Three neuropsychological profiles, derived from previous community detection analyses, were investigated for personality trait differences. Irrespective of cognitive profile, participants with ADHD showed significantly higher Neuroticism and lower Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness than healthy controls. Only the FFM personality factor Openness differed significantly between the three profiles. Higher Openness was more common in those with aberrant attention and inhibition than those with increased delay discounting and atypical working memory / verbal fluency. The results suggest that the personality trait Openness, but not any other FFM factor, is linked to neurocognitive profiles in ADHD. ADHD symptoms rather than profiles of cognitive impairment have associations with personality traits. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Smart drugs for cognitive enhancement: ethical and pragmatic considerations in the era of cosmetic neurology.

PubMed

Cakic, V

2009-10-01

Reports in the popular press suggest that smart drugs or "nootropics" such as methylphenidate, modafinil and piracetam are increasingly being used by the healthy to augment cognitive ability. Although current nootropics offer only modest improvements in cognitive performance, it appears likely that more effective compounds will be developed in the future and that their off-label use will increase. One sphere in which the use of these drugs may be commonplace is by healthy students within academia. This article reviews the ethical and pragmatic implications of nootropic use in academia by drawing parallels with issues relevant to the drugs in sport debate. It is often argued that performance-enhancing drugs should be prohibited because they create an uneven playing field. However, this appears dubious given that "unfair" advantages are already ubiquitous and generally tolerated by society. There are concerns that widespread use will indirectly coerce non-users also to employ nootropics in order to remain competitive. However, to restrict the autonomy of all people for fear that it may influence the actions of some is untenable. The use of potentially harmful drugs for the purposes of enhancement rather than treatment is often seen as unjustified, and libertarian approaches generally champion the rights of the individual in deciding if these risks are acceptable. Finally, whether the prohibition of nootropics can be effectively enforced is doubtful. As nootropics use becomes widespread among students in the future, discussion of this issue will become more pressing in the years to come.

How applicable is uneven-age management in northern forest types?

Treesearch

Stanley M. Filip

1977-01-01

For the proper application and practice of uneven-age management, one must consider residual stocking, maximum tree-size objective, and diameter distribution. All three components are described, and it is shown how they fit into a practical package for application in a timber tract.

Uneven nutrient load and potential offsite loss

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Landscape and management often results in uneven nutrient loads within a field. The hypotheses of this study are that: 1) phosphorus accumulates at low areas in the landscape adjacent to waterways; and 2) nitrate at lower landscape positions will be decreased in the subsoil due to denitrification an...

Neuropsychological phenotypes among men with and without HIV disease in the multicenter AIDS cohort study.

PubMed

Molsberry, Samantha A; Cheng, Yu; Kingsley, Lawrence; Jacobson, Lisa; Levine, Andrew J; Martin, Eileen; Miller, Eric N; Munro, Cynthia A; Ragin, Ann; Sacktor, Ned; Becker, James T

2018-05-11

Mild forms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) remain prevalent in the combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART) era. This study's objective was to identify neuropsychological subgroups within the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) based on the participant-based latent structure of cognitive function and to identify factors associated with subgroups. The MACS is a four-site longitudinal study of the natural and treated history of HIV disease among gay and bisexual men. Using neuropsychological domain scores we used a cluster variable selection algorithm to identify the optimal subset of domains with cluster information. Latent profile analysis was applied using scores from identified domains. Exploratory and post-hoc analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with cluster membership and the drivers of the observed associations. Cluster variable selection identified all domains as containing cluster information except for Working Memory. A three-profile solution produced the best fit for the data. Profile 1 performed below average on all domains, Profile 2 performed average on executive functioning, motor, and speed and below average on learning and memory, Profile 3 performed at or above average across all domains. Several demographic, cognitive, and social factors were associated with profile membership; these associations were driven by differences between Profile 1 and the other profiles. There is an identifiable pattern of neuropsychological performance among MACS members determined by all domains except Working Memory. Neither HIV nor HIV-related biomarkers were related with cluster membership, consistent with other findings that cognitive performance patterns do not map directly onto HIV serostatus.

Aerobic Physical Exercise Improved the Cognitive Function of Elderly Males but Did Not Modify Their Blood Homocysteine Levels

PubMed Central

Antunes, Hanna Karen M.; De Mello, Marco Túlio; de Aquino Lemos, Valdir; Santos-Galduróz, Ruth Ferreira; Camargo Galdieri, Luciano; Amodeo Bueno, Orlando Francisco; Tufik, Sergio; D'Almeida, Vânia

2015-01-01

Background Physical exercise influences homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations, cognitive function and the metabolic profile. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of regular physical exercise on Hcy levels, the metabolic profile and cognitive function in healthy elderly males before and after an endurance exercise program. Methods Forty-five healthy and sedentary volunteers were randomized into 2 groups: (1) a control group asked not to change their normal everyday activities and not to start any regular physical exercise program and (2) an experimental group trained at a heart rate intensity corresponding to ventilatory threshold 1 (VT-1) for 60 min/day 3 times weekly on alternate days for 6 months using a cycle ergometer. All volunteers underwent cognitive evaluations, blood sample analyses and ergospirometric assessments. Results A significant improvement in cognitive function was observed in the experimental group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). No significant changes in Hcy levels were observed in the experimental group (p > 0.05), but there was a significant increase in peak oxygen consumption and workload at VT-1 as well as a significant improvement in cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, glucose, alkaline phosphatase, urea, T3, T4 and prostate-specific antigen compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion The data suggest that a physical exercise program does not reduce Hcy levels in healthy elderly males, although it improves the cardiovascular and metabolic profile as well as cognitive function. PMID:25759715

Hemodynamic Profiles of Functional and Dysfunctional Forms of Repetitive Thinking.

PubMed

Ottaviani, Cristina; Brosschot, Jos F; Lonigro, Antonia; Medea, Barbara; Van Diest, Ilse; Thayer, Julian F

2017-04-01

The ability of the human brain to escape the here and now (mind wandering) can take functional (problem solving) and dysfunctional (perseverative cognition) routes. Although it has been proposed that only the latter may act as a mediator of the relationship between stress and cardiovascular disease, both functional and dysfunctional forms of repetitive thinking have been associated with blood pressure (BP) reactivity of the same magnitude. However, a similar BP reactivity may be caused by different physiological determinants, which may differ in their risk for cardiovascular pathology. To examine the way (hemodynamic profile) and the extent (compensation deficit) to which total peripheral resistance and cardiac output compensate for each other in determining BP reactivity during functional and dysfunctional types of repetitive thinking. Fifty-six healthy participants randomly underwent a perseverative cognition, a mind wandering, and a problem solving induction, each followed by a 5-min recovery period while their cardiovascular parameters were continuously monitored. Perseverative cognition and problem solving (but not mind wandering) elicited BP increases of similar magnitude. However, perseverative cognition was characterized by a more vascular (versus myocardial) profile compared to mind wandering and problem solving. As a consequence, BP recovery was impaired after perseverative cognition compared to the other two conditions. Given that high vascular resistance and delayed recovery are the hallmarks of hypertension the results suggest a potential mechanism through which perseverative cognition may act as a mediator in the relationship between stress and risk for developing precursors to cardiovascular disease.

Distinct Critical Cerebellar Subregions for Components of Verbal Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Freya E.; Grube, Manon; Von Kriegstein, Katharina; Kumar, Sukhbinder; English, Philip; Kelly, Thomas P.; Chinnery, Patrick F.; Griffiths, Timothy D.

2012-01-01

A role for the cerebellum in cognition has been proposed based on studies suggesting a profile of cognitive deficits due to cerebellar stroke. Such studies are limited in the determination of the detailed organisation of cerebellar subregions that are critical for different aspects of cognition. In this study we examined the correlation between…

Variability of cognitive development in children with Down syndrome: relevance of good reasons for using the cluster procedure.

PubMed

Tsao, R; Kindelberger, C

2009-01-01

The main goal of this cross-sectional study was to demonstrate that, in addition to a main change during childhood, the cognitive development of children with Down syndrome (DS) is characterized by interindividual variability in their cognitive functioning. Eighty-eight French children with DS took part in this experiment. They were divided into six chronological age groups: 6 years (N=9), 7 years (N=19), 8 years (N=18), 9 years (N=19), 10 years (N=14) and 11 years (N=9). They were assessed by means of the Differential Scales of Intellectual Efficiency. This test, composed of six independent scales, measures verbal abilities and nonverbal reasoning abilities. Initial analyses of the verbal and nonverbal subtest scores indicated a main change in cognitive skills. We then used a clustering approach to identify four cognitive profiles that distinguished the children with DS independently of age and gender. The results confirm that there is a growth in the cognitive skills of DS children. They also suggest that the cognitive functioning of DS children is characterized by different individual profiles. Implications for more fine-tuned research and intervention efforts are discussed.

Intertree competition in uneven-aged ponderosa pine stands

Treesearch

C.W. Woodall; C.E. Fiedler; K.S. Milner

2003-01-01

Intertree competition indices and effects were examined in 14 uneven-aged ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum Engelm.) stands in eastern Montana. Location, height, diameter at breast height (DBH), basal area increment, crown ratio, and sapwood area were determined for each tree (DBH >3.8 cm) on one stem-mapped plot...

Facilities Spending Criticized as Uneven

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greifner, Laura

2006-01-01

This article features a report on states and school districts spending almost $600 billion on building and renovating schools from 1995 to 2004, an amount that far exceed earlier expectations. The report also emphasized the uneven facilities spending between minority and affluent districts. Besides receiving the least money for facilities, the…

Ecological Unequal Exchange: International Trade and Uneven Utilization of Environmental Space in the World System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, James

2007-01-01

We evaluate the argument that international trade influences disproportionate cross-national utilization of global renewable natural resources. Such uneven dynamics are relevant to the consideration of inequitable appropriation of environmental space in particular and processes of ecological unequal exchange more generally. Using OLS regression…

Uneven South African Private Enterprise Training: The National Skills Survey of 2003

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paterson, Andrew; Du Toit, Jacques L.

2005-01-01

The South African workforce is characterised by racial, gender, occupational and sectoral unevenness in the distribution of skills, employment and training opportunities. This article considers how enterprise training in South Africa contributes to ameliorating, sustaining or exacerbating such inequalities. Using data from the National Skills…

Managing uneven-aged stands

Treesearch

Jay R. Law; Craig G. Lorimer

1989-01-01

Maintaining uneven-aged stands involves cutting trees from a range of diameter classes in such a way that the residual stand has a balanced, steeply descending diameter distribution curve (fig. 1). The objective is to distribute trees by diameter classes so that over time the stand contains trees of different ages and sizes.

Uneven Youth Resistance across Uneven School Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hidalgo, Nicole

2011-01-01

This postcard compares youth resistance across classroom contexts. It draws from a two-year ethnography of the East Oakland Step to College (Step) program, which prepared underserved African-American and Latina/o youth to enroll in four-year universities, while nurturing students' sensibilities to fight for social justice. Students were highly…

Poverty and Uneven Development: Reflections from a Street Children Project in the Philippines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silva, Teresita

1996-01-01

Discusses causes of the street children phenomenon in the Philippines, emphasizing how uneven development and unequal social order affect socioeconomic, political, and cultural spheres. Examines contributors to poverty--government allocation of funds for debt repayment and military and widespread graft. Notes that street children are often…

Nonlinear Programming Models to Optimize Uneven-Aged Shortleaf Pine Management

Treesearch

Benedict J. Schulte; Joseph Buongiorno

2002-01-01

Nonlinear programming models of uneven-aged shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) management were developed to identify sustainable management regimes that optimize soil expectation value (SEV) or annual sawtimber yields. The models recognize three species groups (shortleaf pine and other softwoods, soft hardwoods and hard hardwoods) and 13 2-inch...

A Test of the Exponential Distribution for Stand Structure Definition in Uneven-aged Loblolly-Shortleaf Pine Stands

Treesearch

Paul A. Murphy; Robert M. Farrar

1981-01-01

In this study, 588 before-cut and 381 after-cut diameter distributions of uneven-aged loblolly-shortleaf pinestands were fitted to two different forms of the exponential probability density function. The left truncated and doubly truncated forms of the exponential were used.

The neuropsychology of male adults with high-functioning autism or asperger syndrome.

PubMed

Wilson, C Ellie; Happé, Francesca; Wheelwright, Sally J; Ecker, Christine; Lombardo, Michael V; Johnston, Patrick; Daly, Eileen; Murphy, Clodagh M; Spain, Debbie; Lai, Meng-Chuan; Chakrabarti, Bhismadev; Sauter, Disa A; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Murphy, Declan G M

2014-10-01

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is diagnosed on the basis of behavioral symptoms, but cognitive abilities may also be useful in characterizing individuals with ASD. One hundred seventy-eight high-functioning male adults, half with ASD and half without, completed tasks assessing IQ, a broad range of cognitive skills, and autistic and comorbid symptomatology. The aims of the study were, first, to determine whether significant differences existed between cases and controls on cognitive tasks, and whether cognitive profiles, derived using a multivariate classification method with data from multiple cognitive tasks, could distinguish between the two groups. Second, to establish whether cognitive skill level was correlated with degree of autistic symptom severity, and third, whether cognitive skill level was correlated with degree of comorbid psychopathology. Fourth, cognitive characteristics of individuals with Asperger Syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) were compared. After controlling for IQ, ASD and control groups scored significantly differently on tasks of social cognition, motor performance, and executive function (P's < 0.05). To investigate cognitive profiles, 12 variables were entered into a support vector machine (SVM), which achieved good classification accuracy (81%) at a level significantly better than chance (P < 0.0001). After correcting for multiple correlations, there were no significant associations between cognitive performance and severity of either autistic or comorbid symptomatology. There were no significant differences between AS and HFA groups on the cognitive tasks. Cognitive classification models could be a useful aid to the diagnostic process when used in conjunction with other data sources-including clinical history. © 2014 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Socio-cognitive profiles for visual learning in young and older adults

PubMed Central

Christian, Julie; Goldstone, Aimee; Kuai, Shu-Guang; Chin, Wynne; Abrams, Dominic; Kourtzi, Zoe

2015-01-01

It is common wisdom that practice makes perfect; but why do some adults learn better than others? Here, we investigate individuals’ cognitive and social profiles to test which variables account for variability in learning ability across the lifespan. In particular, we focused on visual learning using tasks that test the ability to inhibit distractors and select task-relevant features. We tested the ability of young and older adults to improve through training in the discrimination of visual global forms embedded in a cluttered background. Further, we used a battery of cognitive tasks and psycho-social measures to examine which of these variables predict training-induced improvement in perceptual tasks and may account for individual variability in learning ability. Using partial least squares regression modeling, we show that visual learning is influenced by cognitive (i.e., cognitive inhibition, attention) and social (strategic and deep learning) factors rather than an individual’s age alone. Further, our results show that independent of age, strong learners rely on cognitive factors such as attention, while weaker learners use more general cognitive strategies. Our findings suggest an important role for higher-cognitive circuits involving executive functions that contribute to our ability to improve in perceptual tasks after training across the lifespan. PMID:26113820

Effect of eslicarbazepine acetate and oxcarbazepine on cognition and psychomotor function in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Milovan, Denise; Almeida, Luis; Romach, Myroslava K; Nunes, Teresa; Rocha, José Francisco; Sokowloska, Marta; Sellers, Edward M; Soares-da-Silva, Patrício

2010-08-01

The results of two single-blind studies conducted to evaluate the cognitive and psychomotor effects of eslicarbazepine acetate and oxcarbazepine following single and repeated administration in healthy volunteers are reported. The cognitive and psychomotor evaluation consisted of several computerized and paper-and-pencil measures. Eslicarbazepine acetate and oxcarbazepine had similar overall cognitive profiles and did not cause clinically relevant cognitive impairment. The incidence of adverse events was lower with eslicarbazepine acetate than with oxcarbazepine. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

WISC-III cognitive profiles in children with developmental dyslexia: specific cognitive disability and diagnostic utility.

PubMed

Moura, Octávio; Simões, Mário R; Pereira, Marcelino

2014-02-01

This study analysed the usefulness of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition in identifying specific cognitive impairments that are linked to developmental dyslexia (DD) and the diagnostic utility of the most common profiles in a sample of 100 Portuguese children (50 dyslexic and 50 normal readers) between the ages of 8 and 12 years. Children with DD exhibited significantly lower scores in the Verbal Comprehension Index (except the Vocabulary subtest), Freedom from Distractibility Index (FDI) and Processing Speed Index subtests, with larger effect sizes than normal readers in Information, Arithmetic and Digit Span. The Verbal-Performance IQs discrepancies, Bannatyne pattern and the presence of FDI; Arithmetic, Coding, Information and Digit Span subtests (ACID) and Symbol Search, Coding, Arithmetic and Digit Span subtests (SCAD) profiles (full or partial) in the lowest subtests revealed a low diagnostic utility. However, the receiver operating characteristic curve and the optimal cut-off score analyses of the composite ACID; FDI and SCAD profiles scores showed moderate accuracy in correctly discriminating dyslexic readers from normal ones. These results suggested that in the context of a comprehensive assessment, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition provides some useful information about the presence of specific cognitive disabilities in DD. Practitioner Points. Children with developmental dyslexia revealed significant deficits in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition subtests that rely on verbal abilities, processing speed and working memory. The composite Arithmetic, Coding, Information and Digit Span subtests (ACID); Freedom from Distractibility Index and Symbol Search, Coding, Arithmetic and Digit Span subtests (SCAD) profile scores showed moderate accuracy in correctly discriminating dyslexics from normal readers. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition may provide some useful information about the presence of specific cognitive disabilities in developmental dyslexia. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A systematic review of cognitive functioning among young people who have experienced homelessness, foster care, or poverty.

PubMed

Fry, Charlotte E; Langley, Kate; Shelton, Katherine H

2017-11-01

Young people who have experienced homelessness, foster care, or poverty are among the most disadvantaged in society. This review examines whether young people who have these experiences differ from their non-disadvantaged peers with respect to their cognitive skills and abilities, and whether cognitive profiles differ between these three groups. Three electronic databases were systematically searched for articles published between 1 January 1995 and 1 February 2015 on cognitive functioning among young people aged 15 to 24 years who have experienced homelessness, foster care, or poverty. Articles were screened using pre-determined inclusion criteria, then the data were extracted, and its quality assessed. A total of 31 studies were included. Compared to non-disadvantaged youth or published norms, cognitive performance was generally found to be impaired in young people who had experienced homelessness, foster care, or poverty. A common area of difficulty across all groups is working memory. General cognitive functioning, attention, and executive function deficits are shared by the homeless and poverty groups. Creativity emerges as a potential strength for homeless young people. The cognitive functioning of young people with experiences of impermanent housing and poverty has been relatively neglected and more research is needed to further establish cognitive profiles and replicate the findings reviewed here. As some aspects of cognitive functioning may show improvement with training, these could represent a target for intervention.

Assessing cognitive functioning in ALS: A focus on frontal lobe processes.

PubMed

Gillingham, S M; Yunusova, Y; Ganda, A; Rogaeva, E; Black, S E; Stuss, D T; Zinman, L

2017-05-01

It is generally acknowledged that at least 50% of individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) will exhibit cognitive deficits outside of the characteristic motor neuron involvement. However, a specific cognitive profile has been difficult to ascertain due to disease-related testing barriers and limitations in the sensitivity and specificity of available assessment methods. This study assessed the level of functioning of extramotor frontal cognitive processes in ALS, and the amount of change in the functioning in these processes over time as disease progresses. Empirical tests validated for a model of frontal lobe functioning were modified into an assessment battery appropriate for individuals with ALS in a clinical setting (the ALS-CFB, Computerised Frontal Battery). Twenty ALS participants and 36 age- and education-matched neurologically healthy controls were tested, and a sub-sample of each group (11 ALS and 20 controls) re-tested after approximately nine months. Compared to standard neuropsychological screening tests that did not show a difference between ALS participants and healthy controls, the ALS-CFB illustrated a profile of extramotor frontal dysfunction involving energisation (preparing the neural system to respond) and executive functions, a profile that may be indicative of the nature of neurodegeneration in ALS.

Blood Biomarker Profile of TBI-Associated Cognitive Impairment Among Old and Young Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

define the biomarker profile of TBI-associated cognitive impairment (CI) in veterans and compare it to that of veterans with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD...controls who have not had a TBI, and that 2) TBI-associated CI will be associated with elevations in inflammatory markers compared to controls and 3) a...decrease in b-amyloid measures compared to controls but not as low as in the setting of AD. We recently completed enrollment. Data from 160 participants

Contextual and Developmental Differences in the Neural Architecture of Cognitive Control.

PubMed

Petrican, Raluca; Grady, Cheryl L

2017-08-09

Because both development and context impact functional brain architecture, the neural connectivity signature of a cognitive or affective predisposition may similarly vary across different ages and circumstances. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the effects of age and cognitive versus social-affective context on the stable and time-varying neural architecture of inhibition, the putative core cognitive control component, in a subsample ( N = 359, 22-36 years, 174 men) of the Human Connectome Project. Among younger individuals, a neural signature of superior inhibition emerged in both stable and dynamic connectivity analyses. Dynamically, a context-free signature emerged as stronger segregation of internal cognition (default mode) and environmentally driven control (salience, cingulo-opercular) systems. A dynamic social-affective context-specific signature was observed most clearly in the visual system. Stable connectivity analyses revealed both context-free (greater default mode segregation) and context-specific (greater frontoparietal segregation for higher cognitive load; greater attentional and environmentally driven control system segregation for greater reward value) signatures of inhibition. Superior inhibition in more mature adulthood was typified by reduced segregation in the default network with increasing reward value and increased ventral attention but reduced cingulo-opercular and subcortical system segregation with increasing cognitive load. Failure to evidence this neural profile after the age of 30 predicted poorer life functioning. Our results suggest that distinguishable neural mechanisms underlie individual differences in cognitive control during different young adult stages and across tasks, thereby underscoring the importance of better understanding the interplay among dispositional, developmental, and contextual factors in shaping adaptive versus maladaptive patterns of thought and behavior. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The brain's functional architecture changes across different contexts and life stages. To test whether the neural signature of a trait similarly varies, we investigated cognitive versus social-affective context effects on the stable and time-varying neural architecture of inhibition during a period of neurobehavioral fine-tuning (age 22-36 years). Younger individuals with superior inhibition showed distinguishable context-free and context-specific neural profiles, evidenced in both static and dynamic connectivity analyses. More mature individuals with superior inhibition evidenced only context-specific profiles, revealed in the static connectivity patterns linked to increased reward or cognitive load. Delayed expression of this profile predicted poorer life functioning. Our results underscore the importance of understanding the interplay among dispositional, developmental, and contextual factors in shaping behavior. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/377711-16$15.00/0.

Differential cognitive profiles of intimate partner violence perpetrators based on alcohol consumption.

PubMed

Vitoria-Estruch, Sara; Romero-Martínez, Angel; Lila, Marisol; Moya-Albiol, Luis

2018-08-01

Despite extensive evidence of heterogeneity in intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrator profiles, there has been little research into neuropsychological deficits that might help us understand differences within this violent population. Moreover, studies on this topic have not paid much attention to the role of alcohol abuse in neuropsychological domains of IPV perpetrators. Hence, the current study was designed to examine neuropsychological differences among individuals who have committed domestic violence with high (n = 28, HA) and low (n = 35, LA) levels of alcohol consumption, and non-violent individuals (n = 37) to establish differential neuropsychological profiles. An exhaustive neuropsychological assessment battery was employed which combined the computer-based Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery with pencil-and-paper measures. Compared to controls, HA IPV perpetrators had slower processing speed and significantly more impairments in attentional set-shifting or switch attention, working and long-term memory, cognitive flexibility, planning, decision-making, emotion decoding skills, and perspective taking. Furthermore, there were differences between IPV perpetrator subgroups in attentional set-shifting or switch attention and cognitive empathy, with HA IPV perpetrators displaying more severe impairments in both cognitive domains than LA IPV perpetrators. Finally, the LA IPV perpetrators had significantly more impairments in working and long-term memory, executive functioning, and emotion decoding skills than controls, but they did not differ in processing speed, attentional set-shifting or switch attention, decision making, or perspective taking. Thus, the current findings suggest that IPV perpetrators with neuropsychological difficulties, especially those who are heavy drinkers, may have the greatest need for cognitive interventions. These cognitive deficits could be employed as targets for developing specific cognitive rehabilitation programs adjuvant to psychotherapeutic intervention for IPV perpetrators. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[A motivational approach of cognitive efficiency in nursing home residents].

PubMed

Clément, Evelyne; Vivicorsi, Bruno; Altintas, Emin; Guerrien, Alain

2014-06-01

Despite a widespread concern with self-determined motivation (behavior is engaged in "out of pleasure" or "out of choice and valued as being important") and psychological adjustment in later life (well-being, satisfaction in life, meaning of life, or self-esteem), very little is known about the existence and nature of the links between self-determined motivation and cognitive efficiency. The aim of the present study was to investigate theses links in nursing home residents in the framework of the Self-determination theory (SDT) (Deci & Ryan, 2002), in which motivational profile of a person is determined by the combination of different kinds of motivation. We hypothesized that self-determined motivation would lead to higher cognitive efficiency. Participants. 39 (32 women and 7 men) elderly nursing home residents (m= 83.6 ± 9.3 year old) without any neurological or psychiatric disorders (DSM IV) or depression or anxiety (Hamilton depression rating scales) were included in the study. Methods. Cognitive efficiency was evaluated by two brief neuropsychological tests, the Mini mental state examination (MMSE) and the Frontal assessment battery (FAB). The motivational profile was assessed by the Elderly motivation scale (Vallerand & 0'Connor, 1991) which includes four subscales assessing self- and non-self determined motivation to engage oneself in different domains of daily life activity. Results. The neuropsychological scores were positively and significantly correlated to self-determined extrinsic motivation (behavior is engaged in "out of choice" and valued as being important), and the global self-determination index (self-determined motivational profile) was the best predictor of the cognitive efficiency. Conclusion. The results support the SDT interest for a qualitative assessment of the motivation of the elderly people and suggest that a motivational approach of cognitive efficiency could help to interpret cognitive performances exhibited during neuropsychological assessment.

The contribution of CLIP2 haploinsufficiency to the clinical manifestations of the Williams-Beuren syndrome.

PubMed

Vandeweyer, Geert; Van der Aa, Nathalie; Reyniers, Edwin; Kooy, R Frank

2012-06-08

Williams-Beuren syndrome is a rare contiguous gene syndrome, characterized by intellectual disability, facial dysmorphisms, connective-tissue abnormalities, cardiac defects, structural brain abnormalities, and transient infantile hypercalcemia. Genes lying telomeric to RFC2, including CLIP2, GTF2I and GTF2IRD1, are currently thought to be the most likely major contributors to the typical Williams syndrome cognitive profile, characterized by a better-than-expected auditory rote-memory ability, a relative sparing of language capabilities, and a severe visual-spatial constructive impairment. Atypical deletions in the region have helped to establish genotype-phenotype correlations. So far, however, hardly any deletions affecting only a single gene in the disease region have been described. We present here two healthy siblings with a pure, hemizygous deletion of CLIP2. A putative role in the cognitive and behavioral abnormalities seen in Williams-Beuren patients has been suggested for this gene on the basis of observations in a knock-out mouse model. The presented siblings did not show any of the clinical features associated with the syndrome. Cognitive testing showed an average IQ for both and no indication of the Williams syndrome cognitive profile. This shows that CLIP2 haploinsufficiency by itself does not lead to the physical or cognitive characteristics of the Williams-Beuren syndrome, nor does it lead to the Williams syndrome cognitive profile. Although contribution of CLIP2 to the phenotype cannot be excluded when it is deleted in combination with other genes, our results support the hypothesis that GTF2IRD1 and GTF2I are the main genes causing the cognitive defects associated with Williams-Beuren syndrome. Copyright © 2012 The American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Personal mobility and manipulation using robotics, artificial intelligence and advanced control.

PubMed

Cooper, Rory A; Ding, Dan; Grindle, Garrett G; Wang, Hongwu

2007-01-01

Recent advancements of technologies, including computation, robotics, machine learning, communication, and miniaturization technologies, bring us closer to futuristic visions of compassionate intelligent devices. The missing element is a basic understanding of how to relate human functions (physiological, physical, and cognitive) to the design of intelligent devices and systems that aid and interact with people. Our stakeholder and clinician consultants identified a number of mobility barriers that have been intransigent to traditional approaches. The most important physical obstacles are stairs, steps, curbs, doorways (doors), rough/uneven surfaces, weather hazards (snow, ice), crowded/cluttered spaces, and confined spaces. Focus group participants suggested a number of ways to make interaction simpler, including natural language interfaces such as the ability to say "I want a drink", a library of high level commands (open a door, park the wheelchair, ...), and a touchscreen interface with images so the user could point and use other gestures.

[Language acquisition in preterm infants during the first year of life].

PubMed

Nazzi, T; Nishibayashi, L L; Berdasco-Muñoz, E; Baud, O; Biran, V; Gonzalez-Gomez, N

2015-10-01

Previous studies have shown that preterm children are at a higher risk for cognitive and language delays than full-term children. Most of these studies have concentrated on the effects of prematurity during the preschool or school years, while the effect of preterm birth on the early development of language, much of which occurs during the first year of life, remains very little explored. This article focuses on this crucial period and reviews the studies that have explored early phonological and lexical development in preterm infants. The results of these studies show uneven proficiency in different language subdomains in preterm infants. This raises the possibility that different constraints apply to the acquisition of different linguistic subcomponents in this population, in part as a result of a complex interaction between maturation, experience, and language subdomains. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Neurocognitive Impairments in Deficit and Non-Deficit Schizophrenia and Their Relationships with Symptom Dimensions and Other Clinical Variables

PubMed Central

Zhang, XiangRong; Zhang, XiaoBin; Sha, WeiWei; Yao, ShuQiao; Shu, Ni; Zhang, XiangYang; Zhang, ZhiJun

2015-01-01

Background Deficit schizophrenia (DS) has been proposed as a pathophysiologically distinct subgroup within schizophrenia. Earlier studies focusing on neurocognitive function of DS patients have yielded inconsistent findings ranging from substantial deficits to no significant difference relative to non-deficit schizophrenia patients (NDS). The present study investigated the severity and characteristic patterns of neurocognitive impairments in DS and NDS patients and their relationships with clinical variables. Methods Attention, ideation fluency, cognitive flexibility and visuospatial memory function were assessed in 40 DS patients, 57 NDS patients, and 52 healthy controls by a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Results Both schizophrenia subgroups had overall more severe cognitive impairments than controls while DS performed worse on every neuropsychological measure except the Stroop interference than the NDS patients with age and education as the covariates. Profile analysis found significantly different patterns of cognitive profiles between two patients group mainly due to their differences in attention and cognitive flexibility functions. Age, education, illness duration and negative symptoms were found to have the correlations with cognitive impairments in the NDS group, while only age and the negative symptoms were correlated with the cognitive impairments in the DS group. Multiple regression analyses revealed that sustained attention and cognitive flexibility were the core impaired cognitive domains mediating other cognitive functions in DS and NDS patients respectively. Conclusions DS patients exemplified worse in almost all cognitive domains than NDS patients. Sustained attention and cognitive flexibility might be the key impaired cognitive domains for DS and NDS patients respectively. The present study suggested the DS as a specific subgroup of schizophrenia. PMID:26381645

Neurocognitive Impairments in Deficit and Non-Deficit Schizophrenia and Their Relationships with Symptom Dimensions and Other Clinical Variables.

