bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impaired spatial orientation and navigation as an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease: diagnosis using virtual reality technologies
Authors: Grigoryeva V. N. , Semaka M. A.
Published: January 2025

In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), disturbances in spatial orientation and navigation occur even at the pre-dementia stage and can have important diagnostic significance, reflecting changes in those areas of the brain that suffer earlier than others in this pathology. However, it is difficult to identify such disorders using classical neuropsychological tests, and studies in the real environment are not readily available in routine practice. These difficulties can be overcome by researches in a virtual environment. The purpose was to summarize scientific data on the use of virtual reality computer technologies for early diagnosis. The article provides an overview of 16 papers published over the past 15 years on the use of virtual reality technologies for the assessment of visuospatial orientation and navigation in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia AD patients. 13 studies revealed deficit in spatial orientation and navigation already at the stage of MCI. The deterioration in in spatial orientation and navigation was more pronounced in patients with AD. The most sensitive tests for the diagnosis of orientation and navigation impairments were those that required switching between egocentric and allocentric spatial representations. Assessment of orientation in a virtual environment, carried out simultaneously with neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies of the brain, made it possible to expand the understanding of the morpho-functional basis of visuospatial disorders in humans. Early detection of deficit in spatial orientation and navigation using virtual reality technologies in Alzheimer’s disease requires the development of standardized tests aimed at assessing the various components of these disorders and their individual combinations in patients with brain damage.
History of the identification of migraine as a particular disease
Authors: Berger E. E. , Lukasheva О. N.
Published: January 2025

Migraine is a common neurological disease, a type of headache. Currently, the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease are known, a detailed classification of migraine pain has been developed, and pathogenetic methods of treatment have been created. But it was not always so. The accumulation of knowledge about migraine and its separation from other headaches has been quite slow over the centuries. In this article we will try to identify this hidden and unobvious process, based on the texts of ancient authors or their translations. At the same time, we will study the etymology of the word “migraine”, tracing its transformation to the 16th century.
150 anos “Princípios da Economia” de Carl Menger: Um legado duradouro
Authors: Mueller Antony Peter
Published: January 2025

Editorial Edição Especial 2021
ANALISIS KINERJA KEUANGAN PERUSAHAAN MELALUI PENDEKATAN RASIO KEUANGAN
Authors: Sitorus Lizvan M. , Novianti Maya , Sari Laura Puspita , Ansiska Paisal
Published: January 2025

Analisis kinerja keuangan PT BFI Finance Indonesia Tbk dan PT Clipan Finance Indonesia Tbk menyoroti pentingnya laporan keuangan dalam memahami kondisi finansial perusahaan. Dengan menggunakan berbagai metode analisis seperti rasio keuangan dan analisis tren, penelitian ini memberikan gambaran tentang kekuatan, kelemahan, serta potensi kedua perusahaan. Informasi ini krusial bagi manajemen, investor, dan kreditur dalam membuat keputusan bisnis dan investasi. Studi ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi pengaruh rasio likuiditas, solvabilitas, dan aktivitas terhadap kinerja keuangan kedua perusahaan di Bursa Efek Indonesia. Penelitian ini fokus pada PT. BFI Finance Indonesia Tbk dan PT. Clipan Finance Indonesia Tbk di BEI dari 2018 hingga 2022. Data diperoleh dari www.idx.co.id. Metode analisis deskriptif kuantitatif digunakan untuk laporan keuangan tahunan, dengan sampel dipilih melalui purposive probability sampling. Variabel seperti likuiditas, solvabilitas, dan aktivitas diukur melalui rasio keuangan yang relevan, dengan analisis data menggunakan SPSS. Analisis kinerja keuangan PT BFI Finance Indonesia Tbk dan PT Clipan Finance Indonesia Tbk (2018-2022) menyoroti kekuatan dan kelemahan, membutuhkan fokus pada strategi berkelanjutan dan pengelolaan keuangan.
SISTEM CLOUD ACCOUNTING : ANALISIS DAMPAK PENGGUNAAN TERHADAP KUALITAS PELAPORAN KEUANGAN
Authors: Aziz Ayi Jamaludin , Setiawan Ade Budi , Anwar Saepul , Awa Awa , Damayanti Dani Ratna
Published: January 2025

