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Neurodiversity refers to the idea that all brains--no matter their differences--are valuable and should be accepted. Attitudes toward the neurodiversity perspective can have real-life impacts on the lives of neurodivergent people, from effects on daily interactions to how professionals deliver services for neurodivergent individuals. In order to identify negative attitudes toward neurodiversity and potentially intervene to improve them, we first need to measure these attitudes. This article describes the development and initial validation of the Neurodiversity Attitudes Questionnaire (NDAQ), including item revision based on expert review, cognitive interviews, systematic evaluation of participants' response process, and analysis of the instrument's internal factor structure using exploratory structural equation modeling. Pilot analysis with 351 individuals mostly living in the United States who were currently working in or intending to pursue helping professions indicates that the NDAQ has construct validity, is well understood by participants, and fits a five-factor structure. While the NDAQ represents the first instrument designed to specifically assess attitudes toward the neurodiversity perspective, further validation work is still needed.

For nearly two decades, augmented reality (AR) has found diverse applications in education, particularly in science education, where its efficacy has been supported by relevant theories and many empirical studies. However, previous studies have revealed the following research deficit: While AR technology appears to influence learning-related variables, at the time of this study only few research on the use of AR glasses in physics, a discipline for which this technology seems particularly promising in the context of laboratory experiments, has been found. Thus, the present study uses an experimental comparison group design to investigate the question of how the use of AR glasses in a physics laboratory experiment (compared to in a learning setting without AR) influences students' motivation to learn, their cognitive load during the learning process and their learning achievement. The study (sample size N = 75) investigated the impact of AR glasses in a physics laboratory experiment on optical polarization. Results align with prior research, indicating heightened motivation among learners using AR applications. However, the absence of a significant difference in cognitive load between AR and non-AR learners was unexpected. Despite expectations based on spatial contiguity, learners with AR showed no advantage in learning achievement, challenging existing meta-analyses in physics education. These findings suggest a need to shift focus from surface features, like specific AR technology, to the content design of AR applications. Future studies should analyze the deep structure of AR applications, identifying features conducive to learning.

Life-threatening thrombotic events and neurological symptoms are prevalent in COVID-19 and are persistent in patients with long COVID experiencing post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection1-4. Despite the clinical evidence1,5-7, the underlying mechanisms of coagulopathy in COVID-19 and its consequences in inflammation and neuropathology remain poorly understood and treatment options are insufficient. Fibrinogen, the central structural component of blood clots, is abundantly deposited in the lungs and brains of patients with COVID-19, correlates with disease severity and is a predictive biomarker for post-COVID-19 cognitive deficits1,5,8-10. Here we show that fibrin binds to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, forming proinflammatory blood clots that drive systemic thromboinflammation and neuropathology in COVID-19. Fibrin, acting through its inflammatory domain, is required for oxidative stress and macrophage activation in the lungs, whereas it suppresses natural killer cells, after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fibrin promotes neuroinflammation and neuronal loss after infection, as well as innate immune activation in the brain and lungs independently of active infection. A monoclonal antibody targeting the inflammatory fibrin domain provides protection from microglial activation and neuronal injury, as well as from thromboinflammation in the lung after infection. Thus, fibrin drives inflammation and neuropathology in SARS-CoV-2 infection, and fibrin-targeting immunotherapy may represent a therapeutic intervention for patients with acute COVID-19 and long COVID.

The social validity of autism behavioral intervention has been questioned. Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) attempt to address some concerns, but it is unclear whether autistic people consider NDBIs socially valid. Social validity of an NDBI, Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), was investigated through autistic adults commenting on videos of autistic children receiving PRT. Qualitative coding of responses generated three themes: respect for individuals; assessment of intervention implementation; and socioemotional considerations. Although video brevity limits the scope of the present studys conclusions, participants highlighted PRT components that appeared socially valid (e.g., reinforcing attempts, following the childs lead) and aspects appearing invalid (e.g., overemphasis on spoken language). Therefore, adjustments appear necessary for PRT to be fully acceptable to the autistic community.