PubMed

Yu, Miao; Tang, XiaoWei; Wang, Xiang; Zhang, XiangRong; Zhang, XiaoBin; Sha, WeiWei; Yao, ShuQiao; Shu, Ni; Zhang, XiangYang; Zhang, ZhiJun

2015-01-01

Deficit schizophrenia (DS) has been proposed as a pathophysiologically distinct subgroup within schizophrenia. Earlier studies focusing on neurocognitive function of DS patients have yielded inconsistent findings ranging from substantial deficits to no significant difference relative to non-deficit schizophrenia patients (NDS). The present study investigated the severity and characteristic patterns of neurocognitive impairments in DS and NDS patients and their relationships with clinical variables. Attention, ideation fluency, cognitive flexibility and visuospatial memory function were assessed in 40 DS patients, 57 NDS patients, and 52 healthy controls by a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Both schizophrenia subgroups had overall more severe cognitive impairments than controls while DS performed worse on every neuropsychological measure except the Stroop interference than the NDS patients with age and education as the covariates. Profile analysis found significantly different patterns of cognitive profiles between two patients group mainly due to their differences in attention and cognitive flexibility functions. Age, education, illness duration and negative symptoms were found to have the correlations with cognitive impairments in the NDS group, while only age and the negative symptoms were correlated with the cognitive impairments in the DS group. Multiple regression analyses revealed that sustained attention and cognitive flexibility were the core impaired cognitive domains mediating other cognitive functions in DS and NDS patients respectively. DS patients exemplified worse in almost all cognitive domains than NDS patients. Sustained attention and cognitive flexibility might be the key impaired cognitive domains for DS and NDS patients respectively. The present study suggested the DS as a specific subgroup of schizophrenia.

Latent Cognitive Phenotypes in De Novo Parkinson's Disease: A Person-Centered Approach.

PubMed

LaBelle, Denise R; Walsh, Ryan R; Banks, Sarah J

2017-08-01

Cognitive impairment is an important aspect of Parkinson's disease (PD), but there is considerable heterogeneity in its presentation. This investigation aims to identify and characterize latent cognitive phenotypes in early PD. Latent class analysis, a data-driven, person-centered, cluster analysis was performed on cognitive data from the Parkinson's Progressive Markers Initiative baseline visit. This analytic method facilitates identification of naturally occurring endophenotypes. Resulting classes were compared across biomarker, symptom, and demographic data. Six cognitive phenotypes were identified. Three demonstrated consistent performance across indicators, representing poor ("Weak-Overall"), average ("Typical-Overall"), and strong ("Strong-Overall") cognition. The remaining classes demonstrated unique patterns of cognition, characterized by "Strong-Memory," "Weak-Visuospatial," and "Amnestic" profiles. The Amnestic class evidenced greater tremor severity and anosmia, but was unassociated with biomarkers linked with Alzheimer's disease. The Weak-Overall class was older and reported more non-motor features associated with cognitive decline, including anxiety, depression, autonomic dysfunction, anosmia, and REM sleep behaviors. The Strong-Overall class was younger, more female, and reported less dysautonomia and anosmia. Classes were unrelated to disease duration, functional independence, or available biomarkers. Latent cognitive phenotypes with focal patterns of impairment were observed in recently diagnosed individuals with PD. Cognitive profiles were found to be independent of traditional biomarkers and motoric indices of disease progression. Only globally impaired class was associated with previously reported indicators of cognitive decline, suggesting this group may drive the effects reported in studies using variable-based analysis. Longitudinal and neuroanatomical characterization of classes will yield further insight into the evolution of cognitive change in the disease. (JINS, 2017, 23, 551-563).

An Analysis of Cognitive Style Profiles and Related Science Achievement Among Secondary School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogden, William R.; Brewster, Patricia M.

The purpose of this study was to identify cognitive styles for successful and unsuccessful science students at the secondary level. Additional purposes were to identify common and unique elements in these composite cognitive styles and to substantiate the description of the groups of successful and unsuccessful science students according to the…

The Cognitive and Behavioral Characteristics of Children with Low Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alloway, Tracy Packiam; Gathercole, Susan Elizabeth; Kirkwood, Hannah; Elliott, Julian

2009-01-01

This study explored the cognitive and behavioral profiles of children with working memory impairments. In an initial screening of 3,189 five- to eleven-year-olds, 308 were identified as having very low working memory scores. Cognitive skills (IQ, vocabulary, reading, and math), classroom behavior, and self-esteem were assessed. The majority of the…

A Hypermedia Lesson about 1875-1885 Costume: Cognitive Style, Perceptual Modes, Anxiety, Attitude, and Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey, Diane; Simonson, Michael

The purpose of this study was to obtain students' cognitive style profiles and obtain a record of their use of three information modes during the hypermedia lesson, "A Look Backward: An Encounter with Late Victorian Fashion." The study examined relationships among: (1) nine dimensions of cognitive style, as measured by the National…

Relations between Teacher Students' Approaches to Learning, Cognitive and Attributional Strategies, Well-Being, and Study Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heikkila, Annamari; Lonka, Kirsti; Nieminen, Juha; Niemivirta, Markku

2012-01-01

Current theories of learning emphasize the role of motivational and affective aspects in university student learning. The aim of the present study was to examine the interrelations among approaches to learning, self-regulated learning, and cognitive strategies in the context of teacher education. Cognitive-motivational profiles were identified…

Cognitive and Academic Distinctions between Gifted Students with Autism and Asperger Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foley-Nicpon, Megan; Assouline, Susan G.; Stinson, Rebecca D.

2012-01-01

The cognitive and academic profiles of high ability students with autism spectrum disorder were examined. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of autism (high functioning) or Asperger syndrome and at least one ability and/or achievement index standard score of 120 or above. Results indicated that despite the restricted range of cognitive abilities,…

Urban Decline or Disinvestment: Uneven Development, Redlining and the Role of the Insurance Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Squires, Gregory D.; And Others

1979-01-01

Redlining of many urban communities and discrimination against the poor and minorities are common in the insurance industry, and these practices contribute to the deterioration of those communities. The utilization of a structural/disinvestment approach by social scientists should provide additional information about the uneven development of…

An Individual-Tree Growth and Yield Prediction System for Uneven-Aged Shortleaf Pine Stands

Treesearch

Michael M. Huebschmann; Lawrence R. Gering; Thomas B. Lynch; Onesphore Bitoki; Paul A. Murphy

2000-01-01

A system of equations modeling the growth and development of uneven-aged shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) stands is described. The prediction system consists of two main components: (1) a distance-independent, individual-tree simulator containing equations that forecast ingrowth, basal-area growth, probability of survival, total and...

An uneven-aged management strategy: lessons learned

Treesearch

Mark T. Smith; John D. Exline

2002-01-01

Use of an ecosystem approach at a landscape scale to program and guide accomplishments of multi-resource and social objectives has been discussed between researchers and natural resource managers for many years. Presently, great interest exists in the applicability of uneven-aged management practices for such an approach in conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada of...

Fixed and equilibrium endpoint problems in uneven-aged stand management

Treesearch

Robert G. Haight; Wayne M. Getz

1987-01-01

Studies in uneven-aged management have concentrated on the determination of optimal steady-state diameter distribution harvest policies for single and mixed species stands. To find optimal transition harvests for irregular stands, either fixed endpoint or equilibrium endpoint constraints can be imposed after finite transition periods. Penalty function and gradient...

Numerical Modeling of One-Dimensional Steady-State Flow and Contaminant Transport in a Horizontally Heterogeneous Unconfined Aquifer with an Uneven Base

EPA Science Inventory

Algorithms and a short description of the D1_Flow program for numerical modeling of one-dimensional steady-state flow in horizontally heterogeneous aquifers with uneven sloping bases are presented. The algorithms are based on the Dupuit-Forchheimer approximations. The program per...

Silvicultural systems - uneven-aged management

Treesearch

Morris R. Wing

1977-01-01

Uneven-aged Management, to me, indicates some form of partial cutting, perhaps selective cutting or diameter limit control in the harvesting cut, which, in most cases, removes the larger diameter, more mature trees and leaves a residual stand composed of healthy, fast-growing, well-spaced second growth timber, with a good number of trees in the 6"-12"...

Does Prescribed Burning Have a Place in Regenerating Uneven-Aged Loblolly-Shortleaf Pine Stands?

Treesearch

Michael D. Cain; Michael G. Shelton

2002-01-01

Before the 1981 growing season, a study was installed in southeastern Arkansas to examine the effects of three dormant-season burn intervals (low, moderate, and high frequency) and an unburned treatment on natural regeneration in uneven-aged stands of loblolly and shortleaf pines (Pinus taeda and P. echinata, respectively)....

Regenerating uneven-aged stands of loblolly and shortleaf pines: the current state of knowledge

Treesearch

Michael G. Shelton; Michael D. Cain

2000-01-01

Periodic regeneration is crucial to creating or sustaining uneven-aged (UEA) stands of loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf (P. echinata Mill.) pines. Although both species are shade intolerant, they have silvical characteristics that are conducive to natural regeneration in UEA stands. Their seed production is fairly consistent...

Uneven-aged management of northern hardwoods in New England

Treesearch

William B. Leak; Stanley M. Filip

1975-01-01

Three main aspects of uneven-aged management in northern hardwoods are discussed: (1) choice of cutting method, including selection, group selection, and patch selection; (2) control of yields, which involves the establishment of structural goals, the control of marking operations, and the prediction of allowable harvest; and (3) the transportation or removal of...

Understory Vegetation 3 Years after Implementing Uneven-Aged Silviculture in a Shortleaf Pine-Oak Stand

Treesearch

Michael G. Shelton; Paul A. Murphy

1997-01-01

The effects of retaining overstory hardwoods on understory vegetation were determined after implementing uneven-aged silviculture usingsingle-tree selection in a shortleaf pine-oak stand (Pinus echinata Mill. and Quercus spp.) in the Ouachita Mountains. Treatments were the following hardwood basal areas (square feet per acre) and...

Structure and regrowth of longleaf pine forests following uneven-aged silviculture and hurricane disturbance at the Escambia Experimental Forest

Treesearch

Kimberly Bohn; Christel Chancy; Dale Brockway

2015-01-01

In recent decades, considerable attention has been placed on restoring and managing longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) ecosystems across the southeastern United States. Although, historically, these forests have been successfully regenerated following even-aged shelterwood reproduction methods, uneven-aged silviculture has received increasing...

Uneven-aged management of longleaf pine forests: a scientist and manager dialogue

Treesearch

Dale G. Brockway; Kenneth W. Outcalt; James M. Guldin; William D. Boyer; Joan L. Walker; D. Craig Rudolph; Robert B. Rummer; James P. Barnett; Shibu Jose; Jarek Nowak

2005-01-01

Interest in appropriate management approaches for sustaining longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) forests has increased substantially during the recent decade. Although long-leaf pine can be managed using even-aged techniques, interest in uneven-aged methods has grown significantly as a result of concern for sustaining the wide range of ecological...

A Survival Model for Shortleaf Pine Tress Growing in Uneven-Aged Stands

Treesearch

Thomas B. Lynch; Lawrence R. Gering; Michael M. Huebschmann; Paul A. Murphy

1999-01-01

A survival model for shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) trees growing in uneven-aged stands was developed using data from permanently established plots maintained by an industrial forestry company in western Arkansas. Parameters were fitted to a logistic regression model with a Bernoulli dependent variable in which "0" represented...

What does modern technology portend for uneven-aged southern pine silviculture?

Treesearch

Don C. Bragg; Michael G. Shelton; James M. Guldin; Ernest Lovett

2004-01-01

Recent changes in forest technology and market influences may impede the practice of uneven-aged (LEA) silviculture. For example, the use of tree-length systems with mechanized harvesters can unacceptably reduce the density of advanced regeneration, making it difficult to maintain the desired size class distribution. Changes to tree utilization standards, limited...

Characteristics of gaps and natural regeneration in mature longleaf pine flatwoods ecosystems

Treesearch

Jennifer L. Gagnon; Eric J. Jokela; W.K. Moser; Dudley A. Huber

2004-01-01

Developing uneven-aged structure in mature stands of longleaf pine requires scientifically based silvicultural systems that are reliable, productive and sustainable. Understanding seedling responses to varying levels of site resource availability within forest gaps is essential for effectively converting even-aged stands to uneven-aged stands. A project was initiated...

Habitat diversity in uneven-aged northern hardwood stands: a case study

Treesearch

Laura S. Kenefic; Ralph D. Nyland

2000-01-01

Habitat characteristics were quantified in an empirically balanced uneven-aged northern hardwood stand in central New York. Canopy structure, wildlife trees, downed woody material, low cover, and richness and abundance of understory vegetation were assessed. High vertical structural diversity and low horizontal patchiness were associated with the single-tree selection...

Patterns and associates of cognitive function, psychosocial wellbeing and health in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Cognitive function, psychosocial wellbeing and health are important domains of function. Consistencies and inconsistencies in patterns of wellbeing across these domains may be informative about wellbeing in old age and the ways it is manifested amongst individuals. In this study we investigated whether there were groups of individuals with different profiles of scores across these domains. We also aimed to identify characteristics of any evident groups by comparing them on variables that were not used in identifying the groups. Methods The sample was the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936, which included 1091 participants born in 1936. They are a community-dwelling, narrow-age-range sample of 70-year-olds. Most had taken part in the Scottish Mental Survey 1947 at an average age of 11, making available a measure of childhood intelligence. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to explore possible profiles using 9 variables indicating cognitive functioning, psychosocial wellbeing and health status. Demographic, personality, and lifestyle variables – none of which were used in the LCA – were used to characterize the resulting profile groups. Results We accepted a 3-group solution, which we labeled High Wellbeing (65.3%), Low Cognition (20.3%), and Low Bio-Psychosocial (14.5%). Notably, the High Wellbeing group had significantly higher childhood IQ, lower Neuroticism scores, and a lower percentage of current smokers than the other 2 groups. Conclusion The majority of individuals were functioning generally well; however, there was evidence of the presence of groups with different profiles, which may be explained in part in terms of cognitive ability differences. Results suggested that higher life-long intelligence, personality traits associated with less mental distress, and basic health practices such as avoiding smoking are important associates of wellbeing in old age. PMID:24754844

Characterizing associations and dissociations between anxiety, social, and cognitive phenotypes of Williams syndrome

PubMed Central

Ng, Rowena; Järvinen, Anna; Bellugi, Ursula

2014-01-01

Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurogenetic disorder known for its “hypersocial” phenotype and a complex profile of anxieties. The anxieties are poorly understood specifically in relation to the social-emotional and cognitive profiles. To address this gap, we employed a Wechsler intelligence test, the Brief Symptom Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Salk Institute Sociability Questionnaire, to (1) examine how anxiety symptoms distinguish individuals with WS from typically developing (TD) individuals; and (2) assess the associations between three key phenotypic features of WS: intellectual impairment, social-emotional functioning, and anxiety. The results highlighted intensified neurophysiological symptoms and subjective experiences of anxiety in WS. Moreover, whereas higher cognitive ability was positively associated with anxiety in WS, the opposite pattern characterized the TD individuals. This study provides novel insight into how the three core phenotypic features associate/dissociate in WS, specifically in terms of the contribution of cognitive and emotional functioning to anxiety symptoms. PMID:24973548

Paired Studies Comparing Clinical Profiles of Lewy Body Dementia with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases.

PubMed

Scharre, Douglas W; Chang, Shu-Ing; Nagaraja, Haikady N; Park, Ariane; Adeli, Anahita; Agrawal, Punit; Kloos, Anne; Kegelmeyer, Deb; Linder, Shannon; Fritz, Nora; Kostyk, Sandra K; Kataki, Maria

2016-10-04

Limited data compares clinical profiles of Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Twenty-one mildly demented ambulatory LBD subjects were individually matched by MMSE score with 21 AD subjects and by UPDRS motor score with 21 PD subjects. Matched by age, gender, education, and race, pairs were compared using cognitive, functional, behavioral, and motor measures. LBD group performed worse than PD on axial motor, gait, and balance measures. AD had more amnesia and orientation impairments, but less executive and visuospatial deficits than LBD subjects. LBD group had more sleepiness, cognitive/behavioral fluctuations, hallucinations, and sleep apnea than AD or PD. Axial motor, gait, and balance disturbances correlated with executive, visuospatial, and global cognition deficits. LBD is differentiated from AD and PD by retrieval memory, visuospatial, and executive deficits; axial motor, gait and balance impairments; sleepiness, cognitive/behavioral fluctuations, hallucinations, and sleep apnea.

Financial stress response profiles and psychosocial functioning in low-income parents.

PubMed

Perzow, Sarah E D; Bray, Bethany C; Wadsworth, Martha E

2018-06-01

Parenting in the context of poverty is accompanied by heightened stress and heightened stakes. How parents respond to poverty-related stress has important implications for family functioning, but research investigating individual differences in low-income mothers' and fathers' responses to financial stress and their associations with parents' concurrent psychosocial adaptation is lacking. A better understanding of differences in stress responses among low-income parents is required to develop and tailor prevention programs that meet these families' needs. This study applies latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify and describe profiles of financial stress responses (problem solving, emotion regulation, emotion expression, cognitive restructuring, positive thinking, acceptance, distraction, denial, avoidance, wishful thinking, rumination, intrusive thoughts, emotional arousal, physiologic arousal, impulsive action, emotional numbing, cognitive interference, escape, and inaction) and examines associations between profile membership and psychosocial functioning in low-income parents. Five profiles were identified that were distinguished by self-reported voluntary and involuntary financial stress responses: active (32% of sample), low (11%), high (11%), negative cognitive (NC; 17%), and average (29%) responders. Notable differences emerged on measures of life stress, economic hardship, psychopathology, and social support, with individuals in the NC responders profile reporting the most difficulty and members of the active responders profile reporting the greatest adaptation. These findings offer a more nuanced understanding of how mothers and fathers respond to chronic poverty-related stress and have valuable implications for intervention efforts to promote adaptive stress responses and psychosocial functioning in low-income families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

[Clinical heterogeneity of Alzheimer's disease. Different clinical profiles can predict the progression rate].

PubMed

Mangone, C A

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative dementia that may disclose different cognitive, behavioral, psychiatric and functional symptoms since onset. These distinct cognitive profiles support the conception of clinical heterogeneity and account for AD's highly variable rate of progression. In spite of strict diagnostic criteria NINCS ADRDA's and DSM IV the clinical certainty is only about 85%. Mayeux define 4 subtypes: a). Benign: mild cognitive and functional impairment without focal signs and late onset behavioral signs, slow progression; b). Myoclonic: usually of presenile onset with severe cognitive deterioration, mutism and early onset myoclonus; c). Extrapyramidal: early onset akineto rigid signs with severe cognitive, behavioral and psychiatric involvement; d). Typical: gradual and progressive cognitive, behavioral and functional impairment. The differentiation of these subtypes will allow us to define discrete patterns of progression, to define prognostic subgroups, and to homogenize them for clinical research and drug trials. We examined 1000 charts of probable AD patients from the Santojanni Center. We found 42% extrapyramidal, 35% typical, 15% benign and 8% myoclonic. The early onset of parkinsonism and myoclonus predict a rapidly evolving cognitive impairment and a more severe rate of progression with psychiatric disorders and dependency in activities of daily living. (DADL) Patients with low level of education, low cognitive performance at entry as well as those with rapid rate of cognitive deterioration had a faster rate of progression to DADL. Delusions, low level of education, extrapyramidal signs and motor hyperactivity but not hallucinations, and anosognosia were the best non cognitive predictors of DADL.

A novel segmentation method for uneven lighting image with noise injection based on non-local spatial information and intuitionistic fuzzy entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Haiyan; Fan, Jiulun

2017-12-01

Local thresholding methods for uneven lighting image segmentation always have the limitations that they are very sensitive to noise injection and that the performance relies largely upon the choice of the initial window size. This paper proposes a novel algorithm for segmenting uneven lighting images with strong noise injection based on non-local spatial information and intuitionistic fuzzy theory. We regard an image as a gray wave in three-dimensional space, which is composed of many peaks and troughs, and these peaks and troughs can divide the image into many local sub-regions in different directions. Our algorithm computes the relative characteristic of each pixel located in the corresponding sub-region based on fuzzy membership function and uses it to replace its absolute characteristic (its gray level) to reduce the influence of uneven light on image segmentation. At the same time, the non-local adaptive spatial constraints of pixels are introduced to avoid noise interference with the search of local sub-regions and the computation of local characteristics. Moreover, edge information is also taken into account to avoid false peak and trough labeling. Finally, a global method based on intuitionistic fuzzy entropy is employed on the wave transformation image to obtain the segmented result. Experiments on several test images show that the proposed method has excellent capability of decreasing the influence of uneven illumination on images and noise injection and behaves more robustly than several classical global and local thresholding methods.

Color variations of the Quaternary Red Clay in southern China and its paleoclimatic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xue-Feng; Du, Yan; Guan, Chun-Lei; Xue, Yong; Zhang, Gan-Lin

2014-04-01

The red clay and red weathering crust are widely distributed in southern China. To study the possible relationship between soil color and paleoclimatic environment, three color parameters, lightness (L*), redness (a*) and yellowness (b*), of twelve Quaternary Red Clay (QRC) profiles in southern China were measured using a colorimeter. Colors of the QRC profiles vary vertically: a* and b* generally increase downward and L* decreases downwards. Colors of the QRC also show spatial variation: a* and b* generally increase towards the equator; whereas L* increases away from it. Both a* and b* are positively significantly correlated with clay (< 2 μm) content, free Fe (Fed), Fed/Fet ratios and other soil weathering indices of the QRC (ρ < 0.05), and the correlations between a* and the weathering indices are much stronger than those between b* and the indices. a* mainly reflects hematite content in soils. Compared with magnetic susceptibility (χ), a* of the QRC is a more promising paleoclimatic indicator, although it is sometimes disturbed by uneven parent materials and dissolution of hematite by water logging. The upward decrease of a* of the QRC profiles reflects a cooling and drying paleoclimate since the end of the Last Interglacial, and the spatial variation of a* coincides with more optimum hydrothermal conditions in lower-latitude areas of southern China.

Implemented Lomb-Scargle periodogram: a valuable tool for improving cyclostratigraphic research on unevenly sampled deep-sea stratigraphic sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pardo-Iguzquiza, Eulogio; Rodríguez-Tovar, Francisco J.

2011-12-01

One important handicap when working with stratigraphic sequences is the discontinuous character of the sedimentary record, especially relevant in cyclostratigraphic analysis. Uneven palaeoclimatic/palaeoceanographic time series are common, their cyclostratigraphic analysis being comparatively difficult because most spectral methodologies are appropriate only when working with even sampling. As a means to solve this problem, a program for calculating the smoothed Lomb-Scargle periodogram and cross-periodogram, which additionally evaluates the statistical confidence of the estimated power spectrum through a Monte Carlo procedure (the permutation test), has been developed. The spectral analysis of a short uneven time series calls for assessment of the statistical significance of the spectral peaks, since a periodogram can always be calculated but the main challenge resides in identifying true spectral features. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this program, two case studies are presented: the one deals with synthetic data and the other with paleoceanographic/palaeoclimatic proxies. On a simulated time series of 500 data, two uneven time series (with 100 and 25 data) were generated by selecting data at random. Comparative analysis between the power spectra from the simulated series and from the two uneven time series demonstrates the usefulness of the smoothed Lomb-Scargle periodogram for uneven sequences, making it possible to distinguish between statistically significant and spurious spectral peaks. Fragmentary time series of Cd/Ca ratios and δ18O from core AII107-131 of SPECMAP were analysed as a real case study. The efficiency of the direct and cross Lomb-Scargle periodogram in recognizing Milankovitch and sub-Milankovitch signals related to palaeoclimatic/palaeoceanographic changes is demonstrated. As implemented, the Lomb-Scargle periodogram may be applied to any palaeoclimatic/palaeoceanographic proxies, including those usually recovered from contourites, and it holds special interest in the context of centennial- to millennial-scale climatic changes affecting contouritic currents.

Meaning profiles of dwellings, pathways, and metaphors in design: implications for education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casakin, Hernan; Kreitler, Shulamith

2017-11-01

The study deals with the roles and interrelations of the meaning-based assessments of dwellings, pathways and metaphors in design performance. It is grounded in the Meaning Theory [Kreitler, S., and H. Kreitler. 1990. The Cognitive Foundations of Personality Traits. New York: Plenum], which enables identifying the cognitive contents and processes underlying cognitive performance in different domains, thus rendering them more accessible to educational training. The objectives were to identify the components of the meaning profiles of dwellings, pathways, and metaphors as perceived by design students; to analyse their interrelations; and to examine which of the identified components of these constructs serve as best predictors of design performance aided by the use of metaphors. Participants were administered a design task and questionnaires about the Dimensional Profiles of Dwellings, Pathways, and Metaphors, based on the meaning system. Factors based on the factor analyses of the responses to the three questionnaires were used in regression analyses as predictors of the performance score in a design task. The following three factors of the dimensional meaning profiles of metaphors were significant predictors of design performance: sensory, functional, and structural evaluations. Implications for design education are discussed, primarily concerning the important role of metaphor in design problem-solving.

The Neuropsychology of Male Adults With High-Functioning Autism or Asperger Syndrome†

PubMed Central

Wilson, C Ellie; Happé, Francesca; Wheelwright, Sally J; Ecker, Christine; Lombardo, Michael V; Johnston, Patrick; Daly, Eileen; Murphy, Clodagh M; Spain, Debbie; Lai, Meng-Chuan; Chakrabarti, Bhismadev; Sauter, Disa A; Baron-Cohen, Simon; Murphy, Declan G M

2014-01-01

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is diagnosed on the basis of behavioral symptoms, but cognitive abilities may also be useful in characterizing individuals with ASD. One hundred seventy-eight high-functioning male adults, half with ASD and half without, completed tasks assessing IQ, a broad range of cognitive skills, and autistic and comorbid symptomatology. The aims of the study were, first, to determine whether significant differences existed between cases and controls on cognitive tasks, and whether cognitive profiles, derived using a multivariate classification method with data from multiple cognitive tasks, could distinguish between the two groups. Second, to establish whether cognitive skill level was correlated with degree of autistic symptom severity, and third, whether cognitive skill level was correlated with degree of comorbid psychopathology. Fourth, cognitive characteristics of individuals with Asperger Syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) were compared. After controlling for IQ, ASD and control groups scored significantly differently on tasks of social cognition, motor performance, and executive function (P's < 0.05). To investigate cognitive profiles, 12 variables were entered into a support vector machine (SVM), which achieved good classification accuracy (81%) at a level significantly better than chance (P < 0.0001). After correcting for multiple correlations, there were no significant associations between cognitive performance and severity of either autistic or comorbid symptomatology. There were no significant differences between AS and HFA groups on the cognitive tasks. Cognitive classification models could be a useful aid to the diagnostic process when used in conjunction with other data sources—including clinical history. Autism Res 2014, 7: 568–581. © 2014 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:24903974

Autism Developmental Profiles and Cooperation with Oral Health Screening.

PubMed

Du, Rennan Y; Yiu, Cynthia C Y; Wong, Virginia C N; McGrath, Colman P

2015-09-01

To determine the associations between autism developmental profiles and cooperation with an oral health screening among preschool children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). A random sample of Special Child Care Centres registered with the Government Social Welfare Department in Hong Kong was selected (19 out of 37 Centres). All preschool children with ASDs were invited to participate in the oral health survey and 347 children agreed to participate (among 515 invited). A checklist of autism developmental profiles: (1) level of cognitive functioning, (2) social skills development, (3) communication skills development, (4) reading skills and (5) challenging behaviours was ascertained. Feasibility of conducting oral health screening in preschool children with ASDs was associated with their cognitive functioning (p = 0.001), social skills development (p = 0.002), communication skills development (p < 0.001), reading skills (p < 0.001) and challenging behaviours (p = 0.06). In regression analyses accounting for age (in months) and gender, inability to cooperate with an oral health screening was associated with high level of challenging behaviours (OR 10.50, 95 % CI 2.89-38.08, p < 0.001) and reduced cognitive functioning (OR 5.29, 95 % CI 1.14-24.61, p = 0.034). Age (in months) was positively associated with likelihood of cooperative behaviour with an oral health screening (OR 1.06, 95 % CI 1.03, 1.08, p < 0.001). Feasibility of conducting population-wide oral health screening among preschool children with ASDs is associated with their developmental profiles; and in particular levels of cognitive functioning, and challenging behaviours.

Gait profile score and movement analysis profile in patients with Parkinson's disease during concurrent cognitive load

PubMed Central

Speciali, Danielli S.; Oliveira, Elaine M.; Cardoso, Jefferson R.; Correa, João C. F.; Baker, Richard; Lucareli, Paulo R. G.

2014-01-01

Background: Gait disorders are common in individuals with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and the concurrent performance of motor and cognitive tasks can have marked effects on gait. The Gait Profile Score (GPS) and the Movement Analysis Profile (MAP) were developed in order to summarize the data of kinematics and facilitate understanding of the results of gait analysis. Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of the GPS and MAP in the quantification of changes in gait during a concurrent cognitive load while walking in adults with and without PD. Method: Fourteen patients with idiopathic PD and nine healthy subjects participated in the study. All subjects performed single and dual walking tasks. The GPS/MAP was computed from three-dimensional gait analysis data. Results: Differences were found between tasks for GPS (P<0.05) and Gait Variable Score (GVS) (pelvic rotation, knee flexion-extension and ankle dorsiflexion-plantarflexion) (P<0.05) in the PD group. An interaction between task and group was observed for GPS (P<0.01) for the right side (Cohen's ¯d=0.99), left side (Cohen's ¯d=0.91), and overall (Cohen's ¯d=0.88). No interaction was observed only for hip internal-external rotation and foot internal-external progression GVS variables in the PD group. Conclusions: The results showed gait impairment during the dual task and suggest that GPS/MAP may be used to evaluate the effects of concurrent cognitive load while walking in patients with PD. PMID:25054382

Characterizing cognitive aging in humans with links to animal models

PubMed Central

Alexander, Gene E.; Ryan, Lee; Bowers, Dawn; Foster, Thomas C.; Bizon, Jennifer L.; Geldmacher, David S.; Glisky, Elizabeth L.

