The effectiveness of warning statements in reducing careless responding in crowdsourced online surveys.

Carelessness or insufficient effort responding is a widespread problem in online research, with estimates ranging from 3% to almost 50% of participants in online surveys being inattentive. While detecting carelessness has been subject to multiple studies, the factors that reduce or prevent carelessness are not as well understood. Initial evidence suggests that warning statements prior to study participation may reduce carelessness, but there is a lack of conclusive high-powered studies. This preregistered randomized controlled experiment aimed to test the effectiveness of a warning statement and an improved implementation of a warning statement in reducing participant inattention. A study with 812 participants recruited on Amazon Mechanical Turk was conducted. Results suggest that presenting a warning statement is not effective in reducing carelessness. However, requiring participants to actively type the warning statement statistically significantly reduced carelessness as measured with self-reported diligence, even-odd consistency, psychometric synonyms and antonyms, and individual response variability. The active warning statements also led to statistically significantly more attrition and potentially deterred those who were likely to be careless from even participating in this study. We show that the current standard practice of implementing warning statements is ineffective and novel methods to prevent and deter carelessness are needed.

How do enhanced videos support generative learning and conceptual understanding in individuals and groups?

Videos are an increasingly popular medium for supporting learning in various educational settings. Nowadays, newly designed video-based environments contain enhanced tools that allow for specific interactions with video materials (such as adding annotations and hyperlinks) which may well support generative learning and conceptual understanding. However, to exploit the potentials of such enhanced tools, we need to gain a deeper understanding on the learning processes and outcomes that go along with using these tools. Thus, we conducted a controlled laboratory experiment with 209 participants who were engaged in learning a complex topic by using different enhanced video tools (annotations vs. hyperlinks vs. control group) in different social learning settings (individual vs. collaborative learning in dyads). Findings revealed that participants who learned with hyperlinks and participants in collaborative settings created hypervideo products of higher quality than learners in other conditions. Participants who learned with annotations assessed their knowledge gain higher and had higher results in conceptual understanding when they experienced low cognitive load. With our study we contribute new original work to advance cognitive research on learning with enhanced video learning environments. Limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Singlet-Oxygen Generation by Peroxidases and Peroxygenases for Chemoenzymatic Synthesis.

Singlet oxygen is a reactive oxygen species undesired in living cells but a rare and valuable reagent in chemical synthesis. We present a fluorescence spectroscopic analysis of the singlet-oxygen formation activity of commercial peroxidases and novel peroxygenases. Singlet-oxygen sensor green (SOSG) is used as fluorogenic singlet oxygen trap. Establishing a kinetic model for the reaction cascade to the fluorescent SOSG endoperoxide permits a kinetic analysis of enzymatic singlet-oxygen formation. All peroxidases and peroxygenases show singlet-oxygen formation. No singlet oxygen activity could be found for any catalase under investigation. Substrate inhibition is observed for all reactive enzymes. The commercial dye-decolorizing peroxidase industrially used for dairy bleaching shows the highest singlet-oxygen activity and the lowest inhibition. This enzyme was immobilized on a textile carrier and successfully applied for a chemical synthesis. Here, ascaridole was synthesized via enzymatically produced singlet oxygen.

A Green Water-Soluble Cyclophosphazene as a Flame Retardant Finish for Textiles.

Poly- and cyclophosphazenes are excellent flame retardants but currently, are not used as textile finishing agents because water-soluble and permanent washing systems are missing. Here, we demonstrate for the first time, the successful usage of a water-soluble cyclotriphosphazene derivative for textile finishing for cotton, different cotton/polyester, and cotton/polyamide blend fabrics. A durable finish was achieved using a photoinduced grafting reaction. The flame retardant properties of the various fabrics were improved with a higher limiting oxygen index, a reduced heat release rate, and an exhibition of intumescent. Furthermore, the finished textiles passed several standardized flammability tests.

Effects of Cerebellothalamic Tractotomy on Cognitive and Emotional Functioning in Essential Tremor: A Preliminary Study in 5 Essential Tremor Patients.