Perkembangan teknologi informasi telah memengaruhi proses akuntansi di perusahaan, yaitu  dengan penggunaan sistem akuntansi berbasis cloud. Sistem ini memungkinkan perusahaan untuk mengakses, menyimpan, dan mengelola data keuangan secara daring, yang meningkatkan aksesibilitas dan kolaborasi dalam mengelola informasi keuangan. Di mana informasi keuangan merupakan aspek penting yang memengaruhi pengambilan keputusan manajerial, kredibilitas perusahaan, dan kinerja secara keseluruhan, sehingga kualitas laporan keuangan menjadi hal yang penting. Kualitas ini meliputi akurasi, keandalan, dan relevansi laporan. Dengan penerapan sistem akuntansi berbasis cloud, banyak penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perusahaan dapat meningkatkan kualitas pelaporannya melalui pengurangan kesalahan, akses data secara real-time, dan efisiensi proses pelaporan. Namun, tantangan dalam penerapan teknologi ini, seperti kebutuhan akan pelatihan dan masalah keamanan data, cukup signifikan dan perlu ditangani. Oleh karena itu, penting untuk memahami dampak sistem akuntansi berbasis cloud terhadap kualitas pelaporan keuangan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis dampak penggunaan sistem akuntansi berbasis cloud terhadap kualitas laporan keuangan. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah pencarian artikel ilmiah dalam basis data akademis. Kriteria inklusi ditetapkan untuk memilih artikel yang relevan dengan topik penelitian ini. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa penerapan sistem akuntansi berbasis cloud dapat meningkatkan kualitas pelaporan keuangan secara signifikan melalui akses data yang lebih baik, otomatisasi proses, dan peningkatan kolaborasi dalam penyusunan laporan keuangan. Namun, analisis juga menemukan tantangan terkait keamanan data. Proses keamanan data dalam sistem akuntansi berbasis cloud melibatkan proses spesifik, yang dapat membantu mengurangi kekhawatiran tersebut. Kesiapan sumber daya manusia merupakan tantangan lain yang harus dihadapi.
Perancangan Mesin Penekuk Pipa Metal Berteknologi Motor Dinamo Untuk Optimalisasi Produksi.
Authors: RIYADI ACH. SAFRIL
Published: January 2025

This research aims to design and develop a pipe bending machine that can be operated automatically using a dynamo motor and spiral jack. This machine is designed to provide efficient and accurate solutions in the metal pipe bending process for various industrial applications. The methods used include analysis of design requirements, calculation of the required force and torque, as well as system performance testing. The research results show that this pipe bending machine is capable of producing a bending force of 3142 N with sufficient torque from a 1 horsepower dynamo motor. The use of spiral jacks has proven effective in applying consistent and controlled force to pipes, producing precise curves. However, this research also identified several limitations, including limits on the maximum load that can be handled by spiral jacks and the need for adjustments to the drive system. To overcome these limitations, increasing motor power and using stronger materials is recommended. In conclusion, the pipe bending machine developed in this research shows significant potential for industrial applications. With some further adjustments and developments, this machine can become a very effective and efficient tool in the metal pipe bending process.
A critical analysis of the current motivation theories in educational psychology: Why the same theories continue to dominate
Authors: Murayama Kou , von Keyserlingk Luise
Published: January 2025

Although empirical research on motivation has been growing, one remarkable observation is that the same major theories continue to dominate the field, and the constellation of motivation theories has changed very little in recent decades. We argue that this status quo can be explained by the ways in which the major motivation theories are formulated and tested. Specifically, while existing theories of motivation have identified important motivation constructs (e.g., goals, values, needs), the theories are somewhat underspecified and lack a detailed account of the dynamic causal mechanisms that underpin motivated behavior. Thus, strong tests of these theories are difficult, and empirical tests of the theories tend to consist of simple and rather obvious tests of statistical relationships between the constructs and their antecedents and outcomes. It is imperative that motivation theories be formulated with greater specificity for the field to advance. More formal training in theory and theory development is thereby needed, and we encourage (especially early-career) researchers to engage in more lively discussions about the theories themselves, rather than simply continuing to test them.
Deep Brain Sound Stimulation for Dyslexia: Precision Auditory Stimulation
Authors: Dogan Ugur
Published: January 2025