2012-01-01

With the population of older adults expected to grow rapidly over the next two decades, it has become increasingly important to advance research efforts to elucidate the mechanisms associated with cognitive aging, with the ultimate goal of developing effective interventions and prevention therapies. Although there has been a vast research literature on the use of cognitive tests to evaluate the effects of aging and age-related neurodegenerative disease, the need for a set of standardized measures to characterize the cognitive profiles specific to healthy aging has been widely recognized. Here we present a review of selected methods and approaches that have been applied in human research studies to evaluate the effects of aging on cognition, including executive function, memory, processing speed, language, and visuospatial function. The effects of healthy aging on each of these cognitive domains are discussed with examples from cognitive/experimental and clinical/neuropsychological approaches. Further, we consider those measures that have clear conceptual and methodological links to tasks currently in use for non-human animal studies of aging, as well as those that have the potential for translation to animal aging research. Having a complementary set of measures to assess the cognitive profiles of healthy aging across species provides a unique opportunity to enhance research efforts for cross-sectional, longitudinal, and intervention studies of cognitive aging. Taking a cross-species, translational approach will help to advance cognitive aging research, leading to a greater understanding of associated neurobiological mechanisms with the potential for developing effective interventions and prevention therapies for age-related cognitive decline. PMID:22988439

Prevalence of Ideal Cardiovascular Health and Its Association with Cognitive Function in Older Adults: The Chilean National Health Survey (2009-2010).

PubMed

García-Hermoso, Antonio; Ramírez-Vélez, Robinson; Ramírez-Campillo, Rodrigo; Izquierdo, Mikel

2017-10-23

Health behaviors and risk factors are independently related with cognitive function in older adults. This study aimed at examining the prevalence and relationship between cognitive function and a number of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics in older adults from the 2009 to 2010 Chilean National Health Survey. Data from 460 older adults (mean age 73.5 years old, 59.3% women) from the 2009 to 2010 Chilean Health Survey were analyzed. Ideal CVH was defined as meeting the ideal levels of the following components: four behaviors (smoking, body mass index, physical activity, and diet adherence) and three factors (total cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting glucose). Older adults were grouped into three categories according to their number of ideal CVH metrics: ideal (5-7 metrics), intermediate (3-4 metrics), and poor (0-2 metrics). Cognitive function was assessed by using the modified Mini-Mental Status Examination (mMMSE). Of the 460 participants, 2% had 0 ideal metrics, 11.3% had 1, 23.9% had 2, 32.2% had 3, 20.7% had 4, 9.6% had 5, 0.4% had 6, and 0% had 7. Cognitive function was greater in older adults who met the ideal smoking, physical activity, and fasting blood glucose criteria. Logistic regression analysis suggested that ideal physical activity (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.411 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.209-0.807) and smoking (OR = 0.429 95% CI, 0.095-0.941) behaviors reduced the likelihood of cognitive impairment. Moreover, compared with a poor profile (0-2 metrics), an intermediate (3-4 metrics) (OR = 0.221 95% CI, 0.024-0.911) and ideal CVH profile (5-7 metrics) (OR = 0.106 95% CI, 0.013-0.864) reduced the likelihood of cognitive impairment. We found that intermediate and ideal profiles were associated with a similarly low prevalence of cognitive impairment in Chilean older adults.

Is objective and accurate cognitive assessment across the menstrual cycle possible? A feasibility study

PubMed Central

Neill, Jo; Scally, Andy; Tuffnell, Derek; Marshall, Kay

2015-01-01

Objectives: Variation in plasma hormone levels influences the neurobiology of brain regions involved in cognition and emotion processing. Fluctuations in hormone levels across the menstrual cycle could therefore alter cognitive performance and wellbeing; reports have provided conflicting results, however. The aim of this study was to assess whether objective assessment of cognitive performance and self-reported wellbeing during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle is feasible and investigate the possible reasons for variation in effects previously reported. Methods: The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale were used to assess the cognitive performance and wellbeing of 12 women. Data were analysed by self-reported and hormone-estimated phases of the menstrual cycle. Results: Recruitment to the study and assessment of cognition and wellbeing was without issue. Plasma hormone and peptide estimation showed substantial individual variation and suggests inaccuracy in self-reported menstrual phase estimation. Conclusion: Objective assessment of cognitive performance and self-assessed wellbeing across the menstrual cycle is feasible. Grouping data by hormonal profile rather by self-reported phase estimation may influence phase-mediated results. Future studies should use plasma hormone and peptide profiles to estimate cycle phase and group data for analyses. PMID:26770760

Could schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder be distinguishable using cognitive profiles?

PubMed

Chen, Chih-Ken; Lee, Chun-Yi; Lee, Yu; Hung, Chi-Fa; Huang, Yu-Chi; Lee, Sheng-Yu; Huang, Ming-Chyi; Chong, Mian-Yoon; Chen, Yi-Chih; Wang, Liang-Jen

2018-05-24

This study seeks to determine whether the cognition profiles of patients with schizoaffective disorder (SAD), schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder (BD) are distinguishable. A total of 227 participants, comprising 88 healthy control subjects, 50 patients with SAD, 48 patients with schizophrenia and 41 patients with BD, were recruited. The participants' cognitive functions were evaluated using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). A discriminant functions analysis (DFA) was conducted to determine whether using cognitive performance can be used to distinguish these participant groups. Relative to healthy control subjects, patients with SAD, schizophrenia and BD exhibited significant deficits in all cognitive domains (verbal memory, working memory, motor speed, verbal fluency, attention and processing speed, executive function and a composite BACS score). Among the three patient groups, the schizophrenia group exhibited particularly impaired motor speed, and the BD group performed best in attention, processing speed, executive function and the composite BACS score. The classification accuracy rates of patients with SAD, schizophrenia and BD in the DFA model were 38%, 47.9% and 46.3%, respectively. These findings suggest that the impairments of some cognitive domains were less severe in patients with BD than in patients with schizophrenia or SAD. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A comparison of dynamic and static economic models of uneven-aged stand management

Treesearch

Robert G. Haight

1985-01-01

Numerical techniques have been used to compute the discrete-time sequence of residual diameter distributions that maximize the present net worth (PNW) of harvestable volume from an uneven-aged stand. Results contradicted optimal steady-state diameter distributions determined with static analysis. In this paper, optimality conditions for solutions to dynamic and static...

Sugar maple height-diameter and age-diameter relationships in an uneven-aged northern hardwood stand

Treesearch

Laura S. Kenefic; R.D. Nyland

1999-01-01

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) height-diameter and age-diameter relationships are explored in a balanced uneven-aged northern hardwood stand in central New York. Results show that although both height and age vary considerably with diameter, these relationships can be described by statistically valid equations. The age-diameter relationship...

Best density and structure for uneven-aged northern hardwood management in New England

Treesearch

William B. Leak

2003-01-01

Choice of the best residual density (basal area per acre) and structure (diameter distribution) for uneven-aged management of northern hardwoods is a complex decision that depends on the manager's decision rules, product objectives, site conditions, and - perhaps most important - current stand conditions. In contrast to other recommendations on residual density...

Optimizing the sequence of diameter distributions and selection harvests for uneven-aged stand management

Treesearch

Robert G. Haight; J. Douglas Brodie; Darius M. Adams

1985-01-01

The determination of an optimal sequence of diameter distributions and selection harvests for uneven-aged stand management is formulated as a discrete-time optimal-control problem with bounded control variables and free-terminal point. An efficient programming technique utilizing gradients provides solutions that are stable and interpretable on the basis of economic...

Model forest landscape change in the Missouri Ozarks under alternative management practices

Treesearch

Stephen R. Shifley; Frank R. Thompson; David R. Larsen; William D. Dijak

2000-01-01

We used a spatially explicit landscape model, LANDIS, to simulate the effects of five management alternatives on a 3216 ha forest landscape in southeast Missouri, USA. We compared management alternatives among two intensities of even-aged management with clearcutting, uneven-aged management with group selection harvest, a mixture of even- and uneven-aged management,...

Forest ingrowth prediction model for the Northeastern United States

Treesearch

Linda S. Gribko

1997-01-01

In the last 20 years, there has been a revival of interest in the use of uneven-aged forest management techniques in the production of timber and forest amenity values. Uneven-aged management is coming into renewed favor especially among non-industrial private landowners in the northeastern United States. The practice allows periodic timber removals on relatively small...

Uneven-aged silviculture of longleaf pine

Treesearch

James M. Guldin

2006-01-01

The use of uneven-aged silviculture has increased markedly in the past 20 years. This is especially true in the southern United States, where the use of clearcutting and planting is often viewed as a practice whose emphasis on fiber production results in unacceptable consequences for other values, such as those that benefit from maintenance of continuous forest cover...

Economic considerations of uneven-age hardwood management

Treesearch

H. Clay Smith; Gary W. Miller

1987-01-01

Uneven-age management or partial cutting methods as described in this paper allow foresters to manage eastern hardwood stands and harvest forest products without clearcutting. These methods can involve regular periodic harvests, at least for the short term, based on stand conditions and growing-site capabilities. We are not going to make the decision as to which is the...

Nonlinear programming models to optimize uneven-aged loblolly pine management

Treesearch

Benedict J. Schulte; Joseph. Buongiorno; Kenneth Skog

1999-01-01

Nonlinear programming models of uneven-aged loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) management were developed to identify sustainable management regimes which optimize: 1) soil expectation value (SEV), 2) tree diversity, or 3) annual sawtimber yields. The models use the equations of SouthPro, a site- and density-dependent, multi-species matrix growth and yield model that...

The use of a numerical method to justify the criteria for the maximum settlement of the tank foundation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarasenko, Alexander; Chepur, Petr; Gruchenkova, Alesya

2017-11-01

The article examines the problem of assessing the permissible values of uneven settlement for a vertical steel tank base and foundation. A numerical experiment was performed using a finite element model of the tank. The model took into account the geometric shape of the structure and its additional stiffening elements that affect the stress-strain state of the tank. An equation was obtained that allowed determining the maximum possible deformation of the bottom outer contour during uneven settlement. Depending on the length of the uneven settlement zone, the values of the permissible settlement of the tank base were determined. The article proposes new values of the maximum permissible tank settlement with additional stiffening elements.

Cognitive and Reading Profiles of Two Samples of Canadian First Nations Children: Comparing Two Models for Identifying Reading Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janzen, Troy M.; Saklofske, Donald H.; Das, J. P.

2013-01-01

Two Canadian First Nations samples of Grades 3 and 4 children were assessed for cognitive processing, word reading, and phonological awareness skills. Both groups were from Plains Cree rural reservations in different provinces. The two groups showed significant differences on several key cognitive variables although there were more similarities…

Characterizing Communication Networks in a Web-Based Classroom: Cognitive Styles and Linguistic Behavior of Self-Organizing Groups in Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vercellone-Smith, Pamela; Jablokow, Kathryn; Friedel, Curtis

2012-01-01

In this study, we explore the cognitive style profiles and linguistic patterns of self-organizing groups within a web-based graduate education course to determine how cognitive preferences and individual behaviors influence the patterns of information exchange and the formation of communication hierarchies in an online classroom. Network analysis…

Diagnostic profile of young and middle-aged memory clinic patients.

PubMed

Vraamark Elberling, Tina; Stokholm, Jette; Høgh, Peter; Waldemar, Gunhild

2002-10-22

With the objective of characterizing the underlying conditions in younger patients with cognitive symptoms, 314 consecutive patients were studied, aged <60 years, referred to a multidisciplinary memory clinic over a period of 54 months. Fifteen percent of the patients fulfilled Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV criteria for dementia, 17% had selective cognitive deficits, and 55% had no cognitive deficits. Cognitive symptoms in younger patients rarely reflect dementia but more often other medical and psychiatric conditions.

Prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls: a neuropsychologic analysis.

PubMed

Boucher, Olivier; Muckle, Gina; Bastien, Célyne H

2009-01-01

A large body of literature documents the effects of prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on cognitive development of children. Despite this fact, no integrative synthesis has been published yet to identify the cognitive functions that are particularly affected. Our aim is to review this literature in an attempt to identify the cognitive profile associated with prenatal PCB exposure. Studies were identified by searching the PubMed database for articles published before June 2008. We reviewed data from nine prospective longitudinal birth cohorts for different aspects of cognition. Associations between indicators of prenatal PCB exposure and performance on cognitive tasks reported in the selected studies are summarized and classified as general cognitive abilities, verbal or visual-spatial skills, memory, attention, and executive functions. The most consistent effects observed across studies are impaired executive functioning related to increased prenatal PCB exposure. Negative effects on processing speed, verbal abilities, and visual recognition memory are also reported by most studies. Converging results from different cohort studies in which exposure arises from different sources make it unlikely that co-exposure with another associated contaminant is responsible for the observed effects. Prenatal PCB exposure appears to be related to a relatively specific cognitive profile of impairments. Failure to assess functions that are specifically impaired may explain the absence of effects found in some studies. Our findings have implications in the selection of cognitive assessment methods in future studies.

Profile of cognitive impairment and underlying pathology in multiple system atrophy.

PubMed

Koga, Shunsuke; Parks, Adam; Uitti, Ryan J; van Gerpen, Jay A; Cheshire, William P; Wszolek, Zbigniew K; Dickson, Dennis W

2017-03-01

The objectives of this study were to elucidate any potential association between α-synuclein pathology and cognitive impairment and to determine the profile of cognitive impairment in multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients. To do this, we analyzed the clinical and pathologic features in autopsy-confirmed MSA patients. We retrospectively reviewed medical records, including neuropsychological test data, in 102 patients with autopsy-confirmed MSA in the Mayo Clinic brain bank. The burden of glial cytoplasmic inclusions and neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions were semiquantitatively scored in the limbic regions and middle frontal gyrus. We also assessed concurrent pathologies potentially causing dementia including Alzheimer's disease, hippocampal sclerosis, and cerebrovascular pathology. Of 102 patients, 33 (32%) were documented to have cognitive impairment. Those that received objective testing, deficits primarily in processing speed and attention/executive functions were identified, which suggests a frontal-subcortical pattern of dysfunction. Of these 33 patients with cognitive impairment, 8 patients had concurrent pathologies of dementia. MSA patients with cognitive impairment had a greater burden of neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions in the dentate gyrus than patients without cognitive impairment, both including and excluding patients with concurrent pathologies of dementia. The cognitive deficits observed in this study were more evident on neuropsychological assessment than with cognitive screens. Based on these findings, we recommend that clinicians consider more in-depth neuropsychological assessments if patients with MSA present with cognitive complaints. Although we did not identify the correlation between cognitive deficits and responsible neuroanatomical regions, a greater burden of neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions in the limbic regions was associated with cognitive impairment in MSA. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Effects on cognitive performance of modulating the postprandial blood glucose profile at breakfast.

PubMed

Nilsson, A; Radeborg, K; Björck, I

2012-09-01

Considering the importance of glucose as a brain substrate, the postprandial rate of glucose delivery to the blood could be expected to affect cognitive functions. The purpose was to evaluate to what extent the rate of glucose absorption affected measures of cognitive performance in the postprandial period. In addition, cognitive performance was evaluated in relation to individual glucoregulation. A white wheat bread (WWB) enriched with guar gum (G-WWB) with the capacity to produce a low but sustained blood glucose net increment was developed. The G-WWB was evaluated in the postprandial period after breakfast with respect to effects on cognitive function (working memory and selective attention (SA)) in 40 healthy adults (49-71 years, body mass index 20-29 kg/m(2)), using a high glycaemic index WWB for comparison in a randomised crossover design. The G-WWB improved outcome in the cognitive tests (SA test) in the later postprandial period (75-225 min) in comparison with the WWB (P<0.01). Subjects with better glucoregulation performed superior in cognitive tests compared with subjects with worse glucoregulation (P<0.05). Beneficial effects on cognitive performance were observed with the G-WWB in the late postprandial period. The positive effect is suggested to emanate from improved insulin sensitivity, possibly in a combination with an enhanced neural energy supply. The results highlight the importance of carbohydrate foods that induces a low but sustained blood glucose profile in enhancing postprandial cognitive functions.

Cognitive function in ecstasy naive abstinent drug dependants and MDMA users.

PubMed

Potter, Adam; Downey, Luke; Stough, Con

2013-03-01

'Hidden' symptoms, or subtle cognitive deficits and long-term changes in mood, have been linked to the recreational use of 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine/MDMA, and are notionally present in non-heavy polydrug users. This study assessed the cognitive functioning and mood profiles of clinically diagnosed drug dependents who had never consumed MDMA, recreational drug users that had previously consumed MDMA, with both groups having not consumed illicit drugs for 6-months, and a control group with limited illicit drug use and no MDMA usage in their past. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Cognitive Drug Research computerised cognitive assessment system and participants completed the Profile of Mood States and Beck Depression Inventory to assess their current mood and depression. Participants in the clinically diagnosed drug dependent group scored significantly worse on the 'Quality of Working Memory' cognitive factor score than both the MDMA and control group (F (2, 33) = 5.75, p = 0.007). The control and clinical groups also differed on depression scores (U [16] = 13.00, p = 0.016) and Tension/Anxiety scores (U [16] = 16.00, p = 0.034), with the clinical group scoring significantly higher in both cases. The MDMA group did not differ from the control group on the measures of cognition or mood. These results suggest that despite a 6-month prolonged abstinence the cognitive deficits ostensibly caused by 'heavy' usage or the dependence on or abuse of illicit drugs are not reversed by abstinence.

Student Engagement and School Burnout in Finnish Lower-Secondary Schools: Latent Profile Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virtanen, T. E.; Lerkkanen, M.-K.; Poikkeus, A.-M.; Kuorelahti, M.

2018-01-01

Self-ratings of behavioural engagement, cognitive engagement and school burnout were used in person-centred analyses to identify latent profiles among 2,485 Finnish lower-secondary school students. Three profiles were identified: high-engagement/low-burnout (40.6% of the sample), average-engagement/average-burnout (53.9%), and…

Modeling driver behavior in a cognitive architecture.

PubMed

Salvucci, Dario D

2006-01-01

This paper explores the development of a rigorous computational model of driver behavior in a cognitive architecture--a computational framework with underlying psychological theories that incorporate basic properties and limitations of the human system. Computational modeling has emerged as a powerful tool for studying the complex task of driving, allowing researchers to simulate driver behavior and explore the parameters and constraints of this behavior. An integrated driver model developed in the ACT-R (Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational) cognitive architecture is described that focuses on the component processes of control, monitoring, and decision making in a multilane highway environment. This model accounts for the steering profiles, lateral position profiles, and gaze distributions of human drivers during lane keeping, curve negotiation, and lane changing. The model demonstrates how cognitive architectures facilitate understanding of driver behavior in the context of general human abilities and constraints and how the driving domain benefits cognitive architectures by pushing model development toward more complex, realistic tasks. The model can also serve as a core computational engine for practical applications that predict and recognize driver behavior and distraction.

Mathematical learning disabilities and attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder: A study of the cognitive processes involved in arithmetic problem solving.

PubMed

Iglesias-Sarmiento, Valentín; Deaño, Manuel; Alfonso, Sonia; Conde, Ángeles

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of cognitive functioning to arithmetic problem solving and to explore the cognitive profiles of children with attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and with mathematical learning disabilities (MLD). The sample was made up of a total of 90 students of 4th, 5th, and 6th grade organized in three: ADHD (n=30), MLD (n=30) and typically achieving control (TA; n=30) group. Assessment was conducted in two sessions in which the PASS processes and arithmetic problem solving were evaluated. The ADHD group's performance in planning and attention was worse than that of the control group. Children with MLD obtained poorer results than the control group in planning and simultaneous and successive processing. Executive processes predicted arithmetic problem solving in the ADHD group whereas simultaneous processing was the unique predictor in the MLD sample. Children with ADHD and with MLD showed characteristic cognitive profiles. Groups' problem-solving performance can be predicted from their cognitive functioning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of inlet distortion on gas turbine combustion chamber exit temperature profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maqsood, Omar Shahzada

Damage to a nozzle guide vane or blade, caused by non-uniform temperature distributions at the combustion chamber exit, is deleterious to turbine performance and can lead to expensive and time consuming overhaul and repair. A test rig was designed and constructed for the Allison 250-C20B combustion chamber to investigate the effects of inlet air distortion on the combustion chamber's exit temperature fields. The rig made use of the engine's diffuser tubes, combustion case, combustion liner, and first stage nozzle guide vane shield. Rig operating conditions simulated engine cruise conditions, matching the quasi-non-dimensional Mach number, equivalence ratio and Sauter mean diameter. The combustion chamber was tested with an even distribution of inlet air and a 4% difference in airflow at either side. An even distribution of inlet air to the combustion chamber did not create a uniform temperature profile and varying the inlet distribution of air exacerbated the profile's non-uniformity. The design of the combustion liner promoted the formation of an oval-shaped toroidal vortex inside the chamber, creating localized hot and cool sections separated by 90° that appeared in the exhaust. Uneven inlet air distributions skewed the oval vortex, increasing the temperature of the hot section nearest the side with the most mass flow rate and decreasing the temperature of the hot section on the opposite side. Keywords: Allison 250, Combustion, Dual-Entry, Exit Temperature Profile, Gas Turbine, Pattern Factor, Reverse Flow.

Reconciling Biodiversity Conservation and Timber Production in Mixed Uneven-Aged Mountain Forests: Identification of Ecological Intensification Pathways.

PubMed

Lafond, Valentine; Cordonnier, Thomas; Courbaud, Benoît

2015-11-01

Mixed uneven-aged forests are considered favorable to the provision of multiple ecosystem services and to the conciliation of timber production and biodiversity conservation. However, some forest managers now plan to increase the intensity of thinning and harvesting operations in these forests. Retention measures or gap creation are considered to compensate potential negative impacts on biodiversity. Our objectives were to assess the effect of these management practices on timber production and biodiversity conservation and identify potential compensating effects between these practices, using the concept of ecological intensification as a framework. We performed a simulation study coupling Samsara2, a simulation model designed for spruce-fir uneven-aged mountain forests, an uneven-aged silviculture algorithm, and biodiversity models. We analyzed the effect of parameters related to uneven-aged management practices on timber production, biodiversity, and sustainability indicators. Our study confirmed that the indicators responded differently to management practices, leading to trade-offs situations. Increasing management intensity had negative impacts on several biodiversity indicators, which could be partly compensated by the positive effect of retention measures targeting large trees, non-dominant species, and deadwood. The impact of gap creation was more mitigated, with a positive effect on the diversity of tree sizes and deadwood but a negative impact on the spruce-fir mixing balance and on the diversity of the understory layer. Through the analysis of compensating effects, we finally revealed the existence of possible ecological intensification pathways, i.e., the possibility to increase management intensity while maintaining biodiversity through the promotion of nature-based management principles (gap creation and retention measures).

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder and Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson's Disease.

PubMed

Jozwiak, Natalia; Postuma, Ronald B; Montplaisir, Jacques; Latreille, Véronique; Panisset, Michel; Chouinard, Sylvain; Bourgouin, Pierre-Alexandre; Gagnon, Jean-François

2017-08-01

REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia affecting 33% to 46% of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The existence of a unique and specific impaired cognitive profile in PD patients with RBD is still controversial. We extensively assessed cognitive functions to identify whether RBD is associated with more severe cognitive deficits in nondemented patients with PD. One hundred sixty-two participants, including 53 PD patients with RBD, 40 PD patients without RBD, and 69 healthy subjects, underwent polysomnography, a neurological assessment and an extensive neuropsychological exam to assess attention, executive functions, episodic learning and memory, visuospatial abilities, and language. PD patients with RBD had poorer and clinically impaired performance in several cognitive tests compared to PD patients without RBD and healthy subjects. These two latter groups were similar on all cognitive measures. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosis frequency was almost threefold higher in PD patients with RBD compared to PD patients without RBD (66% vs. 23%, p < .001). Moreover, subjective cognitive decline was reported in 89% of PD patients with RBD compared to 58% of PD patients without RBD (p = .024). RBD in PD is associated with a more impaired cognitive profile and higher MCI diagnosis frequency, suggesting more severe and widespread neurodegeneration. This patient subgroup and their caregivers should receive targeted medical attention to better detect and monitor impairment and to enable the development of management interventions for cognitive decline and its consequences. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Deconstructing Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia: A cross-diagnostic cluster analysis of cognitive phenotypes.

PubMed

Lee, Junghee; Rizzo, Shemra; Altshuler, Lori; Glahn, David C; Miklowitz, David J; Sugar, Catherine A; Wynn, Jonathan K; Green, Michael F

2017-02-01

Bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SZ) show substantial overlap. It has been suggested that a subgroup of patients might contribute to these overlapping features. This study employed a cross-diagnostic cluster analysis to identify subgroups of individuals with shared cognitive phenotypes. 143 participants (68 BD patients, 39 SZ patients and 36 healthy controls) completed a battery of EEG and performance assessments on perception, nonsocial cognition and social cognition. A K-means cluster analysis was conducted with all participants across diagnostic groups. Clinical symptoms, functional capacity, and functional outcome were assessed in patients. A two-cluster solution across 3 groups was the most stable. One cluster including 44 BD patients, 31 controls and 5 SZ patients showed better cognition (High cluster) than the other cluster with 24 BD patients, 35 SZ patients and 5 controls (Low cluster). BD patients in the High cluster performed better than BD patients in the Low cluster across cognitive domains. Within each cluster, participants with different clinical diagnoses showed different profiles across cognitive domains. All patients are in the chronic phase and out of mood episode at the time of assessment and most of the assessment were behavioral measures. This study identified two clusters with shared cognitive phenotype profiles that were not proxies for clinical diagnoses. The finding of better social cognitive performance of BD patients than SZ patients in the Lowe cluster suggest that relatively preserved social cognition may be important to identify disease process distinct to each disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Harvest impacts in uneven-aged and even-aged Missouri Ozark forests

Treesearch

John P. Dwyer; Daniel C. Dey; William D. Walter; Randy G. Jensen

2004-01-01

Forest managers are concerned about the potential damage to residual trees and site from cyclic harvest re-entries into the same forest stand. This study summarizes logging and felling damage resulting from the harvesting of silvicultural treatments on a large landscape experiment in southern Missouri that is designed to compare impacts of even-aged, uneven-aged and no...

Conversion of Successionally Stable Even-Aged Oak Stands to an Uneven-Aged Structure

Treesearch

Edward F. Loewenstein; James M. Guldin

2004-01-01

Developing a silvicultural prescription to convert an even-aged or unmanaged oak stand to an uneven-aged structure depends in large part on the length of time the existing overstory will live. Four conversion prescriptions, representing three initial stand conditions, are presented. Each prescription partitions the cut of the original overstory differently in time and...

Crown structure and growth efficiency of red spruce in uneven-aged, mixed-species stands in Maine

Treesearch

Douglas A. Maguire; John C. Brissette; Lianhong. Gu

1998-01-01

Several hypotheses about the relationships among individual tree growth, tree leaf area, and relative tree size or position were tested with red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) growing in uneven-aged, mixed-species forests of south-central Maine, U.S.A. Based on data from 65 sample trees, predictive models were developed to (i)...

Determinants of tree quality and lumber value in natural uneven-aged southern pine stands

Treesearch

Jeffrey P. Prestemon; Joseph Buongiorno

2000-01-01

An ordered-probit model was developed to predict tree grade from tree- and stand-level variables, some of which could be changed by management. Applied to uneven-aged mixed loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) - shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) stands, the model showed that the grade of pine trees was highly correlated with tree diameter...

The development of uneven-aged southern pine silviculture before the Crossett Experimental Forest (Arkansas, USA)

Treesearch

Don C. Bragg

2017-01-01

Although the Crossett Experimental Forest (CEF) played a well-publicized role in the development of uneven-aged southern pine silviculture, work on a selection method in Arkansas (USA) did not originate there. In 1925, Leslie Pomeroy and Eugene Connor acquired the Ozark Badger Lumber Company and initiated an expert-driven selection management system compatible with...

Uneven-aged silviculture in cedar-hemlock-grand fir ecosystems of the northern Rocky Mountains

Treesearch

Russell T. Graham; Theresa B. Jain; Jonalea R. Tonn

1999-01-01

Uneven-aged silviculture is used infrequently in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Because of wildlife, watershed, or scenic issues it is often preferred for managing many stands. While it has been applied in the ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests it has had limited application in the grand fir (Abies grandis)-westem redcedar (Thuja plicate)-westem hemlock (Tsuga...

Volume growth of pine and hardwood in uneven-aged loblolly pine-upland hardwood mixtures

Treesearch

Robert M. Farrar; Paul A. Murphy; Daniel J. Leduc

1989-01-01

Results are reported from an exploratory investigation of stand-level periodic volume growth of uneven-aged mixed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.)-upland hardwood stands on good sites in southeastern Arkansas. A restricted set of replicated observations was extracted from an extensive CFI database involving varying pine-hardwood mixtures to form an array of plots with...

Preliminary thinning guidelines using stand density index for the maintenance of uneven-aged pinyon-juniper ecosystems

Treesearch

Douglas H. Page

2008-01-01

This paper demonstrates how Stand Density Index may be used to guide postthinning stand structure for the sustainable management of pinyon-juniper ecosystems. The post-thinning residual stand density can be varied to achieve various management objectives. Uneven-aged management is recommended, where possible, as a better approximation of the natural development process...

The silvicultural implications of age patterns in two southern pine stands after 72 years of uneven-aged management

Treesearch

Don C. Bragg; James M. Guldin

2015-01-01

A randomized sample of 250 loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf (Pinus echinata Mill.) pine ring counts was collected from the Good and Poor Farm Forestry compartments on the Crossett Experimental Forest. These mature, pine-dominated stands have been managed using uneven-aged silviculture since 1937. Our sample shows that both...

Rotated sigmoid structures in managed uneven-aged northern hardwood stands: a look at the Burr Type III distribution

Treesearch

Jeffrey H. Gove; Mark J. Ducey; William B. Leak; Lianjun Zhang

2008-01-01

Stand structures from a combined density manipulation and even- to uneven-aged conversion experiment on the Bartlett Experimental Forest (New Hampshire, USA) were examined 25 years after initial treatment for rotated sigmoidal diameter distributions. A comparison was made on these stands between two probability density functions for fitting these residual structures:...

