Multichannel Spectrometer of Time Distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akindinova, E. V.; Babenko, A. G.; Vakhtel, V. M.; Evseev, N. A.; Rabotkin, V. A.; Kharitonova, D. D.

2015-06-01

For research and control of characteristics of radiation fluxes, radioactive sources in particular, for example, in paper [1], a spectrometer and methods of data measurement and processing based on the multichannel counter of time intervals of accident events appearance (impulses of particle detector) MC-2A (SPC "ASPECT") were created. The spectrometer has four independent channels of registration of time intervals of impulses appearance and correspondent amplitude and spectrometric channels for control along the energy spectra of the operation stationarity of paths of each of the channels from the detector to the amplifier. The registration of alpha-radiation is carried out by the semiconductor detectors with energy resolution of 16-30 keV. Using a spectrometer there have been taken measurements of oscillations of alpha-radiation 239-Pu flux intensity with a subsequent autocorrelative statistical analysis of the time series of readings.

Analytical response function for planar Ge detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Alvarez, Juan A.; Maidana, Nora L.; Vanin, Vito R.; Fernández-Varea, José M.

2016-04-01

We model the response function (RF) of planar HPGe x-ray spectrometers for photon energies between around 10 keV and 100 keV. The RF is based on the proposal of Seltzer [1981. Nucl. Instrum. Methods 188, 133-151] and takes into account the full-energy absorption in the Ge active volume, the escape of Ge Kα and Kβ x-rays and the escape of photons after one Compton interaction. The relativistic impulse approximation is employed instead of the Klein-Nishina formula to describe incoherent photon scattering in the Ge crystal. We also incorporate a simple model for the continuous component of the spectrum produced by the escape of photo-electrons from the active volume. In our calculations we include external interaction contributions to the RF: (i) the incoherent scattering effects caused by the detector's Be window and (ii) the spectrum produced by photo-electrons emitted in the Ge dead layer that reach the active volume. The analytical RF model is compared with pulse-height spectra simulated using the PENELOPE Monte Carlo code.

Processing of CT sinograms acquired using a VRX detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, Lawrence M.; DiBianca, Frank A.; Zou, Ping; Laughter, Joseph S.; Zeman, Herbert D.

2000-04-01

A 'variable resolution x-ray detector' (VRX) capable of resolving beyond 100 cycles/main a single dimension has been proposed by DiBianca, et al. The use of detectors of this design for computed-tomography (CT) imaging requires novel preprocessing of data to correct for the detector's non- uniform imaging characteristics over its range of view. This paper describes algorithms developed specifically to adjust VRX data for varying magnification, source-to-detector range and beam obliquity and to sharpen reconstructions by deconvolving the ray impulse function. The preprocessing also incorporates nonlinear interpolation of VRX raw data into canonical CT sinogram formats.

Recursive Inversion By Finite-Impulse-Response Filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bach, Ralph E., Jr.; Baram, Yoram

1991-01-01

Recursive approximation gives least-squares best fit to exact response. Algorithm yields finite-impulse-response approximation of unknown single-input/single-output, causal, time-invariant, linear, real system, response of which is sequence of impulses. Applicable to such system-inversion problems as suppression of echoes and identification of target from its scatter response to incident impulse.

Causal impulse response for circular sources in viscous media

PubMed Central

Kelly, James F.; McGough, Robert J.

2008-01-01

The causal impulse response of the velocity potential for the Stokes wave equation is derived for calculations of transient velocity potential fields generated by circular pistons in viscous media. The causal Green’s function is numerically verified using the material impulse response function approach. The causal, lossy impulse response for a baffled circular piston is then calculated within the near field and the far field regions using expressions previously derived for the fast near field method. Transient velocity potential fields in viscous media are computed with the causal, lossy impulse response and compared to results obtained with the lossless impulse response. The numerical error in the computed velocity potential field is quantitatively analyzed for a range of viscous relaxation times and piston radii. Results show that the largest errors are generated in locations near the piston face and for large relaxation times, and errors are relatively small otherwise. Unlike previous frequency-domain methods that require numerical inverse Fourier transforms for the evaluation of the lossy impulse response, the present approach calculates the lossy impulse response directly in the time domain. The results indicate that this causal impulse response is ideal for time-domain calculations that simultaneously account for diffraction and quadratic frequency-dependent attenuation in viscous media. PMID:18397018

Effectual switching filter for removing impulse noise using a SCM detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Jin-xia; Zhang, Hong-juan; Ma, Yi-de

2012-03-01

An effectual method is proposed to remove impulse noise from corrupted color images. The spiking cortical model (SCM) is adopted as a noise detector to identify noisy pixels in each channel of color images, and detected noise pixels are saved in three marking matrices. According to the three marking matrices, the detected noisy pixels are divided into two types (type I and type II). They are filtered differently: an adaptive median filter is used for type I and an adaptive vector median for type II. Noise-free pixels are left unchanged. Extensive experiments show that the proposed method outperforms most of the other well-known filters in the aspects of both visual and objective quality measures, and this method can also reduce the possibility of generating color artifacts while preserving image details.

An Impulse Based Substructuring approach for impact analysis and load case simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rixen, Daniel J.; van der Valk, Paul L. C.

2013-12-01

In the present paper we outline the basic theory of assembling substructures for which the dynamics are described as Impulse Response Functions. The assembly procedure computes the time response of a system by evaluating per substructure the convolution product between the Impulse Response Functions and the applied forces, including the interface forces that are computed to satisfy the interface compatibility. We call this approach the Impulse Based Substructuring method since it transposes to the time domain the Frequency Based Substructuring approach. In the Impulse Based Substructuring technique the Impulse Response Functions of the substructures can be gathered either from experimental tests using a hammer impact or from time-integration of numerical submodels. In this paper the implementation of the method is outlined for the case when the impulse responses of the substructures are computed numerically. A simple bar example is shown in order to illustrate the concept. The Impulse Based Substructuring allows fast evaluation of impact response of a structure when the impulse response of its components is known. It can thus be used to efficiently optimize designs of consumer products by including impact behavior at the early stage of the design, but also for performing substructured simulations of complex structures such as offshore wind turbines.

An expandable crosstalk reduction method for inline fiber Fabry-Pérot sensor array based on fiber Bragg gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Peng; Ma, Lina; Hu, Zhengliang; Hu, Yongming

2016-07-01

The inline time division multiplexing (TDM) fiber Fabry-Pérot (FFP) sensor array based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) is attractive for many applications. But the intrinsic multi-reflection (MR) induced crosstalk limits applications especially those needing high resolution. In this paper we proposed an expandable method for MR-induced crosstalk reduction. The method is based on complexing-exponent synthesis using the phase-generated carrier (PGC) scheme and the special common character of the impulse responses. The method could promote demodulation stability simultaneously with the reduction of MR-induced crosstalk. A polarization-maintaining 3-TDM experimental system with an FBG reflectivity of about 5 % was set up to validate the method. The experimental results showed that crosstalk reduction of 13 dB and 15 dB was achieved for sensor 2 and sensor 3 respectively when a signal was applied to the first sensor and crosstalk reduction of 8 dB was achieved for sensor 3 when a signal was applied to sensor 2. The demodulation stability of the applied signal was promoted as well. The standard deviations of the amplitude distributions of the demodulated signals were reduced from 0.0046 to 0.0021 for sensor 2 and from 0.0114 to 0.0044 for sensor 3. Because of the convenience of the linear operation of the complexing-exponent and according to the common character of the impulse response we found, the method can be effectively extended to the array with more TDM channels if the impulse response of the inline FFP sensor array with more TDM channels is derived. It offers potential to develop a low-crosstalk inline FFP sensor array using the PGC interrogation technique with relatively high reflectivity FBGs which can guarantee enough light power received by the photo-detector.

Extending the impulse response in order to reduce errors due to impulse noise and signal fading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webb, Joseph A.; Rolls, Andrew J.; Sirisena, H. R.

1988-01-01

A finite impulse response (FIR) digital smearing filter was designed to produce maximum intersymbol interference and maximum extension of the impulse response of the signal in a noiseless binary channel. A matched FIR desmearing filter at the receiver then reduced the intersymbol interference to zero. Signal fades were simulated by means of 100 percent signal blockage in the channel. Smearing and desmearing filters of length 256, 512, and 1024 were used for these simulations. Results indicate that impulse response extension by means of bit smearing appears to be a useful technique for correcting errors due to impulse noise or signal fading in a binary channel.

Norepinephrine and impulsivity: Effects of acute yohimbine

PubMed Central

Swann, Alan C.; Lijffijt, Marijn; Lane, Scott D.; Cox, Blake; Steinberg, Joel L.; Moeller, F. Gerard

2013-01-01

Rationale Rapid-response impulsivity, characterized by inability to withhold response to a stimulus until it is adequately appraised, is associated with risky behavior and may be increased in a state-dependent manner by norepinephrine. Objective We assessed effects of yohimbine, which increases norepinephrine release by blocking alpha-2 noradrenergic receptors, on plasma catecholamine metabolites, blood pressure, subjective symptoms, and laboratory-measured rapid-response impulsivity. Methods Subjects were twenty-three healthy controls recruited from the community, with normal physical examination and ECG, and negative history for hypertension, cardiovascular illness, and Axis I or II disorder. Blood pressure, pulse, and behavioral measures were obtained before and periodically after 0.4 mg/kg oral yohimbine or placebo in a randomized, counterbalanced design. Metabolites of norepinephrine (3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol, MHPG; vanillylmandelic acid, VMA) and dopamine (homovanillic acid, HVA) were measured by high pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Rapid-response impulsivity was measured by commission errors and reaction times on the Immediate Memory Task (IMT), a continuous performance test designed to measure impulsivity and attention. Results Yohimbine increased plasma MHPG and VMA but not HVA. Yohimbine increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate. On the IMT, yohimbine increased impulsive errors and impulsive response bias and accelerated reaction times. Yohimbine-associated increase in plasma MHPG correlated with increased impulsive response rates. Time courses varied; effects on blood pressure generally preceded those on metabolites and test performance. Conclusions These effects are consistent with increased rapid-response impulsivity after pharmacological noradrenergic stimulation in healthy controls. Labile noradrenergic responses, or increased sensitivity to norepinephrine, may increase risk for impulsive behavior. PMID:23559222

Laser Energy Monitor for Double-Pulsed 2-Micrometer IPDA Lidar Application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Refaat, Tamer F.; Petros, Mulugeta; Remus, Ruben; Yu, Jirong; Singh, Upendra N.

2014-01-01

Integrated path differential absorption (IPDA) lidar is a remote sensing technique for monitoring different atmospheric species. The technique relies on wavelength differentiation between strong and weak absorbing features normalized to the transmitted energy. 2-micron double-pulsed IPDA lidar is best suited for atmospheric carbon dioxide measurements. In such case, the transmitter produces two successive laser pulses separated by short interval (200 microseconds), with low repetition rate (10Hz). Conventional laser energy monitors, based on thermal detectors, are suitable for low repetition rate single pulse lasers. Due to the short pulse interval in double-pulsed lasers, thermal energy monitors underestimate the total transmitted energy. This leads to measurement biases and errors in double-pulsed IPDA technique. The design and calibration of a 2-micron double-pulse laser energy monitor is presented. The design is based on a high-speed, extended range InGaAs pin quantum detectors suitable for separating the two pulse events. Pulse integration is applied for converting the detected pulse power into energy. Results are compared to a photo-electro-magnetic (PEM) detector for impulse response verification. Calibration included comparing the three detection technologies in single-pulsed mode, then comparing the pin and PEM detectors in double-pulsed mode. Energy monitor linearity will be addressed.

The use of the Wigner Distribution to analyze structural impulse responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wahl, T. J.; Bolton, J. S.

1990-01-01

In this paper it is argued that the time-frequency analysis of structural impulse responses may be used to reveal the wave types carrying significant energy through a structure. Since each wave type is characterized by its own dispersion relation, each wave type may be associated with particular features appearing in the time-frequency domain representation of an impulse response. Here the Wigner Distribution is introduced as a means for obtaining appropriate time-frequency representations of impulse responses. Practical aspects of the calculation of the Wigner Distribution are discussed and examples of its application to the analysis of structural impulse responses are given. These examples will show that the Wigner Distribution may be conveniently used to distinguish between the contributions of various waves types to a total structural response.

Influence of impulsiveness on emotional modulation of response inhibition: An ERP study.

PubMed

Messerotti Benvenuti, Simone; Sarlo, Michela; Buodo, Giulia; Mento, Giovanni; Palomba, Daniela

2015-10-01

To examine how impulsiveness influences the emotional modulation of behavioral and neural correlates of response inhibition. Twenty-nine healthy individuals scoring high (HI, N=16) or low (LI, N=13) on motor impulsiveness performed an emotional Go/Nogo task, including the presentation of pleasant, neutral and unpleasant pictures. Behavioral [reaction times (RTs), accuracy to Go and Nogo trials] and neural (Nogo-N2 and Nogo-P3) correlates of response inhibition were compared between HI and LI groups. Larger Nogo-P3 was found for emotional than neutral stimuli in HI relative to LI group. Faster RTs to Go stimuli and lower accuracy to Nogo stimuli were correlated with larger Nogo-P3 in HI, but not LI, group. No significant interactions between emotion content and impulsiveness for Nogo-N2 and behavioral measures were noted. Impulsiveness influences the emotional modulation of response inhibition by potentiating the response tendencies evoked by the emotional stimuli. Accordingly, high impulsive individuals may need an increased and/or more effortful response inhibition in order to counteract the prepotent tendency to respond elicited by the combination of high trait impulsiveness and high emotional arousal. The present study suggests the importance to examine how pathological impulsiveness may interact with emotional arousal in modulating response inhibition. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deriving a dosage-response relationship for community response to high-energy impulsive noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fidell, Sanford; Pearsons, Karl S.

1994-01-01

The inability to systematically predict community response to exposure to sonic booms (and other high energy impulsive sounds) is a major impediment to credible analyses of the environmental effects of supersonic flight operations. Efforts to assess community response to high energy impulsive sounds are limited in at least two important ways. First, a paucity of appropriate empirical data makes it difficult to infer a dosage-response relationship by means similar to those used in the case of general transportation noise. Second, it is unclear how well the 'equal energy hypothesis' (the notion that duration, number, and level of individual events are directly interchangeable determinants of annoyance) applies to some forms of impulsive noise exposure. Some of the issues currently under consideration by a CHABA working group addressing these problems are discussed. These include means for applying information gained in controlled exposure studies about different rates of growth of annoyance with impulsive and non-impulsive sound exposure levels, and strategies for developing a dosage-response relationship in a data-poor area.

Identification of Experimental Unsteady Aerodynamic Impulse Responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silva, Walter A.; Piatak, David J.; Scott, Robert C.

2003-01-01

The identification of experimental unsteady aerodynamic impulse responses using the Oscillating Turntable (OTT) at NASA Langley's Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) is described. Results are presented for two configurations: a Rigid Semispan Model (RSM) and a rectangular wing with a supercritical airfoil section. Both models were used to acquire unsteady pressure data due to pitching oscillations on the OTT. A deconvolution scheme involving a step input in pitch and the resultant step response in pressure, for several pressure transducers, is used to identify the pressure impulse responses. The identified impulse responses are then used to predict the pressure response due to pitching oscillations at several frequencies. Comparisons with the experimental data are presented.

Impulse Response Measurements Over Space-Earth Paths Using the GPS Coarse/Acquisition Codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lemmon, J. J.; Papazian, P. B.

1995-01-01

The impulse responses of radio transmission channels over space-earth paths were measured using the course/acquisition code signals from the Global Positioning System of satellites. The data acquisition system and signal processing techniques used to develop the impulse responses are described. Examples of impulse response measurements are presented. The results indicate that this measurement approach enables detection of multipath signals that are 20 dB or more below the power of the direct arrival. Channel characteristics that could be investigated with additional measurements and analyses are discussed.

A negative relationship between ventral striatal loss anticipation response and impulsivity in borderline personality disorder.

PubMed

Herbort, Maike C; Soch, Joram; Wüstenberg, Torsten; Krauel, Kerstin; Pujara, Maia; Koenigs, Michael; Gallinat, Jürgen; Walter, Henrik; Roepke, Stefan; Schott, Björn H

2016-01-01

Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) frequently exhibit impulsive behavior, and self-reported impulsivity is typically higher in BPD patients when compared to healthy controls. Previous functional neuroimaging studies have suggested a link between impulsivity, the ventral striatal response to reward anticipation, and prediction errors. Here we investigated the striatal neural response to monetary gain and loss anticipation and their relationship with impulsivity in 21 female BPD patients and 23 age-matched female healthy controls using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants performed a delayed monetary incentive task in which three categories of objects predicted a potential gain, loss, or neutral outcome. Impulsivity was assessed using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Compared to healthy controls, BPD patients exhibited significantly reduced fMRI responses of the ventral striatum/nucleus accumbens (VS/NAcc) to both reward-predicting and loss-predicting cues. BIS-11 scores showed a significant positive correlation with the VS/NAcc reward anticipation responses in healthy controls, and this correlation, while also nominally positive, failed to reach significance in BPD patients. BPD patients, on the other hand, exhibited a significantly negative correlation between ventral striatal loss anticipation responses and BIS-11 scores, whereas this correlation was significantly positive in healthy controls. Our results suggest that patients with BPD show attenuated anticipation responses in the VS/NAcc and, furthermore, that higher impulsivity in BPD patients might be related to impaired prediction of aversive outcomes.