Distinguishing relevant features from noise is a central challenge for efficient behaviour. We asked whether humans address this challenge by leveraging the insight that behaviourally relevant processes change on a slower timescale than noise. To test this idea, participants were asked to learn the rewards of two-dimensional bandits when either a slowly or quickly changing feature of the bandit predicted reward. Participants accrued more reward and achieved better generalisation to unseen bandits when the reward-predictive feature changed slowly, rather than quickly. These effects were stronger when participants experienced the feature speed before learning about rewards. Computational modelling revealed that participants adjusted their learning rates based on feature speed. Those who learned better from slow features also had higher learning rates for it from the onset. These results provide evidence that human reinforcement learning favours slower features, suggesting a bias in how humans approach reward learning.

Age-related memory decline is a multifaceted and heterogeneous process. Previous studies on working memory and episodic memory have demonstrated that older participants' memory for item-context bindings (e.g. the location in which an object appeared) drops dramatically, while memory for individual items is relatively preserved. Here, we extend this research in two ways: first, we study memory for ordered object sequences with spatial context, rather than single objects. Second, we investigate how blocked versus interleaved learning curricula affect independent (or marginal) sequence memory (i.e., which objects appeared, and which spatial locations were seen) versus joint sequence memory (which objects appeared where) for older versus younger adults. Across two behavioral experiments with 108 younger (18-35 years) and 100 older (over 65 years) adults, we found better memory for object sequences than position sequences and worst performance for joint object-position sequence reports in both age-groups. Notably, age differences in memory performance followed the same pattern, being least pronounced for sequential object memory and most for joint object-position sequences. Changing the learning curriculum such that either object or spatial location sequences repeated across times, rather than occurring in an interleaved fashion, improved memory performance in both age groups, but had a stronger effect on older than younger adults, suggesting that blocked learning curricula can help older adults with reallocation of limited cognitive resources.

INTRODUCTION: Diagnosed in about 10% of children in the United States, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by symptoms including inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Traditional interventions, such as pharmacological and psychological interventions, are often used in conjunction with integrative health options, such as animal-assisted interventions. The objective of this manuscript is to report behavior coding findings from a randomized control trial of children with ADHD. METHODS: As part of a larger randomized control trial focused on the efficacy of combining a canine-assisted intervention (live therapy dog or control stuffed dog) with cognitive behavioral therapy for children with ADHD, the current manuscript focuses on video-captured behavior observations (n = 35 children, approximately 322 minutes of data). Data were extracted and coded using the Observation of Human-Animal Interaction Research (OHAIRE) Coding System. Behavior codes are reported as summary scores for the following domains: animal social interaction and human social interaction (further separated into human-adult social interaction and human-peer social interaction). Repeated measures mixed models analyses were performed using SAS PROC GLIMMIX to evaluate group differences and change across the study period. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in how much children interacted with the live therapy dogs versus control stuffed dogs. With respect to human-to-human social interactions, children showed greater increases over time in human-directed social interactions in the presence of live therapy dogs compared to stuffed dogs (p = .020). Over the course of the 12-week intervention, children increased in interactions with both adults (p = .006) and their peers (p = .014); however, there were more increases over time in adult-directed social interactions in the live animal condition compared to the control stuffed animal condition (p < 0.0001). DISCUSSION & CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest changes in social interaction when participating in this canine-assisted intervention, specifically greater increases in human-to-human social interactions over time when a live therapy dog is present compared to a control stuffed dog. Children appear to engage relatively equally with both live and stuffed dogs; however, the impact of animals on human socialization differs based on if a live animal is present. Future studies should consider incorporating behavior coding analysis into studies of canine-assisted interventions to identify how human-animal interactions may be moderators or mechanisms for psychosocial outcomes.