Effects of uneven-aged and diameter-limit management on West Virginia tree and wood quality

Treesearch

Michael C. Wiemann; Thomas M. Schuler; John E. Baumgras

2004-01-01

Uneven-aged and diameter-limit management were compared with an unmanaged control on the Fernow Experimental Forest near Parsons, West Virginia, to determine how treatment affects the quality of red oak (Quercus rubra L.), sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), and yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.). Periodic harvests slightly increased stem lean, which often...

A better way - uneven-aged management of southern yellow pine

Treesearch

Don M. Handley; Joshua C. Dickinson

2013-01-01

Uneven-aged management of southern yellow pine offers family forest owners in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont of the Southeast an attractive economic alternative to the two most common forestry scenarios. First, the great majority of owners practice no management. Too often they call in a timber buyer or procurement forester who high grades the forest. Second are the...

20 years of intensive uneven-aged management: Effect on Growth, Yield, and Species Composition in Two hardwood Stands in West Virginia

Treesearch

George R., Jr. Trimble; George R. Trimble

1970-01-01

In 1948 a study of uneven-aged forest management, with individual tree-selection cuttings, was begun on two 31-acre stands of Appalachian hardwoods in West Virginia. Now, after 20 years, these stands are beginning to show how this kind of management affects growth, yield, and species composition.

Variational method based on Retinex with double-norm hybrid constraints for uneven illumination correction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shuo; Wang, Hui; Wang, Liyong; Yu, Xiangzhou; Yang, Le

2018-01-01

The uneven illumination phenomenon reduces the quality of remote sensing image and causes interference in the subsequent processing and applications. A variational method based on Retinex with double-norm hybrid constraints for uneven illumination correction is proposed. The L1 norm and the L2 norm are adopted to constrain the textures and details of reflectance image and the smoothness of the illumination image, respectively. The problem of separating the illumination image from the reflectance image is transformed into the optimal solution of the variational model. In order to accelerate the solution, the split Bregman method is used to decompose the variational model into three subproblems, which are calculated by alternate iteration. Two groups of experiments are implemented on two synthetic images and three real remote sensing images. Compared with the variational Retinex method with single-norm constraint and the Mask method, the proposed method performs better in both visual evaluation and quantitative measurements. The proposed method can effectively eliminate the uneven illumination while maintaining the textures and details of the remote sensing image. Moreover, the proposed method using split Bregman method is more than 10 times faster than the method with the steepest descent method.

Numerical analyses for thinned fiber Bragg grating under uneven surrounding refractive index environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Bin-bin; Zhao, Ming-fu; Zhou, Xiao-jun; Huang, De-yi; Wang, Shao-fei; Cao, Xue-mei

2011-12-01

Based on the fiber waveguide models, a modified transfer matrix method was utilized to calculate the reflection spectrum of the thinned fiber Bragg grating (ThFBG) under the uneven surrounding refractive index (SRI) environment. Tow SRI ranges, including the high SRI region (from 1.42 to the fiber cladding index) and the low ones (from 1.33 to about 1.36), were considered. Numerical results showed that the responsive characteristics of the reflectance spectrum of the ThFBG were closely related to the properties of the SRI distribution, first, the original reflection spectrum of the ThFBG would split into many tinny resonant peaks and the reflectance spectrums are asymmetric since the uneven SRI distributions, second, the number of the resonant peaks, the decline of the amplitude, and the degree of the asymmetric of the reflectance spectrums would increase as the increase in the SRI gradient and the D-value of the SRI between the tow ends of the ThFBG. The same numerical approach could be used to analyze the responsive characteristics of the ThFBG under the uneven medium environment where the SRI distribution was any other functions.

Dams and Intergovernmental Transfers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, X.

2012-12-01

Gainers and Losers are always associated with large scale hydrological infrastructure construction, such as dams, canals and water treatment facilities. Since most of these projects are public services and public goods, Some of these uneven impacts cannot fully be solved by markets. This paper tried to explore whether the governments are paying any effort to balance the uneven distributional impacts caused by dam construction or not. It showed that dam construction brought an average 2% decrease in per capita tax revenue in the upstream counties, a 30% increase in the dam-location counties and an insignificant increase in downstream counties. Similar distributional impacts were observed for other outcome variables. like rural income and agricultural crop yields, though the impacts differ across different crops. The paper also found some balancing efforts from inter-governmental transfers to reduce the unevenly distributed impacts caused by dam construction. However, overall the inter-governmental fiscal transfer efforts were not large enough to fully correct those uneven distributions, reflected from a 2% decrease of per capita GDP in upstream counties and increase of per capita GDP in local and downstream counties. This paper may shed some lights on the governmental considerations in the decision making process for large hydrological infrastructures.

Word Recognition and Cognitive Profiles of Chinese Pre-School Children at Risk for Dyslexia through Language Delay or Familial History of Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McBride-Chang, Catherine; Lam, Fanny; Lam, Catherine; Doo, Sylvia; Wong, Simpson W. L.; Chow, Yvonne Y. Y.

2008-01-01

Background: This study sought to identify cognitive abilities that might distinguish Hong Kong Chinese kindergarten children at risk for dyslexia through either language delay or familial history of dyslexia from children who were not at risk and to examine how these abilities were associated with Chinese word recognition. The cognitive skills of…

Broad Cognitive Profile in Children and Adolescents with HF-ASD and in Their Siblings: Widespread Underperformance and Its Clinical and Adaptive Correlates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosa, Mireia; Puig, Olga; Lázaro, Luisa; Vallés, Virginia; Lera, Sara; Sánchez-Gistau, Vanesa; Calvo, Rosa

2017-01-01

Despite evidence supporting the presence of cognitive deficits in children and adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD), the nature of these deficits and their clinical and adaptive correlates remain unclear. Moreover, there are few cognitive studies of ASD siblings as a high risk population. We compared 50 children and…

Drawing Links between the Autism Cognitive Profile and Imagination: Executive Function and Processing Bias in Imaginative Drawings by Children with and without Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ten Eycke, Kayla D.; Müller, Ulrich

2018-01-01

Little is known about the relation between cognitive processes and imagination and whether this relation differs between neurotypically developing children and children with autism. To address this issue, we administered a cognitive task battery and Karmiloff-Smith's drawing task, which requires children to draw imaginative people and houses. For…

A cluster analysis of perfectionism among competitive athletes.

PubMed

Martinent, Guillaume; Ferrand, Claude

2006-12-01

In the present study, the ways in which athletes may experience perfectionism in a sport context were examined. The question of interest was whether self-confidence, intensity, and direction of cognitive and somatic precompetitive anxiety would differ across identifiable profiles of perfectionism. Competitive athletes (N= 166) completed the Sport-Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the French-Canadian Hewitt Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 Revised, including a Direction scale. Results of the cluster analysis indicated that athletes could be classified into three groups labelled Nonperfectionists, Adaptive perfectionists, and Maladaptive perfectionists. Perfectionism profiles differed significantly on Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety Intensity and on Cognitive Anxiety Direction. The importance of considering all dimensions of perfectionism simultaneously when examining the functional nature of this construct in sport is discussed.

Distinct Cytokine and Chemokine Profiles in Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Han, Yvonne M. Y.; Cheung, Winnie K. Y.; Wong, Chun Kwok; Sze, Sophia L.; Cheng, Timmy W. S.; Yeung, Michael K.; Chan, Agnes S.

2017-01-01

Previous studies have shown that immunological factors are involved in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, this research has been conducted almost exclusively in Western contexts, and only a handful of studies on immune measures have been conducted in Asian populations, such as Chinese populations. The present study examined whether immunological abnormalities are associated with cognitive deficits and problem behaviors in Chinese children with ASD and whether these children show different immunological profiles. Thirteen typically developing (TD) children and 22 children with ASD, aged 6–17 years, participated voluntarily in the study. Executive functions and short-term memory were measured using neuropsychological tests, and behavioral measures were assessed using parent ratings. The children were also assessed on immunological measures, specifically, the levels of cytokines and chemokines in the blood serum. Children with ASD showed greater deficits in cognitive functions, as well as altered levels of immunological measures, including CCL2, CCL5, and CXCL9 levels, compared to TD children, and the cognitive functions and associated behavioral deficits of children with ASD were significantly associated with different immunological measures. The children were further sub-classified into ASD with only autistic features (ASD-only) or ASD comorbid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ASD + ADHD). The comorbidity results showed that there were no differences between the two groups of ASD children in any of the cognitive or behavioral measures. However, the results pertaining to immunological measures showed that the children with ASD-only and ASD + ADHD exhibited distinct cytokine and chemokine profiles and that abnormal immunologic function was associated with cognitive functions and inattention/hyperactivity symptoms. These results support the notion that altered immune functions may play a role in the selective cognitive and behavioral symptoms of ASD. PMID:28167942

Social cognition in anorexia nervosa: evidence of preserved theory of mind and impaired emotional functioning.

PubMed

Adenzato, Mauro; Todisco, Patrizia; Ardito, Rita B

2012-01-01

The findings of the few studies that have to date investigated the way in which individuals with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) navigate their social environment are somewhat contradictory. We undertook this study to shed new light on the social-cognitive profile of patients with AN, analysing Theory of Mind and emotional functioning. Starting from previous evidence on the role of the amygdala in the neurobiology of AN and in the social cognition, we hypothesise preserved Theory of Mind and impaired emotional functioning in patients with AN. Thirty women diagnosed with AN and thirty-two women matched for education and age were involved in the study. Theory of Mind and emotional functioning were assessed with a set of validated experimental tasks. A measure of perceived social support was also used to test the correlations between this dimension and the social-cognitive profile of AN patients. The performance of patients with AN is significantly worse than that of healthy controls on tasks assessing emotional functioning, whereas patients' performance is comparable to that of healthy controls on the Theory of Mind task. Correlation analyses showed no relationship between scores on any of the social-cognition tasks and either age of onset or duration of illness. A correlation between social support and emotional functioning was found. This latter result seems to suggest a potential role of social support in the treatment and recovery of AN. The pattern of results followed the experimental hypothesis. They may be useful to help us better understand the social-cognitive profile of patients with AN and to contribute to the development of effective interventions based on the ways in which patients with AN actually perceive their social environment.

Slightly uneven electric field trigatron employed in tens of microseconds charging time.

PubMed

Lin, Jiajin; Yang, Jianhua; Zhang, Jiande; Zhang, Huibo; Yang, Xiao

2014-09-01

To solve the issue of operation instability for the trigatron switch in the application of tens of microseconds or even less charging time, a novel trigatron spark gap with slightly uneven electric field was presented. Compared with the conventional trigatron, the novel trigatron was constructed with an obvious field enhancement on the edge of the opposite electrode. The selection of the field enhancement was analyzed based on the theory introduced by Martin. A low voltage trigatron model was constructed and tested on the tens of microseconds charging time platform. The results show that the character of relative range was improved while the trigger character still held a high level. This slightly uneven electric field typed trigatron is willing to be employed in the Tesla transformer - pulse forming line system.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4th edition-Chinese version index scores in Taiwanese children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Yang, Pinchen; Cheng, Chung-Ping; Chang, Chen-Lin; Liu, Tai-Ling; Hsu, Hsiu-Yi; Yen, Cheng-Fang

2013-02-01

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4th edition-Chinese version (WISC-IV-Chinese) has been in clinical use in Taiwan since 2007. Research is needed to determine how the WISC-IV, modified from its earlier version, will affect its interpretation in clinical practice in a Mandarin-speaking context. We attempted to use WISC-IV-Chinese scores to identify the cognitive strengths and weaknesses in 334 Taiwanese children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Comparison of cognitive profiles of WISC-IV-Chinese scores between subtypes of ADHD was also performed. The results indicated that the four-factor model of the WISC-IV-Chinese fitted well for Taiwanese children with ADHD. The profiles showed that performance in the index score of the Processing Speed Index was the weakness domain for the Taiwanese children with ADHD, as confirmed by two different kinds of analytic methods. Cognitive profile analysis of ADHD subtypes revealed children with inattentive subtypes to have a greater weakness in processing speed performance. The implications of the profiles of the index scores on the WISC-IV-Chinese version for Taiwanese children with ADHD were explored. © 2013 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2013 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Profiles of More and Less Successful L2 Learners: A Cluster Analysis Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparks, Richard L.; Patton, Jon; Ganschow, Leonore

2012-01-01

This retrospective study examined L1 achievement, intelligence, L2 aptitude, and L2 proficiency profiles of 208 students completing two years of high school L2 courses. A cluster analysis was performed to determine whether distinct cognitive and achievement profiles of more and less successful L2 learners would emerge. The results of…

Long-Term Stability of Membership in a Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Third Edition (WISC-III) Subtest Core Profile Taxonomy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borsuk, Ellen R.; Watkins, Marley W.; Canivez, Gary L.

2006-01-01

Although often applied in practice, clinically based cognitive subtest profile analysis has failed to achieve empirical support. Nonlinear multivariate subtest profile analysis may have benefits over clinically based techniques, but the psychometric properties of these methods must be studied prior to their implementation and interpretation. The…

Empirically Based Phenotypic Profiles of Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Interpretation in the Light of the DSM-5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greaves-Lord, Kirstin; Eussen, Mart L. J. M.; Verhulst, Frank C.; Minderaa, Ruud B.; Mandy, William; Hudziak, James J.; Steenhuis, Mark Peter; de Nijs, Pieter F.; Hartman, Catharina A.

2013-01-01

This study aimed to contribute to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) debates on the conceptualization of autism by investigating (1) whether empirically based distinct phenotypic profiles could be distinguished within a sample of mainly cognitively able children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), and (2) how profiles related to…

[The neuropsychology of prodromal schizophrenia. Brief review and proposal of a tests battery for clinical use].

PubMed

Valgimigli, Simona; Padovani, Roberto; Donati, Cristina; Mazzi, Fausto

2013-01-01

The study of the neuropsychological profile of schizophrenic patients has provided systematic results in linking specific deficit (working memory, verbal learning, attentive and executive functioning, social cognition) to the functional outcome of subjects. More recently this approach has been applied to younger subjects, from the age of 14, that show prodromal signs of a possible psychotic conversion (ultra-risk subjects). The review is at first intended to describe the clinical and experimental studies that investigated the cognitive and neuropsychological profile of subjects at ultra-risk for psychosis. These studies show the presence of minor cognitive difficulties in several specific areas (working memory, verbal learning, attentive and executive functioning) that can be indicative of both a possible conversion to psychosis and a need for cognitive remediation programs. Secondarily, the article describes several neuropsychological tools, standardized for the Italian population, that can be used to approach the clinical assessment of ultra-risk subjects considering some critical aspects such as their typical age range (adolescents and young adults).

Clustering of temperamental and cognitive risk factors for anxiety in a college sample of late adolescents.

PubMed

Viana, Andres G; Gratz, Kim L; Bierman, Karen L

2013-01-01

Temperamental vulnerabilities (e.g., behavioral inhibition, anxiety sensitivity) and cognitive biases (e.g., interpretive and judgment biases) may exacerbate feelings of stress and anxiety, particularly among late adolescents during the early years of college. The goal of the present study was to apply person-centered analyses to explore possible heterogeneity in the patterns of these four risk factors in late adolescence, and to examine associations with several anxiety outcomes (i.e., worry, anxiety symptoms, and trait anxiety). Cluster analyses in a college sample of 855 late adolescents revealed a Low-Risk group, along with four reliable clusters with distinct profiles of risk factors and anxiety outcomes (Inhibited, Sensitive, Cognitively-Biased, and Multi-Risk). Of the risk profiles, Multi-Risk youth experienced the highest levels of anxiety outcomes, whereas Inhibited youth experienced the lowest levels of anxiety outcomes. Sensitive and Cognitively-Biased youth experienced comparable levels of anxiety-related outcomes, despite different constellations of risk factors. Implications for interventions and future research are discussed.

Cognitive and Neurobehavioral Profile in Boys With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

PubMed

Banihani, Rudaina; Smile, Sharon; Yoon, Grace; Dupuis, Annie; Mosleh, Maureen; Snider, Andrea; McAdam, Laura

2015-10-01

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive neuromuscular condition that has a high rate of cognitive and learning disabilities as well as neurobehavioral disorders, some of which have been associated with disruption of dystrophin isoforms. Retrospective cohort of 59 boys investigated the cognitive and neurobehavioral profile of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Full-scale IQ of < 70 was seen in 27%; learning disability in 44%, intellectual disability in 19%; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in 32%; autism spectrum disorders in 15%; and anxiety in 27%. Mutations affecting Dp260 isoform and 5'untranslated region of Dp140 were observed in 60% with learning disability, 50% intellectual disability, 77% with autism spectrum disorders, and 94% with anxiety. No statistically significant correlation was noted between comorbidities and dystrophin isoforms; however, there is a trend of cumulative loss of dystrophin isoforms with declining full-scale IQ. Enhanced psychology testing to include both cognitive and neurobehavioral disorders is recommended for all individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. © The Author(s) 2015.

Cognitive functioning in bilateral perisylvian polymicrogyria (BPP): clinical and radiological correlations.

PubMed

Jansen, An C; Leonard, Gabriel; Bastos, Alexandre C; Esposito-Festen, Josée E; Tampieri, Donatella; Watkins, Kate; Andermann, Frederick; Andermann, Eva

2005-05-01

Bilateral perisylvian polymicrogyria (BPP) is a malformation of cortical development, frequently associated with severe dysarthria or anarthria. BPP patients are therefore often labeled as severely retarded, but a detailed neuropsychological profile has not been reported to date. In a series of 14 patients, we demonstrated that only a minority had extremely low intelligence, and that some aspects of cognitive function correlated with the extent of the cortical disorganization. Early age at seizure onset correlated positively with Performance IQ scores (P<0.05) and negatively with the extent of the lesion (P<0.01), reflecting that patients with more severe BPP are more likely to have early seizure onset, resulting in greater interference with ongoing cognitive development. Receptive and expressive language skills were found to be equally poor. Frontal lobe function and memory abilities were relatively well preserved, suggesting that the observed cognitive profiles were related, at least in part, to specific areas of cortical dysfunction and not only to global dysfunction.

Predicting early cognitive decline in newly-diagnosed Parkinson's patients: A practical model.

PubMed

Hogue, Olivia; Fernandez, Hubert H; Floden, Darlene P

2018-06-19

To create a multivariable model to predict early cognitive decline among de novo patients with Parkinson's disease, using brief, inexpensive assessments that are easily incorporated into clinical flow. Data for 351 drug-naïve patients diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson's disease were obtained from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative. Baseline demographic, disease history, motor, and non-motor features were considered as candidate predictors. Best subsets selection was used to determine the multivariable baseline symptom profile that most accurately predicted individual cognitive decline within three years. Eleven per cent of the sample experienced cognitive decline. The final logistic regression model predicting decline included five baseline variables: verbal memory retention, right-sided bradykinesia, years of education, subjective report of cognitive impairment, and REM behavior disorder. Model discrimination was good (optimism-adjusted concordance index = .749). The associated nomogram provides a tool to determine individual patient risk of meaningful cognitive change in the early stages of the disease. Through the consideration of easily-implemented or routinely-gathered assessments, we have identified a multidimensional baseline profile and created a convenient, inexpensive tool to predict cognitive decline in the earliest stages of Parkinson's disease. The use of this tool would generate prediction at the individual level, allowing clinicians to tailor medical management for each patient and identify at-risk patients for clinical trials aimed at disease modifying therapies. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Who Chooses STEM Careers? Using A Relative Cognitive Strength and Interest Model to Predict Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

PubMed

Wang, Ming-Te; Ye, Feifei; Degol, Jessica Lauren

2017-08-01

Career aspirations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are formulated in adolescence, making the high school years a critical time period for identifying the cognitive and motivational factors that increase the likelihood of future STEM employment. While past research has mainly focused on absolute cognitive ability levels in math and verbal domains, the current study tested whether relative cognitive strengths and interests in math, science, and verbal domains in high school were more accurate predictors of STEM career decisions. Data were drawn from a national longitudinal study in the United States (N = 1762; 48 % female; the first wave during ninth grade and the last wave at age 33). Results revealed that in the high-verbal/high-math/high-science ability group, individuals with higher science task values and lower orientation toward altruism were more likely to select STEM occupations. In the low-verbal/moderate-math/moderate-science ability group, individuals with higher math ability and higher math task values were more likely to select STEM occupations. The findings suggest that youth with asymmetrical cognitive ability profiles are more likely to select careers that utilize their cognitive strengths rather than their weaknesses, while symmetrical cognitive ability profiles may grant youth more flexibility in their options, allowing their interests and values to guide their career decisions.

Cognitive profile in Wilson's disease: a case series of 31 patients.

PubMed

Wenisch, E; De Tassigny, A; Trocello, J-M; Beretti, J; Girardot-Tinant, N; Woimant, F

2013-12-01

Wilson's disease (WD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism. If untreated, WD, which is initially a liver disease, can turn into a multi-systemic disease with neurological involvement. Very few studies have described cognitive impairment in WD. The aim of this study is to report the cognitive profile of 31 treated WD patients. Patients were classed into two groups using the Unified Wilson Disease Rating Scale (UWDRS): WD patients without neurological signs (WD-N(-)) (n=13), and WD patients with neurological signs (WD-N(+)) (n=18). The patients participated in a neuropsychological assessment evaluating memory, executive function and visuo-spatial abilities. Both groups performed well for verbal intelligence and episodic memory skills. However, the majority of these patients exhibited altered performance for at least one cognitive test, particularly in the executive domain. The WD-N(+) group performed less well than the WD-N(-) group on cognitive tests involving rapid motor function, abstract thinking, working memory and top-down inhibitory control. Cognitive impairment in treated WD patients essentially affects executive function involving fronto-striatal circuits. Verbal intelligence and episodic memory abilities seem to be remarkably preserved. Neuropsychological assessment is a valuable tool to evaluate the presence and the consequences of these cognitive impairments in WD patients with or without neurological signs in the course of this chronic disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Cognitive Clusters in Specific Learning Disorder.

PubMed

Poletti, Michele; Carretta, Elisa; Bonvicini, Laura; Giorgi-Rossi, Paolo

The heterogeneity among children with learning disabilities still represents a barrier and a challenge in their conceptualization. Although a dimensional approach has been gaining support, the categorical approach is still the most adopted, as in the recent fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The introduction of the single overarching diagnostic category of specific learning disorder (SLD) could underemphasize interindividual clinical differences regarding intracategory cognitive functioning and learning proficiency, according to current models of multiple cognitive deficits at the basis of neurodevelopmental disorders. The characterization of specific cognitive profiles associated with an already manifest SLD could help identify possible early cognitive markers of SLD risk and distinct trajectories of atypical cognitive development leading to SLD. In this perspective, we applied a cluster analysis to identify groups of children with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-based diagnosis of SLD with similar cognitive profiles and to describe the association between clusters and SLD subtypes. A sample of 205 children with a diagnosis of SLD were enrolled. Cluster analyses (agglomerative hierarchical and nonhierarchical iterative clustering technique) were used successively on 10 core subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition. The 4-cluster solution was adopted, and external validation found differences in terms of SLD subtype frequencies and learning proficiency among clusters. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed, tracing directions for further studies.

Progression to dementia in memory clinic patients without dementia: a latent profile analysis.

PubMed

Köhler, Sebastian; Hamel, Renske; Sistermans, Nicole; Koene, Ted; Pijnenburg, Yolande A L; van der Flier, Wiesje M; Scheltens, Philip; Visser, Pieter-Jelle; Aalten, Pauline; Verhey, Frans R J; Ramakers, Inez

2013-10-08

To identify the existence of discrete cognitive subtypes among memory clinic patients without dementia and test their prognostic values. In a retrospective cohort study of 635 patients without dementia visiting the Alzheimer centers in Maastricht or Amsterdam, latent profile analysis identified cognitive subtypes based on immediate and delayed memory recall, delayed recognition, information-processing speed, attention, verbal fluency, and executive functions. Time to dementia was tested in weighted Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for confounders. Five latent classes represented participants with high-normal cognition (15%), low-normal cognition (37%), primary memory impairment in recall (MI) (36%), memory impairment in recall and recognition (MI+) (5%), and primary nonmemory impairment (NMI) (6%). Compared with low-normal cognition, participants with NMI had the highest risk of dementia (hazard ratio [HR] = 5.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.46-10.18) followed by MI (HR = 3.05, 95% CI = 2.09-4.46) and MI+ (HR = 3.26, 95% CI = 1.72-6.17), while participants with high-normal cognition had the lowest risk (HR = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.07-0.80). Subtypes further showed differential relationships with dementia types, with MI and MI+ most often converting to Alzheimer-type dementia and NMI to other forms of dementia. Cognitive subtypes can be empirically identified in otherwise heterogeneous samples of memory clinic patients and largely confirm current strategies to distinguish between amnestic and nonamnestic impairment. Studying more homogeneous cognitive subtypes may improve understanding of disease mechanisms and outcomes.

Polygenic risk for coronary artery disease is associated with cognitive ability in older adults

PubMed Central

Hagenaars, Saskia P; Harris, Sarah E; Clarke, Toni-Kim; Hall, Lynsey; Luciano, Michelle; Fernandez-Pujals, Ana Maria; Davies, Gail; Hayward, Caroline; Starr, John M; Porteous, David J; McIntosh, Andrew M; Deary, Ian J

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with cognitive decrements and risk of later dementia, but it is not known if shared genetic factors underlie this association. We tested whether polygenic risk for CAD was associated with cognitive ability in community-dwelling cohorts of middle-aged and older adults. Methods: Individuals from Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study (GS:SFHS, N = 9865) and from the Lothian Birth Cohorts of 1921 (LBC1921, N  = 517) and 1936 (LBC1936, N  = 1005) provided cognitive data and genome-wide genotype data. Polygenic risk profile scores for CAD were calculated for all of the cohorts using the largest available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data set, the CARDIoGRAM consortium (22 233 cases and 64 762 controls). Polygenic risk profile scores for CAD were then tested for their association with cognitive abilities in the presence and absence of manifest cardiovascular disease. Results: A meta-analysis of all three cohorts showed a negative association between CAD polygenic risk and fluid cognitive ability (β = −0.022, P  = 0.016), verbal intelligence (β = −0.024, P  = 0.011) and memory (β = −0.021, P  = 0.028). Conclusions: Increased polygenic risk for CAD is associated with lower cognitive ability in older adults. Common genetic variants may underlie some of the association between age-related cognitive decrements and the risk for CAD. PMID:26822939

Growth model for uneven-aged loblolly pine stands : simulations and management implications

Treesearch

C.-R. Lin; J. Buongiorno; Jeffrey P. Prestemon; K. E. Skog

1998-01-01

A density-dependent matrix growth model of uneven-aged loblolly pine stands was developed with data from 991 permanent plots in the southern United States. The model predicts the number of pine, soft hardwood, and hard hardwood trees in 13 diameter classes, based on equations for ingrowth, upgrowth, and mortality. Projections of 6 to 10 years agreed with the growth...

Use of group-selection and seed-tree cuts by three early-successional migratory species in Arkansas

Treesearch

Lynn E. Alterman; James C. Bednarz; Ronald E. Thill

2005-01-01

Silviculture in the Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas and Oklahoma has shifted in recent years from mostly even-aged management to a mix of even- and uneven-aged regeneration systems, including group-selection. Researchers have described presence/absence of early-successional bird species in forest openings created by even- and uneven-aged silviculture, but few have...

Age structure of a southern pine stand following 72 years of uneven-aged silviculture

Treesearch

Don C. Bragg

2012-01-01

Work on uneven-aged silviculture in southern pine stands on the Crossett Experimental Forest (CEF) began in the 1930s, when a number of 16.2-ha compartments were placed into a series of demonstration projects and studies (Reynolds 1980). Two of these compartments, the Good and Poor Farm Forestry Forties, have been maintained continuously in this silvicultural regime...

Diameter growth of trees in an uneven-aged oak forest in the Missouri Ozarks

Treesearch

Edward F. Loewenstein; Paul S. Johnson; Harold E. Garrett

1997-01-01

We tested the efficacy of even-aged stand tables for predicting diameter growth of trees in uneven-aged oak stands. The study was based on the age- and diameter-structure of the Pioneer Forest, a 156,000-acre, privately owned oak forest in the Ozark Highlands of Missouri. The forest has been managed by single-tree selection since 1954.

Growth of loblolly pine stands after the first five years of uneven-aged silviculture using single-tree selection

Treesearch

Paul A. Murphy; Michael G. Shelton

1994-01-01

The effects of three levels of residual basal area (40, 60, and 80 ft2/ac), maximum dbh (12, 16, 20 in.) and site index (90 ft) on the growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands after 5 yr of uneven-aged silviculture were determined from plots located in the south Arkansas and north...

Short-Term Effects of Understory and Overstory Management on Breeding Birds in Arkansas Oak-Hickory Forests

Treesearch

Paul G. Rodewald; Kimberly G. Smith

1998-01-01

Relatively little is known about the effects of uneven-aged forest management practices on eastern forest birds, despite the fact that such methods are now commonly practiced. In 1993-94, we studied the short-term effects of uneven-aged forest management on bird communities in oak-hickory forests of north-western Arkansas. We estimated bird abundance in mature forests...

Immediate, landscape-scale impacts of even-aged and uneven-aged forest management on herpetofaunal communities of the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project

Treesearch

Rochelle B. Renken; Debby K. Frantz

2002-01-01

We examined the immediate, landscape-scale impacts of even-aged and uneven-aged forest management on the species composition, species richness, and relative abundance of herpetofaunal communities and selected focal groups of species during the second and third years following initial tree harvest on Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) sites in southern...

The Plantation Conversion Demonstration at the Crossett Experimental Forest--Implications For Converting Stands From Even-Aged to Uneven-Aged Structure

Treesearch

James M. Guldin; Robert M. Farrar

2002-01-01

In the absence of replicated studies, we used a case study demonstration to illustrate converting a 26-year-old even-aged loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation to uneven-aged structure. Unreplicated treatments included maintaining even-aged structure through low thinning (thinning from below) to a residual basal area of 80 square feet per acre,...

Life for Minority Professors of Special Education Ain't Been No Crystal Stair

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gentry, Ruben

2010-01-01

To expect an "easy life" as a professor of special education is to expect what never was nor never will be. But when the playing field is uneven for minorities, or even worse, when it is not even recognized that the playing field is uneven, there is cause for action. For example, Bonner (2004) stated that minority faculty face tremendous…

Estimation and application of a growth and yield model for uneven-aged mixed conifer stands in California.

Treesearch

Jingjing Liang; J. Buongiorno; R.A. Monserud

2005-01-01

A growth model for uneven-aged mixed-conifer stands in California was developed with data from 205 permanent plots. The model predicts the number of softwood and hardwood trees in nineteen diameter classes, based on equations for diameter growth rates, mortality arid recruitment. The model gave unbiased predictions of the expected number of trees by diameter class and...