Antennas for the detection of radio emission pulses from cosmic-ray induced air showers at the Pierre Auger Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Ahlers, M.; Ahn, E. J.; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Allard, D.; Allekotte, I.; Allen, J.; Allison, P.; Almela, A.; Alvarez Castillo, J.; Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Alves Batista, R.; Ambrosio, M.; Aminaei, A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andringa, S.; Antičić, T.; Aramo, C.; Arganda, E.; Arqueros, F.; Asorey, H.; Assis, P.; Aublin, J.; Ave, M.; Avenier, M.; Avila, G.; Badescu, A. M.; Balzer, M.; Barber, K. B.; Barbosa, A. F.; Bardenet, R.; Barroso, S. L. C.; Baughman, B.; Bäuml, J.; Baus, C.; Beatty, J. J.; Becker, K. H.; Bellétoile, A.; Bellido, J. A.; BenZvi, S.; Berat, C.; Bertou, X.; Biermann, P. L.; Billoir, P.; Blanco, F.; Blanco, M.; Bleve, C.; Blümer, H.; Boháčová, M.; Boncioli, D.; Bonifazi, C.; Bonino, R.; Borodai, N.; Brack, J.; Brancus, I.; Brogueira, P.; Brown, W. C.; Bruijn, R.; Buchholz, P.; Bueno, A.; Buroker, L.; Burton, R. E.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Caccianiga, B.; Caramete, L.; Caruso, R.; Castellina, A.; Catalano, O.; Cataldi, G.; Cazon, L.; Cester, R.; Chauvin, J.; Cheng, S. H.; Chiavassa, A.; Chinellato, J. A.; Chirinos Diaz, J.; Chudoba, J.; Cilmo, M.; Clay, R. W.; Cocciolo, G.; Collica, L.; Coluccia, M. R.; Conceição, R.; Contreras, F.; Cook, H.; Cooper, M. J.; Coppens, J.; Cordier, A.; Coutu, S.; Covault, C. E.; Creusot, A.; Criss, A.; Cronin, J.; Curutiu, A.; Dagoret-Campagne, S.; Dallier, R.; Daniel, B.; Dasso, S.; Daumiller, K.; Dawson, B. R.; de Almeida, R. M.; De Domenico, M.; De Donato, C.; de Jong, S. J.; De La Vega, G.; de Mello Junior, W. J. M.; de Mello Neto, J. R. T.; De Mitri, I.; de Souza, V.; de Vries, K. D.; del Peral, L.; del Río, M.; Deligny, O.; Dembinski, H.; Dhital, N.; Di Giulio, C.; Díaz Castro, M. L.; Diep, P. N.; Diogo, F.; Dobrigkeit, C.; Docters, W.; D'Olivo, J. C.; Dong, P. N.; Dorofeev, A.; dos Anjos, J. C.; Dova, M. T.; D'Urso, D.; Dutan, I.; Ebr, J.; Engel, R.; Erdmann, M.; Escobar, C. O.; Espadanal, J.; Etchegoyen, A.; Facal San Luis, P.; Falcke, H.; Farrar, G.; Fauth, A. C.; Fazzini, N.; Ferguson, A. P.; Fick, B.; Figueira, J. M.; Filevich, A.; Filipčič, A.; Fliescher, S.; Fracchiolla, C. E.; Fraenkel, E. D.; Fratu, O.; Fröhlich, U.; Fuchs, B.; Gaior, R.; Gamarra, R. F.; Gambetta, S.; García, B.; Garcia Roca, S. T.; Garcia-Gamez, D.; Garcia-Pinto, D.; Gascon Bravo, A.; Gemmeke, H.; Ghia, P. L.; Giller, M.; Gitto, J.; Glass, H.; Gold, M. S.; Golup, G.; Gomez Albarracin, F.; Gómez Berisso, M.; Gómez Vitale, P. F.; Gonçalves, P.; Gonzalez, J. G.; Gookin, B.; Gorgi, A.; Gouffon, P.; Grashorn, E.; Grebe, S.; Griffith, N.; Grigat, M.; Grillo, A. F.; Guardincerri, Y.; Guarino, F.; Guedes, G. P.; Hansen, P.; Harari, D.; Harrison, T. A.; Harton, J. L.; Haungs, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heck, D.; Herve, A. E.; Hojvat, C.; Hollon, N.; Holmes, V. C.; Homola, P.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horvath, P.; Hrabovský, M.; Huber, D.; Huege, T.; Insolia, A.; Ionita, F.; Italiano, A.; Jansen, S.; Jarne, C.; Jiraskova, S.; Josebachuili, M.; Kadija, K.; Kampert, K. H.; Karhan, P.; Kasper, P.; Katkov, I.; Kégl, B.; Keilhauer, B.; Keivani, A.; Kelley, J. L.; Kemp, E.; Kieckhafer, R. M.; Klages, H. O.; Kleifges, M.; Kleinfeller, J.; Knapp, J.; Koang, D.-H.; Kotera, K.; Krohm, N.; Krömer, O.; Kruppke-Hansen, D.; Kuempel, D.; Kulbartz, J. K.; Kunka, N.; La Rosa, G.; Lachaud, C.; LaHurd, D.; Latronico, L.; Lauer, R.; Lautridou, P.; Le Coz, S.; Leão, M. S. A. B.; Lebrun, D.; Lebrun, P.; Leigui de Oliveira, M. A.; Letessier-Selvon, A.; Lhenry-Yvon, I.; Link, K.; López, R.; Lopez Agüera, A.; Louedec, K.; Lozano Bahilo, J.; Lu, L.; Lucero, A.; Ludwig, M.; Lyberis, H.; Maccarone, M. C.; Macolino, C.; Maldera, S.; Maller, J.; Mandat, D.; Mantsch, P.; Mariazzi, A. G.; Marin, J.; Marin, V.; Maris, I. C.; Marquez Falcon, H. R.; Marsella, G.; Martello, D.; Martin, L.; Martinez, H.; Martínez Bravo, O.; Martraire, D.; Masías Meza, J. J.; Mathes, H. J.; Matthews, J.; Matthews, J. A. J.; Matthiae, G.; Maurel, D.; Maurizio, D.; Mazur, P. O.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Melissas, M.; Melo, D.; Menichetti, E.; Menshikov, A.; Mertsch, P.; Meurer, C.; Meyhandan, R.; Mićanović, S.; Micheletti, M. I.; Minaya, I. A.; Miramonti, L.; Molina-Bueno, L.; Mollerach, S.; Monasor, M.; Monnier Ragaigne, D.; Montanet, F.; Morales, B.; Morello, C.; Moreno, E.; Moreno, J. C.; Mostafá, M.; Moura, C. A.; Muller, M. A.; Müller, G.; Münchmeyer, M.; Mussa, R.; Navarra, G.; Navarro, J. L.; Navas, S.; Necesal, P.; Nellen, L.; Nelles, A.; Neuser, J.; Nhung, P. T.; Niechciol, M.; Niemietz, L.; Nierstenhoefer, N.; Nitz, D.; Nosek, D.; Nožka, L.; Oehlschläger, J.; Olinto, A.; Ortiz, M.; Pacheco, N.; Pakk Selmi-Dei, D.; Palatka, M.; Pallotta, J.; Palmieri, N.; Parente, G.; Parizot, E.; Parra, A.; Pastor, S.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; Pekala, J.; Pelayo, R.; Pepe, I. M.; Perrone, L.; Pesce, R.; Petermann, E.; Petrera, S.; Petrolini, A.; Petrov, Y.; Pfendner, C.; Piegaia, R.; Pierog, T.; Pieroni, P.; Pimenta, M.; Pirronello, V.; Platino, M.; Plum, M.; Ponce, V. H.; Pontz, M.; Porcelli, A.; Privitera, P.; Prouza, M.; Quel, E. J.; Querchfeld, S.; Rautenberg, J.; Ravel, O.; Ravignani, D.; Revenu, B.; Ridky, J.; Riggi, S.; Risse, M.; Ristori, P.; Rivera, H.; Rizi, V.; Roberts, J.; Rodrigues de Carvalho, W.; Rodriguez, G.; Rodriguez Cabo, I.; Rodriguez Martino, J.; Rodriguez Rojo, J.; Rodríguez-Frías, M. D.; Ros, G.; Rosado, J.; Rossler, T.; Roth, M.; Rouillé-d'Orfeuil, B.; Roulet, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Rühle, C.; Saftoiu, A.; Salamida, F.; Salazar, H.; Salesa Greus, F.; Salina, G.; Sánchez, F.; Santo, C. E.; Santos, E.; Santos, E. M.; Sarazin, F.; Sarkar, B.; Sarkar, S.; Sato, R.; Scharf, N.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Schiffer, P.; Schmidt, A.; Scholten, O.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Schovancova, J.; Schovánek, P.; Schröder, F.; Schulte, S.; Schuster, D.; Sciutto, S. J.; Scuderi, M.; Segreto, A.; Settimo, M.; Shadkam, A.; Shellard, R. C.; Sidelnik, I.; Sigl, G.; Silva Lopez, H. H.; Sima, O.; Śmiałkowski, A.; Šmída, R.; Snow, G. R.; Sommers, P.; Sorokin, J.; Spinka, H.; Squartini, R.; Srivastava, Y. N.; Stanic, S.; Stapleton, J.; Stasielak, J.; Stephan, M.; Stutz, A.; Suarez, F.; Suomijärvi, T.; Supanitsky, A. D.; Šuša, T.; Sutherland, M. S.; Swain, J.; Szadkowski, Z.; Szuba, M.; Tapia, A.; Tartare, M.; Taşcău, O.; Tcaciuc, R.; Thao, N. T.; Thomas, D.; Tiffenberg, J.; Timmermans, C.; Tkaczyk, W.; Todero Peixoto, C. J.; Toma, G.; Tomankova, L.; Tomé, B.; Tonachini, A.; Travnicek, P.; Tridapalli, D. B.; Tristram, G.; Trovato, E.; Tueros, M.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Urban, M.; Valdés Galicia, J. F.; Valiño, I.; Valore, L.; van Aar, G.; van den Berg, A. M.; van Vliet, A.; Varela, E.; Vargas Cárdenas, B.; Vázquez, J. R.; Vázquez, R. A.; Veberič, D.; Verzi, V.; Vicha, J.; Videla, M.; Villaseñor, L.; Wahlberg, H.; Wahrlich, P.; Wainberg, O.; Walz, D.; Watson, A. A.; Weber, M.; Weidenhaupt, K.; Weindl, A.; Werner, F.; Westerhoff, S.; Whelan, B. J.; Widom, A.; Wieczorek, G.; Wiencke, L.; Wilczyńska, B.; Wilczyński, H.; Will, M.; Williams, C.; Winchen, T.; Wommer, M.; Wundheiler, B.; Yamamoto, T.; Yapici, T.; Younk, P.; Yuan, G.; Yushkov, A.; Zamorano Garcia, B.; Zas, E.; Zavrtanik, D.; Zavrtanik, M.; Zaw, I.; Zepeda, A.; Zhou, J.; Zhu, Y.; Zimbres Silva, M.; Ziolkowski, M.; Charrier, D.; Denis, L.; Hilgers, G.; Mohrmann, L.; Philipps, B.; Seeger, O.

2012-10-01

The Pierre Auger Observatory is exploring the potential of the radio detection technique to study extensive air showers induced by ultra-high energy cosmic rays. The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) addresses both technological and scientific aspects of the radio technique. A first phase of AERA has been operating since September 2010 with detector stations observing radio signals at frequencies between 30 and 80 MHz. In this paper we present comparative studies to identify and optimize the antenna design for the final configuration of AERA consisting of 160 individual radio detector stations. The transient nature of the air shower signal requires a detailed description of the antenna sensor. As the ultra-wideband reception of pulses is not widely discussed in antenna literature, we review the relevant antenna characteristics and enhance theoretical considerations towards the impulse response of antennas including polarization effects and multiple signal reflections. On the basis of the vector effective length we study the transient response characteristics of three candidate antennas in the time domain. Observing the variation of the continuous galactic background intensity we rank the antennas with respect to the noise level added to the galactic signal.

Impulsive traits and unplanned suicide attempts predict exaggerated prefrontal response to angry faces in the elderly

PubMed Central

Vanyukov, Polina M.; Szanto, Katalin; Siegle, Greg J.; Hallquist, Michael N.; Reynolds, Charles F.; Aizenstein, Howard J.; Dombrovski, Alexandre Y.

2015-01-01

Objectives Abnormal responses to social stimuli are seen in people vulnerable to suicidal behavior, indicating possible disruptions in the neural circuitry mediating the interpretation of socio-emotional cues. These disruptions have not been empirically related to psychological and cognitive pathways to suicide. In the present study of older suicide attempters, we examined neural responses to emotional faces and their relationship to impulsivity, one of the components of the suicidal diathesis. Methods Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we recorded neuro-hemodynamic responses to angry faces in a carefully-characterized sample of 18 depressed elderly with history of suicide attempts, 13 depressed non-suicidal patients, and 18 healthy individuals, all aged 60+. Impulsivity was assessed with the Social Problem Solving Inventory Impulsivity/Carelessness Style subscale and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. The Suicide Intent Scale planning subscale was used to describe the degree of planning associated with the most lethal attempt. Results Depression and history of attempted suicide were not associated with neural responses to angry faces, failing to replicate earlier studies. Higher impulsivity, however, predicted exaggerated responses to angry faces in fronto-opercular and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (pcorr < .05). Poorly planned suicide attempts also predicted increased fronto-opercular responses. Results were robust to effects of medication exposure, comorbid anxiety and addiction, severity of depression, burden of physical illness, and possible brain injury from suicide attempts. Conclusions Impulsive traits and history of unplanned suicide attempts partly explain the heterogeneity in neural responses to angry faces in depressed elderly. Displays of social emotion command excessive cortical processing in impulsive suicide attempters. PMID:25529800

Assessing personal financial management in patients with bipolar disorder and its relation to impulsivity and response inhibition.

PubMed

Cheema, Marvi K; MacQueen, Glenda M; Hassel, Stefanie

2015-01-01

Impulsivity and risk-taking behaviours are reported in bipolar disorder (BD). We examined whether financial management skills are related to impulsivity in patients with BD. We assessed financial management skills using the Executive Personal Finance Scale (EPFS), impulsivity using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) and response inhibition using an emotional go/no-go task in bipolar individuals (N = 21) and healthy controls (HC; N = 23). Patients had fewer financial management skills and higher levels of impulsivity than HC. In patients and controls, increased impulsivity was associated with poorer personal financial management. Patients and HC performed equally on the emotional go/no-go task. Higher BIS scores were associated with faster reaction times in HC. In patients, however, higher BIS scores were associated with slower reaction times, possibly indicating compensatory cognitive strategies to counter increased impulsivity. Patients with BD may have reduced abilities to manage personal finances, when compared against healthy participants. Difficulty with personal finance management may arise in part as a result of increased levels of impulsivity. Patients may learn to compensate for increased impulsivity by modulating response times in our experimental situations although whether such compensatory strategies generalize to real-world situations is unknown.

The short (S) allele of the serotonin transporter polymorphism and acute tryptophan depletion both increase impulsivity in men.

PubMed

Walderhaug, Espen; Herman, Aryeh Isaac; Magnusson, Andres; Morgan, Michael John; Landrø, Nils Inge

2010-04-12

Reduced serotonergic neurotransmission is implicated in impulsive behavior. We studied the triallelic system of the serotonin transporter gene linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and acute manipulation of serotonin together to further delineate the mechanisms by which serotonergic neurotransmission affects impulsivity. Fifty-two healthy participants (38 men and 14 women) underwent acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) or placebo in a randomized, double-blind, parallel group experiment. Impulsive response style was measured on two versions of the Continuous Performance Task (CPT), and calculated using signal detection theory. We observed a dose-dependent effect for the short (S') allele of the 5-HTTLPR on impulsive response style. Individuals who had the S'/S' genotype were more impulsive than individuals with the L/S' genotype. Participants with the L/S' genotype were more impulsive than those with the L/L genotype. ATD increased impulsivity in men, and decreased impulsivity in women. These data demonstrate for the first time that reduced serotonergic tone as a result of either 5-HTTLPR genotype, or experimental ATD, are both independently and additively, associated with elevated impulsive response style in Caucasian men. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic association of impulsivity in young adults: a multivariate study

PubMed Central

Khadka, S; Narayanan, B; Meda, S A; Gelernter, J; Han, S; Sawyer, B; Aslanzadeh, F; Stevens, M C; Hawkins, K A; Anticevic, A; Potenza, M N; Pearlson, G D

2014-01-01

Impulsivity is a heritable, multifaceted construct with clinically relevant links to multiple psychopathologies. We assessed impulsivity in young adult (N~2100) participants in a longitudinal study, using self-report questionnaires and computer-based behavioral tasks. Analysis was restricted to the subset (N=426) who underwent genotyping. Multivariate association between impulsivity measures and single-nucleotide polymorphism data was implemented using parallel independent component analysis (Para-ICA). Pathways associated with multiple genes in components that correlated significantly with impulsivity phenotypes were then identified using a pathway enrichment analysis. Para-ICA revealed two significantly correlated genotype–phenotype component pairs. One impulsivity component included the reward responsiveness subscale and behavioral inhibition scale of the Behavioral-Inhibition System/Behavioral-Activation System scale, and the second impulsivity component included the non-planning subscale of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and the Experiential Discounting Task. Pathway analysis identified processes related to neurogenesis, nervous system signal generation/amplification, neurotransmission and immune response. We identified various genes and gene regulatory pathways associated with empirically derived impulsivity components. Our study suggests that gene networks implicated previously in brain development, neurotransmission and immune response are related to impulsive tendencies and behaviors. PMID:25268255

Differential effects of the pharmacological stressor yohimbine on impulsive decision making and response inhibition.

PubMed

Schippers, M C; Schetters, D; De Vries, T J; Pattij, T

2016-07-01

High levels of impulsivity have been associated with psychiatric disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and substance abuse. In addition, acute stress is known to exacerbate many psychiatric symptoms in impulse control disorders. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the acute effects of the pharmacological stressor yohimbine on response inhibition and impulsive choice. A group of male rats (n = 12) was trained in the delayed reward task (DRT) to assess impulsive choice. A separate group (n = 10) was trained in the stop-signal task (SST) to measure response inhibition. Upon stable responding, the effects of yohimbine (0, 1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg i.p.) were tested in a Latin square design. Acute yohimbine significantly increased the preference for the large and delayed reinforcer in the DRT, indicating a decrease in impulsive choice. On the contrary, the effect size of 1.25 mg/kg yohimbine on stop-signal reaction times correlated negatively with baseline performance, suggesting a baseline-dependent effect on response inhibition as measured in the SST. The current data suggest that the effects of the pharmacological stressor yohimbine on impulse control strongly depend on the type of impulsive behavior. Pharmacological stress decreased impulsive decision making, an observation that is in line with previously published rodent studies. By contrast, the lowest dose of yohimbine revealed a baseline-dependent effect on response inhibition. As such, the effects of yohimbine are largely comparable to the effects of psychostimulants on impulsivity and may support the notion of cross sensitization of stress and psychostimulants.

Using crosscorrelation techniques to determine the impulse response of linear systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dallabetta, Michael J.; Li, Harry W.; Demuth, Howard B.

1993-01-01

A crosscorrelation method of measuring the impulse response of linear systems is presented. The technique, implementation, and limitations of this method are discussed. A simple system is designed and built using discrete components and the impulse response of a linear circuit is measured. Theoretical and software simulation results are presented.

The Role of Habituation and Sensitization in Understanding the Annoyance of Community Exposures to Impulsive Noise

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-15

an orienting re- sponse followed by a defense response at 64 dBA ( impulse ). The 80 dB ERDC/CERL TR-09-14 25 impulses produced by the small firearm...literature, shorter response latencies are generally attributed to a greater degree of arousal. With impulsive sounds repeated in rapid succession...ERDC–CERL, SERDP-funded project focusing on evaluating responses to military noise. The research team’s decision was based on time burden

Evaluation of a HgCdTe e-APD based detector for 2  μm CO2 DIAL application.

