Free flowing thought in bilinguals and monolinguals: How language experience and lexical properties influence word associations

Chronobiology studies indicate that individuals are regulated by three timers: social, solar, and biological. Environmental and behavioral changes can modify the sleep–wake cycle. Many university students adopt nighttime study habits, interfering with the circadian rhythm. Sleep restriction or poor sleep quality compromises memory and significantly reduces academic performance. This study aimed to verify whether there is an association between sleep quality and academic performance among nursing and medical students at a public university in Alagoas, Brazil. This is an observational, cross-sectional, and quantitative study conducted with 137 Nursing and Medical students, selected through stratified probabilistic sampling. Data collection included a sociodemographic questionnaire to characterize the sample, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ), and academic self-assessment. Data were analyzed for normality, and associations were tested using Pearson and Spearman correlations (SciPy – Python). Among the 137 students, 65.7% were women, 70.1% were between 19 and 24 years old, 67.9% rated their academic performance between 7.0 and 8.9, and 66.4% presented poor sleep quality. Negative correlations between the PSQI and self-assessment variables (r = -0.368; p < 0.001 for Pearson; r = -0.360; p < 0.001 for Spearman) reinforce the importance of sleep quality in the academic context. The findings highlight the urgency of interventions that promote sleep hygiene education and strategies to improve rest quality, reducing the likelihood of problems that may negatively impact students’ academic performance.

Abstract Knowing where to find what kind of food, and when, is essential for survival and reproduction. Studying animals’ foraging strategies thus provides insights into the cognitive processes underlying real-world problem solving. We investigated whether free-ranging Guinea baboons ( Papio papio ) keep track of the spatio-temporal availability of a preferred food resource, the Natal orange ( Strychnos spinosa ). An exceptional wildfire that destroyed most ripe fruits in 2019 provided a quasi-experimental opportunity to assess whether Guinea baboons flexibly adjusted their space use to an unexpected change in resource availability or instead continued to follow habitual routines. The animals’ space use patterns shifted significantly following the wildfire. After one single visit, they stopped going to the area during the period when Natal oranges would normally be available. In the following year, when Natal oranges were available again, the baboons resumed regular space use patterns. We also assessed travel linearity, speed, and departure time from sleeping sites towards the target area with and without ripe fruit. Guinea baboons travelled more linearly, 14% faster, and ca. 40 min earlier toward the target area when S. spinosa was in season than when it was not. In conclusion, Guinea baboons rapidly adjusted their space use patterns in response to changes in the availability of a high-value food resource. These results underscore their capacity for flexible, reward-sensitive decision-making and goal-directed foraging.

