The abnormal decline in cognitive abilities, a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, is often misattributed to normal aging, leading to missed opportunities for early intervention. Interactive cognitive assessment methods are therefore crucial for the timely detection of cognitive impairment, with applications spanning clinical screening, patient monitoring, community screening, and research on cognitive function changes. This article focuses on interactive cognitive assessment methods, categorizing them into two paradigms based on the assessment mechanism: brief cognitive screening instruments that rely on manual scoring, and sensor data-driven automatic cognitive assessment methods. First, we review the progress in brief cognitive screening instruments from four perspectives, based on their evaluation dimensions and applicable populations: multidimensional cognitive comprehensive assessment instruments, specialized cognitive assessment instruments, informant-collaborative cognitive assessment instruments, and cognitive assessment instruments for specific populations. Subsequently, we categorize sensor data-driven automatic cognitive assessment methods into seven types based on the data sources and collection methods, namely those based on speech, eye tracking, gait performance, calligraphy and painting tasks, smart home, gamified, and virtual reality, and separately analyze advances for each type. We then summarize critical aspects of their clinical translation, including validation challenges, primary clinical scenarios, and implementation barriers. Finally, we outline the overarching challenges and future research directions for interactive cognitive assessment methods.
The reliability of intra-satellite data buses is critical for operation in high-radiation environments, where current standards such as SpaceWire and block codes like Reed-Solomon (RS) exhibit significant inefficiencies under burst-error conditions and short telecommand traffic. This work develops a theoretical framework for Quantum Trellis-Coded Modulation (QTCM) as a resilient optical bus architecture. Simulations conducted over a Gilbert-Elliot channel model indicate that entanglement-distributed memory improves structural robustness, yielding an estimated sustained 25% reduction in Bit Error Rate (BER) under severe degradation scenarios representative of the South Atlantic Anomaly. Comparative analysis further shows that QTCM can achieve up to 4.5× higher bandwidth efficiency than RS for 32-bit telecommands while maintaining marginal deterministic latency below $5 \mu ~\mathrm{s}$, enabling applicability to highfrequency Attitude and Orbit Control Systems (AOCS). Finally, a hybrid FPGA-photonic implementation based on Silicon Nitride (SiN) technology is proposed, demonstrating compatibility with strict Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) constraints through a theoretically estimated 44% optical power reduction.
Over the last 15 years, an optical density (OD-based) technique to quantify bacterial killing assays (BKAs) has been steadily gaining in popularity. This technique uses spectrophotometry to quantify bacterial growth, rather than the colony counts (CFUs) used previously, and reduces the time, resources, and variability inherent to the assay. However, we argue that the OD-based method relies on assumptions that are not true of all immune components, such as leukocytes, and that methods may not be interchangeable. We performed a targeted literature review focused on the methodology of BKAs across vertebrate taxa in ecoimmunology. We then compared the CFU and OD-based methods using leukocytes isolated from Mojave desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) and analyzed the quantification method and bactericidal ability using correlation and agreement statistics. Our results suggest poor agreement between techniques, and that immunological processes in cell-based BKAs are likely changing the optical properties of the cultures.
This research is motivated by the increasing demand for bio-based materials, the recent growth of the U.S. hemp industry, and the broader trend of using sustainable filaments in additive manufacturing. This study presents a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of untreated hemp straw and kraft lignin as fillers for polylactic acid (PLA) 3D-printed tensile specimens to evaluate their environmental impacts. Both materials, being low-cost renewable bio-based fillers, can enhance elongation of PLA while reducing the environmental footprint of 3D-printed components. The environmental impacts of hemp straw-PLA and kraft lignin-PLA were assessed using several life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods, including ReCiPe 2016 Endpoint (H), Cumulative Energy Demand (CED), and IPCC GWP100. Hemp straw showed lower environmental impacts than kraft lignin across most categories, making it a more favorable option for eco-conscious prosumers. The ReCiPe 2016 results indicated that major impact categories for kraft lignin-PLA were fine particulate matter formation, global warming potential, and human toxicity, with filament production being the major contributor. For hemp straw-PLA, hemp straw pre-processing was the major contributor. The CED method revealed that nonrenewable fossil resources had the highest impact on both materials. IPCC GWP100 results aligned with CED, showing higher greenhouse gas emissions for kraft lignin-PLA, mainly due to fossil fuel use. Sensitivity analysis of transportation distances showed no significant differences in impact results, while alternative LCIA methods (TRACI and IMPACT World+) confirmed the consistency of the findings. To build upon this study, future work will explore the environmental performance of treated hemp materials as alternative fillers for 3D-printed components.
PurposeAlthough meat substitutes are promoted as a strategy to lower our carbon footprint, adopting these products has been met with mixed and ambiguous public reactions. This study explores how personal (health, taste and economic) and pro-social (cultural, environmental and animal welfare) factors jointly influence consumer evaluations of meat substitutes.Design/methodology/approachTextual analysis of 65 discussion threads and 33,797 unique text observations from natural conversations on Reddit was used to identify nuanced patterns and interactions of the personal and pro-social factors influencing evaluations.FindingsThis study shows that consumer attitudes go beyond binary, or strictly "pro" or "against" meat substitutes (or meat), a dichotomy often depicted in public discourse. Drivers of those attitudes and evaluations are complex, extending beyond environmental or taste considerations. Findings illustrate how multiple concerns interactively influence consumer evaluations, counterbalancing one another depending on context.Originality/valueDespite the multi-faceted nature of the drivers of consumers' evaluations of meat substitutes, recent research has begun to explore some of the factors (e.g. environmental, health or taste) influencing evaluations of meat substitute products in isolation. Extending this literature, the results of this textual analysis show how personal and pro-social factors combine and interact to influence evaluations of meat substitutes. These findings demonstrate consumer evaluations' complex, multi-faceted nature, providing insights for food marketers and policy-makers regulating their positioning and promotion.