PubMed

Dumas, Arnaud; Rothman, Johan; Gibert, Fabien; Édouart, Dimitri; Lasfargues, Gilles; Cénac, Claire; Mounier, Florian Le; Pellegrino, Jessica; Zanatta, Jean-Paul; Bardoux, Alain; Tinto, Francesc; Flamant, Pierre

2017-09-20

Benefiting from close to ideal amplification properties (high gain, low dark current, and low excess noise factor), HgCdTe electron initiated avalanche photodiode (e-APD) technology exhibits state of the art sensitivity, thus being especially relevant for applications relying on low light level detection, such as LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging). In addition, the tunable gap of the Hg 1-x Cd x Te alloy enables coverage of the short wavelength infrared (SWIR) and especially the 2 μm spectral range. For these two reasons, a HgCdTe e-APD based detector is a promising candidate for future differential absorption LIDAR missions targeting greenhouse gas absorption bands in SWIR. In this study, we report on the design and evaluation of such a HgCdTe e-APD based detector. The first part focuses on detector architecture and performance. Key figures of merit are: 2.8 μm cutoff wavelength, 200 μm diameter almost circular sensitive area, 185 K operating temperature (thermo-electric cooling), 22 APD gain (at 12 V reverse bias), 360  kΩ transimpedance gain, and 60  fWHz -0.5 noise equivalent power (at 12 V reverse bias). The second part presents an analysis of atmospheric LIDAR signals obtained by mounting the HgCdTe e-APD based detector on the 2 μm differential absorption LIDAR developed at the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique and dedicated to CO 2 monitoring. Discussion emphasizes random and systematic errors in LIDAR measurements regarding breadboard detector characterization. In particular, we investigate the influence of parasitic tails in detector impulse response on short range DIAL measurements.

Attentional impulsivity in binge eating disorder modulates response inhibition performance and frontal brain networks.

PubMed

Hege, M A; Stingl, K T; Kullmann, S; Schag, K; Giel, K E; Zipfel, S; Preissl, H

2015-02-01

A subgroup of overweight and obese people is characterized by binge eating disorder (BED). Increased impulsivity has been suggested to cause binge eating and subsequent weight gain. In the current study, neuronal correlates of increased impulsivity in binge eating disorder during behavioral response inhibition were investigated. Magnetic brain activity and behavioral responses of 37 overweight and obese individuals with and without diagnosed BED were recorded while performing a food-related visual go-nogo task. Trait impulsivity was assessed with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Specifically, increased attentional impulsiveness (a subscale of the BIS-11) in BED was related to decreased response inhibition performance and hypoactivity in the prefrontal control network, which was activated when response inhibition was required. Furthermore, participants with BED showed a trend for a food-specific inhibition performance decline. This was possibly related to the absence of a food-specific activity increase in the prefrontal control network in BED, as observed in the control group. In addition, an increase in activity related to the actual button press during prepotent responses and alterations in visual processing were observed. Our results suggest an attentional impulsiveness-related attenuation in response inhibition performance in individuals with BED. This might have been related to increased reward responsiveness and limited resources to activate the prefrontal control network involved in response inhibition. Our results substantiate the importance of neuronal markers for investigating prevention and treatment of obesity, especially in specific subgroups at risk such as BED.

Response Time Measurements of the NIF DANTE XRD-31 X-Ray Diodes (Pre-print)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Don Pellinen and Michael Griffin

2009-01-23

The XRD-31 is a fast, windowless X-ray vacuum photodiode developed by EG&G. It is currently the primary fast X-ray detector used to diagnose the X-rays on NIF and OMEGA on the multichannel DANTE spectrometer. The XRD-31 has a dynamic range of less than 1e-12 amps to more than 10 amps. A technique is described to measure the impulse response of the diodes to a 150 fs pulse of 200 nm laser light and a method to calculate the “risetime” for a square pulse and compare it with the computed electron transit time from the photocathode to the anode. Measured responsemore » time for 5 XRD-31s assembled in early 2004 was 149.7 ps +-2.75 ps.« less

Dopaminergic Therapy Increases Go Timeouts in the Go/No-Go Task in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

PubMed Central

Yang, Xue Q.; Lauzon, Brian; Seergobin, Ken N.; MacDonald, Penny A.

2018-01-01

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by resting tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia. Dopaminergic medications such as L-dopa treat these motor symptoms, but can have complex effects on cognition. Impulse control is an essential cognitive function. Impulsivity is multifaceted in nature. Motor impulsivity involves the inability to withhold pre-potent, automatic, erroneous responses. In contrast, cognitive impulsivity refers to improper risk-reward assessment guiding behavior. Informed by our previous research, we anticipated that dopaminergic therapy would decrease motor impulsivity though it is well known to enhance cognitive impulsivity. We employed the Go/No-go paradigm to assess motor impulsivity in PD. Patients with PD were tested using a Go/No-go task on and off their normal dopaminergic medication. Participants completed cognitive, mood, and physiological measures. PD patients on medication had a significantly higher proportion of Go trial Timeouts (i.e., trials in which Go responses were not completed prior to a deadline of 750 ms) compared to off medication (p = 0.01). No significant ON-OFF differences were found for Go trial or No-go trial response times (RTs), or for number of No-go errors. We interpret that dopaminergic therapy induces a more conservative response set, reflected in Go trial Timeouts in PD patients. In this way, dopaminergic therapy decreased motor impulsivity in PD patients. This is in contrast to the widely recognized effects of dopaminergic therapy on cognitive impulsivity leading in some patients to impulse control disorders. Understanding the nuanced effects of dopaminergic treatment in PD on cognitive functions such as impulse control will clarify therapeutic decisions. PMID:29354045

ELECTRIC IMPEDANCE OF THE SQUID GIANT AXON DURING ACTIVITY

PubMed Central

Cole, Kenneth S.; Curtis, Howard J.

1939-01-01

Alternating current impedance measurements have been made over a wide frequency range on the giant axon from the stellar nerve of the squid, Loligo pealii, during the passage of a nerve impulse. The transverse impedance was measured between narrow electrodes on either side of the axon with a Wheatstone bridge having an amplifier and cathode ray oscillograph for detector. When the bridge was balanced, the resting axon gave a narrow line on the oscillograph screen as a sweep circuit moved the spot across. As an impulse passed between impedance electrodes after the axon had been stimulated at one end, the oscillograph line first broadened into a band, indicating a bridge unbalance, and then narrowed down to balance during recovery. From measurements made during the passage of the impulse and appropriate analysis, it was found that the membrane phase angle was unchanged, the membrane capacity decreased about 2 per cent, while the membrane conductance fell from a resting value of 1000 ohm cm.2 to an average of 25 ohm cm.2 The onset of the resistance change occurs somewhat after the start of the monophasic action potential, but coincides quite closely with the point of inflection on the rising phase, where the membrane current reverses in direction, corresponding to a decrease in the membrane electromotive force. This E.M.F. and the conductance are closely associated properties of the membrane, and their sudden changes constitute, or are due to, the activity which is responsible for the all-or-none law and the initiation and propagation of the nerve impulse. These results correspond to those previously found for Nitella and lead us to expect similar phenomena in other nerve fibers. PMID:19873125

Electronic Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-11-01

Tilted Rough Disc," Donald J. Schertler and Nicholas George "Image Deblurring for Multiple-Point Impulse Responses," Bryan J. Stossel and Nicholas George...Rough Disc Donald J. Schertler Nicholas George Image Deblurring for Multiple-Point Impulse Bryan J. Stossel Responses Nicholas George z 0 zw V) w LU 0...number of impulses present in the degradation. IMAGE DEBLURRING FOR MULTIPLE-POINT IMPULSE RESPONSESt Bryan J. Stossel Nicholas George Institute of Optics

Impulsive traits and unplanned suicide attempts predict exaggerated prefrontal response to angry faces in the elderly.

PubMed

Vanyukov, Polina M; Szanto, Katalin; Siegle, Greg J; Hallquist, Michael N; Reynolds, Charles F; Aizenstein, Howard J; Dombrovski, Alexandre Y

2015-08-01

Abnormal responses to social stimuli are seen in people vulnerable to suicidal behavior, indicating possible disruptions in the neural circuitry mediating the interpretation of socioemotional cues. These disruptions have not been empirically related to psychological and cognitive pathways to suicide. In the present study of older suicide attempters, we examined neural responses to emotional faces and their relationship to impulsivity, one of the components of the suicidal diathesis. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we recorded neurohemodynamic responses to angry faces in a carefully characterized sample of 18 depressed elderly with history of suicide attempts, 13 depressed nonsuicidal patients, and 18 healthy individuals, all aged 60+. Impulsivity was assessed with the Social Problem Solving Inventory Impulsivity/Carelessness Style subscale and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. The Suicide Intent Scale planning subscale was used to describe the degree of planning associated with the most lethal attempt. Depression and history of attempted suicide were not associated with neural responses to angry faces, failing to replicate earlier studies. Higher impulsivity, however, predicted exaggerated responses to angry faces in fronto-opercular and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (pcorr <0.05). Poorly planned suicide attempts also predicted increased fronto-opercular responses. Results were robust to effects of medication exposure, comorbid anxiety and addiction, severity of depression, burden of physical illness, and possible brain injury from suicide attempts. Impulsive traits and history of unplanned suicide attempts partly explain the heterogeneity in neural responses to angry faces in depressed elderly. Displays of social emotion command excessive cortical processing in impulsive suicide attempters. Copyright © 2015 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of Natural Electric and Magnetic Time Series Using Impulse Responses of Inter-station Transfer Functions and a Reference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H.; Cheng, J.

2017-12-01

A method to Synthesis natural electric and magnetic Time series is proposed whereby the time series of local site are derived using an Impulse Response and a reference (STIR). The method is based on the assumption that the external source of magnetic fields are uniform, and the electric and magnetic fields acquired at the surface satisfy a time-independent linear relation in frequency domain.According to the convolution theorem, we can synthesize natural electric and magnetic time series using the impulse responses of inter-station transfer functions with a reference. Applying this method, two impulse responses need to be estimated: the quasi-MT impulse response tensor and the horizontal magnetic impulse response tensor. These impulse response tensors relate the local horizontal electric and magnetic components with the horizontal magnetic components at a reference site, respectively. Some clean segments of times series are selected to estimate impulse responses by using least-square (LS) method. STIR is similar with STIN (Wang, 2017), but STIR does not need to estimate the inter-station transfer functions, and the synthesized data are more accurate in high frequency, where STIN fails when the inter-station transfer functions are contaminated severely. A test with good quality of MT data shows that synthetic time-series are similar to natural electric and magnetic time series. For contaminated AMT example, when this method is used to remove noise present at the local site, the scatter of MT sounding curves are clear reduced, and the data quality are improved. *This work is funded by National Key R&D Program of China(2017YFC0804105),National Natural Science Foundation of China (41604064, 51574250), State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining ,China University of Mining & Technology,(SKLCRSM16DC09)

Ethanol induces impulsive-like responding in a delay-of-reward operant choice procedure: impulsivity predicts autoshaping.

PubMed

Tomie, A; Aguado, A S; Pohorecky, L A; Benjamin, D

1998-10-01

Autoshaping conditioned responses (CRs) are reflexive and targeted motor responses expressed as a result of experience with reward. To evaluate the hypothesis that autoshaping may be a form of impulsive responding, within-subjects correlations between performance on autoshaping and impulsivity tasks were assessed in 15 Long-Evans hooded rats. Autoshaping procedures [insertion of retractable lever conditioned stimulus (CS) followed by the response-independent delivery of food (US)] were followed by testing for impulsive-like responding in a two-choice lever-press operant delay-of-reward procedure (immediate small food reward versus delayed large food reward). Delay-of-reward functions revealed two distinct subject populations. Subjects in the Sensitive group (n=7) were more impulsive-like, increasing immediate reward choices at longer delays for large reward, while those in the Insensitive group (n=8) responded predominantly on only one lever. During the prior autoshaping phase, the Sensitive group had performed more autoshaping CRs, and correlations revealed that impulsive subjects acquired the autoshaping CR in fewer trials. In the Sensitive group, acute injections of ethanol (0, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 1.50 g/kg) given immediately before delay-of-reward sessions yielded an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve with increased impulsivity induced by the 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 g/kg doses of ethanol, while choice strategy of the Insensitive group was not influenced by ethanol dose. Ethanol induced impulsive-like responding only in rats that were flexible in their response strategy (Sensitive group), and this group also performed more autoshaping CRs. Data support the hypothesis that autoshaping and impulsivity are linked.

The interactive effect of hunger and impulsivity on food intake and purchase in a virtual supermarket.

PubMed

Nederkoorn, C; Guerrieri, R; Havermans, R C; Roefs, A; Jansen, A

2009-08-01

It has been shown repeatedly that impulsivity, obesity and food intake are related; obese people are more impulsive than lean people and impulsive people eat more than less impulsive people. The relation between impulsivity and food intake might be state dependent; hunger motivates food seeking behaviour and food consumption, especially of high caloric food. Difficulties to overrule automatic behavioural tendencies might make impulsive people more susceptible to the effects of hunger on food selection. Therefore, they are expected to increase their intake more than low impulsive people when feeling hungry. STUDY 1: Fifty-seven female participants were randomly assigned to a hunger or sated condition. Response inhibition (a measure of impulsivity) and food intake were measured. Results show that impulsive participants ate significantly more, but only when feeling hungry. STUDY 2: Ninety-four undergraduate students participated. Hunger, response inhibition and the purchase of food in a virtual supermarket were measured. The same interaction was found: impulsive participants bought most calories, especially from snack food, but only when feeling hungry. Hunger and impulsivity interact in their influence on consumption. These data suggest that reducing hunger during calorie restricting diets is important for successful weight loss, particularly for the impulsive dieters.

Modeling and parameter identification of impulse response matrix of mechanical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bordatchev, Evgueni V.

1998-12-01

A method for studying the problem of modeling, identification and analysis of mechanical system dynamic characteristic in view of the impulse response matrix for the purpose of adaptive control is developed here. Two types of the impulse response matrices are considered: (i) on displacement, which describes the space-coupled relationship between vectors of the force and simulated displacement, which describes the space-coupled relationship between vectors of the force and simulated displacement and (ii) on acceleration, which also describes the space-coupled relationship between the vectors of the force and measured acceleration. The idea of identification consists of: (a) the practical obtaining of the impulse response matrix on acceleration by 'impact-response' technique; (b) the modeling and parameter estimation of the each impulse response function on acceleration through the fundamental representation of the impulse response function on displacement as a sum of the damped sine curves applying linear and non-linear least square methods; (c) simulating the impulse provides the additional possibility to calculate masses, damper and spring constants. The damped natural frequencies are used as a priori information and are found through the standard FFT analysis. The problem of double numerical integration is avoided by taking two derivations of the fundamental dynamic model of a mechanical system as linear combination of the mass-damper-spring subsystems. The identified impulse response matrix on displacement represents the dynamic properties of the mechanical system. From the engineering point of view, this matrix can be also understood as a 'dynamic passport' of the mechanical system and can be used for dynamic certification and analysis of the dynamic quality. In addition, the suggested approach mathematically reproduces amplitude-frequency response matrix in a low-frequency band and on zero frequency. This allows the possibility of determining the matrix of the static stiffness due to dynamic testing over the time of 10- 15 minutes. As a practical example, the dynamic properties in view of the impulse and frequency response matrices of the lathe spindle are obtained, identified and investigated. The developed approach for modeling and parameter identification appears promising for a wide range o industrial applications; for example, rotary systems.

An examination of the relationship between measures of impulsivity and risky simulated driving amongst young drivers.

PubMed

Hatfield, Julie; Williamson, Ann; Kehoe, E James; Prabhakharan, Prasannah

2017-06-01

The risky driving of young drivers may owe in part to youthful motivations (such as experience-seeking, authority rebellion, desire for peer approval) combined with incompletely developed impulse control. Although self-reported impulsiveness has been positively associated with self-reports of risky driving, results based on objective measures of response inhibition (e.g., Go/No-go tasks) have been inconclusive. The present study examined interrelationships between measures of response inhibition, self-report impulsiveness scales, and responses to events during a simulated drive that were designed to detect impulsive, unsafe behaviours (e.g., turning across on-coming traffic). Participants were 72 first-year Psychology students. More speeding and "Unsafe" responding to critical events during simulated driving were associated with poorer impulse control as assessed by commission errors during a Go/No-Go task. These results consolidate evidence for a relationship between impulse control and risky driving amongst young drivers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can't stop the craving: the effect of impulsivity on cue-elicited craving for alcohol in heavy and light social drinkers.

PubMed

Papachristou, Harilaos; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Havermans, Remco; van der Horst, Martje; Jansen, Anita

2012-01-01

A robust finding in the alcohol literature is that heavy and alcohol-dependent drinkers show stronger reactions to alcohol-related cues than light drinkers. However, there are individual differences in the degree of cue-elicited craving. Personality factors appear to be involved in cue reactivity and impulsivity is a possible candidate. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of different aspects of impulsivity in heavy drinking and alcohol cue reactivity in social drinkers. Participants were heavy (n = 13) and light (n = 29) social drinkers who were exposed to neutral and alcohol-related stimuli during a single laboratory session. Trait impulsivity, response inhibition, and sensitivity to reward were assessed with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), the Stop Signal Task, and the Card-Arranging Reward Responsivity Objective Test, respectively. Heavy drinkers scored higher on trait impulsivity (BIS-11) than light drinkers. In addition, heavy drinkers reported elevated levels of craving for alcohol, but both in light and heavy drinkers, craving increased equally after exposure to alcohol cues. Impulsivity appeared to moderate this relation: heavy drinkers with ineffective response inhibition showed more craving to alcohol cues, compared to heavy drinkers with adequate response inhibition. In light drinkers, response inhibition did not influence craving to alcohol cues. Different aspects of impulsivity are involved in heavy drinking and perhaps motivate alcohol consumption in a variety of ways. Having a deficient response inhibition appears to be a risk factor for heavy drinkers because it is associated with increased craving to alcohol cues.

Impulsivity modulates performance under response uncertainty in a reaching task.

PubMed

Tzagarakis, C; Pellizzer, G; Rogers, R D

2013-03-01

We sought to explore the interaction of the impulsivity trait with response uncertainty. To this end, we used a reaching task (Pellizzer and Hedges in Exp Brain Res 150:276-289, 2003) where a motor response direction was cued at different levels of uncertainty (1 cue, i.e., no uncertainty, 2 cues or 3 cues). Data from 95 healthy adults (54 F, 41 M) were analysed. Impulsivity was measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 (BIS-11). Behavioral variables recorded were reaction time (RT), errors of commission (referred to as 'early errors') and errors of precision. Data analysis employed generalised linear mixed models and generalised additive mixed models. For the early errors, there was an interaction of impulsivity with uncertainty and gender, with increased errors for high impulsivity in the one-cue condition for women and the three-cue condition for men. There was no effect of impulsivity on precision errors or RT. However, the analysis of the effect of RT and impulsivity on precision errors showed a different pattern for high versus low impulsives in the high uncertainty (3 cue) condition. In addition, there was a significant early error speed-accuracy trade-off for women, primarily in low uncertainty and a 'reverse' speed-accuracy trade-off for men in high uncertainty. These results extend those of past studies of impulsivity which help define it as a behavioural trait that modulates speed versus accuracy response styles depending on environmental constraints and highlight once more the importance of gender in the interplay of personality and behaviour.