Background: Dyslexia is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition affecting approximately 5–10% of the global population. It is primarily characterized by difficulties in reading, spelling, and phonological processing, which interfere with literacy acquisition and impact educational attainment and self-esteem. Traditional treatments, including structured literacy programs, cognitive and emotional support interventions (e.g., CBT, MBIs), non-invasive brain stimulation techniques (e.g., TMS, tDCS), and complementary approaches such as omega-3 supplementation and physical exercise, are effective but often limited by issues of accessibility, cost, adherence, and the need for specialized personnel.Objective: This study assesses the effectiveness and safety of Deep Brain Sound Stimulation (DBSS), a novel non-invasive auditory therapy, based on user-reported outcomes from individuals with dyslexia.Methods: We analyzed feedback from 164 users who completed the DBSS dyslexia program via the Vital Tones mobile application on the Apple App Store. Additionally, 10 participants provided detailed responses through in-app surveys evaluating symptom improvements in phonological awareness, reading fluency, and language processing. Descriptive statistics were employed to determine median effectiveness and satisfaction rates.Results: The therapy achieved a 100% user satisfaction rate, as evidenced by zero refund requests among 164 users. Survey respondents reported a median symptom improvement of 65% (95% CI: 57%–73%). DBSS was well-tolerated, with no severe side effects reported and only minor adverse effects, such as transient dizziness and mild headaches, occurring in a small number of sessions.Conclusion: Preliminary findings indicate that DBSS is a promising non-invasive treatment for dyslexia, offering significant symptom improvement and high user satisfaction. However, the observational nature of the study, small survey sample, and reliance on self-reported data suggest that further controlled research is necessary to validate these results and establish DBSS's efficacy and safety.
Predicting Land Surface Temperature With Uncertainty Estimation Using a Community Sensor Network and Machine Learning
Authors: Narock Tom , Kulikova Anna , Hussen Sakib , Mwangi Marcellus , Siam Abdul
Published: January 2025

Urban Heat Islands (UHIs) are areas in cities that experience higher temperatures than surrounding areas due to construction features such as buildings, roads, and a general lack of vegetation. UHIs, which pose a threat to public health while also increasing energy usage, are often defined using land surface temperatures. Our study demonstrates how a community sensor network from the Baltimore Social-Environmental Collaborative (BSEC) can be paired with advances in machine learning to provide near real-time predictions of UHIs with uncertainty estimates. While prior research has investigated the use of neural networks in UHI assessment, those efforts did not include uncertainty quantification. We demonstrate how uncertainty quantification can be incorporated into UHI prediction in Baltimore, Maryland. We show how a machine learning approach using community weather stations compares to ground-truth values from Landsat 9 spacecraft measurements in summer 2023. Moreover, we show how the capturing of different types of uncertainty are informative for future smart city planning. This information can empower city planners and residents to proactively address the risks associated with UHIs, potentially reducing heat-related illnesses.
Environmental benefits and economic feasibility of a photovoltaic assisted heat pump water heater
Authors: Aguilar Valero Francisco Javier , Crespí-Llorens Damián , Vicente Quiles Pedro Ginés
Published: January 2025

This work presents a techno-economic study which evaluates the environmental benefits and the economic feasibility of a photovoltaic assisted compact heat pump water heater. The system heats water for domestic consumption in a 190 litres tank. The heat pump is simultaneously powered by the grid and PV panels, although the system was designed to prioritize the PV energy supply. The system does not use batteries and does not feed electricity to the grid. Based on experimental measurements during one year, the study analyses the efficiency of the system for a 4 family members domestic hot water (DHW) consumption. The experimental data shows that the system is friendly to the grid, showing low peak loads and not feeding to the grid. A techno-economic analysis which considers the lifetime cost of the system as well as its environmental benefits has been carried out. The techno-economic analysis shows the benefits of this system when it is compared to: a DHW heat pump without PV, an electrical heater, a boiler and a boiler + solar thermal collectors. The total annualized cost of the system, for a period of 25 years and an electricity price of 0.2 €/kWh, has been quantified at 337 €/year. Furthermore, the system has been found to reduce the non-renewable primary energy consumption by 79% and the CO2 emissions by 82% in comparison with a boiler. Finally, experimental correlations of the system performance are proposed, so that the results of this work can be extended to other locations with similar climates.
Introducing the iceAccretionFoam Solver: Impingement and Rime Ice
Authors: Araujo Lima da Silva Guilherme
Published: January 2025

This paper explores the capabilities of iceAccretionFoam, an innovative solver developed on top of the Foam-extend 5.0 code, for computing icing in two-dimensional domains, performed on a NACA0012 airfoil. The study presents droplet transport carried out by an incompressible unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equation to determine Eulerian droplet flow. The results demonstrate the ability of the software to estimate pressure coefficient, collection efficiency, and rime ice shape, indicating its potential use in icing simulations. Furthermore, the paper investigates the effect of different numerical schemes, linear solvers, and turbulence models on the numerical results. The rime ice occurs only through accretion, excluding thermodynamic processes, accounting for ice growth effects with the immersed boundary method. The results exhibited consistency with the NASA experiments.
Advancing the iceAccretionFoam Solver: Glaze Ice Accretion
Authors: Araujo Lima da Silva Guilherme
Published: January 2025