Abstract Background Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent childhood psychiatric condition with profound public health, personal, and family consequences. ADHD requires comprehensive treatment; however, lack of communication and integration across multiple points of care is a substantial barrier to progress. Given the chronic and pervasive challenges associated with ADHD, innovative approaches are crucial. We developed the digital health intervention (DHI)—CoolTaCo [Cool Technology Assisting Co-regulation] to address these critical barriers. CoolTaCo uses Patient-Centered Digital Healthcare Technologies (PC-DHT) to promote co-regulation (child/parent), capture patient data, support efficient healthcare delivery, enhance patient engagement, and facilitate shared decision-making, thereby improving access to timely and targeted mental health intervention for children at significant risk for poor outcomes. The present paper will describe our planned protocol to evaluate the efficacy of CoolTaCo via randomized control trial (RCT). Methods/design We will recruit 60 children (ages 8–12) with ADHD who will be randomized to either immediate (n = 30) or delayed (n = 30) treatment (i.e., a waitlist control group). Among those randomized to immediate treatment, half will be assigned to DHI (delivered via a smartwatch and smartphone application), the other half to an active control treatment as usual (TAU). Unlike the DHI group, the TAU group will receive the smartwatch with no assigned activities, applications, or interventions on the devices. The intervention period will last 16 weeks; after a participant has been in the delayed treatment group for 16 weeks and has completed the post-waiting period assessment, they will be randomly assigned to either the intervention or active control group. Thus, 30 participants will complete the intervention, and 30 will complete the active control, with half of the total sample completing a waitlist period. Discussion Individuals with ADHD have complex needs. Despite improvement in outcomes following cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) and pharmaceutical treatment, long-term maintenance is a challenge often not addressed by traditional medical approaches, and, as we described, ineffective approaches to information sharing across points of care create further barriers to progress. Our research will fill a significant gap in translating early treatment investments and gains into long-term, sustainable outcomes. This study was registered as a clinic trial at ClinicalTrials.gov (Digital Health Intervention for Children With ADHD, ID# NCT06456372) on 06/13/2024.

Abstract Background [18F]MK-6240 is a neurofibrillary tangles PET radiotracer that has been broadly used in aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) studies. Majority of [18F]MK-6240 PET studies use dynamic acquisitions longer than 60 min to assess the tracer kinetic parameters. As of today, no consensus has been established on the optimum dynamic PET scan time. In this study, we assess the reproducibility of [18F]MK-6240 quantitative metrics using shortest dynamic PET protocols in cognitively normal subjects. PET metrics were measured through two-tissue compartment model (2TCM) and Logan model to estimate VT and DVR, as well as SUVR from 90 to 120 min (SUVR90 − 120 min) post-tracer injection for brain regions. 2TCM was carried out using the 120 min dynamic coffee break dataset (first scan from 0 to 60 min p.i., second scan from 90 to 120 min p.i.) and then repeated after stepwise shortening it by 5 min. The dynamic scan length that reproduced the 120 min dynamic scans-based VT to within 10% error was defined as the shortest acquisition time (SAT). The SAT SUVR90 − 120 min was deduced from the SAT dataset by extrapolation of each image pixel time-activity curve to 120 min. The reproducibility of the 120 min dynamic scans-based VT2TCM, DVR2TCM, DVRLogan, and SUVR using the SAT was assessed using Passing-Bablock analysis. The limits of reproducibility of each PET metrics were determined using Bland-Altman analysis. Results A dynamic SAT of 40 min yielded

The social validity of autism behavioral intervention has been questioned. Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) attempt to address some concerns, but it is unclear whether autistic people consider NDBIs socially valid. Social validity of an NDBI, Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), was investigated through autistic adults commenting on videos of autistic children receiving PRT. Qualitative coding of responses generated three themes: respect for individuals; assessment of intervention implementation; and socioemotional considerations. Although video brevity limits the scope of the present study's conclusions, participants highlighted PRT components that appeared socially valid (e.g., reinforcing attempts, following the child's lead) and aspects appearing invalid (e.g., overemphasis on spoken language). Therefore, adjustments appear necessary for PRT to be fully acceptable to the autistic community.