Can cognitive assessment really discriminate early stages of Alzheimer's and behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia at initial clinical presentation?

PubMed

Reul, Sophia; Lohmann, Hubertus; Wiendl, Heinz; Duning, Thomas; Johnen, Andreas

2017-08-09

Neuropsychological testing is considered crucial for differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). In-depth neuropsychological assessment revealed specific dysfunctions in the two dementia syndromes. However, a significant overlap of cognitive impairments exists in early disease stages. We questioned whether a standard neuropsychological assessment at initial clinical presentation can delineate patients with AD versus bvFTD. In a retrospective approach, we evaluated and compared how cognitive profiles assessed at initial clinical presentation predicted the diagnosis of later verified AD (n = 43) and bvFTD (n = 26). Additionally, the neuropsychological standard domains memory, language, visuospatial skills, executive functions, praxis and social cognition were subjected to stepwise discriminant analysis to compare their differential contribution to diagnosis. Regardless of diagnosis, a percentage of patients presented with major deterioration in a wide range of cognitive domains when compared with age-matched normative data. Only few significant differences were detected on the group level: Patients with AD were relatively more impaired in the verbal recall, verbal recognition, figure copy, and surprisingly in the executive subdomains, set shifting and processing speed whereas bvFTD was characterised by more deficits in imitation of face postures. A combination of tests for verbal recall, imitation of limb and face postures, and figure copy showed the greatest discriminatory power. Our results imply that the contribution of a standard neuropsychological assessment is limited for differential diagnosis of AD and bvFTD at initial presentation. In contrast to current clinical guidelines, executive functions are neither particularly nor exclusively impaired in patients with bvFTD when assessed within a standard clinical neuropsychological test battery. The significant overlap of bvFTD and AD concerning the profile of cognitive impairments questions current neuropsychological diagnostic criteria and calls for revision, regarding both the degree and the profile of cognitive deficits.

The cognitive profile of myotonic dystrophy type 1: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Okkersen, Kees; Buskes, Melanie; Groenewoud, Johannes; Kessels, Roy P C; Knoop, Hans; van Engelen, Baziel; Raaphorst, Joost

2017-10-01

To examine the cognitive profile of patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) on the basis of a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. Embase, Medline and PsycInfo were searched for studies reporting ≥1 neuropsychological test in both DM1 patients and healthy controls. Search, data extraction and risk of bias analysis were independently performed by two authors to minimize error. Neuropsychological tests were categorized into 12 cognitive domains and effect sizes (Hedges' g) were calculated for each domain and for tests administered in ≥5 studies. DM1 participants demonstrated a significantly worse performance compared to controls in all cognitive domains. Effect sizes ranged from -.33 (small) for verbal memory to -1.01 (large) for visuospatial perception. Except for the domains global cognition, intelligence and social cognition, wide confidence intervals (CIs) were associated with moderate to marked statistical heterogeneity that necessitates careful interpretation of results. Out of the individual tests, the Rey-Osterrieth complex figure-copy (both non-verbal memory and visuoconstruction) showed consistent impairment with acceptable heterogeneity. In DM1 patients, cognitive deficits may include a variable combination of global cognitive impairment with involvement across different domains, including social cognition, memory and visuospatial functioning. Although DM1 is a heterogeneous disorder, our study shows that meta-analysis is feasible, contributes to the understanding of brain involvement and may direct bedside testing. The protocol for this study has been registered in PROSPERO (International prospective register of systematic reviews) under ID: 42016037415. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mild cognitive impairment: Profile of a cohort from a private sector memory clinic.

PubMed

Srinivasan, Srikanth

2014-07-01

Private hospital memory clinics might see a different clientele than university or academic institutes due to referral biases. To characterize the profile of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from a private sector memory clinic. MCI was diagnosed according to revised clinical criteria of Petersen et al. For a subset of patients with MCI medial temporal atrophy and cerebral small vessel disease (white matter lesions and lacunes) were rated on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and analyzed for their contribution towards cognitive impairment. Subjects with MCI formed one-third (113/371) of this memory clinic sample from a private hospital. MCI could be effectively diagnosed and subtyped using a brief cognitive scale (Concise Cognitive Test (CONCOG)). The amnestic MCI (single and multiple domains) subtype comprised the majority of cases with MCI. In a subsample of 33 patients, lacunar infarcts were more common than white matter lesions and hippocampal atrophy and were inversely associated with verbal fluency. MCI may be more commonly encountered in private hospital settings probably due to early referrals. It is possible to diagnose and subtype MCI using a brief cognitive instrument such as the CONCOG. In this sample, lacunar infarcts were more commonly encountered than medial temporal atrophy in such patients.

Characterization and Prediction of Early Reading Abilities in Children on the Autism Spectrum

PubMed Central

Davidson, Meghan M.; Weismer, Susan Ellis

2013-01-01

Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have reading profiles characterized by higher decoding skills and lower reading comprehension. This study assessed whether this profile was apparent in young children with ASD and examined concurrent and longitudinal predictors of early reading. A discrepant profile of reading (higher alphabet and lower meaning) was found in 62% of this sample. Concurrent analyses revealed that reading proficiency was associated with higher nonverbal cognition and expressive language, and that social ability was negatively related to alphabet knowledge. Nonverbal cognition and expressive language at mean age 2½ years predicted later reading performance at mean age 5½ years. These results support the importance of early language skills as a foundation for reading in children with ASD. PMID:24022730

Neuropsychological profile in Italian children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and their relationships with neuroradiological data: Preliminary results.

PubMed

Parmeggiani, A; Boiani, F; Capponi, S; Duca, M; Angotti, M; Pignataro, V; Sacrato, L; Spinardi, L; Vara, G; Maltoni, L; Cecconi, I; Pastore Trossello, M; Franzoni, E

2018-05-04

Neurofibromatosis type 1 is a genetic disorder associated with cognitive deficits, learning disabilities and behavioral problems. These domains appear to have a still controversial debated association with local areas of T2-hyperintensities on MRI images, called unidentified bright objects (UBOs). A cohort of 36 children (aged 7-11 years) included consecutively, underwent neuropsychological and behavioral assessment to determine their cognitive and neuropsychological profile, and the frequency of specific learning disabilities. MRI examination was used to determine the impact of UBOs' presence, number, and location on the cognitive, neuropsychological and behavioral profile, and also the presence of optic glioma. The mean full intelligence quotient was 104.6; only one child had mild intellectual disability. Forty one percent of children had a diagnosis of specific learning disabilities and reading was mainly involved. Twenty per cent had attention problems. All children had normal scores in visuo-motor and visuo-perceptual tests. UBOs were present in 94.0% of the MRI examinations. Two children had optic glioma. Children with UBOs in a specific location and children with UBOs elsewhere were statistically compared, no one of the location seemed to have an impact on general cognition measured with full intelligence quotient. The thalamus was associated with problems in calculation and striatum with behavioral problems. An inverse relationship between the number of UBOs and the full intelligence quotient was present, but without a statistical significance. In this study, the specific location of UBOs did not seem to influence the general cognitive profile and also the relationship between their number and the full intelligence quotient was not significant; these results are still controversial in literature. Finally, the presence of UBOs in the thalamus and striatum may represent a neuroradiological pattern that influences performances in calculation and behavior respectively in children with Neurofibromatosis type 1. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Forest management strategy affects saproxylic beetle assemblages: A comparison of even and uneven-aged silviculture using direct and indirect sampling.

PubMed

Joelsson, Klara; Hjältén, Joakim; Gibb, Heloise

2018-01-01

Management of forest for wood production has altered ecosystem structures and processes and led to habitat loss and species extinctions, worldwide. Deadwood is a key resource supporting forest biodiversity, and commonly declines following forest management. However, different forest management methods affect dead wood differently. For example, uneven-aged silviculture maintains an age-stratified forest with ongoing dead wood production, while even-aged silviculture breaks forest continuity, leading to long periods without large trees. We asked how deadwood-dependent beetles respond to different silvicultural practices and if their responses depend on deadwood volume, and beetles preference for decay stages of deadwood. We compared beetle assemblages in five boreal forest types with different management strategies: clearcutting and thinning (both representing even-aged silviculture), selective felling (representing uneven-aged silviculture), reference and old growth forest (both uneven-aged controls without a recent history [~50 years] of management, but the latter with high conservation values). We collected beetles using window traps and by sieving the bark from experimental logs (bolts). Beetle assemblages on clear-cuts differed from all other stand types, regardless of trapping method or decay stage preference. Thinning differed from reference stands, indicating incomplete recovery after clear-cutting, while selective felling differed only from clear-cuts. In contrast to our predictions, early and late successional species responded similarly to different silvicultural practices. However, there were indications of marginal assemblage differences both between thinned stands and selective felling and between thinned and old growth stands (p = 0.10). The stand volume of early decay stage wood influenced assemblage composition of early, but not late successional species. Uneven-aged silviculture maintained species assemblages similar to those of the reference and old growth stands and might therefore be a better management option when considering biodiversity conservation.

A unifying theory for cognitive abnormalities in functional neurological disorders, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: systematic review.

PubMed

Teodoro, Tiago; Edwards, Mark J; Isaacs, Jeremy D

2018-05-07

Functional cognitive disorder (FCD) describes cognitive dysfunction in the absence of an organic cause. It is increasingly prevalent in healthcare settings yet its key neuropsychological features have not been reported in large patient cohorts. We hypothesised that cognitive profiles in fibromyalgia (FM), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and functional neurological disorders (FNDs) would provide a template for characterising FCD. We conducted a systematic review of studies with cognition-related outcomes in FM, CFS and FND. We selected 52 studies on FM, 95 on CFS and 39 on FND. We found a general discordance between high rates of subjective cognitive symptoms, including forgetfulness, distractibility and word-finding difficulties, and inconsistent objective neuropsychological deficits. Objective deficits were reported, including poor selective and divided attention, slow information processing and vulnerability to distraction. In some studies, cognitive performance was inversely correlated with pain, exertion and fatigue. Performance validity testing demonstrated poor effort in only a minority of subjects, and patients with CFS showed a heightened perception of effort. The cognitive profiles of FM, CFS and non-cognitive FND are similar to the proposed features of FCD, suggesting common mechanistic underpinnings. Similar findings have been reported in patients with mild traumatic brain injury and whiplash. We hypothesise that pain, fatigue and excessive interoceptive monitoring produce a decrease in externally directed attention. This increases susceptibility to distraction and slows information processing, interfering with cognitive function, in particular multitasking. Routine cognitive processes are experienced as unduly effortful. This may reflect a switch from an automatic to a less efficient controlled or explicit cognitive mode, a mechanism that has also been proposed for impaired motor control in FND. These experiences might then be overinterpreted due to memory perfectionism and heightened self-monitoring of cognitive performance. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Phobic anxiety and cognitive performance over 4 years among community-dwelling older women in the Nurses' Health Study.

PubMed

Okereke, Olivia I; Grodstein, Francine

2013-11-01

To examine the relation of phobic anxiety to late-life cognitive trajectory. Prospective cohort. Nurses' Health Study-U.S. registered nurses. A total of 16,351 women among whom phobic anxiety symptoms were assessed in 1988 (mean age = 63 years). Beginning a decade after phobic anxiety ascertainment (mean age = 74 years), three assessments of general cognition, word and paragraph immediate and delayed recall, category fluency, and attention or working memory were administered over an average of 4.4 years; global cognitive and verbal memory composite scores were generated from the component tests. General linear models of response profiles were used to evaluate relations of phobic anxiety to initial cognitive performance and subsequent change. Higher phobic anxiety was associated with poorer initial performance: for example, comparing women with the highest anxiety to those with no or minimal symptoms, the multivariate-adjusted mean difference (95% confidence interval) in scores was -0.10 (-0.13,-0.06) standard units for the global score summarizing all tests, and -0.08 (-0.11,-0.04) standard units for verbal memory (summarizing four word- and paragraph-recall tasks). Mean differences between extreme categories of phobic anxiety were equal to those for participants aged 1.5-2 years apart: that is, cognitively equivalent to being about 2 years older. There were no relations of phobic anxiety to subsequent cognitive change. Higher mid-life phobic anxiety was related to worse later-life overall cognition and verbal memory. Yet, profiles of poorer cognition with higher anxiety remained parallel over time, suggesting phobic anxiety may impose impact on cognition earlier in life, rather than ongoing impact in later-life. Copyright © 2013 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phobic anxiety and cognitive performance over 4 years among community-dwelling older women in the Nurses’ Health Study

PubMed Central

Okereke, Olivia I.; Grodstein, Francine

2012-01-01

Objective To examine the relation of phobic anxiety to late-life cognitive trajectory. Design Prospective cohort. Setting Nurses’ Health Study – U.S. registered nurses. Participants 16,351 women among whom phobic anxiety symptoms were assessed in 1988 (mean age=63 years). Measurements Beginning a decade after phobic anxiety ascertainment (mean age=74 years), three assessments of general cognition, word and paragraph immediate and delayed recall, category fluency, and attention/working memory were administered over an average of 4.4 years; global cognitive and verbal memory composite scores were generated from the component tests. General linear models of response profiles were used to evaluate relations of phobic anxiety to initial cognitive performance and subsequent change. Results Higher phobic anxiety was associated with poorer initial performance: e.g., comparing women with the highest anxiety to those with no/minimal symptoms, the multivariate-adjusted mean difference (95% confidence interval) in scores was −0.10 (−0.13,−0.06) standard units for the global score summarizing all tests, and −0.08 (−0.11,−0.04) standard units for verbal memory (summarizing 4 word- and paragraph-recall tasks). Mean differences between extreme categories of phobic anxiety were equal to those for participants aged 1.5–2 years apart: i.e., cognitively equivalent to being about two years older. There were no relations of phobic anxiety to subsequent cognitive change. Conclusions Higher mid-life phobic anxiety was related to worse later-life overall cognition and verbal memory. Yet, profiles of poorer cognition with higher anxiety remained parallel over time, suggesting phobic anxiety may impose impact on cognition earlier in life, rather than ongoing impact in later-life. PMID:23567369

The Neural Underpinnings of Cognitive Flexibility and their Disruption in Psychotic Illness

PubMed Central

Waltz, James A.

2016-01-01

Schizophrenia has long been associated with a variety of cognitive deficits, including reduced cognitive flexibility. More recent findings, however, point to tremendous inter-individual variability among patients on measures of cognitive flexibility/set-shifting. With an eye toward shedding light on potential sources of variability in set-shifting abilities among schizophrenia patients, I examine the neural substrates of underlying probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) – a paradigmatic measure of cognitive flexibility – as well as neuromodulatory influences upon these systems. Finally, I report on behavioral and neuroimaging studies of PRL in schizophrenia patients, discussing the potentially influences of illness profile and antipsychotic medications on cognitive flexibility in schizophrenia. PMID:27282085

Walking on uneven terrain with a powered ankle prosthesis: A preliminary assessment.

PubMed

Shultz, Amanda H; Lawson, Brian E; Goldfarb, Michael

2015-01-01

A successful walking gait with a powered prosthesis depends heavily on proper timing of power delivery, or push-off. This paper describes a control approach which provides improved walking on uneven terrain relative to previous work intended for use on even (level) terrain. This approach is motivated by an initial healthy subject study which demonstrated less variation in sagittal plane shank angle than sagittal plane ankle angle when walking on uneven terrain relative to even terrain. The latter therefore replaces the former as the control signal used to initiate push-off in the powered prosthesis described herein. The authors demonstrate improvement in consistency for several gait characteristics, relative to healthy, as well as controller characteristics with the new control approach, including a 50% improvement in the consistency of the percentage of stride at which push-off is initiated.

The association between uneven sex ratios and violence: Evidence from 6 Asian countries.

PubMed

Diamond-Smith, Nadia; Rudolph, Kara

2018-01-01

It has been hypothesized that uneven sex ratios in the population could lead to increased violence. The objective of this analysis is to explore the relationship between uneven sex ratios in the population and violence. This analysis uses data collected from men in six Asian countries about their experiences and perpetration of violence. We combine this with region- and age specific sex ratios calculated from Census data to explore the relationship between sex ratios and violence using multilevel models. We find that men from region-age brackets with higher ratios of men to women are significantly more likely to report ever having raped a woman, having perpetrated intimate partner violence, or having used a weapon. We find no evidence for an association between sex ratios and reports of ever having raped a man.

Improved contact characteristics of laser-annealed p-GaN coated with Ni films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Bo-Sheng; Ho, Chong-Long; Cheng, Kai-Yuan; Liao, Chien-Lan; Wu, Meng-Chyi; Hsieh, Kuang-Chien

2015-08-01

It is demonstrated that rapid thermal annealing or laser annealing of Mg-doped GaN (about 0.5 μm in thickness) in general helps activate acceptors and increase the average hole concentration by a factor of about 2 from low to mid of 1017/cm3 determined by the Hall measurements. Use of laser annealing of p-GaN coated with Ni and removal afterwards prior to depositing conventional Ni/Au ohmic-contact films, however, greatly improves the contact resistance from 10-2 to 1.6 × 10-4 Ω cm2. Other heat treatment schemes do not improve as much or make it even worse. The most reduction of contact resistance is attributed to the highest surface hole density in an uneven carrier profile achieved by laser annealing with a Ni cap layer.

[Body profile and physical and cognitive function by age in ambulatory elderly women from the city of Córdoba].

PubMed

Asaduroglu, Ana V; Tablada, M; Cosiansi Bai, J; Carrillo, M; Canale, M; Gallerano, R

2015-01-01

Aging produces body changes such as redistribution of fat and loss of muscle mass and strength, predisposing to fragility, functional impairment and disability. To analyze the relationship between body profile and physical and cognitive function by age in in ambulatory elderly women from the city of Córdoba. 178 healthy older women (OW) ≥60 years free living were evaluated attending centers of retirees and day homes in the city of Córdoba. We evaluated body profile from: skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI), relative body adiposity (RBA) -dual X-ray absorptiometry- and muscle strength (MS) -dynamometry-. Categories: normal/(N) sarcopenia/(SP), obesity/(OB), sarcopenic obesity/(SO); Physical function: with/without physical limitation (PL); cognitive function: with/without cognitive impairment (CI). Lunar Prodigy Densitometer and Smedley dynamometer, Lawton and Brody and Minimental Examination of Folstein scales. SO prevailed and increased with age, contrary to OB. Most of the OW did not PL or CI. Only 2.25% had low SMMI and 48.3% dynapenia. 76.97% had elevated RBA. The SP - obese or not - had greater PL and CI. CI frequency doubled to PL (15.17% versus 6.74%). We found negative correlations and significant associations between age and MS (r= -0.279; p=0.0001), physical function (r=-0.164; p=0.0283) and cognitive function (r=-0.028; p=0.0002). In this group of healthy OW the dynapenia was responsible for the observed SP, not low SMMI. The OW with SP had more PL and CI, and increased with age.

Surface profile measurement by using the integrated Linnik WLSI and confocal microscope system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei-Chung; Shen, Ming-Hsing; Hwang, Chi-Hung; Yu, Yun-Ting; Wang, Tzu-Fong

2017-06-01

The white-light scanning interferometer (WLSI) and confocal microscope (CM) are the two major optical inspection systems for measuring three-dimensional (3D) surface profile (SP) of micro specimens. Nevertheless, in practical applications, WLSI is more suitable for measuring smooth and low-slope surfaces. On the other hand, CM is more suitable for measuring uneven-reflective and low-reflective surfaces. As for aspect of surface profiles to be measured, the characteristics of WLSI and CM are also different. WLSI is generally used in semiconductor industry while CM is more popular in printed circuit board industry. In this paper, a self-assembled multi-function optical system was integrated to perform Linnik white-light scanning interferometer (Linnik WLSI) and CM. A connecting part composed of tubes, lenses and interferometer was used to conjunct finite and infinite optical systems for Linnik WLSI and CM in the self-assembled optical system. By adopting the flexibility of tubes and lenses, switching to perform two different optical measurements can be easily achieved. Furthermore, based on the shape from focus method with energy of Laplacian filter, the CM was developed to enhance the on focal information of each pixel so that the CM can provide all-in-focus image for performing the 3D SP measurement and analysis simultaneously. As for Linnik WLSI, eleven-step phase shifting algorithm was used to analyze vertical scanning signals and determine the 3D SP.

Early Cognitive and Linguistic Profiles of Different Types of 7- to 8-Year-Old Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potocki, Anna; Ecalle, Jean; Magnan, Annie

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the early characteristics of four profiles of readers established in second grade (7-8 years of age): good readers, specific poor decoders, specific poor comprehenders and general poor readers. These profiles were compared retrospectively on a range of measures administered 2 years earlier, in kindergarten.…

Understanding Unresponsiveness to Tier 2 Reading Intervention: Exploring the Classification and Profiles of Adequate and Inadequate Responders in First Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toste, Jessica R.; Compton, Donald L.; Fuchs, Douglas; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Gilbert, Jennifer K.; Cho, Eunsoo; Barquero, Laura A.; Bouton, Bobette D.

2014-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to examine academic and cognitive profiles of first graders who responded adequately and inadequately to intensive small-group reading intervention (Tier 2), as well as assess how these profiles differ based on the criteria used for classification of unresponsiveness. Nonresponders were identified using two…

Japanese and North American Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative studies: Harmonization for international trials.

PubMed

Iwatsubo, Takeshi; Iwata, Atsushi; Suzuki, Kazushi; Ihara, Ryoko; Arai, Hiroyuki; Ishii, Kenji; Senda, Michio; Ito, Kengo; Ikeuchi, Takeshi; Kuwano, Ryozo; Matsuda, Hiroshi; Sun, Chung-Kai; Beckett, Laurel A; Petersen, Ronald C; Weiner, Michael W; Aisen, Paul S; Donohue, Michael C

2018-05-08

We conducted Japanese Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (J-ADNI) and compared the basic characteristics and progression profiles with those of ADNI in North America. A total of 537 Japanese subjects with normal cognition, late amnestic mild cognitive impairment (LMCI), or mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) were enrolled using the same criteria as ADNI. Rates of changes in representative cognitive or functional measures were compared for amyloid positron emission tomography- or cerebrospinal fluid amyloid β(1-42)-positive LMCI and mild AD between J-ADNI and ADNI. Amyloid positivity rates were significantly higher in normal cognition of ADNI but at similar levels in LMCI and mild AD between J-ADNI and ADNI. Profiles of decline in cognitive or functional measures in amyloid-positive LMCI in J-ADNI (n = 75) and ADNI (n = 269) were remarkably similar, whereas those in mild AD were milder in J-ADNI (n = 73) compared with ADNI (n = 230). These results support the feasibility of bridging of clinical trials in the prodromal stage of AD between Asia and western countries. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association of Chronic Subjective Tinnitus with Neuro- Cognitive Performance.

PubMed

Gudwani, Sunita; Munjal, Sanjay K; Panda, Naresh K; Kohli, Adarsh

2017-12-01

Chronic subjective tinnitus is associated with cognitive disruptions affecting perception, thinking, language, reasoning, problem solving, memory, visual tasks (reading) and attention. To evaluate existence of any association between tinnitus parameters and neuropsychological performance to explain cognitive processing. Study design was prospective, consisting 25 patients with idiopathic chronic subjective tinnitus and gave informed consent before planning their treatment. Neuropsychological profile included (i) performance on verbal information, comprehension, arithmetic and digit span; (ii) non-verbal performance for visual pattern completion analogies; (iii) memory performance for long-term, recent, delayed-recall, immediate-recall, verbal-retention, visualretention, visual recognition; (iv) reception, interpretation and execution for visual motor gestalt. Correlation between tinnitus onset duration/ loudness perception with neuropsychological profile was assessed by calculating Spearman's coefficient. Findings suggest that tinnitus may interfere with cognitive processing especially performance on digit span, verbal comprehension, mental balance, attention & concentration, immediate recall, visual recognition and visual-motor gestalt subtests. Negative correlation between neurocognitive tasks with tinnitus loudness and onset duration indicated their association. Positive correlation between tinnitus and visual-motor gestalt performance indicated the brain dysfunction. Tinnitus association with non-auditory processing of verbal, visual and visuo-spatial information suggested neuroplastic changes that need to be targeted in cognitive rehabilitation.

Can you spell dyslexia without SLI? Comparing the cognitive profiles of dyslexia and specific language impairment and their roles in learning.

PubMed

Alloway, Tracy Packiam; Tewolde, Furtuna; Skipper, Dakota; Hijar, David

2017-06-01

The aim of the present study is to explore whether those with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and dyslexia display distinct or overlapping cognitive profiles with respect to learning outcomes. In particular, we were interested in two key cognitive skills associated with academic performance - working memory and IQ. We recruited three groups of children - those with SLI, those with dyslexia, and a control group. All children were given standardized tests of working memory, IQ (vocabulary and matrix), spelling, and math. The pattern of results suggests that both children with dyslexia and SLI are characterized with poorer verbal working memory and IQ compared to controls, but preserved nonverbal cognitive skills. It appears that that these two disorder groups cannot be distinguished by the severity of their cognitive deficits. However, there was a differential pattern with respect to learning outcomes, where the children with dyslexia rely more on visual skills in spelling, while those with SLI use their relative strengths in vocabulary. These findings can have important implications for how intervention is tailored in the classroom, as disorder-specific support could yield important gains in learning. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Experience with the selection method in pine stands in the southern United States, with implications for future application

Treesearch

James M. Guldin

2011-01-01

The selection method applied in shade-intolerant pine stands in the southern United States has been shown to be an effective method of uneven-aged silviculture, but it is becoming less frequently practiced for a variety of reasons. Economically, the high value of standing timber puts fully stocked uneven-aged pine stands at risk of liquidation if the timberland is sold...

Using FORSEE and continuous forest inventory information to evaluate implementation of uneven-aged management in Santa Cruz County coast redwood forests

Treesearch

Douglas D. Piirto; Scott Sink; Dominic Ali; Steve Auten; Christopher Hipkin; Reid. Cody

2012-01-01

Swanton Pacific Ranch in northern Santa Cruz County has been owned and managed by California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) Foundation since 1987. The California Forest Practice Rules specific to Santa Cruz County limit harvest rate and opening size. Cal Poly forest managers are implementing uneven-aged forest management on 1,182 acres of 80 to 110...

WestPro: a computer program for simulating uneven-aged Douglas-fir stand growth and yield in the Pacific Northwest.

Treesearch

Rebecca Ralston; Joseph Buongiorno; Benedict Schulte; Jeremy Fried

2003-01-01

WestPro is an add-in program designed to work with Microsoft Excel to simulate the growth of uneven-aged Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) stands in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Given the initial stand state, defined as the number of softwood and hardwood trees per acre by diameter class, WestPro predicts the...

CalPro: a spreadsheet program for the management of California mixed-conifer stands.

Treesearch

Jingjing Liang; Joseph Buongiorno; Robert A. Monserud

2004-01-01

CalPro is an add-in program developed to work with Microsoft Excel to simulate the growth and management of uneven-aged mixed-conifer stands in California. Its built-in growth model was calibrated from 177 uneven-aged plots on industry and other private lands. Stands are described by the number of trees per acre in each of nineteen 2-inch diameter classes in...

A finite mixture of two Weibull distributions for modeling the diameter distributions of rotated-sigmoid, uneven-aged stands

Treesearch

Lianjun Zhang; Jeffrey H. Gove; Chuangmin Liu; William B. Leak

2001-01-01

The rotated-sigmoid form is a characteristic of old-growth, uneven-aged forest stands caused by past disturbances such as cutting, fire, disease, and insect attacks. The diameter frequency distribution of the rotated-sigmoid form is bimodal with the second rounded peak in the midsized classes, rather than a smooth, steeply descending, monotonic curve. In this study a...

A 9-year comparison of hardwood control treatments for enhancing natural regeneration and growth of loblolly-shortleaf pines in an uneven-aged stand

Treesearch

Michael D. Cain

1998-01-01

Preharvest control of hardwoods facilitated natural regeneration of loblolly and shortleaf pines (Pinus taeda L. and P. enchinata Mill.) in an overstocked, uneven-aged stand in southern Arkansas. During spring 1983, hardwoods were controlled by either basal injection of Tordon® 101R, soil application of Velpar® L, or rotary mowing...

A Matrix Transition Model for an Uneven-Aged, Oak-Hickory Forest in the Missouri Ozark Highlands

Treesearch

James R. Lootens; David R. Larsen; Edward F. Loewenstein

1999-01-01

We present a matrix growth model for an uneven-aged, oak-hickory forest in the Ozark Highlands of Missouri. The model was developed to predict ingrowth, growth of surviving trees, and mortality by diameter class for a five-year period. Tree removal from management activities is accounted for in the model. We evaluated a progression of models from a static, fixed-...

A matrix transition model for an uneven-aged, oak-hickory forest in the Missouri ozark highlands

Treesearch

James R. Lootens; David R. Larsen; Edward F. Loewenstein

1999-01-01

We presented a matrix growth model for an uneven-aged, oak-hickory forest in the Ozark Highlands of Missouri. The model was developed to predict ingrowth, growth of surviving trees, and mortality by diameter class for a five-year period. Tree removal from management activities is accounted for in the model. We evaluated a progression of models from a static, fixed...

Stump sprouting potential of oaks in Missouri Ozark forests managed by even- and uneven-aged silviculture

Treesearch

Daniel C. Dey; Randy G. Jensen

2002-01-01

We evaluated the stump sprouting potential of white oak, black oak, and scarlet oak in relation to tree age, stem diameter, and overstory density in Ozark forests managed by even-aged and uneven-aged silvicultural systems. In eastern North America, few studies have evaluated the influence of a forest canopy on the potential of hardwood stumps to sprout and contribute...

Effects of Market Prices and Silvicultural Practices on Lumber Value of Standing Trees In Uneven-Ages Plots

Treesearch

David W. Patterson

1998-01-01

Uneven-aged management plots were established using three variables (site index, basal area, and maximum diameter). This study looked at the significance of the variables on the lumber volume per acre, lumber value per thousand board feet (Mbf), and stand value per acre as well as the influence on these analysis by market prices (May 1997, May 1998, and October 1998)....

Hardwood Control Treatments to Enhance Natural Regeneration and Growth of Loblolly-Shortleaf Pines in an Uneven-Aged Stand: 12-Year Results

Treesearch

Michael D. Cain

1999-01-01

To facilitate natural regeneration of loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf pines (P. echinata Mill.) in an overstocked, uneven-aged pine stand in southeastern Arkansas, hardwoods were controlled by either basal injection of Tordon® 101 R, soil application of Velpar® L, or rotary mowing followed by a broadcast spray of Tordon®...

