Nevin Manimala

Cogn Sci. 2022 Feb;46(2):e13100. doi: 10.1111/cogs.13100.

ABSTRACT

Humans have the ability to learn surprisingly complicated statistical information in a variety of modalities and situations, often based on relatively little input. These statistical learning (SL) skills appear to underlie many kinds of learning, but despite their ubiquity, we still do not fully understand precisely what SL is and what individual differences on SL tasks reflect. Here, we present experimental work suggesting that at least some individual differences arise from stimulus-specific variation in perceptual fluency: the ability to rapidly or efficiently code and remember the stimuli that SL occurs over. Experiment 1 demonstrates that participants show improved SL when the stimuli are simple and familiar; Experiment 2 shows that this improvement is not evident for simple but unfamiliar stimuli; and Experiment 3 shows that for the same stimuli (Chinese characters), SL is higher for people who are familiar with them (Chinese speakers) than those who are not (English speakers matched on age and education level). Overall, our findings indicate that performance on a standard SL task varies substantially within the same (visual) modality as a function of whether the stimuli involved are familiar or not, independent of stimulus complexity. Moreover, test-retest correlations of performance in an SL task using stimuli of the same level of familiarity (but distinct items) are stronger than correlations across the same task with stimuli of different levels of familiarity. Finally, we demonstrate that SL performance is predicted by an independent measure of stimulus-specific perceptual fluency that contains no SL component at all. Our results suggest that a key component of SL performance may be related to stimulus-specific processing and familiarity.

PMID:35122313 | DOI:10.1111/cogs.13100

Cogn Sci. 2022 Feb;46(2):e13093. doi: 10.1111/cogs.13093.

ABSTRACT

Prior research suggests that visual features of the classroom environment (e.g., charts and posters) are potential sources of distraction hindering children’s ability to maintain attention to instructional activities and reducing learning gains in a laboratory classroom. However, prior research only examined short-term exposure to elements of classroom décor, and it remains unknown whether children habituate to the visual environment with repeated exposure. In study 1, we explored experimentally the possibility that children may habituate to the visual environment if the visual displays are static. We measured kindergarten children’s patterns of attention allocation in a decorated classroom environment over a 2-week period and compared the percentage of time children spent off-task to a baseline condition in which the classroom environment was streamlined (i.e., charts, posters, and manipulatives were removed). The findings indicate that with more prolonged exposure to a static visual environment, partial habitation effects were observed: Attention to the environment declined at the end of the exposure period compared to the beginning of the study; however, the environment remained a significant source of off-task behavior even after 2 weeks of exposure. In study 2, we extend this work by conducting a longitudinal observation of six primary classrooms in which we measured children’s patterns of attention allocation in real classrooms for 15 weeks to investigate whether increasing familiarity with the classroom décor would influence attention toward the visual environment. No evidence of habituation was observed in genuine classrooms in study 2. Potential implications for classroom design and future directions are discussed.

PMID:35122312 | DOI:10.1111/cogs.13093

Cogn Sci. 2022 Feb;46(2):e13094. doi: 10.1111/cogs.13094.

ABSTRACT

Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) served as a test case for determining the role of extant vocabulary knowledge, endogenous attention, and phonological working memory abilities in cross-situational word learning. First-graders (M_age = 7 years; 3 months), 44 with typical development (TD) and 28 with DLD, completed a cross-situational word-learning task comprised six cycles, followed by retention tests and independent assessments of attention, memory, and vocabulary. Children with DLD scored lower than those with TD on all measures of learning and retention, a performance gap that emerged in the first cycle of the cross-situational protocol and that we attribute to weaknesses in initial encoding. Over cycles, children with DLD learned words at a similar rate as their TD peers but they were less flexible in their strategy use, demonstrating a propose-but-verify approach but never a statistical aggregation approach. Also, they drew upon different mechanisms to support their learning. Attention played a greater role for the children with DLD, whereas extant vocabulary size played a greater role for the children with TD. Children navigate the problem space of cross-situational learning via varied routes. This conclusion is offered as motivation for theorists to capture all learners, not just the most typical ones.

PMID:35122309 | DOI:10.1111/cogs.13094

Artif Organs. 2022 Feb 4. doi: 10.1111/aor.14193. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use in the United States occurs often in cardiothoracic ICUs (CTICU). It is unknown how it varies across ICU types.