This study investigates common features of a set of diverse schools' responses to the initial school lockdown period during the pandemic in 2020, with a focus on practices supporting learning, inclusion and wellbeing. It comprises a collective case study of four Australian schools that were selected based on their reputation for impactful support of students and teachers during the emergency remote teaching period. Methods included interviews and focus groups with school leaders, teachers and students. The schools had widely differing contexts, technology access and student needs. Despite these varied contexts, the findings provided important insights into common practices supporting effective remote teaching. Emerging principles of effective practice illuminate ways forward to mitigate the significant risks accompanying emergency remote teaching, and guide practices in a variety of school contexts.

Ferroelectricity, a spontaneous and reversible electric polarization, is found in certain classes of van der Waals (vdW) materials. The discovery of ferroelectricity in twisted vdW layers provides new opportunities to engineer spatially dependent electric and optical properties associated with the configuration of moiré superlattice domains and the network of domain walls. Here, we employ near-field infrared nano-imaging and nano-photocurrent measurements to study ferroelectricity in minimally twisted WSe2. The ferroelectric domains are visualized through the imaging of the plasmonic response in a graphene monolayer adjacent to the moiré WSe2 bilayers. Specifically, we find that the ferroelectric polarization in moiré domains is imprinted on the plasmonic response of the graphene. Complementary nano-photocurrent measurements demonstrate that the optoelectronic properties of graphene are also modulated by the proximal ferroelectric domains. Our approach represents an alternative strategy for studying moiré ferroelectricity at native length scales and opens promising prospects for (opto)electronic devices.

Abstract Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is an autosomal recessive, progressive disorder resulting from variants in NPC1 or NPC2 that leads to the accumulation of cholesterol and other lipids in late endosomes and lysosomes. The clinical manifestations of the disease vary by age of onset, and severity is often characterized by neurological involvement. To date, no disease-modifying therapy has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and treatment is typically supportive. The lack of robust biomarkers contributes to challenges associated with disease monitoring and quantifying treatment response. In recent years, advancements in detection methods have facilitated the identification of biomarkers in plasma and cerebral spinal fluid from patients with NPC, namely calbindin D, neurofilament light chain, 24(S)hydroxycholesterol, cholestane-triol, trihydroxycholanic acid glycinate, amyloid-β, total and phosphorylated tau, and N-palmitoyl-O-phosphocholine-serine. These biomarkers have been used to support several clinical trials as pharmacodynamic endpoints. Despite the significant advancements in laboratory techniques, translation of those advancements has lagged, and it remains unclear which biomarkers correlate with disease severity and progression, or which biomarkers could inform treatment response. In this review, we assess the landscape of biomarkers currently proposed to guide disease monitoring or indicate treatment response in patients with NPC.

Abstract Our current understanding of the spread and neurodegenerative effects of tau neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) within the medial temporal lobe (MTL) during the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is limited by the presence of confounding non-AD pathologies and the two-dimensional (2-D) nature of conventional histology studies. Here, we combine ex vivo MRI and serial histological imaging from 25 human MTL specimens to present a detailed, 3-D characterization of quantitative NFT burden measures in the space of a high-resolution, ex vivo atlas with cytoarchitecturally-defined subregion labels, that can be used to inform future in vivo neuroimaging studies. Average maps show a clear anterior to poster gradient in NFT distribution and a precise, spatial pattern with highest levels of NFTs found not just within the transentorhinal region but also the cornu ammonis (CA1) subfield. Additionally, we identify granular MTL regions where measures of neurodegeneration are likely to be linked to NFTs specifically, and thus potentially more sensitive as early AD biomarkers.