(Dis)similarity in Impulsivity and Marital Satisfaction: A Comparison of Volatility, Compatibility, and Incompatibility Hypotheses

PubMed Central

Derrick, Jaye L.; Houston, Rebecca J.; Quigley, Brian M.; Testa, Maria; Kubiak, Audrey; Levitt, Ash; Homish, Gregory G.; Leonard, Kenneth E.

2016-01-01

Impulsivity is negatively associated with relationship satisfaction, but whether relationship functioning is harmed or helped when both partners are high in impulsivity is unclear. The influence of impulsivity might be exacerbated (the Volatility Hypothesis) or reversed (the Compatibility Hypothesis). Alternatively, discrepancies in impulsivity might be particularly problematic (the Incompatibility Hypothesis). Behavioral and self-report measures of impulsivity were collected from a community sample of couples. Mixed effect polynomial regressions with response surface analysis provide evidence in favor of both the Compatibility Hypothesis and the Incompatibility Hypothesis, but not the Volatility Hypothesis. Mediation analyses suggest results for satisfaction are driven by perceptions of the partner's negative behavior and responsiveness. Implications for the study of both impulsivity and relationship functioning are discussed. PMID:26949275

Systolic Signal Processor/High Frequency Direction Finding

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-10-01

MUSIC ) algorithm and the finite impulse response (FIR) filter onto the testbed hardware was supported by joint sponsorship of the block and major bid...computational throughput. The systolic implementations of a four-channel finite impulse response (FIR) filter and multiple signal classification ( MUSIC ... MUSIC ) algorithm was mated to a bank of finite impulse response (FIR) filters and a four-channel data acquisition subsystem. A complete description

Subjective field study of response to impulsive helicopter noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, C. A.

1981-01-01

Subjects, located outdoors and indoors, judged the noisiness and other subjective noise characteristics of flyovers of two helicopters and a propeller driven airplane as part of a study of the effects of impulsiveness on the subjective response to helicopter noise. In the first experiment, the impulsive characteristics of one helicopter was controlled by varying the main rotor speed while maintaining a constant airspeed in level flight. The second experiment which utilized only the helicopters, included descent and level flight operations. The more impulsive helicopter was consistently judged less noisy than the less impulsive helicopter at equal effective perceived noise levels (EPNL). The ability of EPNL to predict noisiness was not improved by the addition of either of two proposed impulse corrections. A subjective measure of impulsiveness, however, which was not significantly related to the proposed impulse corrections, was found to improve the predictive ability of EPNL.

Impaired Decisional Impulsivity in Pathological Videogamers

PubMed Central

Irvine, Michael A.; Worbe, Yulia; Bolton, Sorcha; Harrison, Neil A.; Bullmore, Edward T.; Voon, Valerie

2013-01-01

Background Pathological gaming is an emerging and poorly understood problem. Impulsivity is commonly impaired in disorders of behavioural and substance addiction, hence we sought to systematically investigate the different subtypes of decisional and motor impulsivity in a well-defined pathological gaming cohort. Methods Fifty-two pathological gaming subjects and age-, gender- and IQ-matched healthy volunteers were tested on decisional impulsivity (Information Sampling Task testing reflection impulsivity and delay discounting questionnaire testing impulsive choice), and motor impulsivity (Stop Signal Task testing motor response inhibition, and the premature responding task). We used stringent diagnostic criteria highlighting functional impairment. Results In the Information Sampling Task, pathological gaming participants sampled less evidence prior to making a decision and scored fewer points compared with healthy volunteers. Gaming severity was also negatively correlated with evidence gathered and positively correlated with sampling error and points acquired. In the delay discounting task, pathological gamers made more impulsive choices, preferring smaller immediate over larger delayed rewards. Pathological gamers made more premature responses related to comorbid nicotine use. Greater number of hours played also correlated with a Motivational Index. Greater frequency of role playing games was associated with impaired motor response inhibition and strategy games with faster Go reaction time. Conclusions We show that pathological gaming is associated with impaired decisional impulsivity with negative consequences in task performance. Decisional impulsivity may be a potential target in therapeutic management. PMID:24146789

Impulsivity Moderates Subjective Responses to Alcohol in Alcohol-Dependent Individuals.

PubMed

Westman, Jonathan G; Bujarski, Spencer; Ray, Lara A

2017-03-09

Studies of social drinkers indicate that subjective response (SR) to alcohol and impulsivity are risk factors for the development of alcohol use disorder which may be related. It is unclear, however, whether there are significant relationships between SR and impulsivity among individuals with alcohol dependence. Using data from an intravenous (IV) alcohol challenge study, the present study is the first to explore the relationship between impulsivity and SR during alcohol administration among alcohol-dependent individuals. Non-treatment-seeking, alcohol-dependent individuals (N = 42) completed the Delay Discounting Task to measure impulsivity and then completed two counterbalanced, placebo-controlled IV alcohol administration sessions, which included assessments of SR at breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) levels of 0.00, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 g/dl. Analyses revealed that more impulsive participants experienced higher subjective stimulation and positive mood in response to rising BrACs as compared to less impulsive individuals. More impulsive participants also experienced increased sedation over time regardless of condition (i.e. alcohol vs. saline). These findings suggest that among alcohol-dependent individuals, impulsivity is positively associated with the hedonic effects of alcohol as compared to placebo. High impulsivity may characterize a subset of alcohol-dependent individuals who drink to experience the rewarding effects of alcohol. © The Author 2016. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Dopamine Gene Profiling to Predict Impulse Control and Effects of Dopamine Agonist Ropinirole.

PubMed

MacDonald, Hayley J; Stinear, Cathy M; Ren, April; Coxon, James P; Kao, Justin; Macdonald, Lorraine; Snow, Barry; Cramer, Steven C; Byblow, Winston D

2016-07-01

Dopamine agonists can impair inhibitory control and cause impulse control disorders for those with Parkinson disease (PD), although mechanistically this is not well understood. In this study, we hypothesized that the extent of such drug effects on impulse control is related to specific dopamine gene polymorphisms. This double-blind, placebo-controlled study aimed to examine the effect of single doses of 0.5 and 1.0 mg of the dopamine agonist ropinirole on impulse control in healthy adults of typical age for PD onset. Impulse control was measured by stop signal RT on a response inhibition task and by an index of impulsive decision-making on the Balloon Analogue Risk Task. A dopamine genetic risk score quantified basal dopamine neurotransmission from the influence of five genes: catechol-O-methyltransferase, dopamine transporter, and those encoding receptors D1, D2, and D3. With placebo, impulse control was better for the high versus low genetic risk score groups. Ropinirole modulated impulse control in a manner dependent on genetic risk score. For the lower score group, both doses improved response inhibition (decreased stop signal RT) whereas the lower dose reduced impulsiveness in decision-making. Conversely, the higher score group showed a trend for worsened response inhibition on the lower dose whereas both doses increased impulsiveness in decision-making. The implications of the present findings are that genotyping can be used to predict impulse control and whether it will improve or worsen with the administration of dopamine agonists.

Effects of smoking abstinence on impulsive behavior among smokers high and low in ADHD-like symptoms

PubMed Central

Hawk, Larry W.

2011-01-01

Rationale Impulsivity, a multifaceted construct that includes inhibitory control and heightened preference for immediate reward, is central to models of drug use and abuse. Within a self-medication framework, abstinence from smoking may lead to an increase in impulsive behavior and the likelihood of relapse, particularly among persons with disorders (e.g., attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, ADHD) and personality traits (e.g., impulsivity) linked to impulsive behavior. Objectives This study aimed to examine the effects of smoking abstinence on multiple measures of impulsivity among a non-clinical sample of adult smokers selected for high and low levels of ADHD symptoms. Methods In a within-subjects design, participants selected for high or low levels of self-reported ADHD symptoms (N=56) completed sessions following overnight abstinence and when smoking as usual (order counterbalanced). Measures of impulsive behavior included response inhibition (i.e., stop signal task), interference control (i.e., attentional modification of prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle), and impulsive choice (i.e., hypothetical delay discounting). Results As hypothesized, abstinence decreased response inhibition and PPI. Although ADHD symptoms moderated abstinence effects on impulsive choice and response inhibition, the pattern was opposite to our predictions: the low-ADHD group responded more impulsively when abstinent, whereas the high-ADHD group was relatively unaffected by abstinence. Conclusions These findings highlight the importance of utilizing multiple laboratory measures to examine a multifactorial construct such as impulsive behavior and raise questions about how best to assess symptoms of ADHD and impulsivity among non-abstinent smokers. PMID:21559802

Methylphenidate and Atomoxetine-Responsive Prefrontal Cortical Genetic Overlaps in "Impulsive" SHR/NCrl and Wistar Rats.

PubMed

Dela Peña, Ike; Dela Peña, Irene Joy; de la Peña, June Bryan; Kim, Hee Jin; Shin, Chan Young; Han, Doug Hyun; Kim, Bung-Nyun; Ryu, Jong Hoon; Cheong, Jae Hoon

2017-09-01

Impulsivity, the predisposition to act prematurely without foresight, is associated with a number of neuropsychiatric disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Identifying genetic underpinnings of impulsive behavior may help decipher the complex etiology and neurobiological factors of disorders marked by impulsivity. To identify potential genetic factors of impulsivity, we examined common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of adolescent SHR/NCrl and Wistar rats, which showed marked decrease in preference for the large but delayed reward, compared with WKY/NCrl rats, in the delay discounting task. Of these DEGs, we examined drug-responsive transcripts whose mRNA levels were altered following treatment (in SHR/NCrl and Wistar rats) with drugs that alleviate impulsivity, namely, the ADHD medications methylphenidate and atomoxetine. Prefrontal cortical genetic overlaps between SHR/NCrl and Wistar rats in comparison with WKY/NCrl included genes associated with transcription (e.g., Btg2, Fos, Nr4a2), synaptic plasticity (e.g., Arc, Homer2), and neuron apoptosis (Grik2, Nmnat1). Treatment with methylphenidate and/or atomoxetine increased choice of the large, delayed reward in SHR/NCrl and Wistar rats and changed, in varying degrees, mRNA levels of Nr4a2, Btg2, and Homer2, genes with previously described roles in neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by impulsivity. While further studies are required, we dissected potential genetic factors that may influence impulsivity by identifying genetic overlaps in the PFC of "impulsive" SHR/NCrl and Wistar rats. Notably, these are also drug-responsive transcripts which may be studied further as biomarkers to predict response to ADHD drugs, and as potential targets for the development of treatments to improve impulsivity.

A theoretical and experimental investigation of the linear and nonlinear impulse responses from a magnetoplasma column

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grody, N. C.

1973-01-01

Linear and nonlinear responses of a magnetoplasma resulting from inhomogeneity in the background plasma density are studied. The plasma response to an impulse electric field was measured and the results are compared with the theory of an inhomogeneous cold plasma. Impulse responses were recorded for the different plasma densities, static magnetic fields, and neutral pressures and generally appeared as modulated, damped oscillations. The frequency spectra of the waveforms consisted of two separated resonance peaks. For weak excitation, the results correlate with the linear theory of a cold, inhomogeneous, cylindrical magnetoplasma. The damping mechanism is identified with that of phase mixing due to inhomogeneity in plasma density. With increasing excitation voltage, the nonlinear impulse responses display stronger damping and a small increase in the frequency of oscillation.

Evidence for impulsivity in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat drawn from complementary response-withholding tasks

PubMed Central

Sanabria, Federico; Killeen, Peter R

2008-01-01

Background The inability to inhibit reinforced responses is a defining feature of ADHD associated with impulsivity. The Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) has been extolled as an animal model of ADHD, but there is no clear experimental evidence of inhibition deficits in SHR. Attempts to demonstrate these deficits may have suffered from methodological and analytical limitations. Methods We provide a rationale for using two complementary response-withholding tasks to doubly dissociate impulsivity from motivational and motor processes. In the lever-holding task (LHT), continual lever depression was required for a minimum interval. Under a differential reinforcement of low rates schedule (DRL), a minimum interval was required between lever presses. Both tasks were studied using SHR and two normotensive control strains, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Long Evans (LE), over an overlapping range of intervals (1 – 5 s for LHT and 5 – 60 s for DRL). Lever-holding and DRL performance was characterized as the output of a mixture of two processes, timing and iterative random responding; we call this account of response inhibition the Temporal Regulation (TR) model. In the context of TR, impulsivity was defined as a bias toward premature termination of the timed intervals. Results The TR model provided an accurate description of LHT and DRL performance. On the basis of TR parameter estimates, SHRs were more impulsive than LE rats across tasks and target times. WKY rats produced substantially shorter timed responses in the lever-holding task than in DRL, suggesting a motivational or motor deficit. The precision of timing by SHR, as measured by the variance of their timed intervals, was excellent, flouting expectations from ADHD research. Conclusion This research validates the TR model of response inhibition and supports SHR as an animal model of ADHD-related impulsivity. It indicates, however, that SHR's impulse-control deficit is not caused by imprecise timing. The use of ad hoc impulsivity metrics and of WKY as control strain for SHR impulsivity are called into question. PMID:18261220

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Impulse Responses to Figure Motion in Optic Flow Neurons

PubMed Central

Lee, Yu-Jen; Jönsson, H. Olof; Nordström, Karin

2015-01-01

White noise techniques have been used widely to investigate sensory systems in both vertebrates and invertebrates. White noise stimuli are powerful in their ability to rapidly generate data that help the experimenter decipher the spatio-temporal dynamics of neural and behavioral responses. One type of white noise stimuli, maximal length shift register sequences (m-sequences), have recently become particularly popular for extracting response kernels in insect motion vision. We here use such m-sequences to extract the impulse responses to figure motion in hoverfly lobula plate tangential cells (LPTCs). Figure motion is behaviorally important and many visually guided animals orient towards salient features in the surround. We show that LPTCs respond robustly to figure motion in the receptive field. The impulse response is scaled down in amplitude when the figure size is reduced, but its time course remains unaltered. However, a low contrast stimulus generates a slower response with a significantly longer time-to-peak and half-width. Impulse responses in females have a slower time-to-peak than males, but are otherwise similar. Finally we show that the shapes of the impulse response to a figure and a widefield stimulus are very similar, suggesting that the figure response could be coded by the same input as the widefield response. PMID:25955416

Increased impulsive action in rats: effects of morphine in a short and long fixed-delay response inhibition task.

PubMed

Mahoney, Megan K; Silveira, Mason M; Olmstead, Mary C

2013-12-01

Impulsive action is mediated through several neurochemical systems, although it is not clear which role each of these plays in the inability to withhold inappropriate responses. Manipulations of the opioid system alter impulsive action in rodents, although the effects are not consistent across tasks. Previously, we speculated that these discrepancies reflect differences in the cognitive mechanisms that control responding in each task. We investigated whether the effect of morphine, a mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonist, on impulsive action depends on the ability of the subjects to time the interval during which they must inhibit a response. Male Long-Evans rats were trained in a response inhibition (RI) task to withhold responding for sucrose during a 4- or 60-s delay; impulsive action was assessed as increased responding during the delay. The rats were tested following an injection of morphine (0, 1, 3, 6 mg/kg). In a subsequent experiment, the effects of morphine (6 mg/kg) plus the MOR antagonist naloxone (0, 0.3, 1, 3 mg/kg) were investigated. Morphine increased impulsive action, but had different effects in the two conditions: the drug increased the proportion of premature responses as the 4-s interval progressed and produced a general increase in responding across the 60-s interval. Naloxone blocked all morphine-induced effects. The finding that morphine increases impulsive action in a fixed-delay RI task contrasts with our previous evidence which shows no effect in the same task with a variable delay. Thus, MORs disrupt impulsive action only when rats can predict the delay to respond.

Effects of Acoustic Impulses on the Middle Ear

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

and civilian law enforcement weapon systems, civilian recreational hunting and shooting, and industrial high-level impulsive noises (impacts and...PERSON USAMRMC a. REPORT Unclassified b. ABSTRACT Unclassified c. THIS PAGE Unclassified 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (include area code) Standard Form...impulsive noises (impacts and impulses). Keywords: Noise exposure; hearing loss, noise -induced; impulsive noise ; reflex; conditioned response

Time-Reversal Based Range Extension Technique for Ultra-wideband (UWB) Sensors and Applications in Tactical Communications and Networking

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-16

the transmitted waveform, then spectral mask, notch line of Arbitrary Notch Filter , the designed waveforms and multipath impulse response represented...400 Frequence (MHz) Figure 5.4: Spectral mask, notch line of Arbitrary Notch Filter , the designed waveforms and multipath impulse response...600 Frequence (MHz) Figure 5.7: Spectral mask, notch line of Arbitrary Notch Filter , the designed waveforms and multipath impulse response

Increased impulsivity associated with severity of suicide attempt history in patients with bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Swann, Alan C; Dougherty, Donald M; Pazzaglia, Peggy J; Pham, Mary; Steinberg, Joel L; Moeller, F Gerard

2005-09-01

Impulsivity is a prominent and measurable characteristic of bipolar disorder that can contribute to risk for suicidal behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between impulsivity and severity of past suicidal behavior, a potential predictor of eventual suicide, in patients with bipolar disorder. In bipolar disorder subjects with either a definite history of attempted suicide or no such history, impulsivity was assessed with both a questionnaire (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) and behavioral laboratory performance measures (immediate memory/delayed memory tasks). Diagnosis was determined with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Interviews of patients and review of records were used to determine the number of past suicide attempts and the medical severity of the most severe attempt. Subjects with a history of suicide attempts had more impulsive errors on the immediate memory task and had shorter response latencies, especially for impulsive responses. Impulsivity was highest in subjects with the most medically severe suicide attempts. Effects were not accounted for by presence of depression or mania at the time of testing. Barratt Impulsiveness Scale scores were numerically, but not significantly, higher in subjects with suicide attempts. A history of alcohol abuse was associated with greater probability of a suicide attempt. Multivariate analysis showed that ethanol abuse history and clinical state at the time of testing did not have a significant effect after impulsivity was taken into account. These results suggest that a history of severe suicidal behavior in patients with bipolar disorder is associated with impulsivity, manifested as a tendency toward rapid, unplanned responses.