Prescribed fire effects on structure in uneven-aged stands of loblolly and shortleaf pines

Treesearch

Michael D. Cain; T. Bently Wigley; Derik J. Reed

1998-01-01

Structure was assessed in uneven-aged stands of loblolly (Pinus taeda) and shortleaf pine (P. echinata) that were subjected to prescribed winter burns on cycles of 0, 3, 6, and 9 years. Vegetation assessments were made in late summer of 1990, 10 years after a single hardwood control treatment (basal injection of non-pine woody plants >2.5 cm in groundline diameter...

Woody vegetation following even-aged, uneven-aged, and no-harvest treatments on the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Sites

Treesearch

John M. Kabrick; Randy G. Jensen; Stephen R. Shifley; David R. Larsen

2002-01-01

The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) experimentally tests forest ecosystem response to (a) even-aged management with clearcutting, (b) uneven-aged management with single-tree and group selection, and (c) no-harvesting. The nine MOFEP experimental sites in the southeast Missouri Ozarks are small landscapes ranging from 772 ac (312 ha) to 1,271 ac (514 ha...

Exploring Reading Growth Profiles for Middle School Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farley, Daniel Patrick

2017-01-01

Statewide accountability programs are incorporating academic growth estimates for general assessments. This transition focuses attention on modeling growth for students with significant cognitive disabilities (SWSCD) who take alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS), as most states attempt to structure their AA-AAS…

Cognitive Profiles of Italian Children with Developmental Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobia, Valentina; Marzocchi, Gian Marco

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate verbal and nonverbal cognitive deficits in Italian students with developmental dyslexia. The performances of 32 dyslexic students, 64 age-matched typically reading controls, and 64 reading age-matched controls were compared on tests of lexical knowledge, phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming,…

Integrated Cognitive-neuroscience Architectures for Understanding Sensemaking (ICArUS): Transition to the Intelligence Community

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

Case Study P U Pc Pt Ft Pa 1 Clinical vs. Actuarial Geospatial Profiling Strategies X X 2 Route Security in Baghdad X X X X 3 International...Information Sciences , 176, 1570-1589. Burns, K., & Bonaceto, C. (2014). Integrated Cognitive-neuroscience Architectures for Understanding Sensemaking

Classification of Students with Reading Comprehension Difficulties: The Roles of Motivation, Affect, and Psychopathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sideridis, Georgios D.; Mouzaki, Angeliki; Simos, Panagiotis; Protopapas, Athanassios

2006-01-01

Attempts to evaluate the cognitive-motivational profiles of students with reading comprehension difficulties have been scarce. The purpose of the present study was twofold: (a) to assess the discriminatory validity of cognitive, motivational, affective, and psychopathological variables for identification of students with reading difficulties, and…

Cognitive Profiles and Early Reading Remediation of At-Risk Elementary School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parrila, R. K.; Das, J. P.

Sixty-one grade 1 students experiencing early reading difficulties received either a cognitive remediation program (PREP; PASS Remediation Program) designed to facilitate successive and simultaneous processing skills, or a meaning-based language enrichment program designed to provide children with meaningful experiences in reading. Repeated…

Profiles of executive function in parents and siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Wong, D; Maybery, M; Bishop, D V M; Maley, A; Hallmayer, J

2006-11-01

Delineation of a cognitive endophenotype for autism is useful both for exploring the genetic mechanisms underlying the disorder and for identifying which cognitive traits may be primary to it. This study investigated whether first-degree relatives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) demonstrate a specific profile of performance on a range of components of executive function (EF), to determine whether EF deficits represent possible endophenotypes for autism. Parents and siblings of ASD and control probands were tested on EF tasks measuring planning, set-shifting, inhibition and generativity. ASD parents showed poorer performance than control parents on a test of ideational fluency or generativity, and ASD fathers demonstrated a weakness in set-shifting to a previously irrelevant dimension. ASD siblings revealed a mild reduction in ideational fluency and a weakness in non-verbal generativity when compared with control siblings. Neither ASD parents nor siblings displayed significant difficulties with planning or inhibition. These results indicated that the broad autism phenotype may not be characterized primarily by impairments in planning and cognitive flexibility, as had been previously proposed. Weaknesses in generativity emerged as stronger potential endophenotypes in this study, suggesting that this aspect of EF should play a central role in cognitive theories of autism. However, discrepancies in the EF profile demonstrated by parents and siblings suggest that factors related to age or parental responsibility may affect the precise pattern of deficits observed.

Late-life deficits in cognitive, physical and emotional functions, childhood intelligence and occupational profile: a life-course examination of the Aberdeen 1936 Birth Cohort (ABC1936).

PubMed

Chapko, Dorota; Staff, Roger T; McNeil, Christopher J; Whalley, Lawrence J; Black, Corri; Murray, Alison D

2016-07-01

the 'triad of impairment' phenomenon describes the co-occurrence of age-related cognitive, emotional and physical functioning deficits. We investigated how occupational profile and childhood intelligence contribute to the triad of impairment in late life. we analysed data of a subsample of the Aberdeen Birth Cohort of 1936 (n = 346). Data were collected on participants' childhood intelligence, late-life cognitive ability, physical functioning, depressive symptoms and main lifetime occupation. We summarised the various occupational and impairment measures into two latent variables, 'occupational profile' and the 'triad of impairment'. We used a series of data reduction approaches and structural equation models (SEMs) of increasing complexity to test both the validity of the models and to understand causal relationships between the life-course risks for the triad of impairment. occupational profile had a significant effect on the triad of impairment independent of childhood intelligence. Childhood intelligence was the predominant influence on the triad of impairment and exerted its effect directly and indirectly via its influence on occupation. The direct effect of childhood intelligence exceeded the independent influence of the occupational profile on impairment by a factor of 1.7-1.8 and was greater by a factor of ∼4 from the indirect pathway (via occupation). childhood intelligence was the predominant influence on the triad of impairment in late life, independently of the occupational profile. Efforts to reduce impairment in older adults should be informed by a life-course approach with special attention to the early-life environment. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Influence of controlled encoding and retrieval facilitation on memory performance in patients with different profiles of mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Perri, Roberta; Monaco, Marco; Fadda, Lucia; Serra, Laura; Marra, Camillo; Caltagirone, Carlo; Bruni, Amalia C; Curcio, Sabrina; Bozzali, M; Carlesimo, Giovanni A

2015-01-01

Memory tests able to differentiate encoding and retrieval processes from the memoranda storing ones should be used to differentiate patients in a very early phase of AD. In fact, individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can be characterized by two different memory profiles: a pure amnestic one (with poor learning and retrieval and poor improvement when encoding is assisted and retrieval is facilitated) and a dysexecutive one (with inefficient encoding and/or poor retrieval strategies and improvement with assisted encoding and retrieval). The amnestic profile characterizes subjects affected by medio-temporal atrophy typical of AD. In this study, a Grober-Buschke memory procedure was used to evaluate normal controls and MCI patients with different cognitive profiles: pure amnestic (aMCIsd), amnestic plus other cognitive impairments (aMCImd) and non-amnestic (naMCI). An index of sensitivity of cueing (ISC) measured the advantage passing from free to cued recall. Results showed that both strategic and consolidation abilities were impaired in the aMCIsd and aMCImd groups and were preserved in the naMCI group. aMCImd, however, compensated the memory deficit with assisted encoding and retrieval, but aMCIsd performed very poorly. When MCI subjects were defined according to the ISC value, subjects with poor ISC were primarily in the aMCIsd group and, to a lesser extent, in the aMCImd group and the naMCI group. Finally, patients with a poor ISC showed cerebral atrophy documented in the precocious phase of AD and the retrosplenial cerebral areas seemed to be the most useful areas for identifying patients in the early phase of AD.

Discrete response patterns in the upper range of hypnotic suggestibility: A latent profile analysis.

PubMed

Terhune, Devin Blair

2015-05-01

High hypnotic suggestibility is a heterogeneous condition and there is accumulating evidence that highly suggestible individuals may be comprised of discrete subtypes with dissimilar cognitive and phenomenological profiles. This study applied latent profile analysis to response patterns on a diverse battery of difficult hypnotic suggestions in a sample of individuals in the upper range of hypnotic suggestibility. Comparisons among models indicated that a four-class model was optimal. One class was comprised of very highly suggestible (virtuoso) participants, two classes included highly suggestible participants who were alternately more responsive to inhibitory cognitive suggestions or posthypnotic amnesia suggestions, and the fourth class consisted primarily of medium suggestible participants. These results indicate that there are discrete response profiles in high hypnotic suggestibility. They further provide a number of insights regarding the optimization of hypnotic suggestibility measurement and have implications for the instrumental use of hypnosis for the modeling of different psychological conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adolescent alcohol-related risk cognitions: the roles of social norms and social networking sites.

PubMed

Litt, Dana M; Stock, Michelle L

2011-12-01

The present study examined the impact of socially based descriptive norms on willingness to drink alcohol, drinker prototype favorability, affective alcohol attitudes, and perceived vulnerability for alcohol-related consequences within the Prototype Willingness model. Descriptive norms were manipulated by having 189 young adolescents view experimenter-created profile pages from the social networking site Facebook, which either showed older peers drinking or not. The results provided evidence that descriptive norms for alcohol use, as portrayed by Facebook profiles, significantly impact willingness to use, prototypes, attitudes toward use, and perceived vulnerability. A multiple mediation analysis indicated that prototypes, attitudes, and perceptions of use mediated the relationship between the content of the Facebook profile and willingness. These results indicate that adolescents who perceive that alcohol use is normative, as evidenced by Facebook profiles, are at higher risk for cognitions shown to predict alcohol use than adolescents who do not see alcohol use portrayed as frequently on Facebook.

Bacterial community structure and activity of sulfate reducing bacteria in a membrane aerated biofilm analyzed by microsensor and molecular techniques.

PubMed

Liu, Hong; Tan, Shuying; Sheng, Zhiya; Liu, Yang; Yu, Tong

2014-11-01

The activities and vertical spatial distribution of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) in an oxygen (O2 )-based membrane aerated biofilm (MAB) were investigated using microsensor (O2 and H2 S) measurements and molecular techniques (polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis [PCR-DGGE] and fluorescence in situ hybridization [FISH]). The O2 concentration profile revealed that O2 penetrated from the bottom (substratum) of the gas permeable membrane, and was gradually consumed within the biofilm until it was completely depleted near the biofilm/bulk liquid interface, indicating oxic and anoxic zone in the MAB. The H2 S concentration profile showed that H2 S production was found in the upper 285 µm of the biofilm, indicating a high activity of SRB in this region. The results from DGGE of the PCR-amplified dissimilatory sulfite reductase subunit B (dsrB) gene and FISH showed an uneven spatial distribution of SRB. The maximum SRB biomass was located in the upper biofilm. The information from the molecular analysis can be supplemented with that from microsensor measurements to better understand the microbial community and activity of SRB in the MAB. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Paradoxical effect of dopamine medication on cognition in Parkinson's disease: relationship to side of motor onset.

PubMed

Hanna-Pladdy, Brenda; Pahwa, Rajesh; Lyons, Kelly E

2015-04-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by asymmetric motor symptom onset attributed to greater degeneration of dopamine neurons contralateral to the affected side. However, whether motor asymmetries predict cognitive profiles in PD, and to what extent dopamine influences cognition remains controversial. This study evaluated cognitive variability in PD by measuring differential response to dopamine replacement therapy (DRT) based on hemispheric asymmetries. The influence of DRT on cognition was evaluated in mild PD patients (n = 36) with left or right motor onset symptoms. All subjects were evaluated on neuropsychological measures on and off DRT and compared to controls (n = 42). PD patients were impaired in executive, memory and motor domains irrespective of side of motor onset, although patients with left hemisphere deficit displayed greater cognitive impairment. Patients with right hemisphere deficit responded to DRT with significant improvement in sensorimotor deficits, and with corresponding improvement in attention and verbal memory functions. Conversely, patients with greater left hemisphere dopamine deficiency did not improve in attentional functions and declined in verbal memory recall following DRT. These findings support the presence of extensive mild cognitive deficits in early PD not fully explained by dopamine depletion alone. The paradoxical effects of levodopa on verbal memory were predicted by extent of fine motor impairment and sensorimotor response to levodopa, which reflects extent of dopamine depletion. The findings are discussed with respect to factors influencing variable cognitive profiles in early PD, including hemispheric asymmetries and differential response to levodopa based on dopamine levels predicting amelioration or overdosing.

Patterns of Cognitive Impairments among Heroin and Cocaine Users: The Association with Self-Reported Learning Disabilities and Infectious Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Severtson, Stevan G.; Hedden, Sarra L.; Martins, Silvia S.; Latimer, William W.

2012-01-01

This study used data from six neuropsychological measures of executive function (EF) and general intellectual functioning (GIF) administered to 303 regular users of heroin and/or cocaine as indicators in a latent profile analysis (LPA). Results indicated the presence of three profiles: impaired GIF and EF profile (30.8%), intact GIF and EF profile…

Heterogeneity of neuroanatomical patterns in prodromal Alzheimer's disease: links to cognition, progression and biomarkers.

PubMed

Dong, Aoyan; Toledo, Jon B; Honnorat, Nicolas; Doshi, Jimit; Varol, Erdem; Sotiras, Aristeidis; Wolk, David; Trojanowski, John Q; Davatzikos, Christos

2017-03-01

See Coulthard and Knight (doi:10.1093/aww335) for a scientific commentary on this article.Individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease clinical diagnoses can display significant phenotypic heterogeneity. This variability likely reflects underlying genetic, environmental and neuropathological differences. Characterizing this heterogeneity is important for precision diagnostics, personalized predictions, and recruitment of relatively homogeneous sets of patients into clinical trials. In this study, we apply state-of-the-art semi-supervised machine learning methods to the Alzheimer's disease Neuroimaging cohort (ADNI) to elucidate the heterogeneity of neuroanatomical differences between subjects with mild cognitive impairment (n = 530) and Alzheimer's disease (n = 314) and cognitively normal individuals (n = 399), thereby adding to an increasing literature aiming to establish neuroanatomical and neuropathological (e.g. amyloid and tau deposition) dimensions in Alzheimer's disease and its prodromal stages. These dimensional approaches aim to provide surrogate measures of heterogeneous underlying pathologic processes leading to cognitive impairment. We relate these neuroimaging patterns to cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, white matter hyperintensities, cognitive and clinical measures, and longitudinal trajectories. We identified four such atrophy patterns: (i) individuals with largely normal neuroanatomical profiles, who also turned out to have the least abnormal cognitive and cerebrospinal fluid biomarker profiles and the slowest clinical progression during follow-up; (ii) individuals with classical Alzheimer's disease neuroanatomical, cognitive, cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers and clinical profile, who presented the fastest clinical progression; (iii) individuals with a diffuse pattern of atrophy with relatively less pronounced involvement of the medial temporal lobe, abnormal cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-β1-42 values, and proportionally greater executive impairment; and (iv) individuals with notably focal involvement of the medial temporal lobe and a slow steady progression, likely representing in early Alzheimer's disease stages. These four atrophy patterns effectively define a 4-dimensional categorization of neuroanatomical alterations in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease that can complement existing dimensional approaches for staging Alzheimer's disease using a variety of biomarkers, which offer the potential for enabling precision diagnostics and prognostics, as well as targeted patient recruitment of relatively homogeneous subgroups of subjects for clinical trials. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Gender effects in gaming research: a case for regression residuals?

PubMed

Pfister, Roland

2011-10-01

Numerous recent studies have examined the impact of video gaming on various dependent variables, including the players' affective reactions, positive as well as detrimental cognitive effects, and real-world aggression. These target variables are typically analyzed as a function of game characteristics and player attributes-especially gender. However, findings on the uneven distribution of gaming experience between males and females, on the one hand, and the effect of gaming experience on several target variables, on the other hand, point at a possible confound when gaming experiments are analyzed with a standard analysis of variance. This study uses simulated data to exemplify analysis of regression residuals as a potentially beneficial data analysis strategy for such datasets. As the actual impact of gaming experience on each of the various dependent variables differs, the ultimate benefits of analysis of regression residuals entirely depend on the research question, but it offers a powerful statistical approach to video game research whenever gaming experience is a confounding factor.

Inclusion criteria provide heterogeneity in baseline profiles of patients with mild cognitive impairment: comparison of two prospective cohort studies

PubMed Central

Kawashima, Shoji; Kato, Takashi

2012-01-01

Background Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered to represent a transitional stage between ageing and Alzheimer's disease (AD). To aim at identifying neuroimaging measures associated with cognitive changes in healthy elderly and MCI patients, longitudinal multicentre studies are ongoing in several countries. The patient profiles of each study are based on unique inclusion criteria. Objectives The purpose of the study is to clarify differences in baseline profiles of MCI patients between Studies on Diagnosis of Early Alzheimer's Disease—Japan (SEAD-J) and Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and to examine the association between baseline profiles and risk of early conversion to AD. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting and participants SEAD-J recruited 114 patients from nine facilities in Japan. A total of 200 patients in ADNI with fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) were enrolled from the USA. Methods Baseline profiles were statistically analysed. For FDG-PET at a time of inclusion, associations between each profile and cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRgl) were examined using SPM5 software. In each study, the ratio of conversion to AD within the 1-year and 2-year period after inclusion was investigated and differences in baseline profiles between AD converters and non-converters were analysed. Results SEAD-J included MCI patients with more severe verbal memory deficits and extracted patients with higher depressive tendencies. These differences were likely to be associated with criteria. SEAD-J exhibited a higher rate of conversion within 1 year compared with ADNI (24.5% vs 13.5%). In FDG-PET analyses of SEAD-J, AD converters within 1 year showed more severe decrease of FDG uptake in bilateral inferior parietal regions compared with non-converters. Conclusions Different inclusion criteria provided differences in baseline profiles. The severity of memory deficit might cause increase of the AD conversion within 1 year. Clinical outcomes of multicentre studies for early diagnosis of AD should be interpreted carefully considering profiles of patients. PMID:22535791

Distribution of Mature Cones, Conelets, and Old Cones in Shortleaf Pine-Oak Stands an Uneven-Aged Regeneration Cut

Treesearch

Kenneth J. Grayson; Robert F. Wittwer; Michael G. Shelton

2004-01-01

Sixteen shortleaf pine trees were felled in a stand 10 years after an uneven-aged regeneration cut reduced pine basal area to 60 square feet per acre and hardwoods were controlled. Sixteen unreleased trees in an adjacent uncut pine-hardwood stand (120 square feet per acre) were felled for comparison. Sample trees were selected from four 2-inch d.b.h. classes (11, 13,...

Uneven-aged silviculture and management in the eastern United States: Proceedings of an In-Service Workshop; Morgantown, West Virginia; July 15-17, 1975

Treesearch

Warren T. Doolittle; A. P. Mustain; Carter B. Gibbs; David. A. Marquis; Barton M. Blum; Carl H. Tubbs; W. B. Leak; S. F. Gingrich; H. Clay Smith; Paul S. DeBald; LaMont G. Engle; Robert E. Phares

1975-01-01

The workshop, summarized in this Proceedings, represented a joint effort by personnel from Research, National Forest System, and State and Private Forestry, to review the state-of-the-art knowledge about the applicability of uneven-aged silviculture and management in the eastern United States. One major objective of this review was to develop a much better mutual...

A 10-Year Evaluation of Prescribed Winter Burns in Uneven-Aged Stands of Pinus taeda L. and P. echinata Mill.: Woody Understorey Vegetation Response

Treesearch

Michael D. Cain

1993-01-01

Abstract.The effects of burning cycles and pine basal area levels were assessed on natural pine regeneration and hardwood development in uneven-aged stands of loblolly andshortleafpines (Pinw taeda L. and P. echinata Mill.). The treatments included an unburned control and prescribed winter burrs at 3-, 6-, and 9-yr intervals. Basal area treatments were 9, 14, 18, and...

USSR and Eastern Europe Scientific Abstracts, Engineering and Equipment, Number 38

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-12-27

THEORY OF STIMULATED EMISSION OF SOUND IN A LIQUID HALF-SPACE WITH UNEVEN BOUNDARY WHEN Q-SWITCHED LASER RADIATION IS ABSORBED Moscow AKUSTICHESKIY...Coherent and Non- linear Optics ["Concerning the Influence of an Uneven Boundary on Optical Stimulation of Sound in a Liquid ," Abstracts of Reports to...switched laser radiation is absorbed in a liquid half-space is considered in the small perturbation approximation. It is assumed that the

Effect of vacuum arc cathode spot distribution on breaking capacity of the arc-extinguishing chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Can; Yuan, Zhao; He, Junjia

2017-10-01

A DC circuit breaker performs a key function in breaking an intermediate-frequency (IF) current since breaking a pure IF current is equivalent to breaking a very small DC with a reverse IF current. In this study, it is found that cathode spots show a ring-shaped distribution at 2000 Hz. An arc with an uneven distribution of cathode spots has been simulated. The simulation results show that the distribution of cathode spots significantly affect the microparameter distribution of arc plasma. The current distribution on the anode side differs from that on the cathode side under the total radial electric field. Specifically, the anode current distribution is both uneven and concentrated. The applied axial magnetic field, which cannot reduce the concentrated anode current distribution effectively, might increase the concentration of the anode current. Finally, the uneven distribution of cathode spots reduces the breaking capacity of the arc-extinguishing chamber.

Characteristics and applications of diffuse discharge of water electrode in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wenzheng, LIU; Tahan, WANG; Xiaozhong, CHEN; Chuanlong, MA

2018-01-01

Plasma water treatment technology, which aims to produce strong oxidizing reactive particles that act on the gas-liquid interface by way of discharging, is used to treat the organic pollutants that do not degrade easily in water. This paper presents a diffuse-discharge plasma water treatment method, which is realized by constructing a conical air gap through an uneven medium layer. The proposed method uses water as one electrode, and a dielectric barrier discharge electrode is constructed by using an uneven dielectric. The electric field distribution in the discharge space will be uneven, wherein the long gap electric field will have a smaller intensity, while the short one will have a larger intensity. A diffuse glow discharge is formed in the cavity. With this type of plasma water treatment equipment, a methyl orange solution with a concentration of 10 mg l-1 was treated, and the removal rate was found to reach 88.96%.

Spectral analysis of stellar light curves by means of neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tagliaferri, R.; Ciaramella, A.; Milano, L.; Barone, F.; Longo, G.

1999-06-01

Periodicity analysis of unevenly collected data is a relevant issue in several scientific fields. In astrophysics, for example, we have to find the fundamental period of light or radial velocity curves which are unevenly sampled observations of stars. Classical spectral analysis methods are unsatisfactory to solve the problem. In this paper we present a neural network based estimator system which performs well the frequency extraction in unevenly sampled signals. It uses an unsupervised Hebbian nonlinear neural algorithm to extract, from the interpolated signal, the principal components which, in turn, are used by the MUSIC frequency estimator algorithm to extract the frequencies. The neural network is tolerant to noise and works well also with few points in the sequence. We benchmark the system on synthetic and real signals with the Periodogram and with the Cramer-Rao lower bound. This work was been partially supported by IIASS, by MURST 40\\% and by the Italian Space Agency.

A Latent Profile Analysis of University Students' Self-Regulated Learning Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ning, Hoi Kwan; Downing, Kevin

2015-01-01

Based on self-reported cognitive, metacognitive, and behavioural strategy measures obtained from 828 final-year students from a university in Hong Kong, latent profile analysis (LPA) identified four distinct types of students with differential self-regulated learning strategy orientations: "competent self-regulated learners",…

Profiling & Utilizing Learning Style.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keefe, James W., Ed.

The purpose of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Learning Style Profile is to provide educators with a well-validated and easy-to-use instrument for diagnosing the cognitive styles, perceptual response tendencies, and study/instructional preferences of middle level and senior high school students. The Learning Style…

Pharmacokinetics of cotinine in rats: a potential therapeutic agent for disorders of cognitive function

PubMed Central

Li, Pei; Beck, Wayne D.; Callahan, Patrick M.; Terry, Alvin V.; Bartlett, Michael G.

2016-01-01

Background Attention has been paid to cotinine (COT), one of the major metabolites of nicotine (NIC), for its pro-cognitive effects and potential therapeutic activities against Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other types of cognitive impairment. In order to facilitate pharmacological and toxicological studies on COT for its pro-cognitive activities, we conducted a pharmacokinetic (PK) study of COT in rats, providing important oral and intravenously (IV) PK information. Methods In this study, plasma samples were obtained up to 48 hours after COT was dosed to rats orally and IV at a dose of 3 mg/kg. Plasma samples were prepared and analyzed using a sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) bioanalytical method, providing concentration profiles of COT and metabolites after oral and IV administrations. Results The data were fitted into a one-compartment model and a two-compartment model for the oral and IV groups, respectively, providing important PK information for COT including PK profiles, half-life, clearance and bioavailability. The results suggested fast absorption, slow elimination and high bioavailability of COT in rats. Conclusions Several important facts about the PK properties in rats suggested COT could be a potential pro-cognitive agent. Information about the pharmacokinetics of COT in rats revealed in this study is of great importance for the future studies on COT or potential COT analogues as agents for improving cognition. PMID:25933960

Variable-Length Computerized Adaptive Testing Using the Higher Order DINA Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Chia-Ling; Wang, Wen-Chung

2015-01-01

Cognitive diagnosis models provide profile information about a set of latent binary attributes, whereas item response models yield a summary report on a latent continuous trait. To utilize the advantages of both models, higher order cognitive diagnosis models were developed in which information about both latent binary attributes and latent…

Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning: Technology for Improving Student Cognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stozhko, Natalia; Bortnik, Boris; Mironova, Ludmila; Tchernysheva, Albina; Podshivalova, Ekaterina

2015-01-01

The article studies a way of enhancing student cognition by using interdisciplinary project-based learning (IPBL) in a higher education institution. IPBL is a creative pedagogic approach allowing students of one area of specialisation to develop projects for students with different academic profiles. The application of this approach in the Ural…

Spatial Cognition in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Superior, Impaired, or Just Intact?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edgin, Jamie O.; Pennington, Bruce F.

2005-01-01

The profile of spatial ability is of interest across autism spectrum disorders (ASD) because of reported spatial strengths in ASD and due to the recent association of Asperger's syndrome with Nonverbal Learning Disability. Spatial functions were examined in relation to two cognitive theories in autism: the central coherence and executive function…

Cognitive and Psychiatric Phenotypes of Movement Disorders in Children: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ben-Pazi, Hilla; Jaworowski, Solomon; Shalev, Ruth S

2011-01-01

Aim: The cognitive and psychiatric aspects of adult movement disorders are well established, but specific behavioural profiles for paediatric movement disorders have not been delineated. Knowledge of non-motor phenotypes may guide treatment and determine which symptoms are suggestive of a specific movement disorder and which indicate medication…

Cognitive Asymmetry, Computer Science Students, and Professional Programmers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Harold W.

1990-01-01

Discussion of right brain versus left brain skills focuses on a study that compared the performances of computer science students, professional programers, and bank employees on eight tests of brain function. Results are reported which suggest that the cognitive profile may be an important indicator for success in certain occupations. (16…

Brief Report: An Autistic Spectrum Subtype Revealed through Familial Psychopathology Coupled with Cognition in ASD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lajiness-O'Neill, Renee; Menard, Philip

2008-01-01

This study identified a possible autistic spectrum subtype expressed through family psychopathology coupled with autistic probands' cognitive functioning (i.e., an endophenotypic profile). Participants included 24 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and 49 children with Learning Disorder (LD). There were significantly higher rates of Mood…

Elderly with Autism: Executive Functions and Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geurts, Hilde M.; Vissers, Marlies E.

2012-01-01

Cognitive autism research is mainly focusing on children and young adults even though we know that autism is a life-long disorder and that healthy aging already has a strong impact on cognitive functioning. We compared the neuropsychological profile of 23 individuals with autism and 23 healthy controls (age range 51-83 years). Deficits were…

Puzzlingly High Correlations in fMRI Studies of Emotion, Personality, and Social Cognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vul, Edward; Harris, Christine; Winkielman, Piotr; Pashler, Harold

2009-01-01

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies of emotion, personality, and social cognition have drawn much attention in recent years, with high-profile studies frequently reporting extremely high (e.g., > 8) correlations between behavioral and self-report measures of personality or emotion and measures of brain activation. We show…

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Jeffrey J.; Drahota, Amy; Sze, Karen; Har, Kim; Chiu, Angela; Langer, David A.

2009-01-01

Background: Children with autism spectrum disorders often present with comorbid anxiety disorders that cause significant functional impairment. This study tested a modular cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program for children with this profile. A standard CBT program was augmented with multiple treatment components designed to accommodate or…

Cognitive Profiles of Mathematical Problem Solving Learning Disability for Different Definitions of Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolar, Tammy D.; Fuchs, Lynn; Fletcher, Jack M.; Fuchs, Douglas; Hamlett, Carol L.

2016-01-01

Three cohorts of third-grade students (N = 813) were evaluated on achievement, cognitive abilities, and behavioral attention according to contrasting research traditions in defining math learning disability (LD) status: low achievement versus extremely low achievement and IQ-achievement discrepant versus strictly low-achieving LD. We use methods…

Meaning Profiles of Dwellings, Pathways, and Metaphors in Design: Implications for Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casakin, Hernan; Kreitler, Shulamith

2017-01-01

The study deals with the roles and interrelations of the meaning-based assessments of dwellings, pathways and metaphors in design performance. It is grounded in the Meaning Theory [Kreitler, S., and H. Kreitler. 1990. "The Cognitive Foundations of Personality Traits." New York: Plenum], which enables identifying the cognitive contents…

Facebook and the Cognitive Model: A Tool for Promoting Adolescent Self-Awareness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Lucy; Wahesh, Edward

2012-01-01

A homework activity incorporating the social networking site Facebook is presented as a tool for teaching adolescent clients about the cognitive model and increasing their ability to identify and modify problematic thinking. The authors describe how a worksheet developed to help clients examine information presented on their Facebook profile can…

Evaluation of Model Fit in Cognitive Diagnosis Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Jinxiang; Miller, M. David; Huggins-Manley, Anne Corinne; Chen, Yi-Hsin

2016-01-01

Cognitive diagnosis models (CDMs) estimate student ability profiles using latent attributes. Model fit to the data needs to be ascertained in order to determine whether inferences from CDMs are valid. This study investigated the usefulness of some popular model fit statistics to detect CDM fit including relative fit indices (AIC, BIC, and CAIC),…

Dyslexia and dyscalculia: two learning disorders with different cognitive profiles.