This paper presents a three-dimensional ice accretion tool for rime and glaze ice types, developed based on foam-extend 5.0, in a new solver for icing applications: iceAccretionFoam. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the hydrodynamics of water films using the finite area method, rough turbulent heat transfer modeling, the immersed boundary method to change the geometry, flow-ice shape interaction, impingement by Eulerian formulation, and external flow solutions with the compressible solver rhoPimpleFoam. The work develops and implements a unified computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool that is capable of modeling the entire process in one 3D solver. The present work describes the second part of the initial development of a CFD tool, focusing on the water film hydrodynamic modeling, turbulent rough heat transfer, compressible flow unsteady solver, and ice growth with a model based on liquid water film height time derivative that is applied for both rime and glaze types. The implementation was accurate and yielded acceptable initial results, as indicated by preliminary verification carried out by the authors
The Effects of Declarative Learning on Early and Late Motor Skill Learning
Authors: Gupta Mohan
Published: January 2025

Motor skill learning and performance is driven by the interplay between declarative and nondeclarative systems, which can complement or interfere with one another depending on task demands. In this study, we investigated whether an intervening declarative task impairs motor skill performance and assessed three hypotheses: the consolidation disruption hypothesis, the shared resource hypothesis, and the breakdown of inhibition hypothesis. Intervening declarative tasks placed late in training failed to affect motor performance. In contrast, when introduced early in training (Experiment 3), motor performance appears to have been transiently impaired. Despite this impairment, there was no association between the intervening declarative task performance and motor impairment. We discuss the ramifications of these findings with regards to other motor skill tasks and intervening declarative tasks.
Changes in scene distance automatically drive scaling of object representations
Authors: Aldegheri Giacomo , Gayet Surya , Peelen Marius
Published: January 2025

As we navigate our visual environment, our viewpoint shifts, causing predictable changes in objectappearance. Moving forward, for instance, increases the retinal size of objects in a scene,proportionally with the distance travelled. Such regularities can be exploited to predict visual objecttransformations, thereby facilitating object perception. Previous research showed that observersautomatically predict the orientation of an object from the rotation of the surrounding scene. Itremains unknown, however, whether this is a ubiquitous property of human vision that generalizesto other transformations. In three behavioral experiments (N=151), we investigated whetherobservers automatically predict the retinal size of temporarily occluded objects during forwardmotion. Participants performed a perceptual discrimination task on the objects that reappeared in asize that either matched or mismatched the change in viewing distance conveyed by the scenecontext. We found that scene-driven size expectations strongly influenced task performance. Thiseffect remained consistent even when size expectations were violated on a majority of trials,suggesting that scene context elicits automatic predictions that cannot easily be overruled by short-term evidence. We conclude that scenes drive predictions of object transformations, capitalizing onthe predictable ways in which visual input is altered when our viewpoint changes.
A multi-measurement study of the relation between deliberation and volition.
Authors: Pech Guillaume , Caspar Emilie A. , Pacherie Elisabeth , Cleeremans Axel , Maoz Uri
Published: January 2025

Historically, voluntary action and volition more generally have been investigated through the lens of meaningless decisions. Importantly, these findings have been used in the debate about key notions like free will and moral responsibility. However, more recent claims have challenged the possibility of generalizing findings from a meaningless context to a more meaningful one. In this context, the current study investigates the markers of volition, specifically comparing meaningful and meaningless decisions. In an effort to maximize their monetary gain, 50 participants repeatedly deliberated between two options, making either rewarded choices—hard-deliberation decisions (where the options differed along two dimensions) or easy-deliberation decisions (where the options differed along a single dimension)—or unrewarded choices, a.k.a. arbitrary decision. This enabled us to contrast rewarded and unrewarded decisions as well as the degree of deliberation between easy- and hard-deliberation choices. We found evidence that rewarded and unrewarded decisions differed along several measures related to volition: participants reported a higher Sense of Volition, exhibited a stronger Readiness Potential, had increased Temporal Binding, and demonstrated increased Effort Exerted in the rewarded condition. In contrast, we found evidence for similarity across these measures between easy-deliberation and hard-deliberation conditions. Our results suggest that it is not the complexity of the deliberation process prior to the action that makes it more volitional, but ratherthat the decision serves a meaningful goal. Our study also introduced a new implicit measure of volition—exerted effort—that well aligned with other measures of volition and should therefore prove useful in future studies.
Decreased sound tolerance in a Canadian University Context: Associations with autistic traits, social competence, and gender in an undergraduate sample
Authors: Manning Silas , Van Esch Natalia , Scheerer Nichole
Published: January 2025