On-orbit performance of the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager

USGS Publications Warehouse

Micijevic, Esad; Vanderwerff, Kelly; Scaramuzza, Pat; Morfitt, Ron; Barsi, Julia A.; Levy, Raviv

2014-01-01

The Landsat 8 satellite was launched on February 11, 2013, to systematically collect multispectral images for detection and quantitative analysis of changes on the Earth’s surface. The collected data are stored at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center and continue the longest archive of medium resolution Earth images. There are two imaging instruments onboard the satellite: the Operational Land Imager (OLI) and the Thermal InfraRed Sensor (TIRS). This paper summarizes radiometric performance of the OLI including the bias stability, the system noise, saturation and other artifacts observed in its data during the first 1.5 years on orbit. Detector noise levels remain low and Signal-To-Noise Ratio high, largely exceeding the requirements. Impulse noise and saturation are present in imagery, but have negligible effect on Landsat 8 products. Oversaturation happens occasionally, but the affected detectors quickly restore their nominal responsivity. Overall, the OLI performs very well on orbit and provides high quality products to the user community. © (2014) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Thermal impulse response and the temperature preference of Escherichia coli

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, William

2010-03-01

From a broad perspective, exposure to environmental temperature changes is a universal condition of living organisms. Escherichia coli is a powerful model system to study how a biochemical network measures and processes thermal information to produce adaptive changes in behavior. E. coli performs thermotaxis, directing its movements to a preferred temperature in spatial thermal gradients. How does the system perform thermotaxis? Where biologically is this analog value of thermal preference stored? Previous studies using populations of cells have shown that E.coli accumulate in spatial thermal gradients, but these experiments did not cleanly separate thermal responses from chemotactic responses. Here we have isolated the thermal behavior by studying the thermal impulse response of single, tethered cells. The motor output of cells was measured in response to small, impulsive increases in temperature, delivered by an infrared laser, over a range of ambient temperature (23 to 43 degrees C). The thermal impulse response at temperatures < 31 degrees C is similar to the chemotactic impulse response: both follow a similar time course, share the same directionality, and show biphasic characteristics. At temperatures > 31 degrees C, some cells show an inverted response, switching from warm- to cold-seeking behavior. The fraction of inverted responses increases nonlinearly with temperature, switching steeply at the preferred temperature of 37 degrees C.

Counting-loss correction for X-ray spectroscopy using unit impulse pulse shaping.

PubMed

Hong, Xu; Zhou, Jianbin; Ni, Shijun; Ma, Yingjie; Yao, Jianfeng; Zhou, Wei; Liu, Yi; Wang, Min

2018-03-01

High-precision measurement of X-ray spectra is affected by the statistical fluctuation of the X-ray beam under low-counting-rate conditions. It is also limited by counting loss resulting from the dead-time of the system and pile-up pulse effects, especially in a high-counting-rate environment. In this paper a detection system based on a FAST-SDD detector and a new kind of unit impulse pulse-shaping method is presented, for counting-loss correction in X-ray spectroscopy. The unit impulse pulse-shaping method is evolved by inverse deviation of the pulse from a reset-type preamplifier and a C-R shaper. It is applied to obtain the true incoming rate of the system based on a general fast-slow channel processing model. The pulses in the fast channel are shaped to unit impulse pulse shape which possesses small width and no undershoot. The counting rate in the fast channel is corrected by evaluating the dead-time of the fast channel before it is used to correct the counting loss in the slow channel.

Switching non-local median filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuoka, Jyohei; Koga, Takanori; Suetake, Noriaki; Uchino, Eiji

2015-06-01

This paper describes a novel image filtering method for removal of random-valued impulse noise superimposed on grayscale images. Generally, it is well known that switching-type median filters are effective for impulse noise removal. In this paper, we propose a more sophisticated switching-type impulse noise removal method in terms of detail-preserving performance. Specifically, the noise detector of the proposed method finds out noise-corrupted pixels by focusing attention on the difference between the value of a pixel of interest (POI) and the median of its neighboring pixel values, and on the POI's isolation tendency from the surrounding pixels. Furthermore, the removal of the detected noise is performed by the newly proposed median filter based on non-local processing, which has superior detail-preservation capability compared to the conventional median filter. The effectiveness and the validity of the proposed method are verified by some experiments using natural grayscale images.

Landsat-7 ETM+ on-orbit reflective-band radiometric characterization

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scaramuzza, P.L.; Markham, B.L.; Barsi, J.A.; Kaita, E.

2004-01-01

The Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) has been and continues to be radiometrically characterized using the Image Assessment System (IAS), a component of the Landsat-7 Ground System. Key radiometric properties analyzed include: overall, coherent, and impulse noise; bias stability; relative gain stability; and other artifacts. The overall instrument noise is characterized across the dynamic range of the instrument during solar diffuser deployments. Less than 1% per year increases are observed in signal-independent (dark) noise levels, while signal-dependent noise is stable with time. Several coherent noise sources exist in ETM+ data with scene-averaged magnitudes of up to 0.4 DN, and a noise component at 20 kHz whose magnitude varies across the scan and peaks at the image edges. Bit-flip noise does not exist on the ETM+. However, impulse noise due to charged particle hits on the detector array has been discovered. The instrument bias is measured every scan line using a shutter. Most bands show less than 0.1 DN variations in bias across the instrument lifetime. The panchromatic band is the exception, where the variation approaches 2 DN and is related primarily to temperature. The relative gains of the detectors, i.e., each detector's gain relative to the band average gain, have been stable to /spl plusmn/0.1% over the mission life. Two exceptions to this stability include band 2 detector 2, which dropped about 1% in gain about 3.5 years after launch and stabilized, and band 7 detector 5, which has changed several tenths of a percent several times since launch. Memory effect and scan-correlated shift, a hysteresis and a random change in bias between multiple states, respectively, both of which have been observed in previous Thematic Mapper sensors, have not been convincingly found in ETM+ data. Two artifacts, detector ringing and "oversaturation", affect a small amount of ETM+ data.

Impulsivity and AMPA receptors: aniracetam ameliorates impulsive behavior induced by a blockade of AMPA receptors in rats.

PubMed

Nakamura, K; Kurasawa, M; Shirane, M

2000-04-17

The study aimed to ascertain the involvement of central AMPA receptors in impulsive behaviors of aged rats and to examine the effects of aniracetam. Premature response in the two-lever choice reaction task was assessed as an index of impulsivity. Intracerebroventricular injection of 2, 3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo(F)quinoxaline (NBQX), an AMPA receptor antagonist, dose-dependently (10.1-1009 ng/rat) increased only premature response without altering responding speed and choice accuracy 30 min after the injection. Aniracetam (30 mg/kg p.o.), a positive allosteric modulator of AMPA receptors, or AMPA (55.9 ng/rat, co-injected with NBQX) completely restored the NBQX-induced increase in impulsivity. These results indicate that AMPA receptors are tonically involved in the regulation of impulsivity.

Oscillatory Activity in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Nucleus Accumbens Correlates with Impulsivity and Reward Outcome

PubMed Central

Rich, P. Dylan; Nevado-Holgado, Alejo J.; Fernando, Anushka B. P.; Van Dijck, Gert; Holzhammer, Tobias; Paul, Oliver; Ruther, Patrick; Paulsen, Ole; Robbins, Trevor W.; Dalley, Jeffrey W.

2014-01-01

Actions expressed prematurely without regard for their consequences are considered impulsive. Such behaviour is governed by a network of brain regions including the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAcb) and is prevalent in disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and drug addiction. However, little is known of the relationship between neural activity in these regions and specific forms of impulsive behaviour. In the present study we investigated local field potential (LFP) oscillations in distinct sub-regions of the PFC and NAcb on a 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), which measures sustained, spatially-divided visual attention and action restraint. The main findings show that power in gamma frequency (50–60 Hz) LFP oscillations transiently increases in the PFC and NAcb during both the anticipation of a cue signalling the spatial location of a nose-poke response and again following correct responses. Gamma oscillations were coupled to low-frequency delta oscillations in both regions; this coupling strengthened specifically when an error response was made. Theta (7–9 Hz) LFP power in the PFC and NAcb increased during the waiting period and was also related to response outcome. Additionally, both gamma and theta power were significantly affected by upcoming premature responses as rats waited for the visual cue to respond. In a subgroup of rats showing persistently high levels of impulsivity we found that impulsivity was associated with increased error signals following a nose-poke response, as well as reduced signals of previous trial outcome during the waiting period. Collectively, these in-vivo neurophysiological findings further implicate the PFC and NAcb in anticipatory impulsive responses and provide evidence that abnormalities in the encoding of rewarding outcomes may underlie trait-like impulsive behaviour. PMID:25333512

Associations between regional brain physiology and trait impulsivity, motor inhibition, and impaired control over drinking

PubMed Central

Weafer, Jessica; Dzemidzic, Mario; Eiler, William; Oberlin, Brandon G.; Wang, Yang; Kareken, David A.

2015-01-01

Trait impulsivity and poor inhibitory control are well-established risk factors for alcohol misuse, yet little is known about the associated neurobiological endophenotypes. Here we examined correlations among brain physiology and self-reported trait impulsive behavior, impaired control over drinking, and a behavioral measure of response inhibition. A sample of healthy drinkers (n=117) completed a pulsed arterial spin labeling (PASL) scan to quantify resting regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and measures of self-reported impulsivity (Eysenck I7 Impulsivity scale) and impaired control over drinking. A subset of subjects (n=40) performed a stop signal task during blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess brain regions involved in response inhibition. Eysenck I7 scores were inversely related to blood flow in the right precentral gyrus. Significant BOLD activation during response inhibition occurred in an overlapping right frontal motor/premotor region. Moreover, impaired control over drinking was associated with reduced BOLD response in the same region. These findings suggest that impulsive personality and impaired control over drinking are associated with brain physiology in areas implicated in response inhibition. This is consistent with the idea that difficulty controlling behavior is due in part to impairment in motor restraint systems. PMID:26065376

Transient vibration analytical modeling and suppressing for vibration absorber system under impulse excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xi; Yang, Bintang; Yu, Hu; Gao, Yulong

2017-04-01

The impulse excitation of mechanism causes transient vibration. In order to achieve adaptive transient vibration control, a method which can exactly model the response need to be proposed. This paper presents an analytical model to obtain the response of the primary system attached with dynamic vibration absorber (DVA) under impulse excitation. The impulse excitation which can be divided into single-impulse excitation and multi-impulse excitation is simplified as sinusoidal wave to establish the analytical model. To decouple the differential governing equations, a transform matrix is applied to convert the response from the physical coordinate to model coordinate. Therefore, the analytical response in the physical coordinate can be obtained by inverse transformation. The numerical Runge-Kutta method and experimental tests have demonstrated the effectiveness of the analytical model proposed. The wavelet of the response indicates that the transient vibration consists of components with multiple frequencies, and it shows that the modeling results coincide with the experiments. The optimizing simulations based on genetic algorithm and experimental tests demonstrate that the transient vibration of the primary system can be decreased by changing the stiffness of the DVA. The results presented in this paper are the foundations for us to develop the adaptive transient vibration absorber in the future.

Clarifying Relations Between Dispositional Aggression and Brain Potential Response: Overlapping and Distinct Contributions of Impulsivity and Stress Reactivity

PubMed Central

Venables, Noah C.; Patrick, Christopher J.; Hall, Jason R.; Bernat, Edward M.

2011-01-01

Impulsive-aggressive individuals exhibit deficits in amplitude of the P3 brain potential response, however, it remains unclear how separable dispositional traits account for this association. The current study sought to clarify the basis of this association by examining contributions of trait impulsiveness and stress reactivity to the observed relationship between dispositional aggression and amplitude of the P3 brain potential response in a visual novelty-oddball procedure. A significant negative association was found between aggressiveness and amplitude of P3 response to both target and novel stimuli over frontal-central scalp sites. Impulsivity showed a parallel inverse relationship with P3 amplitude, attributable to its overlap with dispositional aggression. In contrast, stress reactivity did not exhibit a zero-order association with P3 amplitude, but modestly predicted P3 in a positive direction after accounting for its overlap with aggression. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for individual difference variables and brain processes underlying impulsive-aggressive behavior. PMID:21262318

Post-error action control is neurobehaviorally modulated under conditions of constant speeded response.

PubMed

Soshi, Takahiro; Ando, Kumiko; Noda, Takamasa; Nakazawa, Kanako; Tsumura, Hideki; Okada, Takayuki

2014-01-01

Post-error slowing (PES) is an error recovery strategy that contributes to action control, and occurs after errors in order to prevent future behavioral flaws. Error recovery often malfunctions in clinical populations, but the relationship between behavioral traits and recovery from error is unclear in healthy populations. The present study investigated the relationship between impulsivity and error recovery by simulating a speeded response situation using a Go/No-go paradigm that forced the participants to constantly make accelerated responses prior to stimuli disappearance (stimulus duration: 250 ms). Neural correlates of post-error processing were examined using event-related potentials (ERPs). Impulsivity traits were measured with self-report questionnaires (BIS-11, BIS/BAS). Behavioral results demonstrated that the commission error for No-go trials was 15%, but PES did not take place immediately. Delayed PES was negatively correlated with error rates and impulsivity traits, showing that response slowing was associated with reduced error rates and changed with impulsivity. Response-locked error ERPs were clearly observed for the error trials. Contrary to previous studies, error ERPs were not significantly related to PES. Stimulus-locked N2 was negatively correlated with PES and positively correlated with impulsivity traits at the second post-error Go trial: larger N2 activity was associated with greater PES and less impulsivity. In summary, under constant speeded conditions, error monitoring was dissociated from post-error action control, and PES did not occur quickly. Furthermore, PES and its neural correlate (N2) were modulated by impulsivity traits. These findings suggest that there may be clinical and practical efficacy of maintaining cognitive control of actions during error recovery under common daily environments that frequently evoke impulsive behaviors.

Post-error action control is neurobehaviorally modulated under conditions of constant speeded response

PubMed Central

Soshi, Takahiro; Ando, Kumiko; Noda, Takamasa; Nakazawa, Kanako; Tsumura, Hideki; Okada, Takayuki

2015-01-01

Post-error slowing (PES) is an error recovery strategy that contributes to action control, and occurs after errors in order to prevent future behavioral flaws. Error recovery often malfunctions in clinical populations, but the relationship between behavioral traits and recovery from error is unclear in healthy populations. The present study investigated the relationship between impulsivity and error recovery by simulating a speeded response situation using a Go/No-go paradigm that forced the participants to constantly make accelerated responses prior to stimuli disappearance (stimulus duration: 250 ms). Neural correlates of post-error processing were examined using event-related potentials (ERPs). Impulsivity traits were measured with self-report questionnaires (BIS-11, BIS/BAS). Behavioral results demonstrated that the commission error for No-go trials was 15%, but PES did not take place immediately. Delayed PES was negatively correlated with error rates and impulsivity traits, showing that response slowing was associated with reduced error rates and changed with impulsivity. Response-locked error ERPs were clearly observed for the error trials. Contrary to previous studies, error ERPs were not significantly related to PES. Stimulus-locked N2 was negatively correlated with PES and positively correlated with impulsivity traits at the second post-error Go trial: larger N2 activity was associated with greater PES and less impulsivity. In summary, under constant speeded conditions, error monitoring was dissociated from post-error action control, and PES did not occur quickly. Furthermore, PES and its neural correlate (N2) were modulated by impulsivity traits. These findings suggest that there may be clinical and practical efficacy of maintaining cognitive control of actions during error recovery under common daily environments that frequently evoke impulsive behaviors. PMID:25674058

Response Inhibition Impairments Predict Alcohol-Induced Sedation

PubMed Central

Shannon, Erin E.; Staniforth, Elizabeth R.; McNamara, Juliette; Bernosky-Smith, Kimberly A.; Liguori, Anthony

2011-01-01

Aims: The aim of this study was to probe the relationship between the subjective effects of alcohol and impulsive behavior in social drinkers. Methods: Fifty social drinkers performed a response-inhibition task before consuming alcohol. A 0.8-g/kg dose of alcohol was administered in a binge-like fashion (0.2 g/kg every 30 min) to the participants over a 2-h time period. Participants then completed questionnaires measuring stimulation, sedation and mood following consumption of alcohol. Linear regression analyses were performed by examining the relationship between performance on the response inhibition impulsivity task and subjective responses to alcohol (i.e. stimulation, sedation and arousal). Results: There was a significant positive relationship found between impulsive responding and self-reported sedation following alcohol consumption. Additionally, there was a significant negative relationship between behavioral impulsivity and self-reported stimulation and arousal following alcohol consumption. Conclusion: These results suggest that higher levels of impulsivity are associated with experiencing greater sedating than stimulating effects of alcohol. Individuals with high levels of impulsivity may be less sensitive to the stimulating effects of a specified dose of alcohol, which could lead to these individuals consuming more alcohol to experience the stimulating effects of alcohol. PMID:21127353

Choice-impulsivity in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Patros, Connor H G; Alderson, R Matt; Kasper, Lisa J; Tarle, Stephanie J; Lea, Sarah E; Hudec, Kristen L

2016-02-01

Impulsive behavior is a core DSM-5 diagnostic feature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that is associated with several pejorative outcomes. Impulsivity is multidimensional, consisting of two sub-constructs: rapid-response impulsivity and reward-delay impulsivity (i.e., choice-impulsivity). While previous research has extensively examined the presence and implications of rapid-response impulsivity in children with ADHD, reviews of choice-impulsive behavior have been both sparse and relatively circumscribed. This review used meta-analytic methods to comprehensively examine between-group differences in choice-impulsivity among children and adolescents with and without ADHD. Twenty-eight tasks (from 26 studies), consisting of 4320 total children (ADHD=2360, TD=1,960), provided sufficient information to compute an overall between-group effect size for choice-impulsivity performance. Results revealed a medium-magnitude between-group effect size (g=.47), suggesting that children and adolescents with ADHD exhibited moderately increased impulsive decision-making compared to TD children and adolescents. Further, relative to the TD group, children and adolescents with ADHD exhibited similar patterns of impulsive decision-making across delay discounting and delay of gratification tasks. However, the use of single-informant diagnostic procedures relative to multiple informants yielded larger between-group effects, and a similar pattern was observed across samples that excluded females relative to samples that included females. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-reported impulsivity, but not behavioral choice or response impulsivity, partially mediates the effect of stress on drinking behavior

PubMed Central

HAMILTON, KRISTEN R.; ANSELL, EMILY B.; REYNOLDS, BRADY; POTENZA, MARC N.; SINHA, RAJITA

2013-01-01

Stress and impulsivity contribute to alcohol use, and stress may also act via impulsivity to increase drinking behavior. Impulsivity represents a multi-faceted construct and self-report and behavioral assessments may effectively capture distinct clinically relevant factors. The present research investigated whether aspects of impulsivity mediate the effect of stress on alcohol use. A community-based sample of 192 men and women was assessed on measures of cumulative stress, alcohol use, self-reported impulsivity, and behavioral choice and response impulsivity. Data were analyzed using regression and bootstrapping techniques to estimate indirect effects of stress on drinking via impulsivity. Cumulative adversity exhibited both direct effects and indirect effects (via self-reported impulsivity) on drinking behavior. Additional models examining specific types of stress indicated direct and indirect effects of trauma and recent life events, and indirect effects of major life events and chronic stressors on drinking behavior. Overall, cumulative stress was associated with increased drinking behavior, and this effect was partially mediated by self-reported impulsivity. Self-reported impulsivity also mediated the effects of different types of stress on drinking behavior. These findings highlight the value of mediation models to examine the pathways through which different types of stress increase drinking behavior. Treatment and prevention strategies should focus on enhancing stress management and self-control. PMID:22376044

Self-reported impulsivity, but not behavioral choice or response impulsivity, partially mediates the effect of stress on drinking behavior.