Photon avalanching nanoparticles (ANPs) exhibit extremely nonlinear upconverted emission valuable for subdiffraction imaging, nanoscale sensing, and optical computing. Avalanching has been demonstrated with Tm3+-, Pr3+-, or Nd3+-doped nanocrystals, but their emission is limited to a few wavelengths and materials. Here, we utilize Gd3+-assisted energy migration to tune the emission wavelengths of Tm3+-sensitized ANPs and generate highly nonlinear emission from Eu3+, Tb3+, Ho3+, and Er3+ ions. The upconversion intensities of these spectrally discrete ANPs scale with nonlinearity factor s = 10-17 under 1064 nm excitation at power densities as low as 7 kW cm-2. This strategy for imprinting avalanche behavior on remote emitters can be extended to fluorophores adjacent to ANPs, as we demonstrate with CdS/CdSe/CdS core/shell/shell quantum dots. ANPs with rationally designed energy transfer networks provide the means to transform conventional linear emitters into a highly nonlinear ones, expanding the use of photon avalanching in biological, chemical, and photonic applications.

Materials whose luminescence can be switched by optical stimulation drive technologies ranging from superresolution imaging1-4, nanophotonics5, and optical data storage6,7, to targeted pharmacology, optogenetics, and chemical reactivity8. These photoswitchable probes, including organic fluorophores and proteins, can be prone to photodegradation and often operate in the ultraviolet or visible spectral regions. Colloidal inorganic nanoparticles6,9 can offer improved stability, but the ability to switch emission bidirectionally, particularly with near-infrared (NIR) light, has not, to our knowledge, been reported in such systems. Here, we present two-way, NIR photoswitching of avalanching nanoparticles (ANPs), showing full optical control of upconverted emission using phototriggers in the NIR-I and NIR-II spectral regions useful for subsurface imaging. Employing single-step photodarkening10-13 and photobrightening12,14-16, we demonstrate indefinite photoswitching of individual nanoparticles (more than 1,000 cycles over 7 h) in ambient or aqueous conditions without measurable photodegradation. Critical steps of the photoswitching mechanism are elucidated by modelling and by measuring the photon avalanche properties of single ANPs in both bright and dark states. Unlimited, reversible photoswitching of ANPs enables indefinitely rewritable two-dimensional and three-dimensional multilevel optical patterning of ANPs, as well as optical nanoscopy with sub-Å localization superresolution that allows us to distinguish individual ANPs within tightly packed clusters.

Many parents of young autistic children report wanting to be more involved in their child's education. Parental involvement is positively correlated with school satisfaction, yet how various involvement activities are differentially related to satisfaction has not been extensively investigated. This study aimed to learn more about satisfaction with and involvement in education using quantitative and qualitative survey data. Parents (N = 45) of young children with autism generally agreed that they were satisfied with their child's education. However, qualitative data highlighted that school-based involvement options were sometimes limited and that involvement could be difficult for busy families. The amount of time parents spent implementing strategies learned from school into everyday life was significantly related to school satisfaction. This finding points to the importance of involvement for generalization of skills across contexts and will hopefully encourage more parent--teacher communication on this topic.

Basing school and university science education on an understanding of science education as a human right has been advocated by numerous authors. Broadly, the right to science education derives from the fundamental rights included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, namely the right to education and the right to science. The aim of the present study was to characterize the right to science education in greater detail and specify its conditions and barriers. To meet this aim, we conducted a systematic literature review entailing a bibliographic database search of the Web of Science and ProQuest and an article screening followed by a qualitative content analysis of the included publications. In doing so, we synthesized the findings of eight publications addressing the right to science education in various contexts. In this paper, we present the design and results of our analysis. The implications of our findings for future science education research are outlined at the end of this paper.