Disorders of decreased sound tolerance such as misophonia and hyperacusis cause significant distress through strong negative emotional and physiological reactions to everyday sounds. These conditions have been associated with poor mental and physical health as they impact day to day life. Prior to the recent development of consensus definitions of misophonia and hyperacusis, attempts to determine the prevalence of these conditions have been hindered by the ambiguity and inconsistency of their descriptions. Despite this, certain populations have been suggested to more frequently experience misophonia and hyperacusis, namely younger people and autistic people. Furthermore, there has been conflicting evidence regarding whether these conditions are more prevalent among women. Post-secondary campuses are often sensory-rich. As such, students with misophonia and hyperacusis are likely to experience distress. For this reason, we sought to investigate the prevalence of misophonia and hyperacusis in a Canadian university sample, and explore the relations between these conditions and gender, autistic traits, and overall social competence. As exposure to many everyday sounds can be highly aversive for individuals with misophonia and/or hyperacusis, these individuals often attempt to avoid environments in which distressing sounds are encountered. It is therefore possible that poorer social competence may be a secondary effect of these conditions. To investigate these relations, 2080 students completed an online survey using multiple established self-report measures of decreased sound tolerance. Clinical misophonia was detected in 12 – 18% of participants, and hyperacusis in 6-17%. Both conditions were significantly more prevalent among women than men. Both conditions were found to be weakly to moderately positively correlated with autistic traits, and weakly to moderately negatively correlated with social competence. These results highlight decreased sound tolerance as a significant issue at Canadian post-secondary institutions, calling for steps to be taken to mitigate its effects.
The skill of self-control
Authors: Bermúdez Juan Pablo
Published: January 2025

Researchers often claim that self-control is a skill, an ability that threads cognitive and motivational processes together to achieve commitment-concordant action in the face of contrary motivations. It is also often stated that self-control exertions are intentional actions. However, no account has yet been proposed of the skillful agency that makes self-control exertion possible, and thus our understanding of self-control remains incomplete. Here I propose the skill model of self-control. This model accounts for skillful agency by tackling the guidance problem: how can agents transform their abstract and coarse-grained intentions into the highly context-sensitive, fine-grained control processes required to select, revise and correct strategies during self-control exertion? The skill model borrows conceptual tools from ‘hierarchical models’ recently developed in the context of motor skills, and asserts that self-control crucially involves the ability to manage the implementation and monitoring of regulatory strategies as the self-control exercise unfolds. Skilled agents are able do this by means of flexible practical reasoning: a fast, context-sensitive type of deliberation that incorporates non-propositional representations (including feedback signals about strategy implementation, such as the feeling of mental effort) into the formation and revision of the mixed-format intentions that structure self-control exertion. The literatures on implementation intentions and motivation framing offer corroborating evidence for the theory. The skill model has a surprising result: instead of continuously honing the skill allowing them to handle active contrary motivations, expert agents replace it with a different skill, which aims at minimizing or preventing contrary motivations from arising in the first place.
Proof of concept for an extended reality device to augment human performance during a dual-task
Authors: O'Malley Callum , Harris David , Balint Beata-Noemi , Wilson Mark , Clerici Alison G. , Dudfield Helen J. , Vine Samuel James
Published: January 2025

This study assessed the efficacy of an extended reality device to augment human performance during a dual-task paradigm. Dual-tasking is critical for successful high-risk military operations. However, current practices to improve mission success involving dual-task elements, often require additional personnel, which can increase risk and strain resources. Therefore, head-mounted extended reality devices which augment an individual's sensory and cognitive capacities could circumvent these issues whilst enhancing/maintaining task success. Utilising a repeated measures, counterbalanced, randomised design, 18 participants (8 females) completed a primary ball-searching task and a secondary semantic verbal fluency task simultaneously. Participants completed three conditions: using extended reality human augmentation; receiving memory prompts; or no support, each comprising three trials. Participants reported their perceived effort (post-trial), environmental presence (post-condition), and system usefulness/usability/sickness (post human augmentation condition only). Friedman’s tests identified that participants retrieved significantly more correct balls (χ2 = 34.40, p < .001), significantly faster (χ2 = 21.70, p <.001) during the human augmentation versus memory prompt and no support conditions. Semantic verbal fluency (t = 3.465, p < .001) and aggregated performance (t = 4.130, p <.001) were also significantly better within the human augmentation condition than the no support condition. Perceived effort was lowest within the human augmentation condition. Trial-by-trial differences emerged for semantic verbal fluency and aggregated performance within the human augmentation condition only. An extended reality, human augmentation device elicited significantly better dual-task performance compared to conditions reflecting current best practice (memory prompts) or no support which could be attributed to an alleviation of cognitive load. Learning effects suggest that short-term exposure to extended reality devices can lead to immediate dual-task performance improvements.
A similarity heuristic in children’s possibility judgments
Authors: Goulding Brandon W. , Friedman Ori
Published: January 2025

Children often judge that strange and improbable events are impossible, but the mechanisms behind their reasoning remain unclear. This paper (N = 250) provides evidence that young children use a similarity heuristic that compares potential events to similar known events to determine whether events are possible. Experiment 1 shows that 5-6-year-olds who hear about improbable events go on to judge that similar improbable events can happen. Experiment 2 shows that 5-6-year-olds more often affirm that improbable events can happen if told about related improbable events than if told about unrelated ones. Finally, Experiment 3 shows that 5-6-year-olds affirm the possibility of improbable events related to known events, but deny that related impossible events can happen.
B-Man Stra/Tac Model of the Mind. Defining Consciousness
Authors: Howard John
Published: January 2025