Qur’an memorization programs in Madrasah Tsanawiyah require alignment between memorization achievement, recitation accuracy, long-term retention, and learning support. An emphasis on the quantity of memorized material alone provides an incomplete account of program quality and sustainability. This study examines strategies for implementing Qur’an memorization programs by exploring the relationships among learning approaches, evaluation, and supporting factors. It adopts a qualitative approach using a narrative literature review design. Sources comprise scholarly articles on Qur’an memorization, educational management, memory, assessment, and learning motivation. Materials were collected through document review and examined using narrative analysis to interpret arguments, compare findings within their contexts, and explain relationships across concepts. The review indicates that tahfidz instruction should connect recitation guidance, the acquisition of new memorization, retrieval practice, and the continuous review of previously memorized material. Assessment can inform instructional adjustments when it addresses recitation accuracy, fluency, retention, and individual progress. Teacher competence, psychological support, family involvement, and institutional scheduling provide complementary support for implementing these adjustments. Taken together, the literature suggests that program strategies should connect students’ learning needs, instructional practices, assessment information, and follow-up actions. This interpretation offers a basis for reviewing tahfidz practices in Madrasah Tsanawiyah, while its application requires attention to students’ characteristics and institutional resources. The conclusions represent a synthesis of the reviewed literature rather than evidence of the effectiveness of a tested program model. [Program tahfidz Al-Qur’an di Madrasah Tsanawiyah memerlukan keselarasan antara capaian hafalan, ketepatan bacaan, retensi jangka panjang, dan dukungan belajar. Penekanan pada jumlah materi yang dihafal saja belum memberikan gambaran utuh tentang mutu dan keberlanjutan program. Penelitian ini mengkaji strategi pelaksanaan program tahfidz dengan menelaah hubungan antara pendekatan pembelajaran, evaluasi, dan faktor pendukung. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan desain kajian literatur naratif. Sumber mencakup artikel ilmiah tentang tahfidz, pengelolaan pendidikan, memori, penilaian, dan motivasi belajar. Bahan dikumpulkan melalui studi dokumen dan dikaji menggunakan analisis naratif untuk menafsirkan argumentasi, membandingkan temuan sesuai konteksnya, serta menjelaskan hubungan antarkonsep. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran tahfidz perlu menghubungkan bimbingan bacaan, penambahan hafalan, latihan mengambil kembali informasi, dan pengulangan berkelanjutan atas materi yang telah dihafal. Penilaian dapat menjadi dasar penyesuaian pembelajaran ketika memperhatikan ketepatan bacaan, kelancaran, retensi, dan kemajuan individual. Kompetensi guru, dukungan psikologis, keterlibatan keluarga, dan pengaturan jadwal kelembagaan saling melengkapi dalam mendukung penyesuaian tersebut. Secara keseluruhan, literatur mengisyaratkan bahwa strategi program perlu menghubungkan kebutuhan belajar siswa, praktik pembelajaran, informasi penilaian, dan tindakan tindak lanjut. Interpretasi ini memberikan dasar untuk meninjau praktik tahfidz di Madrasah Tsanawiyah, sementara penerapannya memerlukan perhatian terhadap karakteristik siswa dan sumber daya lembaga. Simpulan merupakan sintesis literatur yang dikaji, bukan bukti efektivitas model program yang telah diuji]

Abstract Objectives We hypothesized that benzodiazepine/z-drug (BZRA) dose, insomnia symptoms, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk are associated with cognitive performance above and beyond other modifiable dementia risk factors. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we used baseline data from recruited patients without dementia from one VA site and one academic site to analyze regression models based on previously published risk factors for cognitive impairment, adapted to include sleep and benzodiazepine usage interactions. Changes in R 2 and model fit (F-tests) were examined for four nested regression models predicting Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Trail Making Test (TMT)-A, TMT-B, and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Base Models included common dementia risk factors. Model-2 = Base + Insomnia Severity Index; Model-3 = Model-2 + dose; Model-4 = Model-3 + OSA risk; and Model-5 = Model-4 + OSA-BZRA. Results R 2 for the base model predicting MMSE was 0.139 (n = 313), 0.241 for TMT-A (n = 298), 0.229 for TMT-B (n = 287), and 0.189 for DSST (n = 285). Model-5 R 2 was 0.142 for MMSE, 0.246 for TMT-A, 0.238 for TMT-B, and 0.190 for DSST, with all F-test p-values >.145. Conclusions Sleep disorder variables did not significantly explain additional variation in cognition performance. Studies with a wider range of cognitive performance are needed.

The tahfiz juz’i method helps students memorize the Qur’an gradually. However, its implementation in Juz ‘Amma memorization instruction continues to face various challenges, particularly among third-grade students at SDN 07 Lembah Melintang, Pasaman Barat. This study aimed to describe the challenges in implementing the tahfiz juz’i method and teachers’ efforts to address them. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation and analyzed through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. Data trustworthiness was assessed through source and methodological triangulation. The findings revealed that implementation challenges included differences in students’ Qur’anic reading and memorization abilities, limitations in memory and concentration, varying levels of learning motivation, limited teacher time for individual guidance, and uneven family support for murajaah at home. Teachers’ efforts included assigning memorization tasks gradually, strengthening motivation, adapting memorization targets to students’ abilities, establishing regular murajaah routines, correcting tajwid and letter articulation, and collaborating with parents. These findings provide an empirical account of the challenges in implementing tahfiz juz’i instruction at the elementary school level and teachers’ efforts to address them. The study underscores the importance of guidance tailored to students’ abilities and collaboration between schools and families in supporting Qur’anic memorization instruction. Practical implications include the need to adjust memorization targets and ensure continuity of guidance at school and at home. Future research should include more research sites and longer observation periods to gain a deeper understanding of the implementation of the tahfiz juz’i method.