PubMed

Landerl, Karin; Fussenegger, Barbara; Moll, Kristina; Willburger, Edith

2009-07-01

This study tests the hypothesis that dyslexia and dyscalculia are associated with two largely independent cognitive deficits, namely a phonological deficit in the case of dyslexia and a deficit in the number module in the case of dyscalculia. In four groups of 8- to 10-year-olds (42 control, 21 dyslexic, 20 dyscalculic, and 26 dyslexic/dyscalculic), phonological awareness, phonological and visual-spatial short-term and working memory, naming speed, and basic number processing skills were assessed. A phonological deficit was found for both dyslexic groups, irrespective of additional arithmetic deficits, but not for the dyscalculia-only group. In contrast, deficits in processing of symbolic and nonsymbolic magnitudes were observed in both groups of dyscalculic children, irrespective of additional reading difficulties, but not in the dyslexia-only group. Cognitive deficits in the comorbid dyslexia/dyscalculia group were additive; that is, they resulted from the combination of two learning disorders. These findings suggest that dyslexia and dyscalculia have separable cognitive profiles, namely a phonological deficit in the case of dyslexia and a deficient number module in the case of dyscalculia.

[Cognitive deficits in first episode psychosis patients and people at risk for psychosis: from diagnosis to treatment].

PubMed

Lecardeur, L; Meunier-Cussac, S; Dollfus, S

2013-05-01

Up to now, studies have not demonstrated significant efficacy of antipsychotics on cognitive impairments in patients with psychotic disorders. These cognitive deficits are of particular interest since they traditionally start early before the diagnosis of psychosis. They are observed during premorbid and prodromal stages, and during the first episode of psychosis. Moreover, cognitive impairments may be detected without any psychotic symptoms (such as positive symptoms) suggesting their development independently of the psychotic symptoms. Cognitive disturbances consist of impairments of episodic and working memories, intellectual functioning, executive functions (planning, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility), selective and sustained attentions and social cognition (emotion, recognition, theory of mind). The altered cognitive functions observed in schizophrenia are the same as in earlier stages but at a lower level of severity. Data suggest that cognitive deficits can be considered as vulnerability markers of psychosis since they have been described in healthy relatives of psychotic patients with high genetic risk. Cognitive deficits might also be considered as predictive of the occurrence of the disease after the first episode of psychosis. Indeed, retrospective studies suggest cognitive impairments in patients with schizophrenia during premorbid and prodromal phases but not in bipolar patients. Cognitive assessment might be of particular interest in people at risk for psychosis, in order to differentiate diagnostic outcomes. Cognitive functioning impairs until the diagnosis of first episode psychosis, even though cognitive profiles are quite heterogeneous in these patients. Once the diagnosis of schizophrenia is considered, cognitive deficits may be stable, although the literature is still controversial. Several factors such as symptoms and gender can contribute in diversifying the cognitive profiles. Moreover, age of onset might worsen the prognosis because of a disruption of the cognitive development and the disturbance of scholarship in young individuals. Considering these results, the treatment of cognitive deficits should be initiated as soon as possible, e.g. in people at risk for psychosis in order to reinforce the normal cognitive development, prevent cognitive decline and to preserve the educational, professional and social status. Since antipsychotic medications do not impact on cognitive functioning, alternative therapeutics should be developed such as cognitive remediation. Several studies and meta-analyses have shown that cognitive remediation programs are particularly efficient in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders. Contrary to antipsychotics, these techniques should be used in patients with a first psychotic episode, but also in individuals with subpsychotic symptoms, subthreshold to the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Parents of children with dyslexia: cognitive, emotional and behavioural profile.

PubMed

Bonifacci, Paola; Montuschi, Martina; Lami, Laura; Snowling, Margaret J

2014-05-01

Within a dimensional view of reading disorders, it is important to understand the role of environmental factors in determining individual differences in literacy outcome. In the present study, we compared a group of 40 parents of children with dyslexia (PDys) with a group of 40 parents of typically developing children. The two parent groups did not differ in socioeconomic status or nonverbal IQ. Participants were assessed on cognitive (IQ, digit span) and literacy (reading fluency and accuracy) tasks, phonological awareness and verbal fluency measures. Questionnaires addressed reading history, parental distress, family functioning, anxiety and depression. The PDys group performed worse in all literacy measures and more frequently reported a history of poor reading; they also showed more parental distress. There were no differences between the two groups in depression or family functioning and no differences between mothers and fathers. Findings indicate that PDys show a cognitive profile consistent with the broader phenotype of dyslexia (i.e. reading impairment and poor phonological awareness), whereas, considering the emotional profile, the impact of dyslexia on the family system is limited to parental distress associated with the perception of having a child with specific needs. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Can cognitive exercises help treat anorexia nervosa?

PubMed

Tchanturia, K; Whitney, J; Treasure, J

2006-12-01

Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) is used as an intervention for people with brain lesions and psychosis. This case report demonstrates the possible benefits of introducing CRT into treatment packages for anorexia nervosa (AN). In our previous work, we reported that people with AN demonstrate inflexibility in cognitive set-shifting tasks. Weight gain alone does not improve the neuropsychological profile in set-shifting tasks. This case report illustrates how training programmes can address problems in cognitive rigidity. We acknowledge the limitations of case studies, however, this is a starting point in exploring the possibilities of introducing CRT as part of the treatment of AN.

The effect of bone fracture unevenness on ultrasound axial transmission measurements: A pilot 2D simulation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machado, Christiano B.; Pereira, Wagner C. A.; Padilla, Frédéric; Laugier, Pascal

2012-05-01

Ultrasound axial transmission (UAT) has been proposed to the diagnosis and follow-up of fracture healing. Some researchers have already pointed out the influence of fracture length, geometry and callus composition on the ultrasound time-of-flight and attenuation, with experimental and simulation studies. The aim of this work was to develop a pilot study on the effect of bone fracture unevenness on UAT measurements. Two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulations of ultrasound wave propagation were run using a custom-made finite-difference time domain code (SimSonic2D). Numerical models were composed of two 4-mm thick bone plates, with fracture lengths varying from 0 to 4 mm. For each case, an upward (UWun) and downward (DWun) unevenness of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mm was implemented in the second plate. The 1-MHz emitter and receptor transducers were placed at 40 mm from each other, 20 mm apart from the center fracture. Two configurations were considered: 1.5 mm above the plates (for the 0-mm unevenness case) and transducers in contact with bone plate. For each situation, the time-of-flight of the first arriving signal (TOFFAS) and the FAS energy amplitude loss measured by the sound pressure level (SPLFAS) were computed. Results showed that there was a linear increase in TOFFAS with increasing fracture length, and a decrease of SPLFAS with the presence of a discontinuity. TOFFAS values were decreased with UWun (-0.87 μs for UWun = 1.5 mm), and increased with DWun (+0.99 μs for DWun = 1.5 mm). The SPLFAS increased with both UWun (+3.54 dB for UWun = 1.5 mm) and DWun (+8.15 dB for DWun = 1.5 mm). Both parameters showed the same variability. When transducers were put in contact with bone surface, fracture unevenness had no influence on TOF and SPL estimates. Previous works have already demonstrated that a fracture of 3 mm can increase TOFFAS in an order of 1 μs. Considering these preliminary results, it can be concluded that, although the variable fracture unevenness (until 1.5 mm) produced small parameters changes, and since it may not be changed significantly during the regeneration process, it may not sufficiently affect UAT measurements for an adequate diagnosis and fracture follow up.

The relationship between sleep-wake cycle and cognitive functioning in young people with affective disorders.

PubMed

Carpenter, Joanne S; Robillard, Rébecca; Lee, Rico S C; Hermens, Daniel F; Naismith, Sharon L; White, Django; Whitwell, Bradley; Scott, Elizabeth M; Hickie, Ian B

2015-01-01

Although early-stage affective disorders are associated with both cognitive dysfunction and sleep-wake disruptions, relationships between these factors have not been specifically examined in young adults. Sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances in those with affective disorders are considerably heterogeneous, and may not relate to cognitive dysfunction in a simple linear fashion. This study aimed to characterise profiles of sleep and circadian disturbance in young people with affective disorders and examine associations between these profiles and cognitive performance. Actigraphy monitoring was completed in 152 young people (16-30 years; 66% female) with primary diagnoses of affective disorders, and 69 healthy controls (18-30 years; 57% female). Patients also underwent detailed neuropsychological assessment. Actigraphy data were processed to estimate both sleep and circadian parameters. Overall neuropsychological performance in patients was poor on tasks relating to mental flexibility and visual memory. Two hierarchical cluster analyses identified three distinct patient groups based on sleep variables and three based on circadian variables. Sleep clusters included a 'long sleep' cluster, a 'disrupted sleep' cluster, and a 'delayed and disrupted sleep' cluster. Circadian clusters included a 'strong circadian' cluster, a 'weak circadian' cluster, and a 'delayed circadian' cluster. Medication use differed between clusters. The 'long sleep' cluster displayed significantly worse visual memory performance compared to the 'disrupted sleep' cluster. No other cognitive functions differed between clusters. These results highlight the heterogeneity of sleep and circadian profiles in young people with affective disorders, and provide preliminary evidence in support of a relationship between sleep and visual memory, which may be mediated by use of antipsychotic medication. These findings have implications for the personalisation of treatments and improvement of functioning in young adults early in the course of affective illness.

Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease Polygenic Risk Profile Score Predicts Hippocampal Function.

PubMed

Xiao, Ena; Chen, Qiang; Goldman, Aaron L; Tan, Hao Yang; Healy, Kaitlin; Zoltick, Brad; Das, Saumitra; Kolachana, Bhaskar; Callicott, Joseph H; Dickinson, Dwight; Berman, Karen F; Weinberger, Daniel R; Mattay, Venkata S

2017-11-01

We explored the cumulative effect of several late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) risk loci using a polygenic risk profile score (RPS) approach on measures of hippocampal function, cognition, and brain morphometry. In a sample of 231 healthy control subjects (19-55 years of age), we used an RPS to study the effect of several LOAD risk loci reported in a recent meta-analysis on hippocampal function (determined by its engagement with blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging during episodic memory) and several cognitive metrics. We also studied effects on brain morphometry in an overlapping sample of 280 subjects. There was almost no significant association of LOAD-RPS with cognitive or morphometric measures. However, there was a significant negative relationship between LOAD-RPS and hippocampal function (familywise error [small volume correction-hippocampal region of interest] p < .05). There were also similar associations for risk score based on APOE haplotype, and for a combined LOAD-RPS + APOE haplotype risk profile score (p < .05 familywise error [small volume correction-hippocampal region of interest]). Of the 29 individual single nucleotide polymorphisms used in calculating LOAD-RPS, variants in CLU, PICALM, BCL3, PVRL2, and RELB showed strong effects (p < .05 familywise error [small volume correction-hippocampal region of interest]) on hippocampal function, though none survived further correction for the number of single nucleotide polymorphisms tested. There is a cumulative deleterious effect of LOAD risk genes on hippocampal function even in healthy volunteers. The effect of LOAD-RPS on hippocampal function in the relative absence of any effect on cognitive and morphometric measures is consistent with the reported temporal characteristics of LOAD biomarkers with the earlier manifestation of synaptic dysfunction before morphometric and cognitive changes. Copyright © 2017 Society of Biological Psychiatry. All rights reserved.

Determinants of medication adherence in older people with dementia from the caregivers' perspective.

PubMed

El-Saifi, Najwan; Moyle, Wendy; Jones, Cindy; Alston-Knox, Clair

2018-05-11

ABSTRACTBackground:Adherence to treatment is a primary determinant of treatment success. Caregiver support can influence medication adherence in people with cognitive impairment. This study sought to characterize medication adherence in older people with dementia from the caregivers' perspective, and to identify influencing factors. Caregivers caring for a person with dementia and living in the community were eligible to complete the survey. Bayesian profile regression was applied to identify determinants of medication adherence measured using the Adherence to Refills and Medication Scale. Out of the 320 caregivers who participated in the survey, Bayesian profile regression on 221 participants identified two groups: Profile 1 (55 caregivers) with a mean adherence rate of 0.69 (80% Credible Interval (CrI): 0.61-0.77), and Profile 2 (166 caregivers) with a mean adherence rate of 0.80 (80% CrI: 0.77-0.84). Caregivers in Profile 1 were characterized with below data average scores for the following: cognitive functioning, commitment or intention, self-efficacy, and health knowledge, which were all above the data average in Profile 2, except for health knowledge. Caregivers in Profile 1 had a greater proportion of care recipients taking more than five medications and with late-stage dementia. Trade, technical, or vocational training was more common among the caregivers in Profile 1. Profile 2 caregivers had a better patient-provider relationship and less medical problems. Bayesian profile regression was useful in understanding caregiver factors that influence medication adherence. Tailored interventions to the determinants of medication adherence can guide the development of evidence-based interventions.

Psychosocial and Cognitive Functioning of Children with Specific Profiles of Maltreatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pears, Katherine C.; Kim, Hyoun K.; Fisher, Philip A.

2008-01-01

Objective: Up to 90% of child welfare system cases involve multiple types of maltreatment; however, studies have rarely incorporated multiple dimensions of maltreatment. The present study employed a latent profile analysis to identify naturally occurring subgroups of children who had experienced maltreatment. Methods: Reports of maltreatment…

Profiling and Utilizing Learning Style. NASSP Learning Style Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keefe, James W., Ed.

In 1986, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, with the assistance of a national task force, published the NASSP Learning Style Profile (LSP) for diagnosis of the cognitive styles, perceptual response tendencies, and instructional preferences of middle level and senior high school students. This monograph offers a short course…

Neuropsychological Profile in High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narzisi, Antonio; Muratori, Filippo; Calderoni, Sara; Fabbro, Franco; Urgesi, Cosimo

2013-01-01

A comprehensive investigation of the neuropsychological strengths and weaknesses of children with autism may help to better describe their cognitive abilities and to design appropriate interventions. To this end we compared the NEPSY-II profiles of 22 children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASD) with those of 44 healthy control…

On the hot seat. As the recession grows, an IRS report shows enviable salaries and uneven community benefits provided by tax-exempt hospitals.

PubMed

Evans, Melanie

2009-02-16

As they look to collect a share of the billions in stimulus dollars designed to boost the economy, not-for-profit hospitals found the tax breaks they get coming under more scrutiny. An IRS report on executive pay and community benefits found six-figure salaries and uneven aid. "It's going to seem out of synch with today's economy," says healthcare attorney Gerald Griffith, left.

How do geological sampling biases affect studies of morphological evolution in deep time? A case study of pterosaur (Reptilia: Archosauria) disparity.

PubMed

Butler, Richard J; Brusatte, Stephen L; Andres, Brian; Benson, Roger B J

2012-01-01

A fundamental contribution of paleobiology to macroevolutionary theory has been the illumination of deep time patterns of diversification. However, recent work has suggested that taxonomic diversity counts taken from the fossil record may be strongly biased by uneven spatiotemporal sampling. Although morphological diversity (disparity) is also frequently used to examine evolutionary radiations, no empirical work has yet addressed how disparity might be affected by uneven fossil record sampling. Here, we use pterosaurs (Mesozoic flying reptiles) as an exemplar group to address this problem. We calculate multiple disparity metrics based upon a comprehensive anatomical dataset including a novel phylogenetic correction for missing data, statistically compare these metrics to four geological sampling proxies, and use multiple regression modeling to assess the importance of uneven sampling and exceptional fossil deposits (Lagerstätten). We find that range-based disparity metrics are strongly affected by uneven fossil record sampling, and should therefore be interpreted cautiously. The robustness of variance-based metrics to sample size and geological sampling suggests that they can be more confidently interpreted as reflecting true biological signals. In addition, our results highlight the problem of high levels of missing data for disparity analyses, indicating a pressing need for more theoretical and empirical work. © 2011 The Author(s). Evolution © 2011 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Neuropsychological and FDG-PET profiles in VGKC autoimmune limbic encephalitis.

PubMed

Dodich, Alessandra; Cerami, Chiara; Iannaccone, Sandro; Marcone, Alessandra; Alongi, Pierpaolo; Crespi, Chiara; Canessa, Nicola; Andreetta, Francesca; Falini, Andrea; Cappa, Stefano F; Perani, Daniela

2016-10-01

Limbic encephalitis (LE) is characterized by an acute or subacute onset with memory impairments, confusional state, behavioral disorders, variably associated with seizures and dystonic movements. It is due to inflammatory processes that selectively affect the medial temporal lobe structures. Voltage-gate potassium channel (VGKC) autoantibodies are frequently observed. In this study, we assessed at the individual level FDG-PET brain metabolic dysfunctions and neuropsychological profiles in three autoimmune LE cases seropositive for neuronal VGKC-complex autoantibodies. LGI1 and CASPR2 potassium channel complex autoantibody subtyping was performed. Cognitive abilities were evaluated with an in-depth neuropsychological battery focused on episodic memory and affective recognition/processing skills. FDG-PET data were analyzed at single-subject level according to a standardized and validated voxel-based Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) method. Patients showed severe episodic memory and fear recognition deficits at the neuropsychological assessment. No disorder of mentalizing processing was present. Variable patterns of increases and decreases of brain glucose metabolism emerged in the limbic structures, highlighting the pathology-driven selective vulnerability of this system. Additional involvement of cortical and subcortical regions, particularly in the sensorimotor system and basal ganglia, was found. Episodic memory and fear recognition deficits characterize the cognitive profile of LE. Commonalities and differences may occur in the brain metabolic patterns. Single-subject voxel-based analysis of FDG-PET imaging could be useful in the early detection of the metabolic correlates of cognitive and non-cognitive deficits characterizing LE condition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reading Profiles in Multi-Site Data With Missingness.

PubMed

Eckert, Mark A; Vaden, Kenneth I; Gebregziabher, Mulugeta

2018-01-01

Children with reading disability exhibit varied deficits in reading and cognitive abilities that contribute to their reading comprehension problems. Some children exhibit primary deficits in phonological processing, while others can exhibit deficits in oral language and executive functions that affect comprehension. This behavioral heterogeneity is problematic when missing data prevent the characterization of different reading profiles, which often occurs in retrospective data sharing initiatives without coordinated data collection. Here we show that reading profiles can be reliably identified based on Random Forest classification of incomplete behavioral datasets, after the missForest method is used to multiply impute missing values. Results from simulation analyses showed that reading profiles could be accurately classified across degrees of missingness (e.g., ∼5% classification error for 30% missingness across the sample). The application of missForest to a real multi-site dataset with missingness ( n = 924) showed that reading disability profiles significantly and consistently differed in reading and cognitive abilities for cases with and without missing data. The results of validation analyses indicated that the reading profiles (cases with and without missing data) exhibited significant differences for an independent set of behavioral variables that were not used to classify reading profiles. Together, the results show how multiple imputation can be applied to the classification of cases with missing data and can increase the integrity of results from multi-site open access datasets.

Working Memory Impairment in People with Williams Syndrome: Effects of Delay, Task and Stimuli

PubMed Central

O'Hearn, Kirsten; Courtney, Susan; Street, Whitney; Landau, Barbara

2009-01-01

Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with impaired visuospatial representations subserved by the dorsal stream and relatively strong object recognition abilities subserved by the ventral stream. There is conflicting evidence on whether this uneven pattern extends to working memory (WM) in WS. The present studies provide a new perspective, testing WM for a single stimulus using a delayed recognition paradigm in individuals with WS and typically developing children matched for mental age (MA matches). In three experiments, participants judged whether a second stimulus ‘matched’ an initial sample, either in location or identity. We first examined memory for faces, houses and locations using a 5 s delay (Experiment 1) and a 2 s delay (Experiment 2). We then tested memory for human faces, houses, cat faces, and shoes with a 2 s delay using a new set of stimuli that were better controlled for expression, hairline and orientation (Experiment 3). With the 5 s delay (Experiment 1), the WS group was impaired overall compared to MA matches. While participants with WS tended to perform more poorly than MA matches with the 2 s delay, they also exhibited an uneven profile compared to MA matches. Face recognition was relatively preserved in WS with friendly faces (Experiment 2) but not when the faces had a neutral expression and were less natural looking (Experiment 3). Experiment 3 indicated that memory for object identity was relatively stronger than memory for location in WS. These findings reveal an overall WM impairment in WS that can be overcome under some conditions. Abnormalities in the parietal lobe/dorsal stream in WS may damage not only the representation of spatial location but also may impact WM for visual stimuli more generally. PMID:19084315

Hydrodynamic Simulations of Unevenly Irradiated Jovian Planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langton, Jonathan; Laughlin, Gregory

2008-02-01

We employ a two-dimensional, grid-based hydrodynamic model to simulate upper atmospheric dynamics on extrasolar giant planets. The hydrodynamic equations of motion are integrated on a rotating, irradiated sphere using a pseudospectral algorithm. We use a two-frequency, two-stream approximation of radiative transfer to model the temperature forcing. This model is well suited to simulate the dynamics of the atmospheres of planets with high orbital eccentricity, which are subject to widely varying irradiation conditions. We identify six such planets, with eccentricities between e = 0.28 and e = 0.93 and semimajor axes from a = 0.0508 AU to a = 0.432 AU, as particularly interesting. For each, we determine the temperature profile and resulting infrared light curves in the 8 μm Spitzer band. Especially notable are the results for HD 80606b, which has the largest eccentricity (e = 0.9321) of any known planet, and HAT-P-2b, which transits its parent star, so that its physical properties are well constrained. Despite the varied orbital parameters, the atmospheric dynamics of these planets display a number of interesting common properties. In all cases, the atmospheric response is primarily driven by the intense irradiation at periastron. The resulting expansion of heated air produces high-velocity turbulent flow, including long-lived circumpolar vortices. In addition, a superrotating acoustic front develops on some planets; the strength of this disturbance depends on both the eccentricity and the temperature gradient from uneven heating. The specifics of the resulting infrared light curves depend strongly on the orbital geometry. We show, however, that the variations on HD 80606b and HAT-P-2b should be readily detectable at 4.5 and 8 μm using Spitzer. These two objects present the most attractive observational targets of all known high-e exoplanets.

A Perturbed Ubiquitin Landscape Distinguishes Between Ubiquitin in Trafficking and in Proteolysis*

PubMed Central

Ziv, Inbal; Matiuhin, Yulia; Kirkpatrick, Donald S.; Erpapazoglou, Zoi; Leon, Sebastien; Pantazopoulou, Marina; Kim, Woong; Gygi, Steven P.; Haguenauer-Tsapis, Rosine; Reis, Noa; Glickman, Michael H.; Kleifeld, Oded

2011-01-01

Any of seven lysine residues on ubiquitin can serve as the base for chain-extension, resulting in a sizeable spectrum of ubiquitin modifications differing in chain length or linkage type. By optimizing a procedure for rapid lysis, we charted the profile of conjugated cellular ubiquitin directly from whole cell extract. Roughly half of conjugated ubiquitin (even at high molecular weights) was nonextended, consisting of monoubiquitin modifications and chain terminators (endcaps). Of extended ubiquitin, the primary linkages were via Lys48 and Lys63. All other linkages were detected, contributing a relatively small portion that increased at lower molecular weights. In vivo expression of lysineless ubiquitin (K0 Ub) perturbed the ubiquitin landscape leading to elevated levels of conjugated ubiquitin, with a higher mono-to-poly ratio. Affinity purification of these trapped conjugates identified a comprehensive list of close to 900 proteins including novel targets. Many of the proteins enriched by K0 ubiquitination were membrane-associated, or involved in cellular trafficking. Prime among them are components of the ESCRT machinery and adaptors of the Rsp5 E3 ubiquitin ligase. Ubiquitin chains associated with these substrates were enriched for Lys63 linkages over Lys48, indicating that K0 Ub is unevenly distributed throughout the ubiquitinome. Biological assays validated the interference of K0 Ub with protein trafficking and MVB sorting, minimally affecting Lys48-dependent turnover of proteasome substrates. We conclude that despite the shared use of the ubiquitin molecule, the two branches of the ubiquitin machinery—the ubiquitin-proteasome system and the ubiquitin trafficking system—were unevenly perturbed by expression of K0 ubiquitin. PMID:21427232

Working memory impairment in people with Williams syndrome: effects of delay, task and stimuli.

PubMed

O'Hearn, Kirsten; Courtney, Susan; Street, Whitney; Landau, Barbara

2009-04-01

Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with impaired visuospatial representations subserved by the dorsal stream and relatively strong object recognition abilities subserved by the ventral stream. There is conflicting evidence on whether this uneven pattern in WS extends to working memory (WM). The present studies provide a new perspective, testing WM for a single stimulus using a delayed recognition paradigm in individuals with WS and typically developing children matched for mental age (MA matches). In three experiments, participants judged whether a second stimulus 'matched' an initial sample, either in location or identity. We first examined memory for faces, houses and locations using a 5s delay (Experiment 1) and a 2s delay (Experiment 2). We then tested memory for human faces, houses, cat faces, and shoes with a 2s delay using a new set of stimuli that were better controlled for expression, hairline and orientation (Experiment 3). With the 5s delay (Experiment 1), the WS group was impaired overall compared to MA matches. While participants with WS tended to perform more poorly than MA matches with the 2s delay, they also exhibited an uneven profile compared to MA matches. Face recognition was relatively preserved in WS with friendly faces (Experiment 2) but not when the faces had a neutral expression and were less natural looking (Experiment 3). Experiment 3 indicated that memory for object identity was relatively stronger than memory for location in WS. These findings reveal an overall WM impairment in WS that can be overcome under some conditions. Abnormalities in the parietal lobe/dorsal stream in WS may damage not only the representation of spatial location but may also impact WM for visual stimuli more generally.

Specific Medical Conditions Are Associated with Unique Behavioral Profiles in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

PubMed

Zachor, Ditza A; Ben-Itzchak, Esther

2016-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous group of disorders which occurs with numerous medical conditions. In previous research, subtyping in ASD has been based mostly on cognitive ability and ASD symptom severity. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether specific medical conditions in ASD are associated with unique behavioral profiles. The medical conditions included in the study were macrocephaly, microcephaly, developmental regression, food selectivity, and sleep problems. The behavioral profile was composed of cognitive ability, adaptive skills, and autism severity, and was examined in each of the aforementioned medical conditions. The study population included 1224 participants, 1043 males and 181 females (M:F ratio = 5.8:1) with a mean age of 49.9 m (SD = 29.4) diagnosed with ASD using standardized tests. Groups with and without the specific medical conditions were compared on the behavioral measures. Developmental regression was present in 19% of the population and showed a more severe clinical presentation, with lower cognitive abilities, more severe ASD symptoms, and more impaired adaptive functioning. Microcephaly was observed in 6.3% of the population and was characterized by a lower cognitive ability and more impaired adaptive functioning in comparison to the normative head circumference (HC) group. Severe food selectivity was found in 9.8% and severe sleep problems in 5.1% of the ASD population. The food selectivity and sleep problem subgroups, both showed more severe autism symptoms only as described by the parents, but not per the professional assessment, and more impaired adaptive skills. Macrocephaly was observed in 7.9% of the ASD population and did not differ from the normative HC group in any of the examined behavioral measures. Based on these findings, two unique medical-behavioral subtypes in ASD that affect inherited traits of cognition and/or autism severity were suggested. The microcephaly phenotype occurred with more impaired cognition and the developmental regression phenotype with widespread, more severe impairments in cognition and autism severity. In contrast, severe food selectivity and sleep problems represent only comorbidities to ASD that affect functioning. Defining specific subgroups in ASD with a unique biological signature and specific behavioral phenotypes may help future genetic and neuroscience research.

Classifying Cognitive Profiles Using Machine Learning with Privileged Information in Mild Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Alahmadi, Hanin H; Shen, Yuan; Fouad, Shereen; Luft, Caroline Di B; Bentham, Peter; Kourtzi, Zoe; Tino, Peter

2016-01-01

Early diagnosis of dementia is critical for assessing disease progression and potential treatment. State-or-the-art machine learning techniques have been increasingly employed to take on this diagnostic task. In this study, we employed Generalized Matrix Learning Vector Quantization (GMLVQ) classifiers to discriminate patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) from healthy controls based on their cognitive skills. Further, we adopted a "Learning with privileged information" approach to combine cognitive and fMRI data for the classification task. The resulting classifier operates solely on the cognitive data while it incorporates the fMRI data as privileged information (PI) during training. This novel classifier is of practical use as the collection of brain imaging data is not always possible with patients and older participants. MCI patients and healthy age-matched controls were trained to extract structure from temporal sequences. We ask whether machine learning classifiers can be used to discriminate patients from controls and whether differences between these groups relate to individual cognitive profiles. To this end, we tested participants in four cognitive tasks: working memory, cognitive inhibition, divided attention, and selective attention. We also collected fMRI data before and after training on a probabilistic sequence learning task and extracted fMRI responses and connectivity as features for machine learning classifiers. Our results show that the PI guided GMLVQ classifiers outperform the baseline classifier that only used the cognitive data. In addition, we found that for the baseline classifier, divided attention is the only relevant cognitive feature. When PI was incorporated, divided attention remained the most relevant feature while cognitive inhibition became also relevant for the task. Interestingly, this analysis for the fMRI GMLVQ classifier suggests that (1) when overall fMRI signal is used as inputs to the classifier, the post-training session is most relevant; and (2) when the graph feature reflecting underlying spatiotemporal fMRI pattern is used, the pre-training session is most relevant. Taken together these results suggest that brain connectivity before training and overall fMRI signal after training are both diagnostic of cognitive skills in MCI.

Modulation of Irisin and Physical Activity on Executive Functions in Obesity and Morbid obesity

PubMed Central

Fagundo, A. B.; Jiménez-Murcia, S.; Giner-Bartolomé, C.; Agüera, Z.; Sauchelli, S.; Pardo, M.; Crujeiras, A. B.; Granero, R.; Baños, R.; Botella, C.; de la Torre, R.; Fernández-Real, J. M.; Fernández-García, J. C.; Frühbeck, G.; Rodríguez, A.; Mallorquí-Bagué, N.; Tárrega, S.; Tinahones, F. J.; Rodriguez, R.; Ortega, F.; Menchón, J. M.; Casanueva, F. F.; Fernández-Aranda, F.

2016-01-01

Whether the executive profile is different between obesity (OB) and morbid obesity (MO) remains unclear. Recent evidence suggests that physical activity (PA) can act as a cognitive enhancer. Irisin is a recently discovered hormone associated with some of the positive effects of PA. The objective of the study was to investigate the executive profile in OB and MO, and to explore the role of PA and irisin. 114 participants were included (21 OB, 44 MO and 49 healthy controls-HC) in the study and assessed with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Color and Word Test, and Iowa Gambling Task. All participants were female, aged between 18 and 60 years. Results showed a similar dysfunctional profile on decision making in OB and MO compared with HC. Thus, no specific neuropsychological profiles between OB and MO can be clearly observed in our sample. However, a negative correlation was found between irisin and executive functioning. These results demonstrate a specific executive profile in OB and a relevant and negative modulation of irisin on executive functioning. Although irisin might be a promising target for the treatment of obesity, its effects on cognition might be considered when thinking about its therapeutic use. PMID:27476477

Bilingual Children with Primary Language Impairment: Issues, Evidence and Implications for Clinical Actions

PubMed Central

Kohnert, Kathryn

2010-01-01

A clear understanding of how to best provide clinical serves to bilingual children with suspected or confirmed primary language impairment (PLI) is predicated on understanding typical development in dual-language learners as well as the PLI profile. This article reviews general characteristics of children learning two languages, including three that challenge the diagnosis and treatment of PLI; uneven distribution of abilities in the child's two languages, cross-linguistic associations within bilingual learners, and individual variation in response to similar social circumstances. The diagnostic category of PLI (also referred to in the literature as specific language impairment or SLI) is described with attention to how language impairment, in the face of otherwise typical development, manifests in children learning two languages. Empirical evidence related to differential diagnosis of PLI in bilingual children is then reviewed and issues related to the generalization of treatment gains in dual-language learners with PLI are introduced. PMID:20371080

Maximum profile likelihood estimation of differential equation parameters through model based smoothing state estimates.