Background: Subthalamic stereotactic interventions have recently caught renewed interest as a treatment for essential tremor (ET). However, it is not clear whether these interventions are associated with neurocognitive, mood or personality changes. Objective: To investigate neurocognition, neuropsychiatric functions and personality variables in patients with ET and to explore the neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric effects of cerebellothalamic tractotomy (CTT), a form of subthalamotomy. Methods: In our study, we investigated cognitive functions, frontal functions, mood and personality variables in 5 patients with intractable ET. Patients were tested before and 3 months after surgery using neuropsychological tests, clinical scales for depression, anxiety, anger regulation and a personality test. Results: Before surgery, ET patients showed normal neurocognitive function, a slightly elevated frontal lobe score in the dimensions mental control and memory, without being indicative of a frontal lesion, and no elevated depression or anxiety scores compared to norm values. After surgery, there was no change in neurocognitive function and no increase in depression or anxiety scores. Conclusion: In this exploratory study on 5 ET patients, CTT was not associated with alterations of mood or neurocognitive functions. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Smartphone app aesthetics influence users' experience and performance.

Past research has demonstrated that aesthetics affect users' experiences in various ways. However, there is little research on the impact of interface aesthetics on user performance in a smartphone app context. The present paper addresses this research gap using an online experiment (N = 281). Two variants of the same web app were created and manipulated in their aesthetics. Participants were randomly assigned to either variant and asked to explore the app before answering questions concerning the app's content. Results showed a significant positive effect of aesthetics on perceived usability and aesthetics. Furthermore, results point toward a positive impact of interface aesthetics on performance (i.e., the number of questions answered correctly). Thus, results indicate that a visually appealing smartphone web app increases users' subjective experience and objective performance compared to an unaesthetic app. This suggests that user interface aesthetics impact users' experiences and provide stakeholders with quantifiable value and competitive advantage.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in childhood epilepsy: a neuropsychological and functional imaging study.

PURPOSE: Children with epilepsy have a significant risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is often accompanied by deficits in working memory performance. However, it is not yet clear whether there are specific differences in the underlying mechanisms of working memory capability between children with epilepsy-related ADHD and those with developmental ADHD. There is evidence that methylphenidate can improve the behavioral difficulties in children with developmental ADHD. Whether this medication has the same effect on ADHD symptoms in patients with epilepsy is not yet well understood. The aim of the present study is, therefore, to evaluate whether boys with epilepsy-related ADHD and developmental ADHD share a common behavioral, pharmacoresponsive, and neurofunctional pathophysiology. METHODS: Seventeen boys with diagnosed combined epilepsy/ADHD, 15 boys with developmental ADHD, and 15 healthy controls (aged 8-14 years) performed on working memory tasks (N-back) while brain activation was recorded using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Each patient was tested twice: once after the intake of methylphenidate and once without in a counterbalanced order. KEY FINDINGS: On a behavioral level, we show that boys with epilepsy-related ADHD as well as those with developmental ADHD performed similarly poorly on tasks with high cognitive load when compared to healthy controls, and that intake of methylphenidate improved performance almost to normal levels in both ADHD groups. On the functional level, both patient groups showed similar reductions of activation in all relevant parts of the functional network of working memory when compared to controls. Of interest, intake of methylphenidate did not significantly alter this activity pattern. SIGNIFICANCE: Our data show strong similarities between epilepsy-related and developmental ADHD on the behavioral, pharmacoresponsive, and neural level, favoring the view that ADHD with and without epilepsy shares a common underlying neurobehavioral pathophysiology.

Computerised working memory training in healthy adults: a comparison of two different training schedules.

This study compared a high intensity working memory training (45 minutes, 4 times per week for 4 weeks) with a distributed training (45 minutes, 2 times per week for 8 weeks) in middle-aged, healthy adults. The aim was to clarify whether a computerised working memory training is effective and whether intensity of training influences training outcome. To evaluate the efficacy and possible transfer effects, a neuropsychological test battery assessing short- and long-term memory, working memory, executive functions and mental speed was applied at baseline and at retest. Our results indicate that the distributed training led to increased performance in all cognitive domains when compared to the high intensity training and the control group without training. The most significant differences revealed by interaction contrasts were found for verbal and visual working memory, verbal short-term memory and mental speed. These results support the hypothesis that cognitive enhancement by cognitive intervention is effective in healthy individuals, and that a distributed training schedule is superior to a high intensity intervention.