METHODS: We identified 10,893 ECMO runs from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) Registry across 2018 and 2019. Primary outcome was ECMO case volume by ICU type (CTICU vs. non-CTICU). Adjusting for pre-ECMO characteristics and case mix, secondary outcomes were on-ECMO physiologic variables by ICU location stratified by support type.

RESULTS: CTICU ECMO occurred in 65.1% and 55.1% (2018 and 2019) of total runs. A minority of total runs related to cardiac surgery procedures (CTICU: 21.7% [2018], 18% [2019]; non-CTICU: 11.2% [2018], 13% [2019]). After multivariate adjustment, non-CTICU ECMO for cardiac support associated with lower 4- and 24-hour circuit flow (3.9 liters per minute [LPM] vs. 4.1 LPM, p<0.0001; 4.1 LPM vs. 4.3 LPM, p<0.0001); for respiratory support, lower on-ECMO mean fraction of inspired oxygen ([F_i O₂ ], 67% versus 69%, p=0.02) and lower respiratory rate (14 versus 15, p<0.0001); and, for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), lower ECMO flow rates at 24 hours (3.5 liters per minute [LPM] versus 3.7 LPM, p=0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: ECMO mostly remains in CTICUs though a minority is associated with cardiac surgery. Statistically significant but clinically minor differences in on-ECMO metrics were observed across ICU types.

PMID:35122290 | DOI:10.1111/aor.14193

J Sci Food Agric. 2022 Feb 4. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.11806. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) are coproducts of the biofuels industries that use corn as raw material. This cereal is commonly contaminated by mycotoxins, including fumonisins (FBs), which can pose a serious health threat to humans and animals. Corn DDGS are typically used as a protein-rich animal feed. As mycotoxins from the original cereal grains become concentrated in DDGS, mycotoxicological monitoring is highly required before their use as ingredient in the industry.

RESULTS: This work aimed to develop a methodology for predicting fumonisins B₁ (FB₁ ) and B₂ (FB₂ ) in corn DDGS using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) technology associated with chemometric methods. One hundred and ninety corn DDGS samples originating from Brazilian ethanol plants and feed mills were included in this assessment. Two datasets were created, one for calibration (132 samples) and another for external validation (58 samples). Partial least squares regression and a cross-validation approach were applied to build the models. Liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry was used as the reference methodology. Calibration results of correlation coefficient and residual prediction deviation for FB₁ and FB₂ were, respectively: 0.90 and 0.88; and 2.16 and 2.06.

CONCLUSIONS: Values of the external validation dataset were compared and no statistical difference was found between groups, thus indicating a satisfactory predictive ability and confirming the potential of NIRS to predict fumonisins in corn DDGS. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:35122263 | DOI:10.1002/jsfa.11806

J Dent Educ. 2022 Feb 4. doi: 10.1002/jdd.12889. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the study was to determine the relative predictive power of admissions criteria and predoctoral academic performance in the area of restorative dentistry in order to better understand and guide the dental school admissions process.

METHODS: In addition to admissions criteria, student performance in restorative dentistry, such as the Final Restorative Treatment course, the didactic and preclinical examinations, and the objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE), was measured for the 172 predoctoral students representing the graduating classes of 2017-2021.

RESULTS: The association between the didactic score in restorative dentistry and grade point average (GPA, p = 0.009) and Dental Admission Test (DAT, p = 0.002) score was statistically significant. Although no statistically significant association was found between preclinical scores and gender, GPA, or DAT, there was a statistically significant association between preclinical scores and the Perceptual Ability Test (PAT) score (p = 0.012). Preclinical scores included laboratory examinations for fixed prosthodontics, such as crown preparation and temporization, representing hand skills assessment. Finally, there was no statistically significant association found between the OSCE score and any of the admissions criteria.

CONCLUSION: The dental admissions criteria could play a role in predicting academic performance in the didactic portion and preclinical component of restorative dentistry.

PMID:35122260 | DOI:10.1002/jdd.12889

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2022 Feb 4. doi: 10.1111/nyas.14734. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Group decision making is an important, long-standing, and ubiquitous problem in all societies, where collective decisions must be made by a group of agents despite individual conflicting preferences. This has been a classical and active topic for research in many disciplines, including economics, political science, cognitive and behavioral sciences, statistics, mathematics, and computer science. In this article, I survey some recent progress in theoretical, algorithmic, and engineering work toward building AI-powered intelligent systems to help agents make group decisions based on uncertain preferences; these systems leverage principles, ideas, and methodologies from multiple disciplines. Empowered by AI, group decision making can handle a broader range of situations at relatively large scales.

