Feeling-of-knowing experiences breed curiosity.

A central tenet in theoretical work on metacognition is that retrieval experiences during memory search can exert control over behaviour. States of curiosity, which reflect motivational tendencies to seek out information, may play a critical role in this control function. We conducted two experiments to address this idea, focusing on links between feeling-of knowing (FOK) experiences, memory-search duration, and subsequent information-seeking behaviour. We administered an episodic FOK paradigm that probed memory for previously studied face-name pairs, and subsequently provided an opportunity to select limited pairs for restudy. This set-up allowed us to test whether current search duration and subsequent restudy choices are biased towards items with high FOK ratings. Results revealed a positive relationship between FOK ratings and the response times of these judgements. We observed a similar positive relationship between FOK ratings and subsequent item selection for restudy. Moreover, experimental manipulations of FOK ratings based on familiarity of the face cues also had parallel effects. Our findings suggest that metacognitive experiences during unsuccessful retrieval from episodic memory can induce states of curiosity that shape behaviour beyond the immediate retrieval context. Curiosity may act as a bond to ensure that memory gaps identified through unsuccessful retrieval adaptively guide future learning.

Patient-reported impact of symptoms in adrenoleukodystrophy (PRISM-ALD).

BACKGROUND: Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a multifaceted, X-linked, neurodegenerative disorder that comprises several clinical phenotypes. ALD affects patients through a variety of physical, emotional, social, and other disease-specific factors that collectively contribute to disease burden. To facilitate clinical care and research, it is important to identify which symptoms are most common and relevant to individuals with any subtype of ALD. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews and an international cross-sectional study to determine the most prevalent and important symptoms of ALD. Our study included adult participants with a diagnosis of ALD who were recruited from national and international patient registries. Responses were categorized by age, sex, disease phenotype, functional status, and other demographic and clinical features. RESULTS: Seventeen individuals with ALD participated in qualitative interviews, providing 1709 direct quotes regarding their symptomatic burden. One hundred and nine individuals participated in the cross-sectional survey study, which inquired about 182 unique symptoms representing 24 distinct symptomatic themes. The symptomatic themes with the highest prevalence in the overall ALD sample cohort were problems with balance (90.9%), limitations with mobility or walking (87.3%), fatigue (86.4%), and leg weakness (86.4%). The symptomatic themes with the highest impact scores (on a 0-4 scale with 4 being the most severe) were trouble getting around (2.35), leg weakness (2.25), and problems with balance (2.21). A higher prevalence of symptomatic themes was associated with functional disability, employment disruption, and speech impairment. CONCLUSIONS: There are many patient-relevant symptoms and themes that contribute to disease burden in individuals with ALD. These symptoms, identified by those having ALD, present key targets for further research and therapeutic development.

When familiarity not novelty motivates information-seeking behaviour.

Research has established that novelty motivates information-seeking behaviour in many situations. While novelty preferences have been well-studied, an understanding of conditions under which familiarity trumps novelty remains limited. Recent work has revealed that when a metacognitive experience indicates that unsuccessfully recalled information may still be available, a subsequent tendency to seek out unrecalled familiar information can emerge. We conducted three experiments to identify critical factors that determine when familiarity preferences can be observed. Experiment 1 demonstrated the critical role of a recent unsuccessful recall attempt in inducing such a preference. Experiment 2 revealed that the impact of recall attempts is not limited to situations that follow unsuccessful recall, as a familiarity preference was observed even when information was successfully generated. Experiment 3 showed that the level of confidence in the accuracy of any recalled information is a key factor, with moderate levels of confidence leading to the strongest subsequent familiarity preference. Together, our results suggest that novelty preferences in information-seeking are not ubiquitous, as specific situational demands including recent attempted memory retrieval, as well as metacognitive retrieval experiences, can induce familiarity preferences. Our findings can be interpreted within theoretical frameworks that emphasize the role of knowledge gaps as driving factors of information-seeking.

Dual-energy subtraction chest radiography: what to look for beyond calcified nodules.

Dual-energy subtraction chest radiography is a robust and powerful tool that improves the ability to detect and accurately diagnose a wide variety of thoracic abnormalities on posteroanterior-lateral chest images. Dual-energy subtraction chest radiography has many advantages over conventional chest radiography that facilitate image interpretation. The major advantage of this imaging technique is that it more clearly depicts calcification, which greatly aids in characterizing pulmonary nodules. Dual-energy subtraction images are also helpful in the recognition of hilar and mediastinal masses; the detection of tracheal narrowing and vascular disease; the identification of bone, pleural, and chest wall abnormalities; and the localization of indwelling devices such as stents and catheters. However, dual-energy subtraction imaging also has some limitations of which the radiologist should be aware and requires a somewhat higher radiation dose than does conventional radiography.

Anatomic pitfalls of the heart and pericardium.

Recent technologic advances have led to more frequent dedicated cross-sectional imaging of the heart. Faster scanning techniques, cardiac gating, and advanced postprocessing software allow improved visualization of finer anatomic details of the heart and pericardium compared with older techniques and software. Use of thin-section computed tomography (CT) or image reformatting in nonaxial planes may be helpful in some cases. The cardiac and pericardial structures are usually readily demonstrated with CT, even if chest CT is performed for evaluation of noncardiac structures. However, radiologists are expected to evaluate all structures on an image, and incidental findings are common. Radiologists must first be familiar with the normal anatomic structures of the heart and pericardium (eg, atria, ventricles, cardiac valves, pericardial recesses, paracardiac structures) to avoid mistaking them for pathologic processes.