PubMed

Hamilton, Kristen R; Ansell, Emily B; Reynolds, Brady; Potenza, Marc N; Sinha, Rajita

2013-01-01

Stress and impulsivity contribute to alcohol use, and stress may also act via impulsivity to increase drinking behavior. Impulsivity represents a multi-faceted construct and self-report and behavioral assessments may effectively capture distinct clinically relevant factors. The present research investigated whether aspects of impulsivity mediate the effect of stress on alcohol use. A community-based sample of 192 men and women was assessed on measures of cumulative stress, alcohol use, self-reported impulsivity, and behavioral choice and response impulsivity. Data were analyzed using regression and bootstrapping techniques to estimate indirect effects of stress on drinking via impulsivity. Cumulative adversity exhibited both direct effects and indirect effects (via self-reported impulsivity) on drinking behavior. Additional models examining specific types of stress indicated direct and indirect effects of trauma and recent life events, and indirect effects of major life events and chronic stressors on drinking behavior. Overall, cumulative stress was associated with increased drinking behavior, and this effect was partially mediated by self-reported impulsivity. Self-reported impulsivity also mediated the effects of different types of stress on drinking behavior. These findings highlight the value of mediation models to examine the pathways through which different types of stress increase drinking behavior. Treatment and prevention strategies should focus on enhancing stress management and self-control.

Impulsivity and Stress Response in Pathological Gamblers During the Trier Social Stress Test.

PubMed

Maniaci, G; Goudriaan, A E; Cannizzaro, C; van Holst, R J

2018-03-01

Gambling has been associated with increased sympathetic nervous system output and stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. However it is unclear how these systems are affected in pathological gambling. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) on cortisol and on cardiac interbeat intervals in relation to impulsivity, in a sample of male pathological gamblers compared to healthy controls. In addition, we investigated the correlation between the TSST, duration of the disorder and impulsivity. A total of 35 pathological gamblers and 30 healthy controls, ranging from 19 to 58 years old and all male, participated in this study. Stress response was measured during and after the TSST by salivary cortisol and cardiac interbeat intervals; impulsivity was assessed with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Exposure to the TSST produced a significant increase in salivary cortisol and interbeat intervals in both groups, without differences between groups. We found a negative correlation between baseline cortisol and duration of pathological gambling indicating that the longer the duration of the disorder the lower the baseline cortisol levels. Additionally, we found a main effect of impulsivity across groups on interbeat interval during the TSST, indicating an association between impulsivity and the intensity of the neurovegetative stress response during the TSST. Involvement of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in pathological gambling was confirmed together with evidence of a correlation between length of the disorder and diminished baseline cortisol levels. Impulsivity emerged as a personality trait expressed by pathological gamblers; however the neurovegetative response to the TSST, although associated with impulsivity, appeared to be independent of the presence of pathological gambling.

A path model of different forms of impulsivity with externalizing and internalizing psychopathology: Towards greater specificity.

PubMed

Johnson, Sheri L; Tharp, Jordan A; Peckham, Andrew D; Carver, Charles S; Haase, Claudia M

2017-09-01

A growing empirical literature indicates that emotion-related impulsivity (compared to impulsivity that is unrelated to emotion) is particularly relevant for understanding a broad range of psychopathologies. Recent work, however, has differentiated two forms of emotion-related impulsivity: A factor termed Pervasive Influence of Feelings captures tendencies for emotions (mostly negative emotions) to quickly shape thoughts, and a factor termed Feelings Trigger Action captures tendencies for positive and negative emotions to quickly and reflexively shape behaviour and speech. This study used path modelling to consider links from emotion-related and non-emotion-related impulsivity to a broad range of psychopathologies. Undergraduates completed self-report measures of impulsivity, depression, anxiety, aggression, and substance use symptoms. A path model (N = 261) indicated specificity of these forms of impulsivity. Pervasive Influence of Feelings was related to anxiety and depression, whereas Feelings Trigger Action and non-emotion-related impulsivity were related to aggression and substance use. The findings of this study suggest that emotion-relevant impulsivity could be a potentially important treatment target for a set of psychopathologies. Recent work has differentiated two forms of emotion-related impulsivity. This study tests a multivariate path model linking emotion-related and non-emotion-related impulsivity with multiple forms of psychopathology. Impulsive thoughts in response to negative emotions were related to anxiety and depression. Impulsive actions in response to emotions were related to aggression and substance use, as did non-emotion-related impulsivity. The study was limited by the reliance on self-report measures of impulsivity and psychopathology. There is a need for longitudinal work on how these forms of impulsivity predict the onset and course of psychopathology. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Experimental Modeling of the Impulse Diffraction System with a "White" SR Beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedotov, M. G.; Aleshaev, A. N.

Some matrix detectors (CCD and CIS) have direct X-ray sensitivity and can operate as dispersionless spectrometers with a very large number of elements (106 and more). In the case of the impulse diffraction such detector can simultaneously record a significant number of independent events. In the reading the position and energy of the absorbed X-ray photon may be restored for each event. The mathematical processing of the received data with respect to the Bragg condition can theoretically lead to the coordinates of the events of one fixed energy and to form an analogue of powder diffraction patterns. In this case the registration can be performed on the "white" SR beam for a short time (up to 1 ns or less). The possibility of using of the 2000-element linear CCD ILX511 (Sony) as X-ray dispersionless spectrometer allowed to conduct simulation experiments to obtain diffraction patterns of graphite, boron nitride, boric acid and TNT-hexogen solid detonation products. SR beam from VEPP-3 storage ring was modulated by a mechanical chopper and statistics were provided by a multiple recording with on-line processing.

Overweight in adolescent, psychiatric inpatients: A problem of general or food-specific impulsivity?

PubMed

Deux, Natalie; Schlarb, Angelika A; Martin, Franziska; Holtmann, Martin; Hebebrand, Johannes; Legenbauer, Tanja

2017-05-01

Adolescent psychiatric patients are vulnerable to weight problems and show an overrepresentation of overweight compared to the healthy population. One potential factor that can contribute to the etiology of overweight is higher impulsivity. As of yet, it is unclear whether it is a general impulse control deficit or weight-related aspects such as lower impulse control in response to food that have an impact on body weight. As this may have therapeutic implications, the current study investigated differences between overweight and non-overweight adolescent psychiatric inpatients (N = 98; aged 12-20) in relation to trait impulsivity and behavioral inhibition performance. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and two go/no-go paradigms with neutral and food-related stimulus materials were applied. Results indicated no significant differences concerning trait impulsivity, but revealed that overweight inpatients had significantly more difficulties in inhibition performance (i.e. they reacted more impulsively) in response to both food and neutral stimuli compared to non-overweight inpatients. Furthermore, no specific inhibition deficit for high-caloric vs. low-caloric food cues emerged in overweight inpatients, whereas non-overweight participants showed significantly lower inhibition skills in response to high-caloric than low-caloric food stimuli. The results highlight a rather general, non-food-specific reduced inhibition performance in an overweight adolescent psychiatric population. Further research is necessary to enhance the understanding of the role of impulsivity in terms of body weight status in this high-risk group of adolescent inpatients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subthalamic nucleus stimulation influences expression and suppression of impulsive behaviour in Parkinson’s disease

PubMed Central

Ridderinkhof, K. Richard; Elias, William J.; Frysinger, Robert C.; Bashore, Theodore R.; Downs, Kara E.; van Wouwe, Nelleke C.; van den Wildenberg, Wery P. M.

2010-01-01

Past studies show beneficial as well as detrimental effects of subthalamic nucleus deep-brain stimulation on impulsive behaviour. We address this paradox by investigating individuals with Parkinson’s disease treated with subthalamic nucleus stimulation (n = 17) and healthy controls without Parkinson’s disease (n = 17) on performance in a Simon task. In this reaction time task, conflict between premature response impulses and goal-directed action selection is manipulated. We applied distributional analytic methods to separate the strength of the initial response impulse from the proficiency of inhibitory control engaged subsequently to suppress the impulse. Patients with Parkinson’s disease were tested when stimulation was either turned on or off. Mean conflict interference effects did not differ between controls and patients, or within patients when stimulation was on versus off. In contrast, distributional analyses revealed two dissociable effects of subthalamic nucleus stimulation. Fast response errors indicated that stimulation increased impulsive, premature responding in high conflict situations. Later in the reaction process, however, stimulation improved the proficiency with which inhibitory control was engaged to suppress these impulses selectively, thereby facilitating selection of the correct action. This temporal dissociation supports a conceptual framework for resolving past paradoxical findings and further highlights that dynamic aspects of impulse and inhibitory control underlying goal-directed behaviour rely in part on neural circuitry inclusive of the subthalamic nucleus. PMID:20861152

Response inhibition and impulsive decision-making in sexual offenders against children.

PubMed

Turner, Daniel; Laier, Christian; Brand, Matthias; Bockshammer, Tamara; Welsch, Robin; Rettenberger, Martin

2018-05-31

Current theories view impulsivity as an important factor in the explanation of sexual offending. While impulsivity itself is a multidimensional construct, response inhibition and impulsive decision-making are frequently discussed subcomponents. Impulsivity in sexual offenders could be triggered by sexual cues with high emotional significance. The present study compared response inhibition abilities and the degree of impulsive decision-making between 63 child sexual abusers and 63 nonoffending controls. A Go/No-Go task was used to assess response inhibition, while the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and the Game of Dice Task (GDT) were used for the assessment of decision-making. In contrast to previous studies, modified versions of the Go/No-Go task and the IGT were used, including pictures of the Not Real People-Set depicting nude adults and children. Child sexual abusers showed more deficits in response inhibition in the Go/No-Go task. Furthermore, decision-making was especially impaired by the presence of child images in child sexual abusers with more intense pedophilic sexual interests. In contrast, in the nonoffending controls the presence of preferred sexual cues (pictures of women) improved decision-making performance. No differences in overall GDT performance were found between the groups; however, child sexual abusers chose the riskiest option more frequently than nonoffending controls. In line with theoretical assumptions about the processes underlying sexual offending, child sexual abusers show more deficits in neuropsychological functioning, which may be related to more impulsive behaviors. These impairments could be triggered by the presence of sexually relevant cues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Suicidality in Bipolar Disorder: The Role of Emotion-Triggered Impulsivity

PubMed Central

Johnson, Sheri L.; Carver, Charles S.; Tharp, Jordan A.

2018-01-01

A growing body of research suggests that impulsive responses to emotion more robustly predict suicidality than do other forms of impulsivity. This issue has not yet been examined within bipolar disorder, however. Participants diagnosed with bipolar I disorder (n = 133) and control participants (n = 110) diagnosed with no mood or psychotic disorder completed self-report measures of emotion-triggered impulsivity (Negative and Positive Urgency Scales) and interviews concerning lifetime suicidality. Analyses examined the effects of emotion-triggered impulsivity alone and in combination with gender, age of onset, depression severity, comorbid anxiety, comorbid substance use, and medication. A history of suicide ideation and attempts, as well as self-harm, were significantly more common in the bipolar disorder group compared with the control group. Impulsive responses to positive emotions related to suicide ideation, attempts, and self-harm within the bipolar group. Findings extend research on the importance of emotion-triggered impulsivity to a broad range of key outcomes within bipolar disorder. The discussion focuses on limitations and potential clinical implications. PMID:27406282

Experimental Investigations on Two Potential Sound Diffuseness Measures in Enclosures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Xin

This study investigates two different approaches to measure sound field diffuseness in enclosures from monophonic room impulse responses. One approach quantifies sound field diffuseness in enclosures by calculating the kurtosis of the pressure samples of room impulse responses. Kurtosis is a statistical measure that is known to describe the peakedness or tailedness of the distribution of a set of data. High kurtosis indicates low diffuseness of the sound field of interest. The other one relies on multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis which is a way to evaluate the statistical self-affinity of a signal to measure diffuseness. To test these two approaches, room impulse responses are obtained under varied room-acoustic diffuseness configurations, achieved by using varied degrees of diffusely reflecting interior surfaces. This paper will analyze experimentally measured monophonic room impulse responses, and discuss results from these two approaches.

Barratt Impulsivity and Neural Regulation of Physiological Arousal

PubMed Central

Zhang, Sheng; Hu, Sien; Hu, Jianping; Wu, Po-Lun; Chao, Herta H.; Li, Chiang-shan R.

2015-01-01

Background Theories of personality have posited an increased arousal response to external stimulation in impulsive individuals. However, there is a dearth of studies addressing the neural basis of this association. Methods We recorded skin conductance in 26 individuals who were assessed with Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) and performed a stop signal task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Imaging data were processed and modeled with Statistical Parametric Mapping. We used linear regressions to examine correlations between impulsivity and skin conductance response (SCR) to salient events, identify the neural substrates of arousal regulation, and examine the relationship between the regulatory mechanism and impulsivity. Results Across subjects, higher impulsivity is associated with greater SCR to stop trials. Activity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) negatively correlated to and Granger caused skin conductance time course. Furthermore, higher impulsivity is associated with a lesser strength of Granger causality of vmPFC activity on skin conductance, consistent with diminished control of physiological arousal to external stimulation. When men (n = 14) and women (n = 12) were examined separately, however, there was evidence suggesting association between impulsivity and vmPFC regulation of arousal only in women. Conclusions Together, these findings confirmed the link between Barratt impulsivity and heightened arousal to salient stimuli in both genders and suggested the neural bases of altered regulation of arousal in impulsive women. More research is needed to explore the neural processes of arousal regulation in impulsive individuals and in clinical conditions that implicate poor impulse control. PMID:26079873

Barratt Impulsivity and Neural Regulation of Physiological Arousal.

PubMed

Zhang, Sheng; Hu, Sien; Hu, Jianping; Wu, Po-Lun; Chao, Herta H; Li, Chiang-shan R

2015-01-01

Theories of personality have posited an increased arousal response to external stimulation in impulsive individuals. However, there is a dearth of studies addressing the neural basis of this association. We recorded skin conductance in 26 individuals who were assessed with Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) and performed a stop signal task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Imaging data were processed and modeled with Statistical Parametric Mapping. We used linear regressions to examine correlations between impulsivity and skin conductance response (SCR) to salient events, identify the neural substrates of arousal regulation, and examine the relationship between the regulatory mechanism and impulsivity. Across subjects, higher impulsivity is associated with greater SCR to stop trials. Activity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) negatively correlated to and Granger caused skin conductance time course. Furthermore, higher impulsivity is associated with a lesser strength of Granger causality of vmPFC activity on skin conductance, consistent with diminished control of physiological arousal to external stimulation. When men (n = 14) and women (n = 12) were examined separately, however, there was evidence suggesting association between impulsivity and vmPFC regulation of arousal only in women. Together, these findings confirmed the link between Barratt impulsivity and heightened arousal to salient stimuli in both genders and suggested the neural bases of altered regulation of arousal in impulsive women. More research is needed to explore the neural processes of arousal regulation in impulsive individuals and in clinical conditions that implicate poor impulse control.

Normative data on angular vestibulo-ocular responses in the yaw axis measured using the video head impulse test.

PubMed

Matiño-Soler, Eusebi; Esteller-More, Eduard; Martin-Sanchez, Juan-Carlos; Martinez-Sanchez, Jose-M; Perez-Fernandez, Nicolas

2015-03-01

To analyze vestibulo-ocular responses using the video head impulse test in the yaw axis. Prospective. Tertiary and university hospital. Two hundred twelve healthy subjects with no history of vestibular or neurologic impairment. Video head impulse test in the lateral semicircular canal plane. Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain and appearance of refixation saccades (RSs) considering sex, age, and head impulse velocity and direction. Mean gain was 1.06 ± 0.07, and there were no differences between sexes. For all the impulses (n = 9,654; 4,947 rightward and 4,707 leftward), VOR gain decreased as head impulse velocity increased. When gain was evaluated by age and head velocity, it was steady until age 70 years for higher-velocity impulses and until age 90 years for lower-velocity head impulses. RSs were detected in 52 subjects, occurring after impulses to both sides of the head in 22 of these subjects. The number of subjects with RSs was significantly higher after age 71 years, and velocity was correlated, not with age, but with head impulse velocity. VOR gain was stable until age 90 years and thereafter dropped. However, this decrease occurred progressively in younger subjects as head impulse velocity increased, with VOR gain for faster head impulses decreasing significantly in subjects older than 70 years. This finding, in addition to the appearance of RSs, can be explained by the effect of aging on the deterioration of the vestibular system in the semicircular canals.

Overlapping and disease specific trait, response, and reflection impulsivity in adolescents with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Jepsen, J R M; Rydkjaer, J; Fagerlund, B; Pagsberg, A K; Jespersen, R Av F; Glenthøj, B Y; Oranje, B

2018-03-01

Schizophrenia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are developmental disorders with shared clinical characteristics such as cognitive impairments and impulsivity. Impulsivity is a core feature of ADHD and an important factor in aggression, violence, and substance use in schizophrenia. Based on the hypothesis that schizophrenia and ADHD represent a continuum of neurodevelopmental impairments, the aim was to identify overlapping and disease specific forms of impulsivity. Adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age were assessed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-aged Children - Present and Lifetime Version. Subjects with early-onset, first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders (EOS) (N = 29) or ADHD (N = 29) and healthy controls (N = 45) were compared on two performance measures (Information Sampling Task, Stop Signal Task) and a subjective personality trait measure of impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Version 11 (BIS-11)). Significantly increased reflection impulsivity was observed in ADHD but not in the EOS group. No significant response inhibition deficits (stop signal reaction time) were found in the two clinical groups. The ADHD and the EOS group showed significantly increased motor, attentional, and non-planning subtraits of impulsivity. Impaired pre-decisional information gathering appeared to be specific for ADHD while the information gathering was not significantly reduced in subjects with EOS. Neither the ADHD nor EOS group showed impaired response inhibition but shared increased personality subtraits of attentional, non-planning, and motor impulsivity although the latter was significantly more pronounced in ADHD. These increased subtraits of impulsivity may reflect diagnostic non-specific neurodevelopmental impairments in ADHD and EOS in adolescence.