PMID:35122259 | DOI:10.1111/nyas.14734

J Pers. 2022 Feb 5. doi: 10.1111/jopy.12704. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Males and females tend to exhibit small but reliable differences in personality traits and indices of psychopathology that are relatively stable over time and across cultures. Previous work suggests that sex differences in brain structure account for differences in domains of cognition.

METHODS: We used data from the Human Connectome Project (N = 1098) to test whether sex differences in brain morphometry account for observed differences in the personality traits neuroticism and agreeableness, as well as symptoms of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. We operationalized brain morphometry in three ways: omnibus measures (e.g., total gray matter volume), Glasser regions defined through a multi-modal parcellation approach, and Desikan regions defined by structural features of the brain.

RESULTS: Most expected sex differences in personality, psychopathology, and brain morphometry were observed, but the statistical mediation analyses were null: sex differences in brain morphometry did not account for sex differences in personality or psychopathology.

CONCLUSIONS: Men and women tend to exhibit meaningful differences in personality and psychopathology, as well as in omnibus morphometry and regional morphometric differences as defined by the Glasser and Desikan atlases, but these morphometric differences appear unrelated to the psychological differences.

PMID:35122237 | DOI:10.1111/jopy.12704

Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2022 Feb 5. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.14127. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of the Collaborative Integrated Pregnancy High-Dependency Estimate of Risk (CIPHER) model in predicting maternal death and near-miss morbidity (Severe Maternal Outcome [SMO]) with the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, and the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) III scores.

METHODS: A retrospective and a prospective study was conducted at two centers in Brazil. For each score, area under curve (AUC) was used and score calibration was assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic (H-L) test and the standardized mortality ratio (SMR).

RESULTS: A cohort of 590 women was analyzed. A SMO was observed in 216 (36.6%) women. Of these, 13 (2.2%) were maternal deaths and 203 (34.4%) met one or more maternal near-miss criteria. The CIPHER model did not show significant diagnostic ability (AUC 0.52) and consequently its calibration was poor (H-L P<0.05). The SAPS III had the best performance (AUC 0.77, H-L P>0.05 and SMR 0.85).

CONCLUSION: The performance of the CIPHER model was lower compared to the other scores. Since the CIPHER model is not ready for clinical use, the SAPS III score should be considered for the prediction of SMO.

PMID:35122236 | DOI:10.1002/ijgo.14127

Endoscopy. 2022 Feb 4. doi: 10.1055/a-1708-0037. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND : Gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) with peritoneal carcinomatosis presents a technical challenge. Surgical gastrojejunostomy (SGJ) or enteral stenting have been the standard of care; however, endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastroenterostomy (EUS-GE) has emerged as a favorable alternative. Few data exist that compare these techniques in the setting of peritoneal carcinomatosis. METHODS : This single-center retrospective cohort study included 25 EUS-GE and 27 SGJ consecutive patients. Baseline demographics, cancer diagnosis and stage, clinical and technical success, adverse events, and obstruction recurrence data were collected. The primary outcome was the technical success comparison; secondary outcome was the adverse event rate comparison. Rates were compared with standard statistical tests. RESULTS : Mean age, obstruction location, and symptoms were similar between the groups. The EUS-GE group had more advanced disease (clinical stage 4, 100 % vs. 67 %; P = 0.006) and higher American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (class 3-4, 92 % vs. 50 %; P = 0.004). The technical success rate was 100 % in both groups (P > 0.99) and the adverse event rate was lower for EUS-GE (8 % vs. 41 %; P = 0.01). Clinical success was 88 % for EUS-GE and 85 % for SGJ (P > 0.99) and recurrent obstruction was lower with EUS-GE (28 % vs. 41 %; P = 0.13). The EUS-GE group had shorter procedure duration, length of stay, and time to chemotherapy resumption than the SGJ group. CONCLUSIONS : Although the EUS-GE group was older, with more comorbidity and advanced stages, the technical success rate was similar to SGJ and it had significantly fewer adverse events. EUS-GE is a safe and effective option for the management of malignant GOO with peritoneal carcinomatosis.

PMID:35120397 | DOI:10.1055/a-1708-0037