Investigating the relationship between periodontitis and specific memory processes in the search for cognitive markers of Alzheimer's disease risk

The spontaneous retrieval deficit (SRD) hypothesis argues that individuals in the preclinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are particularly impaired in spontaneous retrieval, which manifests in reduced mind-wandering. Our main purpose was to provide novel evidence to support the SRD hypothesis by investigating, for the first time, the relationship between mind-wandering and periodontitis, the latter being the risk factor for AD. The second objective was to address the lack of deeper understanding of the relationship between oral health and specific cognitive abilities by investigating whether periodontitis would be primarily associated with memory. Sixty community-dwelling dementia-free older adults completed neuropsychological tests that focused on various cognitive abilities and a computerised task, during which mind-wandering was evaluated. Periodontal health was assessed subjectively, and through an oral examination by a qualified dentist that focused on visible periodontitis-related changes in gingival tissues and the number of periodontitis bacteria. In line with our predictions, objective and subjective symptoms of poorer periodontal health were associated with less mind-wandering, providing further support for the SRD hypothesis. Again in line with predictions, poorer periodontal health was associated with worse episodic memory, with no relationship between periodontitis and the measure targeting various cognitive abilities, from which memory was excluded

An Inquisit-web protocol for calculating composite inhibitory control capacity score : an individual differences approach

In the present paper, we provide a protocol for experimentally measuring and calculating individual inhibitory control capacity index in adult participants in an online Inquisit-based setting. We believe that this method can serve other researchers in the standardized assessment of individual inhibitory control capacity that can be used in studies on the possible role of inhibitory control in many every-day cognitive phenomena. Thus, the paper focuses mainly on the calculation of a composite inhibitory control capacity score from two inhibitory control tasks. Specifically, it is calculated on the basis of participants’ performance in two well-established experimental paradigms: the Stroop Task and the Eriksen Flanker Task. The methods described in this protocol have already been successfully applied in both lab and online settings. In the first part of the article, we provide a short theoretical background and a brief description of the previous usage of this method in our two original studies. In the following parts, we provide step-by-step instructions for measuring and calculating the individual inhibitory control capacity index using web-based methodology. The protocol is supplemented with slides of original experimental tasks and instructions for participants (both translated from Polish)

Dementia-free older adults with subjective cognitive impairment show lower mood and no deficits of spontaneous memory retrieval

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether spontaneous retrieval deficits could be found in individuals with Subjective Cognitive Impairment (SCI). The sample consisted of 52 participants over 65 years of age (mean age = 76.00; SD = 7.48) with 11 males. We asked 26 individuals with SCI and 26 individuals without SCI to perform a prospective memory (PM) task that had previously demonstrated spontaneous retrieval deficits in individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment. The results did not demonstrate the expected differences in a PM task based on spontaneous retrieval [t(50) = −.05; p = .964, d = .01]. However, participants’ mood did predict their subjective memory complaints (β = −.51; p < .001) and their subjective assessment of their future memory performance (r = −.38; p < .01). The findings are in line with numerous studies which have shown that SCI is more related to mood disturbance than to objective cognitive functioning

Cognitive inhibition behavioral tasks in online and laboratory settings : data from Stroop, SART and Eriksen Flanker tasks

The provided dataset represents the performance of adult individuals in three experimental tasks measuring cognitive inhibition: the Stroop task; the SART task and the Eriksen Flanker task. All tasks were initially completed in a web setting (online) by 485 individuals. Additionally, randomly selected participants completed all these tasks one more time (220 participants) or two more times (100 participants) during separate laboratory session(s) offline. The provided dataset contains data both from the offline and online experimental sessions. For the Stroop and Flanker tasks, we have provided data on mean reaction times for correct answers and the percent of correct answers for both congruent and incongruent trials. For the SART task, we have provided data on the number and the percent of commission and omission errors; the mean correct reaction times in "go" trials; the standard deviations of correct reaction times in "go" trials; the coefficients of variability for correct reaction times in "go" trials; the mean reaction times for successful "go" trials proceeding successful "no-go" trials; and the mean reaction times for correct "go" trials proceeding failed "no-go" trials. Data from both laboratory sessions contains information on the age and gender of participants. Additionally, we have provided the dates and hours of all experimental sessions. This dataset can potentially be reused for exploratory research on cognitive inhibition, i.e., the stability of individual cognitive inhibition capacity over time; intercorrelations of various inhibition task performance measures; individual differences in cognitive inhibition; or the influence of task setting (web vs laboratory) on inhibition performance measured in different settings (web vs laboratory)

Application of biogas to supply the high compression ratio engine

The study concerns the use of biogas as a fuel for supplying a modified self-ignition engine. As a result of the modifications made, the compression ratio was reduced and the engine was equipped with an ignition system and an electronically activated engine throttle. The changes have made it possible to burn biogas in a high compression ratio engine. The paper presents the results of research conducted on a low power cogeneration system with engine that drives an electrical machine cooperating with a 380/400 V network. The analysis includes, among other things, the possibility of producing electricity using biogas. The paper presents the influence of regulatory parameters such as the volume and composition of the supplied gas mixture and the degree of throttle opening on the obtained engine operation indicators and the driven electric machine. The tests were carried out in relation to the obtained ecological indicators depending on the concentration in the exhaust of such substances as: HC, CO, NOx