The B-Man Stra/Tac model is new and comprehensive and intended to replace previous theories of consciousness and the mind. David Chalmers’ idea of the Hard Problem of Consciousness can be considered on two levels, the functional level, why are we conscious, why do we have conscious experiences ? And the technological level, how does consciousness work; what exactly is conscious matter ? This theory resolves the first part, including the philosophical zombie question, as it shows why feeling is an inherent part of consciousness, and the tremendous advantage that a feeling organism possesses, summarised in the word “omnilyo”. While not directly addressing the technological aspects, the theory does define requirements and constraints on the workings of conscious matter, which, while clearly beyond current scientific capabilities, does signpost the invention of artificial consciousness, which, needless to say, would be mankind’s greatest discovery.
Deep Brain Sound Stimulation for Anxiety:  Precision Auditory Stimulation
Authors: Dogan Ugur
Published: January 2025

Background: Anxiety disorders affect approximately 18% of adults in the United States each year, characterized by excessive worry, emotional dysregulation, and physiological hyperarousal. Traditional treatments like pharmacotherapy and behavioral interventions, while effective, are often limited by side effects and accessibility issues.Objective: This study assesses the effectiveness and safety of Deep Brain Sound Stimulation (DBSS), a novel non-invasive auditory therapy, based on user-reported outcomes from individuals with anxiety disorders.Methods: We analyzed feedback from 308 users who completed DBSS therapy via the Vital Tones mobile application on the Apple App Store. Additionally, 19 participants provided detailed responses through in-app surveys evaluating symptom improvements in excessive worry, emotional regulation, and physiological hyperarousal. Descriptive statistics were used to determine median effectiveness and satisfaction rates.Results: The therapy demonstrated a high user satisfaction rate of 99.03%, with a minimal refund rate of 0.97%. Survey respondents reported a median symptom improvement of 65% (95% CI: 58.20%–71.80%). DBSS was well-tolerated, with only minor side effects reported in a small number of sessions.Conclusion: Preliminary findings indicate that DBSS is a promising non-invasive treatment for anxiety disorders, offering significant symptom improvement and high user satisfaction. However, the observational nature of the study, small survey sample, and reliance on self-reported data suggest that further controlled research is necessary to validate these results and establish DBSS's efficacy and safety.
Social Network Limits Language Complexity
Authors: Lou-Magnuson Matthew , Onnis Luca
Published: January 2025

Natural languages vary widely in the degree to which they make use of nested compositional structure in their grammars. It has long been noted by linguists that the languages historically spoken in small communities develop much deeper levels of compositional embedding than those spoken by larger groups. Recently this observation has been confirmed by a robust statistical analysis of the World Atlas of Language Structures. In order to examine this connection mechanistically, we propose an agent-based model that accounts for key cultural evolutionary features of language transfer and language change. We identify global transitivity as a physical parameter of social networks critical for the evolution of compositional structure, and the hierarchical patterning of scale-free distributions as inhibitory.
Schizophrenia spectrum disorders and localized abnormalities of the sleep/wake transition. From physiological hypothesis to targeted treatment. Literature review.
Authors: Besson François
Published: January 2025

Despite their high prevalence and increasing incidence, there have been no major therapeutic advances in the management of schizophrenic spectrum disorders over the last sixty years. The prognosis for these disorders remains extremely poor, despite the personal and family tragedies and societal burden they entail. Their etiology remains as controversial as ever, and current efforts to dismember an apparently heterogeneous clinical entity into homogeneous subgroups for targeted therapies remain failures.After a detailed review of the results of current management, we will review the clinical and pharmacological arguments for a new etiology of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Perceptual and cognitive disorders may be due to localized brain abnormalities in the sleep/wake transition. This mechanism accounts for the diversity of the disorders and offers new possibilities for targeted pharmacological interventions, which we will describe.The treatment described here, both pharmacological and psychotherapeutic, reconciles a psychiatry orphaned of mind and a psychology devoid of body - to paraphrase Oliver Sacks - and restores to psychotic patients all their humanity.
Emotions and individual differences shape foraging under threat
Authors: Scholl Jacqueline , Trier Hailey , O'Reilly Jill , Spiering Lisa , Ma Sandy , Kolling Nils , Rushworth Matthew
Published: January 2025