Sleep-wake cycles and cognitive functioning in schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Irregular sleep-wake cycles and cognitive impairment are frequently observed in schizophrenia, however, how they interact remains unclear. AIMS: To investigate the repercussions of circadian rhythm characteristics on cognitive performance and psychopathology in individuals with schizophrenia. METHOD: Fourteen middle-aged individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia underwent continuous wrist actimetry monitoring in real-life settings for 3 weeks, and collected saliva samples to determine the onset of endogenous melatonin secretion as a circadian phase marker. Moreover, participants underwent multiple neuropsychological testing and clinical assessments throughout the study period. RESULTS: Sleep-wake cycles in individuals with schizophrenia ranged from well entrained to highly disturbed rhythms with fragmented sleep epochs, together with delayed melatonin onsets and higher levels of daytime sleepiness. Participants with a normal rest-activity cycle (objectively determined by high relative amplitude of day/night activity) performed significantly better in frontal lobe function tasks. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that relative amplitude and age represented the best predictors for cognitive performance (Stroop colour-word interference task, Trail Making Test A and B, semantic verbal fluency task), whereas psychopathology (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) did not significantly correlate with either cognitive performance levels or the quality of sleep-wake cycles. CONCLUSIONS: Consolidated circadian rhythms and sleep may be a prerequisite for adequate cognitive functioning in individuals with schizophrenia.

Structural and functional imaging approaches in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: does the temporal lobe play a key role?

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by widespread structural and functional abnormalities in the brain. We applied different structural imaging techniques such as voxel-based morphometry (VBM), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) to study anatomical differences between boys with ADHD and healthy controls, as well as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) together with independent component analysis (ICA) to detect functional alterations. 14 boys with ADHD and 12 controls were included in our study. Results of DTI showed the expected differences in frontal and cerebellar white matter. VBM and MTI indicated group differences in the temporal lobe. Applying ICA to fMRI data, we extracted four components; two positively correlated to our working memory paradigm and two negatively correlated. Positive components included activation in frontal and parietal regions. Negative components showed activation in anterior and posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus and temporal regions, and were interpreted as forming part of the default mode network. Group differences in the inferior temporal lobe were detected. Applying different techniques, we found differences between boys with ADHD and controls mainly located in the temporal lobe. Therefore, we postulate that research on ADHD should broaden its scope by including the temporal lobe as a potentially important locus of abnormalities in ADHD.

Dyeing of m-Aramid Fibers in Ionic Liquids.

Aramids represent a class of high-performance fibers with outstanding properties and manifold technical applications, e.g., in flame-retardant protective clothing for firefighters and soldiers. However, the dyeing of aramid fibers is accompanied by several economic and ecological disadvantages, resulting in a high consumption of water, energy and chemicals. In this study, a new and innovative dyeing procedure for m-aramid fibers using ionic liquids (ILs) is presented. The most relevant parameters of IL-dyed fibers, such as tensile strength, elongation and fastness towards washing, rubbing and light, were determined systematically. In summary, all aramid textiles dyed in ILs show similar or even better results than the conventionally dyed samples. In conclusion, we have successfully paved the way for a new, eco-friendly and more sustainable dyeing process for aramids in the near future.

A Flame-Retardant Phytic-Acid-Based LbL-Coating for Cotton Using Polyvinylamine.

Phytic acid (PA), as a natural source of phosphorus, was immobilized on cotton (CO) in a layer-by-layer (LbL) approach with polyvinylamine (PVAm) as the oppositely charged electrolyte to create a partly bio-based flame-retardant finish. PVAm was employed as a synthetic nitrogen source with the highest density of amine groups of all polymers. Vertical flame tests revealed a flame-retardant behavior with no afterflame and afterglow time for a coating of 15 bilayers (BL) containing 2% phosphorus and 1.4% nitrogen. The coating achieved a molar P:N ratio of 3:5. Microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC) analyses affirmed the flame test findings by a decrease in peak heat release rate (pkHRR) by more than 60% relative to unfinished CO. Thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) and MCC measurements exhibited a shifted CO peak to lower temperatures indicating proceeding reactions to form an isolating char on the surface. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) coupled online with a TGA system, allowed the identification of a decreased amount of acrolein, methanol, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde during sample pyrolysis and a higher amount of released water. Thereby the toxicity of released volatiles was reduced. Our results prove that PA enables a different reaction by catalyzing cellulosic dehydration, which results in the formation of a protective char on the surface of the burned fabric.

Aesthetic Evaluation of Digitally Reproduced Art Images.