The video head impulse test during post-rotatory nystagmus: physiology and clinical implications.

PubMed

Mantokoudis, Georgios; Tehrani, Ali S Saber; Xie, Li; Eibenberger, Karin; Eibenberger, Bernhard; Roberts, Dale; Newman-Toker, David E; Zee, David S

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to test the effects of a sustained nystagmus on the head impulse response of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in healthy subjects. VOR gain (slow-phase eye velocity/head velocity) was measured using video head impulse test goggles. Acting as a surrogate for a spontaneous nystagmus (SN), a post-rotatory nystagmus (PRN) was elicited after a sustained, constant-velocity rotation, and then head impulses were applied. 'Raw' VOR gain, uncorrected for PRN, in healthy subjects in response to head impulses with peak velocities in the range of 150°/s-250°/s was significantly increased (as reflected in an increase in the slope of the gain versus head velocity relationship) after inducing PRN with slow phases of nystagmus of high intensity (>30°/s) in the same but not in the opposite direction as the slow-phase response induced by the head impulses. The values of VOR gain themselves, however, remained in the normal range with slow-phase velocities of PRN < 30°/s. Finally, quick phases of PRN were suppressed during the first 20-160 ms of a head impulse; the time frame of suppression depended on the direction of PRN but not on the duration of the head impulse. Our results in normal subjects suggest that VOR gains measured using head impulses may have to be corrected for any superimposed SN when the slow-phase velocity of nystagmus is relatively high and the peak velocity of the head movements is relatively low. The suppression of quick phases during head impulses may help to improve steady fixation during rapid head movements.

Macro-motion detection using ultra-wideband impulse radar.

PubMed

Xin Li; Dengyu Qiao; Ye Li

2014-01-01

Radar has the advantage of being able to detect hidden individuals, which can be used in homeland security, disaster rescue, and healthcare monitoring-related applications. Human macro-motion detection using ultra-wideband impulse radar is studied in this paper. First, a frequency domain analysis is carried out to show that the macro-motion yields a bandpass signal in slow-time. Second, the FTFW (fast-time frequency windowing), which has the advantage of avoiding the measuring range reduction, and the HLF (high-pass linear-phase filter), which can preserve the motion signal effectively, are proposed to preprocess the radar echo. Last, a threshold decision method, based on the energy detector structure, is presented.

Optimization and Comparison of Different Digital Mammographic Tomosynthesis Reconstruction Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-01

physical measurements of impulse response analysis, modulation transfer function (MTF) and noise power spectrum (NPS). (Months 5- 12). 1.2.1. Simulate...added: projection images with simulated impulse and the 1/r2 shading difference. Other system blur and noise issues were not addressed in this paper...spectrum (NPS), Noise -equivalent quanta (NEQ), impulse response, Back Projection (BP) 1. INTRODUCTION Digital breast tomosynthesis is a new

Clarifying relations between dispositional aggression and brain potential response: overlapping and distinct contributions of impulsivity and stress reactivity.

PubMed

Venables, Noah C; Patrick, Christopher J; Hall, Jason R; Bernat, Edward M

2011-03-01

Impulsive-aggressive individuals exhibit deficits in amplitude of the P3 brain potential response, however, it remains unclear how separable dispositional traits account for this association. The current study sought to clarify the basis of this association by examining contributions of trait impulsiveness and stress reactivity to the observed relationship between dispositional aggression and amplitude of the P3 brain potential response in a visual novelty-oddball procedure. A significant negative association was found between aggressiveness and amplitude of P3 response to both target and novel stimuli over frontal-central scalp sites. Impulsivity showed a parallel inverse relationship with P3 amplitude, attributable to its overlap with dispositional aggression. In contrast, stress reactivity did not exhibit a zero-order association with P3 amplitude, but modestly predicted P3 in a positive direction after accounting for its overlap with aggression. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for individual difference variables and brain processes underlying impulsive-aggressive behavior. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time-resolved measurements of the hot-electron population in ignition-scale experiments on the National Ignition Facility (invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hohenberger, M.; Albert, F.; Palmer, N. E.; Lee, J. J.; Döppner, T.; Divol, L.; Dewald, E. L.; Bachmann, B.; MacPhee, A. G.; LaCaille, G.; Bradley, D. K.; Stoeckl, C.

2014-11-01

In laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, hot electrons can preheat the fuel and prevent fusion-pellet compression to ignition conditions. Measuring the hot-electron population is key to designing an optimized ignition platform. The hot electrons in these high-intensity, laser-driven experiments, created via laser-plasma interactions, can be inferred from the bremsstrahlung generated by hot electrons interacting with the target. At the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [G. H. Miller, E. I. Moses, and C. R. Wuest, Opt. Eng. 43, 2841 (2004)], the filter-fluorescer x-ray (FFLEX) diagnostic-a multichannel, hard x-ray spectrometer operating in the 20-500 keV range-has been upgraded to provide fully time-resolved, absolute measurements of the bremsstrahlung spectrum with ˜300 ps resolution. Initial time-resolved data exhibited significant background and low signal-to-noise ratio, leading to a redesign of the FFLEX housing and enhanced shielding around the detector. The FFLEX x-ray sensitivity was characterized with an absolutely calibrated, energy-dispersive high-purity germanium detector using the high-energy x-ray source at NSTec Livermore Operations over a range of K-shell fluorescence energies up to 111 keV (U Kβ). The detectors impulse response function was measured in situ on NIF short-pulse (˜90 ps) experiments, and in off-line tests.

Behavioral Impulsivity Does Not Predict Naturalistic Alcohol Consumption or Treatment Outcomes

PubMed Central

Mullen, Jillian; Mathias, Charles W.; Karns, Tara E.; Liang, Yuanyuan; Hill-Kapturczak, Nathalie; Roache, John D.; Lamb, Richard J.; Dougherty, Donald M.

2016-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine if behavioral impulsivity under multiple conditions (baseline, after alcohol consumption or after serotonin depletion) predicted naturalistic alcohol use or treatment outcomes from a moderation-based contingency management intervention. Method The current data analysis pulls information from three phases of a large study: 1) Phase 1 examined baseline and the effects of alcohol use and serotonin depletion on three types of behavioral impulsivity: response initiation (IMT task), response inhibition (GoStop task), and delay discounting (SKIP task); 2) Phase 2 involved 28 days of naturalistic drinking; and 3) Phase 3 involved 3 months of contingency management. During phases 2 and 3 alcohol use was measured objectively using transdermal alcohol monitors. The results of each individual phase has been previously published showing that at a group level the effects of alcohol consumption on impulsivity were dependent on the component of impulsivity being measured and the dose of alcohol consumed but serotonin depletion had no effect on impulsivity, and that a moderation-based contingency management intervention reduced heavy drinking. Results The current analysis combining data from those who completed all three phases (n = 67) showed that impulsivity measured at baseline, after alcohol consumption, or after serotonin depletion did not predict naturalistic drinking or treatment outcomes from a moderation-based CM treatment. Conclusions Contingency management interventions may prove to be an effective intervention for impulsive individuals, however, normal variations in measured impulsivity do not seem to relate to normal variations in drinking pattern or response to moderation-based contingency management. PMID:27746702

Optical Enhancement of Degraded Fingerprints.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

system. The integral 00 g(x,y) = ff f ( Cn)h(x-C,y-n)d dn -00 is the convolution operation g(x,y)=f(x,y)*h(x,y) where h(x,y) is the impulse response...periodic ridges on the left (1-) and right (2--) sides of the fingerprint in Figure 3-1 as periodic impulse -sheets (an impulse -sheet is a one...transformation of uniformly spaced, parallel impulse -sheets is a string of impulses (an impulse is a two-dimensional Dirac delta function, i.e. f(x,y) = 6(x,y

Characterization of long-range functional connectivity in epileptic networks by neuronal spike-triggered local field potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopour, Beth A.; Staba, Richard J.; Stern, John M.; Fried, Itzhak; Ringach, Dario L.

2016-04-01

Objective. Quantifying the relationship between microelectrode-recorded multi-unit activity (MUA) and local field potentials (LFPs) in distinct brain regions can provide detailed information on the extent of functional connectivity in spatially widespread networks. These methods are common in studies of cognition using non-human animal models, but are rare in humans. Here we applied a neuronal spike-triggered impulse response to electrophysiological recordings from the human epileptic brain for the first time, and we evaluate functional connectivity in relation to brain areas supporting the generation of seizures. Approach. Broadband interictal electrophysiological data were recorded from microwires adapted to clinical depth electrodes that were implanted bilaterally using stereotactic techniques in six presurgical patients with medically refractory epilepsy. MUA and LFPs were isolated in each microwire, and we calculated the impulse response between the MUA on one microwire and the LFPs on a second microwire for all possible MUA/LFP pairs. Results were compared to clinical seizure localization, including sites of seizure onset and interictal epileptiform discharges. Main results. We detected significant interictal long-range functional connections in each subject, in some cases across hemispheres. Results were consistent between two independent datasets, and the timing and location of significant impulse responses reflected anatomical connectivity. However, within individual subjects, the spatial distribution of impulse responses was unique. In two subjects with clear seizure localization and successful surgery, the epileptogenic zone was associated with significant impulse responses. Significance. The results suggest that the spike-triggered impulse response can provide valuable information about the neuronal networks that contribute to seizures using only interictal data. This technique will enable testing of specific hypotheses regarding functional connectivity in epilepsy and the relationship between functional properties and imaging findings. Beyond epilepsy, we expect that the impulse response could be more broadly applied as a measure of long-range functional connectivity in studies of cognition.

Characterization of long-range functional connectivity in epileptic networks by neuronal spike-triggered local field potentials

PubMed Central

Lopour, Beth A; Staba, Richard J; Stern, John M; Fried, Itzhak; Ringach, Dario L

2017-01-01

Objective Quantifying the relationship between microelectrode-recorded multi-unit activity (MUA) and local field potentials (LFPs) in distinct brain regions can provide detailed information on the extent of functional connectivity in spatially widespread networks. These methods are common in studies of cognition using non-human animal models, but are rare in humans. Here we applied a neuronal spike-triggered impulse response to electrophysiological recordings from the human epileptic brain for the first time, and we evaluate functional connectivity in relation to brain areas supporting the generation of seizures. Approach Broadband interictal electrophysiological data were recorded from microwires adapted to clinical depth electrodes that were implanted bilaterally using stereotactic techniques in six presurgical patients with medically refractory epilepsy. MUA and LFPs were isolated in each microwire, and we calculated the impulse response between the MUA on one microwire and the LFPs on a second microwire for all possible MUA/LFP pairs. Results were compared to clinical seizure localization, including sites of seizure onset and interictal epileptiform discharges. Main results We detected significant interictal long-range functional connections in each subject, in some cases across hemispheres. Results were consistent between two independent datasets, and the timing and location of significant impulse responses reflected anatomical connectivity. However, within individual subjects, the spatial distribution of impulse responses was unique. In two subjects with clear seizure localization and successful surgery, the epileptogenic zone was associated with significant impulse responses. Significance The results suggest that the spike-triggered impulse response can provide valuable information about the neuronal networks that contribute to seizures using only interictal data. This technique will enable testing of specific hypotheses regarding functional connectivity in epilepsy and the relationship between functional properties and imaging findings. Beyond epilepsy, we expect that the impulse response could be more broadly applied as a measure of long-range functional connectivity in studies of cognition. PMID:26975603

Alcohol-Preferring Rats Show Goal Oriented Behaviour to Food Incentives but Are Neither Sign-Trackers Nor Impulsive.

PubMed

Peña-Oliver, Yolanda; Giuliano, Chiara; Economidou, Daina; Goodlett, Charles R; Robbins, Trevor W; Dalley, Jeffrey W; Everitt, Barry J

2015-01-01

Drug addiction is often associated with impulsivity and altered behavioural responses to both primary and conditioned rewards. Here we investigated whether selectively bred alcohol-preferring (P) and alcohol-nonpreferring (NP) rats show differential levels of impulsivity and conditioned behavioural responses to food incentives. P and NP rats were assessed for impulsivity in the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), a widely used translational task in humans and other animals, as well as Pavlovian conditioned approach to measure sign- and goal-tracking behaviour. Drug-naïve P and NP rats showed similar levels of impulsivity on the 5-CSRTT, assessed by the number of premature, anticipatory responses, even when the waiting interval to respond was increased. However, unlike NP rats, P rats were faster to enter the food magazine and spent more time in this area. In addition, P rats showed higher levels of goal-tracking responses than NP rats, as measured by the number of magazine nose-pokes during the presentation of a food conditioned stimulus. By contrast, NP showed higher levels of sign-tracking behaviour than P rats. Following a 4-week exposure to intermittent alcohol we confirmed that P rats had a marked preference for, and consumed more alcohol than, NP rats, but were not more impulsive when re-tested in the 5-CSRTT. These findings indicate that high alcohol preferring and drinking P rats are neither intrinsically impulsive nor do they exhibit impulsivity after exposure to alcohol. However, P rats do show increased goal-directed behaviour to food incentives and this may be associated with their strong preference for alcohol.

Science Objectives of the FOXSI Small Explorer Mission Concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shih, Albert Y.; Christe, Steven; Alaoui, Meriem; Allred, Joel C.; Antiochos, Spiro K.; Battaglia, Marina; Buitrago-Casas, Juan Camilo; Caspi, Amir; Dennis, Brian R.; Drake, James; Fleishman, Gregory D.; Gary, Dale E.; Glesener, Lindsay; Grefenstette, Brian; Hannah, Iain; Holman, Gordon D.; Hudson, Hugh S.; Inglis, Andrew R.; Ireland, Jack; Ishikawa, Shin-Nosuke; Jeffrey, Natasha; Klimchuk, James A.; Kontar, Eduard; Krucker, Sam; Longcope, Dana; Musset, Sophie; Nita, Gelu M.; Ramsey, Brian; Ryan, Daniel; Saint-Hilaire, Pascal; Schwartz, Richard A.; Vilmer, Nicole; White, Stephen M.; Wilson-Hodge, Colleen

2016-05-01

Impulsive particle acceleration and plasma heating at the Sun, from the largest solar eruptive events to the smallest flares, are related to fundamental processes throughout the Universe. While there have been significant advances in our understanding of impulsive energy release since the advent of RHESSI observations, there is a clear need for new X-ray observations that can capture the full range of emission in flares (e.g., faint coronal sources near bright chromospheric sources), follow the intricate evolution of energy release and changes in morphology, and search for the signatures of impulsive energy release in even the quiescent Sun. The FOXSI Small Explorer (SMEX) mission concept combines state-of-the-art grazing-incidence focusing optics with pixelated solid-state detectors to provide direct imaging of hard X-rays for the first time on a solar observatory. We present the science objectives of FOXSI and how its capabilities will address and resolve open questions regarding impulsive energy release at the Sun. These questions include: What are the time scales of the processes that accelerate electrons? How do flare-accelerated electrons escape into the heliosphere? What is the energy input of accelerated electrons into the chromosphere, and how is super-heated coronal plasma produced?

Reflective-impulsive style and conceptual tempo in a gross motor task.

PubMed

Keller, J; Ripoll, H

2001-06-01

The reflective-impulsive construct refers to responses made slowly or quickly in a situation with high uncertainty. Children who are labeled "reflective" take a longer time to respond and make few errors, whereas "impulsive" children are fast and inaccurate. Although the validity of the test and the definition of reflective-impulsive style are well accepted, whether such respond fast or slow to all tasks is questioned. Some children do not fit the dichotomy. Two other groups arise, the fast-accurate and the slow-inaccurate. The response styles of 86 boys, ages 5, 7, and 9 years performing a gross motor task, i.e., hitting a ball with a racquet, were studied. Analysis indicated that the slowest children on the Matching Familiar Figures Test can be faster than the fastest ones and remain more accurate. As the definition of the reflective-impulsive style is based on time, the reflective ones might better be viewed as children who can adapt the response time to the context and thus be more efficient at problem-solving.

Impulsivity and overeating in children in the absence and presence of hunger.

PubMed

Nederkoorn, Chantal; Dassen, Fania C M; Franken, Loes; Resch, Christine; Houben, Katrijn

2015-10-01

Overweight children appear to be more responsive to environmental, hedonic cues and easily overeat in the current obesogenic environment. They are also found to overeat in the absence of hunger, and this overeating seems related to impulsivity: impulsive participants are more prone to external eating. However, some studies showed that impulsive adults are also more prone to hunger cues: impulsive participants overate especially when feeling hungry. This would mean impulsive people are more reactive to both external and internal cues. The overeating was limited to palatable high energy-dense foods: hunger made them fancy a snack. In the current study, we wanted to test the interaction between impulsivity, hunger and consumption of food type in children. Impulsivity was measured in 88 children between the ages of 7 and 9. Next, half of the participants performed a taste test before their own regular lunch and half of the participants immediately after their lunch. During the taste test, low, medium and high energy-dense food items were presented. Results showed that impulsive children ate more high energy-dense foods than low impulsive children, both before and after their lunch. No differences were found on low or medium energy-dense foods. Impulsive children therefore showed normal sensitivity for internal hunger and satiety cues, but abnormal response to high energy-dense foods. This might render them vulnerable to tasty temptation in the environment and to weight gain in their future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interacting Mechanisms of Impulsivity in Bipolar Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder

PubMed Central

Swann, Alan C.; Lijffijt, Marijn; Lane, Scott D.; Steinberg, Joel L.; Moeller, F. Gerard

2011-01-01

Background Bipolar disorder and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) overlap in clinical characteristics and behavioral consequences. Impulsivity is prominent in both, but there is little information on how specific mechanisms of impulsivity differentiate, bridge, or underlie the disorders. Methods Subjects, all males, were controls (n=46), bipolar disorder without cluster B personality disorder (n=21), ASPD without bipolar disorder (n=50), and bipolar disorder with ASPD (n=16). Impulsivity measures were the Immediate Memory Task (IMT), a continuous performance test of response inhibition measuring ability to evaluate a stimulus before responding, and the Two Choice Impulsivity Paradigm (TCIP), a choice between smaller-sooner and larger-later reward. Data were analyzed using general linear models analysis. Results Subjects with bipolar disorder had fewer IMT correct detections and slower reaction times than controls. Reaction times were faster with combined diagnoses than in bipolar disorder alone. TCIP responding in either diagnosis alone resembled controls, but was more impulsive in combined disorders. These differences persisted after correction for age and education, which had significant independent effects. In combined ASPD and bipolar disorder, increased reaction speed, impulsive response bias, and reward-delay impulsivity occurred independent of substance-use disorder history. Conclusions Impulsivity was increased in the combined disorders over either disorder alone. Results were consistent with at least partially distinct mechanisms of impulsivity in ASPD and bipolar disorder. Compensatory mechanisms for impulsivity in uncomplicated ASPD or bipolar disorder appear to be compromised or lost when the disorders are combined. PMID:21719028

Neural Correlates and Connectivity underlying Stress-related Impulse Control Difficulties in Alcoholism

PubMed Central

Seo, Dongju; Lacadie, Cheryl M.; Sinha, Rajita

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND Stress triggers impulsive and addictive behaviors, and alcoholism has been frequently associated with increased stress sensitivity and impulse control problems. However, neural correlates underlying the link between alcoholism and impulsivity in the context of stress in patients with alcohol use disorders (AUD) have not been well studied. METHOD The current study investigated neural correlates and connectivity patterns associated with impulse control difficulties in abstinent AUD patients. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, brain responses of 37 AUD inpatients and 37 demographically-matched healthy controls were examined during brief individualized imagery trials of stress, alcohol-cue and neutral-relaxing conditions. Stress-related impulsivity was measured using a subscale score of impulse control problems from Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). RESULTS Impulse control difficulties in AUD patients were significantly associated with hypoactive response to stress in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VmPFC), right caudate, and left lateral PFC (LPFC) compared to the neutral condition (p<0.01, whole-brain corrected). These regions were used as seed regions to further examine the connectivity patterns with other brain regions. With the VmPFC seed, AUD patients showed reduced connectivity with the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) compared to controls, which are core regions of emotion regulation, suggesting AUD patients’ decreased ability to modulate emotional response under distressed state. With the right caudate seed, patients showed increased connectivity with the right motor cortex, suggesting increased tendency toward habitually driven behaviors. With the left LPFC seed, decreased connectivity with the dorsomedial PFC (DmPFC), but increased connectivity with sensory and motor cortices were found in AUD patients compared to controls (p<0.05, whole-brain corrected). Reduced connectivity between the left LPFC and DmPFC was further associated with increased stress-induced anxiety in AUD patients (p<0.05, with adjusted Bonferroni correction). CONCLUSION Hypoactive response to stress and altered connectivity in key emotion regulatory regions may account for greater stress-related impulse control problems in alcoholism. PMID:27501356

Neural Correlates and Connectivity Underlying Stress-Related Impulse Control Difficulties in Alcoholism.