PubMed

Campbell, D A; Chkrebtii, O

2013-12-01

Statistical inference for biochemical models often faces a variety of characteristic challenges. In this paper we examine state and parameter estimation for the JAK-STAT intracellular signalling mechanism, which exemplifies the implementation intricacies common in many biochemical inference problems. We introduce an extension to the Generalized Smoothing approach for estimating delay differential equation models, addressing selection of complexity parameters, choice of the basis system, and appropriate optimization strategies. Motivated by the JAK-STAT system, we further extend the generalized smoothing approach to consider a nonlinear observation process with additional unknown parameters, and highlight how the approach handles unobserved states and unevenly spaced observations. The methodology developed is generally applicable to problems of estimation for differential equation models with delays, unobserved states, nonlinear observation processes, and partially observed histories. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optical coherence tomography assessment of vessel wall degradation in aneurysmatic thoracic aortas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Real, Eusebio; Eguizabal, Alma; Pontón, Alejandro; Val-Bernal, J. Fernando; Mayorga, Marta; Revuelta, José M.; López-Higuera, José; Conde, Olga M.

2013-06-01

Optical coherence tomographic images of ascending thoracic human aortas from aneurysms exhibit disorders on the smooth muscle cell structure of the media layer of the aortic vessel as well as elastin degradation. Ex-vivo measurements of human samples provide results that correlate with pathologist diagnosis in aneurysmatic and control aortas. The observed disorders are studied as possible hallmarks for aneurysm diagnosis. To this end, the backscattering profile along the vessel thickness has been evaluated by fitting its decay against two different models, a third order polynomial fitting and an exponential fitting. The discontinuities present on the vessel wall on aneurysmatic aortas are slightly better identified with the exponential approach. Aneurysmatic aortic walls present uneven reflectivity decay when compared with healthy vessels. The fitting error has revealed as the most favorable indicator for aneurysm diagnosis as it provides a measure of how uniform is the decay along the vessel thickness.

Peregrine

PubMed Central

Langevin, Stanley A.; Bent, Zachary W.; Solberg, Owen D.; Curtis, Deanna J.; Lane, Pamela D.; Williams, Kelly P.; Schoeniger, Joseph S.; Sinha, Anupama; Lane, Todd W.; Branda, Steven S.

2013-01-01

Use of second generation sequencing (SGS) technologies for transcriptional profiling (RNA-Seq) has revolutionized transcriptomics, enabling measurement of RNA abundances with unprecedented specificity and sensitivity and the discovery of novel RNA species. Preparation of RNA-Seq libraries requires conversion of the RNA starting material into cDNA flanked by platform-specific adaptor sequences. Each of the published methods and commercial kits currently available for RNA-Seq library preparation suffers from at least one major drawback, including long processing times, large starting material requirements, uneven coverage, loss of strand information and high cost. We report the development of a new RNA-Seq library preparation technique that produces representative, strand-specific RNA-Seq libraries from small amounts of starting material in a fast, simple and cost-effective manner. Additionally, we have developed a new quantitative PCR-based assay for precisely determining the number of PCR cycles to perform for optimal enrichment of the final library, a key step in all SGS library preparation workflows. PMID:23558773

Subtypes of mild cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease: evidence from the LANDSCAPE study.

PubMed

Kalbe, Elke; Rehberg, Sarah Petra; Heber, Ines; Kronenbuerger, Martin; Schulz, Jörg B; Storch, Alexander; Linse, Katharina; Schneider, Christine; Gräber, Susanne; Liepelt-Scarfone, Inga; Berg, Daniela; Dams, Judith; Balzer-Geldsetzer, Monika; Hilker, Rüdiger; Oberschmidt, Carola; Witt, Karsten; Schmidt, Nele; Mollenhauer, Brit; Trenkwalder, Claudia; Spottke, Annika; Roeske, Sandra; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Riedel, Oliver; Dodel, Richard

2016-10-01

Inconsistent results exist regarding the cognitive profile in patients with Parkinson's disease with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI). We aimed at providing data on this topic from a large cohort of patients with PD-MCI. Sociodemographic, clinical and neuropsychological baseline data from patients with PD-MCI recruited in the multicentre, prospective, observational DEMPARK/LANDSCAPE study were analysed. 269 patients with PD-MCI (age 67.8±7.4, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-III) scores 23.2±11.6) were included. PD-MCI subtypes were 39.4% non-amnestic single domain, 30.5% amnestic multiple domain, 23.4% non-amnestic multiple domain and 6.7% amnestic single domain. Executive functions were most frequently impaired. The most sensitive tests to detect cognitive dysfunctions were the Modified Card Sorting Test, digit span backwards and word list learning direct recall. Multiple stepwise regression analyses showed that global cognition, gender and age, but not education or disease-related parameters predicted PD-MCI subtypes. This study with the so far largest number of prospectively recruited patients with PD-MCI indicates that non-amnestic PD-MCI is more frequent than amnestic PD-MCI; executive dysfunctions are the most typical cognitive symptom in PD-MCI; and age, gender and global cognition predict the PD-MCI subtype. Longitudinal data are needed to test the hypothesis that patients with PD-MCI with specific cognitive profiles have different risks to develop dementia. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Cognitive variability in bipolar II disorder: who is cognitively impaired and who is preserved.

PubMed

Solé, Brisa; Jiménez, Esther; Torrent, Carla; Del Mar Bonnin, Caterina; Torres, Imma; Reinares, María; Priego, Ángel; Salamero, Manel; Colom, Francesc; Varo, Cristina; Vieta, Eduard; Martínez-Arán, Anabel

2016-05-01

Although it is well established that euthymic patients with bipolar disorder can have cognitive impairment, substantial heterogeneity exists and little is known about the extent and severity of impairment within the bipolar II disorder subtype. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to analyze cognitive variability in a sample of patients with bipolar II disorder. The neuropsychological performance of 116 subjects, including 64 euthymic patients with bipolar II disorder and 52 healthy control subjects, was examined and compared by means of a comprehensive neurocognitive battery. Neurocognitive data were analyzed using a cluster analysis to examine whether there were specific groups based on neurocognitive patterns. Subsequently, subjects from each cluster were compared on demographic, clinical, and functional variables. A three-cluster solution was identified with an intact neurocognitive group (n = 29, 48.3%), an intermediate or selectively impaired group (n = 24, 40.0%), and a globally impaired group (n = 7, 11.6%). Among the three clusters, statistically significant differences were observed in premorbid intelligence quotient (p = 0.002), global functional outcome (p = 0.021), and leisure activities (p = 0.001), with patients in the globally impaired cluster showing the lowest attainments. No differences in other clinical characteristics were found among the groups. These results confirm that neurocognitive variability is also present among patients with bipolar II disorder. Approximately one-half of the patients with bipolar II disorder were cognitively impaired, and among them 12% were severely and globally impaired. The identification of different cognitive profiles may help to develop cognitive remediation programs specifically tailored for each cognitive profile. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cognition in people with Prader-Willi syndrome: Insights into genetic influences on cognitive and social development.

PubMed

Whittington, Joyce; Holland, Anthony

2017-01-01

We present a mini-review of cognition in Prader-Willi syndrome. Studies cited include findings on general ability (IQ), IQ correlates with family members, strengths and weaknesses in cognitive profiles in genetic subtypes, attainment in literacy and numeracy, language, comprehension, modality preferences, executive functions, and social cognition. The latter includes investigations of theory of mind, emotion recognition, face processing and knowledge of social norms. Results from research on mouse models and brain imaging studies relevant to cognition are briefly discussed. The importance of these studies to understanding and managing education and behaviour in PWS and the limitations of the studies in terms of small numbers, non-representativeness, and lack of replication is also touched upon. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uneven-aged silviculture can enhance within stand heterogeneity and beetle diversity.

PubMed

Joelsson, Klara; Hjältén, Joakim; Work, Timothy

2018-01-01

Uneven-aged silviculture may better maintain species assemblages associated with old-growth forests than clear felling in part due to habitat heterogeneity created by maintaining standing retention strips adjacent to harvest trails. Retention strips and harvest trails created at the time of tree removal will likely have different microclimate and may harbor different assemblages. In some cases, the resultant stand heterogeneity associated with uneven-aged silviculture may be similar to natural small-scale disturbances. For beetles, increased light and temperature as well as potential access to young vegetation and deadwood substrates present in harvset trails may harbor beetle assemblages similar to those found in natural gaps. We sampled saproxylic beetles using flight intercept traps placed in harvest corridors and retention strips in 9 replicated uneven-aged spruce stands in central Sweden. We compared abundance, species richness and composition between harvest corridors and retention strips using generalized linear models, rarefaction, permutational multivariate analysis of variance and indicator species analysis. Canopy openness doubled, mean temperature and variability in daily temperature increased and humidity decreased on harvest trails. Beetle richness and abundance were greater in harvests trails than in retention strips and the beetle species composition differed significantly between habitats. Twenty-five species were associated with harvest trails, including three old-growth specialists such as Agathidium discoideum (Erichson), currently red-listed. We observed only one species, Xylechinus pilosus (Ratzeburg) that strongly favored retention strips. Harvest trails foster both open habitat species and old-growth species while retention strips harbored forest interior specialists. The combination of closed canopy, stratified forest in the retention strips and gap-like conditions on the harvest trails thus increases overall species richness and maintains more diverse assemblages at the stand level than would otherwise be seen in less heterogeneous stand types. This suggests that uneven-aged silviculture may provide added conservation benefits for both open habitat and old-growth specialists than silvicultural approaches that reduce stand heterogeneity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Profile Analysis of the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities with Gifted Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizza, Mary G.; McIntosh, David E.; McCunn, Alice

2001-01-01

The Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) factor clusters of the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities (WJ III COG) were studied with a group of gifted and nongifted individuals. Results found both groups display similar patterns of performance across the CHC factor clusters. Discusses clinical and educational considerations when using the WJ III…

The Learning of the Elderly and the Profile of the Adult Educator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Requejo Osorio, Agustin

2008-01-01

This paper deals with specific characteristics of elders,1 bearing in mind both their cognitive and their non-cognitive aspects. Regarding their way of learning, the paper refers to basic principles for this group of people: active learning, situational analysis, their experience, awareness that they have--and need--specific time and rhythm for…

Dyslexia and Dyscalculia: Two Learning Disorders with Different Cognitive Profiles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landerl, Karin; Fussenegger, Barbara; Moll, Kristina; Willburger, Edith

2009-01-01

This study tests the hypothesis that dyslexia and dyscalculia are associated with two largely independent cognitive deficits, namely a phonological deficit in the case of dyslexia and a deficit in the number module in the case of dyscalculia. In four groups of 8- to 10-year-olds (42 control, 21 dyslexic, 20 dyscalculic, and 26…

Watson for Genomics: Moving Personalized Medicine Forward.

PubMed

Rhrissorrakrai, Kahn; Koyama, Takahiko; Parida, Laxmi

2016-08-01

The confluence of genomic technologies and cognitive computing has brought us to the doorstep of widespread usage of personalized medicine. Cognitive systems, such as Watson for Genomics (WG), integrate massive amounts of new omic data with the current body of knowledge to assist physicians in analyzing and acting on patient's genomic profiles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simulating Sli: General Cognitive Processing Stressors Can Produce a Specific Linguistic Profile.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayiou-Thomas, Marianna E.; Bishop, Dorothy V.M.; Plunkett, Kim

2004-01-01

This study attempted to model specific language impairment (SLI) in a group of 6year-old children with typically developing language by introducing cognitive stress factors into a grammaticality judgment task. At normal speech rate, all children had near-perfect performance. When the speech signal was compressed to 50% of its original rate, to…

Development and Validation of a Gender-Balanced Measure of Aggression-Relevant Social Cognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Jan N.; Webster-Stratton, Barbara T.; Cavell, Timothy A.

2004-01-01

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Social?Cognitive Assessment Profile (SCAP), a gender-balanced measure of social information processing (SIP) in a sample of 371 (139 girls, 232 boys) 2nd- to 4th-grade children. The SCAP assesses 4 dimensions of SIP (Inferring Hostile Intent, Constructing Hostile Goals, Generating Aggressive…

Neurocognitive Approaches to Developmental Disorders of Numerical and Mathematical Cognition: The Perils of Neglecting the Role of Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ansari, Daniel

2010-01-01

The present paper provides a critical overview of how adult neuropsychological models have been applied to the study of the atypical development of numerical cognition. Specifically, the following three assumptions are challenged: 1. Profiles of strength and weaknesses do not change over developmental time. 2. Similar neuronal structures are…

Story Retelling and Language Ability in School-Aged Children with Cerebral Palsy and Speech Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nordberg, Ann; Dahlgren Sandberg, Annika; Miniscalco, Carmela

2015-01-01

Background: Research on retelling ability and cognition is limited in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and speech impairment. Aims: To explore the impact of expressive and receptive language, narrative discourse dimensions (Narrative Assessment Profile measures), auditory and visual memory, theory of mind (ToM) and non-verbal cognition on the…

Social-Psychological Profiles of Identity Styles: Attitudinal and Social-Cognitive Correlates in Late Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soenens, Bart; Duriez, Bart; Goossens, Luc

2005-01-01

This study examined the relationships between three identity styles (i.e. the information style, the normative style, and the diffuse/avoidant style) and a number of social-cognitive and attitudinal variables (including empathy, prejudice, and conservatism). Discriminant analysis on a sample of late adolescents (N=393) led to the conclusion that…

Continuity and Change in Cognition and Autism Severity from Toddlerhood to School Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Megan L. E.; Barbaro, Josephine; Dissanayake, Cheryl

2017-01-01

This paper charted the cognitive and behavioural profiles from toddlerhood to middle childhood in 48 children diagnosed with ASD at 24 months. The Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) was administered at 24- and 48-months and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) at school age. Autism severity was derived using The Autism…

Development and Validation of the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Skills Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacob, Karen L.; Christopher, Michael S.; Neuhaus, Edmund C.

2011-01-01

Although several theories exist to describe why patients improve in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), in only a limited number of studies has CBT skill acquisition been examined, particularly among patients with complex clinical profiles. Thus, the overarching aim of this research was to develop a tool to measure patients' use of CBT skills,…

Patterns of Cognitive Strengths and Weaknesses and Relationships to Math Errors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koriakin, Taylor; White, Erica; Breaux, Kristina C.; DeBiase, Emily; O'Brien, Rebecca; Howell, Meiko; Costa, Michael; Liu, Xiaochen; Pan, Xingyu; Courville, Troy

2017-01-01

This study investigated cognitive patterns of strengths and weaknesses (PSW) and their relationship to patterns of math errors on the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (KTEA-3). Participants, ages 5 to 18, were selected from the KTEA-3 standardization sample if they met one of two PSW profiles: high crystallized ability (Gc) paired with low…

Sex-Related Cognitive Profile in Autism Spectrum Disorders Diagnosed Late in Life: Implications for the Female Autistic Phenotype

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehnhardt, Fritz-Georg; Falter, Christine Michaela; Gawronski, Astrid; Pfeiffer, Kathleen; Tepest, Ralf; Franklin, Jeremy; Vogeley, Kai

2016-01-01

Females with high-functioning ASD are known to camouflage their autistic symptoms better than their male counterparts, making them prone to being under-ascertained and delayed in diagnostic assessment. Thus far the underlying cognitive processes that enable such successful socio-communicative adaptation are not well understood. The current results…

System model the processing of heterogeneous sensory information in robotized complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikolaev, V.; Titov, V.; Syryamkin, V.

2018-05-01

Analyzed the scope and the types of robotic systems consisting of subsystems of the form "a heterogeneous sensors data processing subsystem". On the basis of the Queuing theory model is developed taking into account the unevenness of the intensity of information flow from the sensors to the subsystem of information processing. Analytical solution to assess the relationship of subsystem performance and uneven flows. The research of the obtained solution in the range of parameter values of practical interest.

Transient thermography testing of unpainted thermal barrier coating surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ptaszek, Grzegorz; Cawley, Peter; Almond, Darryl; Pickering, Simon

2013-01-01

This paper has investigated the effects of uneven surface discolouration of a thermal barrier coating (TBC) and of its IR translucency on the thermal responses observed by using mid and long wavelength IR cameras. It has been shown that unpainted blades can be tested satisfactorily by using a more powerful flash heating system and a long wavelength IR camera. The problem of uneven surface emissivity can be overcome by applying 2nd derivative processing of the log-log surface cooling curves.

Cognitive profile in a large French cohort of adults with Prader-Willi syndrome: differences between genotypes.

PubMed

Copet, P; Jauregi, J; Laurier, V; Ehlinger, V; Arnaud, C; Cobo, A-M; Molinas, C; Tauber, M; Thuilleaux, D

2010-03-01

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder characterised by developmental abnormalities leading to somatic and psychological symptoms. These include dysmorphic features, impaired growth and sexual maturation, hyperphagia, intellectual delay, learning disabilities and maladaptive behaviours. PWS is caused by a lack of expression of maternally imprinted genes situated in the 15q11-13 chromosome region. The origin is a 'de novo' deletion in the paternal chromosome in 70% of the cases and a maternal uniparental disomy in 25%. The two main genotypes show differences, notably regarding cognitive and behavioural features, but the mechanisms are not clear. This study assessed cognitive impairment in a cohort of adults with genetically confirmed PWS, analysed their profiles of cognitive strengths and weaknesses, and compared the profiles in terms of genotype. Ninety-nine male and female adults participated, all inpatients on a specialised unit for the multidisciplinary care of PWS. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III) was administered to all patients in identical conditions by the same psychologist. Eighty-five patients were able to cope with the test situation. Their scores were analysed with non-parametric statistical tools. The correlations with sex, age and body mass index were explored. Two genotype groups were compared: deletion (n = 57) and non-deletion (n = 27). The distribution of intelligence quotients in the total cohort was non-normal, with the following values (medians): Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ): 52.0 (Q1:46.0; Q3:60.0), Verbal Intellectual Quotient (VIQ): 53.0 (Q1:48; Q3:62) and Performance Intellectual Quotient (PIQ): 52.5 (Q1:48; Q3:61). No correlation was found with sex, age or body mass index. Comparison between groups showed no significant difference in FSIQ or VIQ. PIQ scores were significantly better in the deletion group. The total cohort and the deletion group showed the VIQ = PIQ profile, whereas VIQ > PIQ was observed in the non-deletion group. The subtest scores in the two groups showed significant differences, with the deletion group scoring better in three subtests: object assembly, picture arrangement and digit symbol coding. Some relative strengths and weaknesses concerned the total cohort, but others concerned only one genotype. We documented a global impairment in the intellectual abilities of a large sample of French PWS patients. The scores were slightly lower than those reported in most other studies. Our data confirmed the previously published differences in the cognitive profiles of the two main PWS genotypes and offer new evidence to support this hypothesis. These results could guide future neuropsychological studies to determine the cognitive processing in PWS. This knowledge is essential to improve our understanding of gene-brain-behaviour relationships and to open new perspectives on therapeutic and educational programmes.

Adult monozygotic twins discordant for intra-uterine growth have indistinguishable genome-wide DNA methylation profiles.

PubMed

Souren, Nicole Y P; Lutsik, Pavlo; Gasparoni, Gilles; Tierling, Sascha; Gries, Jasmin; Riemenschneider, Matthias; Fryns, Jean-Pierre; Derom, Catherine; Zeegers, Maurice P; Walter, Jörn

2013-05-26

Low birth weight is associated with an increased adult metabolic disease risk. It is widely discussed that poor intra-uterine conditions could induce long-lasting epigenetic modifications, leading to systemic changes in regulation of metabolic genes. To address this, we acquire genome-wide DNA methylation profiles from saliva DNA in a unique cohort of 17 monozygotic monochorionic female twins very discordant for birth weight. We examine if adverse prenatal growth conditions experienced by the smaller co-twins lead to long-lasting DNA methylation changes. Overall, co-twins show very similar genome-wide DNA methylation profiles. Since observed differences are almost exclusively caused by variable cellular composition, an original marker-based adjustment strategy was developed to eliminate such variation at affected CpGs. Among adjusted and unchanged CpGs 3,153 are differentially methylated between the heavy and light co-twins at nominal significance, of which 45 show sensible absolute mean β-value differences. Deep bisulfite sequencing of eight such loci reveals that differences remain in the range of technical variation, arguing against a reproducible biological effect. Analysis of methylation in repetitive elements using methylation-dependent primer extension assays also indicates no significant intra-pair differences. Severe intra-uterine growth differences observed within these monozygotic twins are not associated with long-lasting DNA methylation differences in cells composing saliva, detectable with up-to-date technologies. Additionally, our results indicate that uneven cell type composition can lead to spurious results and should be addressed in epigenomic studies.

Teacher Knowledge about Oral English Instruction and Teacher Profiles: An EFL Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Zan; Goh, Christine

2014-01-01

Teacher knowledge, as an important cognitive basis of teaching, has attracted tremendous attention in educational research in the last few decades. This study examines whether teachers' self-perceived knowledge about oral English teaching differs with regard to their professional profiles in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context in…

Moral Cognition and Multiple Sclerosis: A Neuropsychological Study.

PubMed

Realmuto, Sabrina; Dodich, Alessandra; Meli, Riccardo; Canessa, Nicola; Ragonese, Paolo; Salemi, Giuseppe; Cerami, Chiara

2018-05-30

Recent literature proved that social cognition impairments may characterize the neuropsychological profile of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients. However, little is still known about moral cognition in MS. In this study, we evaluated non-social, social, and moral cognitive performances in 45 relapsing-remitting MS patients. Patients underwent the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis battery, the Cognitive Estimation and Stroop tasks, the Ekman-60 Faces test, the Reading the Mind in the Eye and Story-based Empathy task. Additionally, a task of moral dilemmas including both "instrumental" and "incidental" conditions was administered to patients. Forty-five age-, gender- and education-matched healthy control subjects (HC) were enrolled for comparisons. The majority of patients (i.e., 77.6%) showed deficits at non-social tasks, particularly in the executive domains. A subset of MS sample (i.e., 24%) presented with emotion recognition and socio-affective processing impairments. Overall, MS patients showed comparable levels of moral judgment with respect to HC. The rate of yes/no response in resolution of moral dilemmas and scores of attribution of emotional valence were comparable between groups. Nevertheless, lower moral permissibility and emotional arousal, particularly for the instrumental dilemmas, characterized the MS profile. Significant correlations between the attribution of emotional valence to moral actions and mentalizing scores emerged. Our findings expand current literature on MS supporting not only deficits in executive and socio-emotional domains but also low levels of permissibility of immoral actions and emotional detachment in the moral judgment process.

Sensory, cognitive, and linguistic factors in the early academic performance of elementary school children: The Benton-IU project.

PubMed

Watson, Charles S; Kidd, Gary R; Homer, Douglas G; Connell, Phil J; Lowther, Andrya; Eddins, David A; Krueger, Glenn; Goss, David A; Rainey, Bill B; Gospel, Mary D; Watson, Betty U

2003-01-01

Standardized sensory, perceptual, linguistic, intellectual, and cognitive tests were administered to 470 children, approximately 96% of the students entering the first grade in the four elementary schools of Benton County, Indiana, over a 3-year period (1995--1997). The results of 36 tests and subtests administered to entering first graders were well described by a 4-factor solution. These factors and the tests that loaded most heavily on them were reading-related skills (phonological awareness, letter and word identification); visual cognition (visual perceptual abilities, spatial perception, visual memory); verbal cognition (language development, vocabulary, verbal concepts); and speech processing (the ability to understand speech under difficult listening conditions). A cluster analysis identified 9 groups of children, each with a different profile of scores on the 4 factors. Within these groups, the proportion of students with unsatisfactory reading achievement in the first 2 years of elementary school (as reflected in teacher-assigned grades) varied from 3% to 40%. The profiles of factor scores demonstrated the primary influence of the reading-related skills factor on reading achievement and also on other areas of academic performance. The second strongest predictor of reading and mathematics grades was the visual cognition factor, followed by the verbal cognition factor. The speech processing factor was the weakest predictor of academic achievement, accounting for less than 1% of the variance in reading achievement. This project was a collaborative effort of the Benton Community School Corporation and a multidisciplinary group of investigators from Indiana University.

White matter maturation profiles through early childhood predict general cognitive ability.

PubMed

Deoni, Sean C L; O'Muircheartaigh, Jonathan; Elison, Jed T; Walker, Lindsay; Doernberg, Ellen; Waskiewicz, Nicole; Dirks, Holly; Piryatinsky, Irene; Dean, Doug C; Jumbe, N L

2016-03-01

Infancy and early childhood are periods of rapid brain development, during which brain structure and function mature alongside evolving cognitive ability. An important neurodevelopmental process during this postnatal period is the maturation of the myelinated white matter, which facilitates rapid communication across neural systems and networks. Though prior brain imaging studies in children (4 years of age and above), adolescents, and adults have consistently linked white matter development with cognitive maturation and intelligence, few studies have examined how these processes are related throughout early development (birth to 4 years of age). Here, we show that the profile of white matter myelination across the first 5 years of life is strongly and specifically related to cognitive ability. Using a longitudinal design, coupled with advanced magnetic resonance imaging, we demonstrate that children with above-average ability show differential trajectories of myelin development compared to average and below average ability children, even when controlling for socioeconomic status, gestation, and birth weight. Specifically, higher ability children exhibit slower but more prolonged early development, resulting in overall increased myelin measures by ~3 years of age. These results provide new insight into the early neuroanatomical correlates of cognitive ability, and suggest an early period of prolonged maturation with associated protracted white matter plasticity may result in strengthened neural networks that can better support later development. Further, these results reinforce the necessity of a longitudinal perspective in investigating typical or suspected atypical cognitive maturation.

Personalised treatment for cognitive dysfunction in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Medalia, Alice; Saperstein, Alice M; Hansen, Marie C; Lee, Seonjoo

2018-06-01

Cognitive deficits are a well-recognised issue for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Despite positive group findings for the use of cognitive remediation (CR) interventions, there are substantial individual differences in response to treatment. In addition, the aggregate CR literature reports low moderate effect sizes for cognitive and functional outcomes. Based on personalised medicine theory, this paper uses extant CR literature to examine the individual characteristics determined to predict treatment response. These characteristics, which fall into the broad categories of cognitive, psychological, and biological can be used as tailoring variables to personalise CR to an individual's unique profile. Personalisation through the use of these tailoring variables has the potential to improve the delivery of CR to maximise treatment outcomes.

[Spatial-temporal evolution characterization of land subsidence by multi-temporal InSAR method and GIS technology].

PubMed

Chen, Bei-Bei; Gong, Hui-Li; Li, Xiao-Juan; Lei, Kun-Chao; Duan, Guang-Yao; Xie, Jin-Rong

2014-04-01

Long-term over-exploitation of underground resources, and static and dynamic load increase year by year influence the occurrence and development of regional land subsidence to a certain extent. Choosing 29 scenes Envisat ASAR images covering plain area of Beijing, China, the present paper used the multi-temporal InSAR method incorporating both persistent scatterer and small baseline approaches, and obtained monitoring information of regional land subsidence. Under different situation of space development and utilization, the authors chose five typical settlement areas; With classified information of land-use, multi-spectral remote sensing image, and geological data, and adopting GIS spatial analysis methods, the authors analyzed the time series evolution characteristics of uneven settlement. The comprehensive analysis results suggests that the complex situations of space development and utilization affect the trend of uneven settlement; the easier the situation of space development and utilization, the smaller the settlement gradient, and the less the uneven settlement trend.

Using System Dynamic Model and Neural Network Model to Analyse Water Scarcity in Sudan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Y.; Tang, C.; Xu, L.; Ye, S.

2017-07-01

Many parts of the world are facing the problem of Water Scarcity. Analysing Water Scarcity quantitatively is an important step to solve the problem. Water scarcity in a region is gauged by WSI (water scarcity index), which incorporate water supply and water demand. To get the WSI, Neural Network Model and SDM (System Dynamic Model) that depict how environmental and social factors affect water supply and demand are developed to depict how environmental and social factors affect water supply and demand. The uneven distribution of water resource and water demand across a region leads to an uneven distribution of WSI within this region. To predict WSI for the future, logistic model, Grey Prediction, and statistics are applied in predicting variables. Sudan suffers from severe water scarcity problem with WSI of 1 in 2014, water resource unevenly distributed. According to the result of modified model, after the intervention, Sudan’s water situation will become better.

When Language Experience Fails to Explain Word Reading Development: Early Cognitive and Linguistic Profiles of Young Foreign Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Chieh-Fang; Schuele, C. Melanie

2015-01-01

Although language experience is a key factor in successful foreign language (FL) learning, many FL learners fail to achieve performance levels that were predicted on the basis of their FL experience. This retrospective study investigated early cognitive and linguistic correlates of learning English as a foreign language (FL) in a group of…

Brief Report: Use of DQ for Estimating Cognitive Ability in Young Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delmolino, Lara M.

2006-01-01

The utility of Developmental Quotients (DQ) from the Psychoeducational Profile--Revised (PEP-R) to estimate cognitive ability in young children with autism was assessed. DQ scores were compared to scores from the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales--Fourth Edition (SB-FE) for 27 preschool students with autism. Overall and domain DQ's on the PEP-R…

Executive Function in Children with High and Low Attentional Skills: Correspondences between Behavioural and Cognitive Profiles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scope, Alison; Empson, Janet; McHale, Sue

2010-01-01

Cognitive performance was compared between two groups of typically developing children, who had been observed and rated as differing significantly in their attentional skills at school. The participants were 24 8- and 9-year-old children scoring poorly relative to peers, on a classroom observation scale and teacher rating scale for attention,…

The Profiles of Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities and Known Hearing Loss

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Karen; Quick, Nancy

2017-01-01

The present study describes the characteristics of students in Grades 3-12 with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD) and known hearing loss. The study analyzed results of a survey of teachers of students with SCD (n = 38,367) who were slated to participate in an alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards in 14 states in the…