Most people encounter art images as digital reproductions on a computer screen instead of as originals in a museum or gallery. With the development of digital technologies, high-resolution artworks can be accessed anywhere and anytime by a large number of viewers. Since these digital images depict the same content and are attributed to the same artist as the original, it is often implicitly assumed that their aesthetic evaluation will be similar. When it comes to the digital reproductions of art, however, it is also obvious that reproductions do differ from the originals in various aspects. Besides image quality, resolution, and format, the most obvious change is in the representation of color. The effects of subjectively varying surface-level image features on art evaluation have not been clearly assessed. To address this gap, we compare the evaluation of digital reproductions of 16 expressionist and impressionist paintings manipulated to have a high color saturation vs. a saturation similar to the original. We also investigate the impact of viewing time (100 ms vs. unrestricted viewing time) and expertise (art experts vs. laypersons), two other aspects that may impact the perception of art in online contexts. Moreover, we link these dimensions to a recent model of aesthetic experience [the Vienna Integrated Model of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Processes in Art Perception (VIMAP)]. Results suggest that color saturation does not exert a major influence on liking. Cognitive and emotional aspects (interest, confusion, surprise, and boredom), however, are affected - to different extents for experts and laypersons. For laypersons, the increase in color saturation led to more positive assessments of an artwork, whereas it resulted in increased confusion for art experts. This insight is particularly important when it comes to reproducing artworks digitally. Depending on the intended use, increasing or decreasing the color saturation of the digitally reproduced image might be most appropriate. We conclude with a discussion of these findings and address the question of why empirical aesthetics requires more precise dimensions to better understand the subtle processes that take place in the perception of today's digitally reproduced art environment.

Potentials and pitfalls of increasing prosocial behavior and self-efficacy over time using an online personalized platform.

BACKGROUND: This longitudinal mixed methods experimental study aimed to better understand the interplay between digital technology exposure over time, self-efficacy, and prosocial behavior in everyday contexts. METHODS: 66 psychology students tracked their daily prosocial behavior over three weeks. Additionally, half of the participants were randomly assigned to receive access to an online platform, which made personalized suggestions for prosocial actions to complete. Qualitative post-study interviews complemented quantitative measures. RESULTS: Platform exposure had no measurable impact beyond that of tracking over time on either prosocial behavior or self-efficacy. Tracking increased self-efficacy to perform everyday prosocial actions, but did not affect self-efficacy to impact change. Prosocial behavior was predicted by self-efficacy to impact change. Enjoyment of the platform predicted completing higher numbers of suggested prosocial actions and was related to a higher likelihood to continue using the platform in the future. Avenues for increasing platform effectiveness include context-specific action personalization, an effective reminder system, and better support for the development of self-efficacy to impact change through meaningful actions. CONCLUSION: Technology for prosocial behavior should be enjoyable, capable of being seamlessly integrated into everyday life, and ensure that suggested actions are perceived as meaningful in order to support the sustainable development of self-efficacy and prosocial behavior over time.

Working memory training in patients with multiple sclerosis - comparison of two different training schedules.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of two different training schedules of a computer based working memory training (BrainStim) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHOD: Forty-five MS outpatients were allocated to two different training groups and a control group without training. Patients with treatment received 16 training sessions scheduled either as a high intensity training (4 times per week for 4 weeks) or as a distributed training (2 times per week for 8 weeks). A neuropsychological test battery including self-report measures was applied at baseline and at retest. The baseline assessment was performed twice at an interval of two weeks to control for possible learning effects. RESULTS: In the outcome measures training for both intervention groups led to significantly improved fatigue symptoms as well as working memory -, and mental speed performances. Log files recorded during training showed a similar increase in levels of difficulty for both intervention groups as training progressed. No effects were found on short term memory, quality of life or depression. CONCLUSIONS: Since comparable improvements were observed in both training groups, BrainStim can be applied as a therapeutic intervention adjusted to the personal agenda of MS patients.

Reduced response to reward in smokers and cannabis users.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis is one of the most commonly used illicit drugs. Reduced neural and behavioral reactions to reward have been demonstrated in other forms of addiction, as expressed by reduced mood reactivity and lack of striatal activation to rewards, but this effect has not yet been investigated in cannabis users. METHODS: We hypothesized that cannabis users and tobacco smokers would evidence lower positive mood ratings in rewarded conditions than control participants and that this reduction would be greater in cannabis users than in smokers. We examined the influence of reward on mood and performance in a group of regular cannabis users, a group of tobacco smokers and a group of nonsmokers while they performed a spatial recognition task with delayed response that incorporated 3 levels of difficulty. Correct responses were either not reinforced or reinforced with money. We measured the accuracy of reactions, reaction times and mood ratings throughout the trials. RESULTS: Cannabis users rated their mood as significantly worse than the smokers and nonsmokers during the easiest level of the rewarded condition. A significant positive correlation between mood ratings and monetary reward was found in the nonsmokers but not in the cannabis users and smokers. The groups did not differ with regard to task performance. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that regular cannabis use affects certain aspects of motivation and that both tobacco smoking and cannabis use lead to similar motivational changes. However, the use of cannabis seems to affect motivation in a stronger way than does tobacco smoking alone.