IntroductionChildren with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) participated in a randomized clinical trial comparing animal-assisted intervention (AAI) to psychosocial treatment as usual (TAU). This brief report describes effects of AAI on acute HPA axis reactivity and regulation. Saliva was collected before, during, and after psychosocial intervention sessions with and without therapy dogs and later assayed for cortisol (ug/dL).MethodologyThirty-nine participants (n = 39) with ADHD, aged 7-9 years (79% male) provided saliva at 3 points during 90-minute sessions; (i) upon arrival, (ii) +20 minutes, and (iii) 15 minutes prior to departure, on 3 occasions across an 8-week intervention (weeks 1, 4, and 8). Cortisol slopes calculated within each session were compared across the intervention weeks to determine within subject and between group effect sizes. Spearman’s correlations between baseline individual neurodevelopmental symptoms and in-session acute cortisol responses were also evaluated.ResultsNo significant between group differences were observed in cortisol responsiveness at week-1. By week-4, in-session changes in cortisol were evident, with significantly greater decreases in the AAI group (Cohen’s d = -.40). This pattern was also observed at week-8, with an even stronger effect-size (d = -0.60). Concurrent symptoms of autism were associated with the in-session acute cortisol response. Specifically, higher parent-reported symptom scores were associated with steeper decreases in cortisol across the session at week 1 (r = -0.42, p

The association of urban greenspace and human health and well-being is widely recognised, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. The acoustic environment (AE) is frequently proposed as a mediator between greenspace and human health. While it is commonly viewed as a negative health factor (e.g. noise pollution), there is growing evidence that it also has positive effects on human health. However, a general problem is the lack of information on the AE for greenspaces in high spatial resolution. To provide evidence-based support for research on this issue, we identify and assess acoustic properties of health-related urban greenspace by estimating the association between urban green area and selected acoustic indices.The analysis is based on 5-minute audio recordings collected systematically from 730 locations, four times a year (n = 2,746) in Bochum, Germany. To quantify the acoustic properties, we use an indicator-set of 30 sound pressure levels, 11 eco-, 78 psychoacoustic indices and 3 complex network measures. Greenspace is defined, in alignment with various health studies, as the percentage of green area within three buffer sizes (50, 100, 300 m) around each recording location.Through cluster analysis, we identify eleven acoustic dimensions in our indicator-set, for which representative indices are derived using principal component analysis. Descriptive statistics and multi-level regression models are used to analyse the associations between representative indices and greenspace. We find the highest effect sizes for Link Density (representing “acoustic dominance”), Acoustic Richness (representing “persistent sound volume”) and the Articulation Index (representing “sound volume”). Thus, in addition to “sound volume”, the AE of urban greenspace is characterised to a similar extent by at least two additional acoustic dimensions. If properties of the AE act as mediators between urban greenspace and human health, these three acoustic dimensions hold the potential to reflect them. Studies on pathways between greenspace and human health could incorporate measures of these dimensions to extend the understanding of the AE’s relevance for Public Health.

Challenges associated with ADHD affect children's daily routines and response to environmental stimuli, and support from parents is helpful in managing and overcoming behavior regulation challenges. Positive reinforcement is increasingly integrated into family technologies for teaching regulation skills, but typically support specific co-located activities. To better understand how technology can support co-regulation within families with ADHD children, we deployed CoolTaco, a smartwatch and phone system to support collaboration in creating tasks, gaining points for achieving them, and redeeming rewards. Ten families with ADHD children used CoolTaco in their daily routines. By qualitatively analyzing family interviews and usage logs, we find that smartwatches can help provide pervasive regulation support to children, but the division across devices and parent-child roles interfere with developing independence. We discuss how technology should support co-regulation while also fostering future self-regulation, such as by guiding children in goal setting and helping them reflect on progress and achievements.

This article discusses findings from a recent survey (n = 297) of teachers' views of both their own and their students' experiences during the 2021 enforced emergency remote schooling period occurring in New South Wales Australia, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The quantitative analysis reported here explores teachers' views regarding teaching and learning during this challenging period. It identifies three latent constructs, learning, assessment, and interaction, and then uses structural equation modelling to identify the perceived impact of these constructs on student and teacher wellbeing. The remote schooling period had a significant negative impact for teachers and their students across a range of elements of teaching and learning, as well as wellbeing. Student learning experiences and their peer interactions were found to be strong predictors of students' wellbeing outcomes. Assessment design and teachers' feedback to students were significant in predicting levels of teacher wellbeing. Future research directions are also provided.