A common behaviour in natural environments is foraging for rewards. However, this is often in the presence of predators. Therefore, one of the most fundamental decisions for humans, as for other animals, is how to apportion time between reward-motivated pursuit behaviour and threat-motivated checking behaviour. To understand what affects how people strike this balance, we developed a novel ecologically inspired task and looked at both within-participant dynamics (moods) and between-participant individual differences (questionnaires about real-life behaviours) in two large internet samples (n=374 and n=702) in a cross-sectional design. For the within-participant dynamics, we found that people regulate task-evoked stress homeostatically by changing behaviour (increasing foraging and hiding). Individual differences, even in superficially related traits (apathy-anhedonia and anxiety-compulsive checking) reliably mapped onto unique behaviours. Worse task performance, due to maladaptive checking, was linked to gender (women checked excessively) and specific anxiety-related traits: somatic anxiety (reduced self-reported checking due to worry) and compulsivity (self-reported disorganized checking). While anhedonia decreased self-reported task engagement, apathy, strikingly, improved overall task performance by reducing excessive checking. In summary, we provide a novel multifaceted paradigm for assessment of checking for threat in a naturalistic task which is sensitive to both moods as they change throughout the task and clinical dimensions. Thus, it could serve as an objective measurement tool for future clinical studies interested in threat, vigilance or behaviour-emotion interactions in contexts requiring both reward-seeking and threat-avoidance.
Speeding Up Usability Testing: A Quick Guide to Rapid Analysis for Intervention Development
Authors: Gültzow Thomas , den Uil Femke Maria , Brouwers Sanne Elisabetha Maria , Vancauwenbergh Véronique , Zijlstra Daniëlle , Severijns Yil
Published: January 2025

Usability testing is a critical component of intervention development but is often perceived as time-consuming. To address this challenge, efficient and time-saving methods are essential. In the Opening Up project, we developed a decision aid to support individuals in deciding whether to discuss their mental health issues in an academic setting. After the initial development phase, we applied rapid analysis to process usability testing findings and reduce the time needed to identify and address usability issues. This approach provided quick insights into usability problems and strengths while maintaining the quality of findings. In this article, we describe the rapid analysis method, provide a quick guide for applying it in intervention development, and reflect on its utility.
Will-Powered: Synchronic Regulation is the Difference-Maker for Self-Control
Authors: Irving Zachary , Bridges Jordan , Glasser Aaron , Bermúdez Juan Pablo , Sripada Chandra
Published: January 2025

Philosophers, psychologists, and economists have reached the consensus that one can use two different kinds of regulation to achieve self-control. Synchronic regulation uses willpower to resist current temptation. Diachronic regulation implements a plan to avoid future temptation. Yet this consensus may rest on contaminated intuitions. Specifically, agents typically use willpower (synchronic regulation) to achieve their plans to avoid temptation (diachronic regulation). So even if cases of diachronic regulation seem to involve self-control, this may be because they are contaminated by synchronic regulation. We therefore developed a novel multifactorial method to disentangle synchronic and diachronic regulation. Using this method, we find that ordinary usage assumes that only synchronic––not diachronic––regulation counts as self-control. We find this pattern across four experiments involving different kinds of temptation, as well as a paradigmatic case of diachronic regulation based on the classic story of Odysseus and the Sirens. Our final experiment finds that self-control in a diachronic case depends on whether the agent uses synchronic regulation at two moments: when she (1) initiates and (2) follows-through on a plan to resist temptation. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that synchronic regulation is the sole difference maker in the folk concept of self-control.
A Network Approach to Developmental Differences and Disorders
Authors: Deniz Emre , Hutchinson Jo , Asbury Kathryn , Newbury Dianne , Toseeb Umar
Published: January 2025

Child and adolescent development is influenced by complex interplay between a range of diverse factors. The network approach is gaining popularity as a way of modelling such complex processes. Here we used the network approach to investigate whether developmental differences and disorders can be conceptualised as arising from direct interactions between different areas of psychological functioning. We used data from four population-based birth cohorts in England (n=47,315), those born in the 1970s, 1990s, and 2000s, to investigate interrelations between areas of psychological functioning that underpin learning and engagement in educational settings (i.e., memory, attention, non-verbal ability, arithmetic skills, reading, language and communication, motor skills, neurodevelopmental characteristics, psychopathology, social functioning, and wellbeing). We fitted 12 undirected psychometric network models; one network for each cohort and developmental stage (early childhood; 3-5 years, middle childhood; 7-10 years, adolescence; 13-18 years). We then determined how these areas of functioning cluster within developmental domains. Clustering differed between childhood and adolescence. In early and middle childhood, psychological functioning clustered within two related developmental domains: (1) cognition and language and (2) social and emotional functioning. In adolescence, they clustered within three developmental domains (1) cognition and language and (2) social functioning, and (3) emotional functioning. We demonstrate that developmental differences and disorders can be conceptualised as resulting from interactions between different areas psychological functioning. They likely arise through bottom-up processes, whereby difficulties in one area of psychological functioning activate or lead to difficulties in another area. Differences and disorders that appear to be similar, prima facie, may be underpinned by diverse etiologies. Our work provides the basis for network models to inform better identification and support for young people who struggle in school. We expect that our network models will be used as a framework to generate and test hypotheses on the causal pathways between different areas of psychological functioning to developmental differences and disorders.
Impact of teleretinal screening program on diabetic retinopathy screening compliance rates in community health centers: a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Ha Sierra , Gilbert Joshua , Le Erin , Ross Connor , Lorch Alice
Published: January 2025