Decreased fractional anisotropy in the middle cerebellar peduncle in children with epilepsy and/or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a preliminary study.

Children with epilepsy are at increased risk for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It has been shown that the cerebellum plays a major role in the pathophysiology of ADHD. We aimed to clarify whether children with combined epilepsy/ADHD have the same neurocerebellar pathophysiology as children with developmental ADHD. Eight boys with combined epilepsy/ADHD, 14 boys with developmental ADHD, and 12 healthy boys were investigated using diffusion tensor imaging generating fractional anisotropy (FA) maps. Healthy controls exhibited more FA in the left and in the right middle cerebellar peduncle compared with children with combined epilepsy/ADHD, and more FA in the right middle cerebellar peduncle compared with children with developmental ADHD. Our data show deficient cerebellar connections in both patient groups and endorse the crucial role of the cerebellum in the pathophysiology of ADHD. Our results suggest that ADHD seen in epilepsy might have the same cerebellar pathology as in developmental ADHD.

Relation between functional brain imaging, cognitive impairment and cognitive rehabilitation in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Cognitive impairment belongs to the core symptoms in MS affecting quality of life, self-esteem, and social as well as occupational functioning. Due to this high impact on patients' well-being efficient treatment concepts are required. Imaging studies on cognition have shown that functional reorganisation takes place spontaneously to compensate for deficits. In mildly to moderately impaired patients these processes may support coping with emerging deficits. However, these compensatory processes seem to be limited as brain activation of cognitively severely impaired patients is characterised by decreased additional recruitment of brain regions. Cognitive rehabilitation concentrates on the question whether induction of brain plasticity is possible for both the support of the spontaneous processes and the initiation of new ones. Combining cognition, brain imaging and cognitive rehabilitation in MS, an intriguing question is whether fMRI can provide further insights into the mechanisms of induced plasticity and serve as objective outcome measures for efficient cognitive intervention.

Polyvinylamine-coated polyester fibers as a carrier matrix for the immobilization of peroxidases.

Biocatalytic transformations that employ immobilized enzymes become increasingly important for industrial applications. Synthetic or natural textile fiber materials such as polyester, polyamide or viscose are support materials that are comparatively inexpensive. Contrary to traditional support materials, their flexibility enables their use in reactors of any geometry and a fast and residue-free removal from batch reactors. In this study a permanently immobilized peroxidase (Baylase®) has been investigated on polyester felt as a solid support as a new heterogeneous catalyst system. The polyester felt was functionalized by coating with polyvinylamine and subsequent activation with glutaraldehyde as a crosslinking agent. The enzyme load on the textile surface, the activity of the immobilized protein after repeated use as well as the storage stability was evaluated. Scanning electron micrographs and UV Vis spectroscopy made it possible to verify the enzyme immobilization on the textile surface. Furthermore, the load of immobilized peroxidase was determined by ICP OE spectrometry to be 9-12 mg per gram of textile. The activity of immobilized Baylase® remained high over 35 reaction cycles and a storage period of 8 weeks.

Therapy-induced plasticity of cognitive functions in MS patients: insights from fMRI.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system whose pathological mechanisms are still not completely understood. Physical as well as cognitive deterioration are consequences within the disease process that have an extensive impact on the patient's quality of life. Therefore, understanding the functional background of spontaneous as well as induced remission is of high relevance. Studies on visualization of therapeutic effects of pharmacological or cognitive treatment by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are still rare. From fMRI studies on focal brain lesions hypotheses on mechanisms of brain reorganization can be derived. This contribution will first give an overview of the existing studies using fMRI in MS, on cognitive decline, on cognitive treatment studies and its therapeutic effects on behavioural readouts in MS, and on therapy-induced brain plasticity and its possible visualization by fMRI. Results of a study on correlating the effects of cognitive training with changes in brain organization in patients with mild to severe cognitive impairment will be reported.