Background:Diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains a leading cause of preventable blindness, with inadequate screening rates even in urban areas with high concentrations of medical professionals. While medical guidelines recommend annual diabetic retinopathy screening for patients with diabetes mellitus, adherence to these recommendations remains suboptimal. This study evaluates the impact of a novel teleretinal DR screening program on screening compliance across urban community health centers in Boston, Massachusetts. Methods:We conducted a quasi-experimental study comparing DR screening compliance between intervention and comparison community health centers before and after implementing a teleretinal screening program. Participants included patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus with primary care providers at the studied sites. We defined compliance as completion of either teleretinal screening or a documented eye care professional examination within the previous 365 days. Monthly compliance rates were analyzed using two-way fixed effects regression and event study techniques.Results:The study included 10,247 patients with diabetes mellitus who received care at six participating sites, generating 222 monthly compliance rate estimates. Baseline compliance rates before implementation ranged from 25% to 40% across sites. The two-way fixed effects regression analysis revealed that the screening program significantly increased DR compliance rates by an average of 7.2 percentage points (p < 0.001). Event study analysis showed positive effects across all sites, though the initial improvement tended to diminish over time.Conclusions:Implementation of a community-based teleretinal DR screening program significantly improved compliance with annual screening guidelines in urban communities. These findings support the broader adoption of teleretinal screening as an effective strategy for preventing DR-related vision loss in vulnerable populations. Further research is needed to assess long-term clinical outcomes and optimize program sustainability.
Impact of teleretinal screening program on diabetic retinopathy screening compliance rates in community health centers: a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Gilbert Joshua , Ha Sierra , Le Erin , Ross Connor , Lorch Alice
Published: January 2025

Background:Diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains a leading cause of preventable blindness, with inadequate screening rates even in urban areas with high concentrations of medical professionals. While medical guidelines recommend annual diabetic retinopathy screening for patients with diabetes mellitus, adherence to these recommendations remains suboptimal. This study evaluates the impact of a novel teleretinal DR screening program on screening compliance across urban community health centers in Boston, Massachusetts. Methods:We conducted a quasi-experimental study comparing DR screening compliance between intervention and comparison community health centers before and after implementing a teleretinal screening program. Participants included patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus with primary care providers at the studied sites. We defined compliance as completion of either teleretinal screening or a documented eye care professional examination within the previous 365 days. Monthly compliance rates were analyzed using two-way fixed effects regression and event study techniques.Results:The study included 10,247 patients with diabetes mellitus who received care at six participating sites, generating 222 monthly compliance rate estimates. Baseline compliance rates before implementation ranged from 25% to 40% across sites. The two-way fixed effects regression analysis revealed that the screening program significantly increased DR compliance rates by an average of 7.2 percentage points (p < 0.001). Event study analysis showed positive effects across all sites, though the initial improvement tended to diminish over time.Conclusions:Implementation of a community-based teleretinal DR screening program significantly improved compliance with annual screening guidelines in urban communities. These findings support the broader adoption of teleretinal screening as an effective strategy for preventing DR-related vision loss in vulnerable populations. Further research is needed to assess long-term clinical outcomes and optimize program sustainability.
Efforts and their Feelings
Authors: Bermúdez Juan Pablo , Massin Olivier
Published: January 2025

Effort and the feeling of effort play important roles in many theoretical discussions, from perception to self-control and free will, from the nature of ownership to the nature of desert and achievement. A crucial, overlooked distinction within the philosophical and scientific literatures is the distinction between theories that seek to explain effort and theories that seek to explain the feeling of effort. Lacking a clear distinction between these two phenomena makes the literature hard to navigate. To advance in the unification and development of this area, this article provides an overview of the main theories of the nature of effort and the nature of the feeling of effort, and then discusses how efforts and their feelings are related. Two key takeaways emerge. First, there is widespread agreement that efforts are goal-directed actions. Second, one of the main philosophical issues to be decided is whether feelings of effort should be defined by reference to efforts (effort-first approach), or whether efforts are defined by reference to the feeling of effort (feeling-first approach).