PubMed

Seo, Dongju; Lacadie, Cheryl M; Sinha, Rajita

2016-09-01

Stress triggers impulsive and addictive behaviors, and alcoholism has been frequently associated with increased stress sensitivity and impulse control problems. However, neural correlates underlying the link between alcoholism and impulsivity in the context of stress in patients with alcohol use disorders (AUD) have not been well studied. This study investigated neural correlates and connectivity patterns associated with impulse control difficulties in abstinent AUD patients. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, brain responses of 37 AUD inpatients, and 37 demographically matched healthy controls were examined during brief individualized imagery trials of stress, alcohol cue, and neutral-relaxing conditions. Stress-related impulsivity was measured using a subscale score of impulse control problems from Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Impulse control difficulties in AUD patients were significantly associated with hypo-active response to stress in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VmPFC), right caudate, and left lateral PFC (LPFC) compared to the neutral condition (p < 0.01, whole-brain corrected). These regions were used as seed regions to further examine the connectivity patterns with other brain regions. With the VmPFC seed, AUD patients showed reduced connectivity with the anterior cingulate cortex compared to controls, which are core regions of emotion regulation, suggesting AUD patients' decreased ability to modulate emotional response under distressed state. With the right caudate seed, patients showed increased connectivity with the right motor cortex, suggesting increased tendency toward habitually driven behaviors. With the left LPFC seed, decreased connectivity with the dorsomedial PFC (DmPFC), but increased connectivity with sensory and motor cortices were found in AUD patients compared to controls (p < 0.05, whole-brain corrected). Reduced connectivity between the left LPFC and DmPFC was further associated with increased stress-induced anxiety in AUD patients (p < 0.05, with adjusted Bonferroni correction). Hypo-active response to stress and altered connectivity in key emotion regulatory regions may account for greater stress-related impulse control problems in alcoholism. Copyright © 2016 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Kinetics of cycle length dependence of ventricular repolarization: effect of autonomic blockade

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raeder, E. A.; Albrecht, P.; Perrott, M.; Cohen, R. J.

1995-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Beat-to-beat adaptation of ventricular repolarization duration to cardiac cycle length and autonomic activity has not been previously characterized in the spontaneously beating human heart. METHODS AND RESULTS: The ECG of 14 healthy subjects was recorded from the supine and upright positions. Autonomic blockade was accomplished by atropine and propranolol. RR and RT intervals were measured by a computer algorithm, and the impulse response (h) from RR to RT computed. In the supine position the maximal adjustment of the RT interval occurred in the first beat following a change in cycle length (hpeak = 17.8 +/- 1.6 msec/sec), but continued to be detectable for 3.8 seconds (2.9-4.7 sec). Propranolol attenuated the peak impulse response to 15.8 +/- 4.0 msec/sec (P = NS). In the standing position the peak impulse response was increased to 25.2 +/- 5.0 msec/sec (P = 0.004 vs supine), and the impulse response duration (hdur) shortened to 1.4 seconds (1.3-1.6). This was reversed by beta blockade (hpeak = 10.7 +/- 3.6 [P = 0.005 vs standing]; hdur = 5.5 sec [4.8-6.1]). Parasympathetic and combined autonomic blockade resulted in too little residual heart rate variability to estimate the impulse response accurately. The slope of the regression of delta RT and delta RR in the supine position was 0.0177 +/- 0.0016, which was closely correlated with the peak impulse response (r = 0.91). CONCLUSIONS: System identification techniques can assist in characterizing the cycle dependence of ventricular repolarization and may provide new insights into conditions associated with abnormal repolarization.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEASURES OF IMPULSIVITY AND ALCOHOL MISUSE: AN INTEGRATIVE STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING APPROACH

PubMed Central

Courtney, Kelly E.; Arellano, Ryan; Barkley-Levenson, Emily; Gálvan, Adriana; Poldrack, Russell A.; MacKillop, James; Jentsch, J. David; Ray, Lara A.

2011-01-01

Background Higher levels of impulsivity have been implicated in the development of alcohol use disorders. Recent findings suggest that impulsivity is not a unitary construct, highlighted by the diverse ways in which the various measures of impulsivity relate to alcohol use outcomes. This study simultaneously tested the following dimensions of impulsivity as determinants of alcohol use and alcohol problems: risky decision-making, self-reported risk attitudes, response inhibition, and impulsive decision-making. Method Participants were a community sample of non-treatment seeking problem drinkers (N = 158). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analyses employed behavioral measures of impulsive decision-making (Delay Discounting Task, DDT), response inhibition (Stop Signal Task, SST), and risky decision-making (Balloon Analogue Risk Task, BART), and a self-report measure of risk attitudes (Domain-specific Risk-attitude Scale, DOSPERT), as predictors of alcohol use and of alcohol-related problems in this sample. Results The model fit well, accounting for 38% of the variance in alcohol problems, and identified two impulsivity dimensions that significantly loaded onto alcohol outcomes: (1) impulsive decision-making, indexed by the DDT; and (2) risky decision-making, measured by the BART. Conclusions The impulsive decision-making dimension of impulsivity, indexed by the DDT, was the strongest predictor of alcohol use and alcohol pathology in this sample of problem drinkers. Unexpectedly, a negative relationship was found between risky decision-making and alcohol problems. The results highlight the importance of considering the distinct facets of impulsivity in order to elucidate their individual and combined effects on alcohol use initiation, escalation, and dependence. PMID:22091877

Women with elevated food addiction symptoms show accelerated reactions, but no impaired inhibitory control, in response to pictures of high-calorie food-cues.

PubMed

Meule, Adrian; Lutz, Annika; Vögele, Claus; Kübler, Andrea

2012-12-01

Addictive behaviors are accompanied by a lack of inhibitory control, specifically when individuals are confronted with substance-related cues. Thus, we expected women with symptoms of food addiction to be impaired in inhibitory control, when confronted with palatable, high-calorie food-cues. Female college students (N=50) were divided in low and high food addiction groups based on the symptom count of the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Participants performed a Go/No-go-task with high-calorie food-cues or neutral pictures presented behind the targets. Self-reported impulsivity was also assessed. The high food addiction group had faster reaction times in response to food-cues as compared to neutral cues and reported higher attentional impulsivity than the low food addiction group. Commission and omission errors did not differ between groups or picture types. Hence, women with food addiction symptoms reported higher attentional impulsivity and reacted faster in response to food-cues, although neither increased self-reported motor impulsivity nor impaired behavioral inhibition was found. Food addiction symptoms seem to be related to attentional aspects of impulsivity but not other facets of impulsivity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neurocognitive and psychiatric dimensions of “hot” impulsivity, but not “cool” impulsivity, predict HIV sexual risk behaviors among drug users in protracted abstinence

PubMed Central

Wilson, Michael J.; Vassileva, Jasmin

2016-01-01

Background Impulsivity is an important risk factor for HIV risky drug and sexual behaviors. Research identifies “hot” (i.e., affectively-mediated, reward-based) and “cool” (motoric, attentional, independent of context) neurocognitive and psychiatric dimensions of impulsivity, though the impact of specific drugs of abuse on these varieties of impulsivity remains an open question. Objectives The present study examined the associations of neurocognitive and psychiatric varieties of “hot” and “cool” impulsivity with measures of lifetime and recent sexual risk behaviors among users of different classes of drugs. Methods The study sample was comprised drug users in protracted (>1yr) abstinence: heroin monodependent (n=61), amphetamine monodependent (n=44), and polysubstance dependent (n= 73). “Hot” impulsivity was operationalized via neurocognitive tasks of reward-based decision-making and symptoms of psychopathy. “Cool” impulsivity was operationalized via neurocognitive tasks of response inhibition and symptoms of ADHD. Results “Hot” impulsivity was associated with sexual risk behaviors among heroin and amphetamine users in protracted abstinence, whereas “cool” impulsivity was not associated with sexual risk behaviors among any drug-using group. Neurocognitive “hot” impulsivity was associated with recent (past 30-day) sexual risk behaviors, whereas psychopathy was associated with sexual risk behaviors during more remote time-periods (past 6 month and lifetime) and mediated the association between heroin dependence and past 6-month sexual risk behaviors. Conclusion Assessments and interventions aimed at reducing sexual risk behaviors among drug users should focus on “hot” neurocognitive and psychiatric dimensions of impulsivity, such as decision-making and psychopathy. “Cool” dimensions of impulsivity such as response inhibition and ADHD were not related to sexual risk behaviors among drug users in protracted abstinence. PMID:26837332

Suicidality in Bipolar Disorder: The Role of Emotion-Triggered Impulsivity.

PubMed

Johnson, Sheri L; Carver, Charles S; Tharp, Jordan A

2017-04-01

A growing body of research suggests that impulsive responses to emotion more robustly predict suicidality than do other forms of impulsivity. This issue has not yet been examined within bipolar disorder, however. Participants diagnosed with bipolar I disorder (n = 133) and control participants (n = 110) diagnosed with no mood or psychotic disorder completed self-report measures of emotion-triggered impulsivity (Negative and Positive Urgency Scales) and interviews concerning lifetime suicidality. Analyses examined the effects of emotion-triggered impulsivity alone and in combination with gender, age of onset, depression severity, comorbid anxiety, comorbid substance use, and medication. A history of suicide ideation and attempts, as well as self-harm, were significantly more common in the bipolar disorder group compared with the control group. Impulsive responses to positive emotions related to suicide ideation, attempts, and self-harm within the bipolar group. Findings extend research on the importance of emotion-triggered impulsivity to a broad range of key outcomes within bipolar disorder. The discussion focuses on limitations and potential clinical implications. © 2016 The American Association of Suicidology.

Heavy drinking, impulsivity and attentional narrowing following alcohol cue exposure.

PubMed

Hicks, Joshua A; Fields, Sherecce; Davis, William E; Gable, Philip A

2015-08-01

Research shows that alcohol-related stimuli have the propensity to capture attention among individuals motivated to consume alcohol. Research has further demonstrated that impulsive individuals are especially prone to this type of attentional bias. Recently, it is suggested that alcohol cue exposure can also produce a general narrowing of attention consistent with the activation of approach motivational states. Based on previous models of addiction and recent research on the activation of approach motivational states, we predicted that impulsive individuals would demonstrate a constriction of attentional focus in response to alcohol cue exposure. Participants (n = 392) completed a task assessing attentional breadth in response to alcohol and non-alcohol cues, followed by measures of alcohol use and impulsivity. The findings revealed that impulsivity scores predicted narrowing of attentional scope following the presentation of alcohol cues for heavier drinkers but not for light drinkers. These results suggest that impulsive individuals who drink more heavily demonstrate a narrowing of attention in the presence of alcohol-related incentive cues. Implications for how these findings might account for the link between impulsivity and alcohol use and misuse are discussed.

Image Processing, Coding, and Compression with Multiple-Point Impulse Response Functions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stossel, Bryan Joseph

1995-01-01

Aspects of image processing, coding, and compression with multiple-point impulse response functions are investigated. Topics considered include characterization of the corresponding random-walk transfer function, image recovery for images degraded by the multiple-point impulse response, and the application of the blur function to image coding and compression. It is found that although the zeros of the real and imaginary parts of the random-walk transfer function occur in continuous, closed contours, the zeros of the transfer function occur at isolated spatial frequencies. Theoretical calculations of the average number of zeros per area are in excellent agreement with experimental results obtained from computer counts of the zeros. The average number of zeros per area is proportional to the standard deviations of the real part of the transfer function as well as the first partial derivatives. Statistical parameters of the transfer function are calculated including the mean, variance, and correlation functions for the real and imaginary parts of the transfer function and their corresponding first partial derivatives. These calculations verify the assumptions required in the derivation of the expression for the average number of zeros. Interesting results are found for the correlations of the real and imaginary parts of the transfer function and their first partial derivatives. The isolated nature of the zeros in the transfer function and its characteristics at high spatial frequencies result in largely reduced reconstruction artifacts and excellent reconstructions are obtained for distributions of impulses consisting of 25 to 150 impulses. The multiple-point impulse response obscures original scenes beyond recognition. This property is important for secure transmission of data on many communication systems. The multiple-point impulse response enables the decoding and restoration of the original scene with very little distortion. Images prefiltered by the random-walk transfer function yield greater compression ratios than are obtained for the original scene. The multiple-point impulse response decreases the bit rate approximately 40-70% and affords near distortion-free reconstructions. Due to the lossy nature of transform-based compression algorithms, noise reduction measures must be incorporated to yield acceptable reconstructions after decompression.

Impulsivity and behaviour problems in dogs: A Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory perspective.

PubMed

Piotti, Patrizia; Satchell, Liam Paul; Lockhart, Tom Steven

2018-06-01

Trait impulsivity is an increasingly relevant topic for human and non-human animal personality research. There are similarities in dog and human manifestations of trait impulsivity at the behavioural, genetic, and neurobiological level. We investigated a well-validated measure of dog impulsivity and responsivity (the Dog Impulsivity Assessment Scale, DIAS) and a neuropsychological theory of human trait approach and avoidance (the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of personality, RST). Owners reported their dogs' dispositional behaviour on the DIAS, an RST scale modified to describe dogs' behaviour, and a list of common dog behaviour problems. In a sample of 730 dogs, we observed convergence between the RST and the DIAS. There was a negative correlation between RST 'Behaviour Inhibition System' and DIAS impulsivity factor ('Behavioural Regulation'). RST 'Behavioural Approach System' correlated positively with DIAS 'Responsiveness'. The RST 'Fight-Flight-Freeze System' (FFFS) and the DIAS 'Aggression and response to novelty factor were both distinct from other factors. However, the DIAS 'Aggression and response to novelty' factor and the RST FFFS explained different aspects of dog behaviour problems. Importantly, whilst the DIAS factors indicated tendencies towards avoidant behaviours, the FFFS discriminated between active and passive avoidance. The findings suggest a partial overlapping between the DIAS and RST scales, and highlights the utility of personality models in investigating behaviour problems in dogs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Context influences decision-making in boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A comparison of traditional and novel choice-impulsivity paradigms.

PubMed

Patros, Connor H G; Alderson, R Matt; Lea, Sarah E; Tarle, Stephanie J

2017-02-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by an impaired ability to maintain attention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity. Impulsivity is frequently defined as the preference for small, immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards, and has been associated with a variety of negative outcomes such as risky behavior and academic difficulty. Extant studies have uniformly utilized the traditional paradigm of presenting two response choices, which limits the generalization of findings to scenarios in which children/adolescents are faced with dichotomous decisions. The current study is the first to examine the effect of manipulating the number of available response options on impulsive decision-making in boys with and without ADHD. A total of 39 boys (ADHD = 16, typically developing [TD] = 23) aged 8-12 years completed a traditional two-choice impulsivity task and a novel five-choice impulsivity task to examine the effect of manipulating the number of choice responses (two vs five) on impulsive decision-making. A five-choice task was utilized as it presents a more continuous array of choice options when compared to the typical two-choice task, and is comparable given its methodological similarity to the two-choice task. Results suggested that boys with ADHD were significantly more impulsive than TD boys during the two-choice task, but not during the five-choice task. Collectively, these findings suggest that ADHD-related impulsivity is not ubiquitous, but rather dependent on variation in demands and/or context. Further, these findings highlight the importance of examining ADHD-related decision-making within the context of alternative paradigms, as the exclusive utilization of two-choice tasks may promote inaccurate conceptualizations of the disorder.

Does oxygen delivery explain interindividual variation in forearm critical impulse?

PubMed

Kellawan, J Mikhail; Bentley, Robert F; Bravo, Michael F; Moynes, Jackie S; Tschakovsky, Michael E

2014-11-01

Within individuals, critical power appears sensitive to manipulations in O2 delivery. We asked whether interindividual differences in forearm O2 delivery might account for a majority of the interindividual differences in forearm critical force impulse (critical impulse), the force analog of critical power. Ten healthy men (24.6 ± 7.10 years) completed a maximal effort rhythmic handgrip exercise test (1 sec contraction-2 sec relaxation) for 10 min. The average of contraction impulses over the last 30 sec quantified critical impulse. Forearm brachial artery blood flow (FBF; echo and Doppler ultrasound) and mean arterial pressure (MAP; finger photoplethysmography) were measured continuously. O2 delivery (FBF arterial oxygen content (venous blood [hemoglobin] and oxygen saturation from pulse oximetry)) and forearm vascular conductance (FVC; FBF·MAP(-1)) were calculated. There was a wide range in O2 delivery (59.98-121.15 O2 mL·min(-1)) and critical impulse (381.5-584.8 N) across subjects. During maximal effort exercise, O2 delivery increased rapidly, plateauing well before the declining forearm impulse and explained most of the interindividual differences in critical impulse (r(2) = 0.85, P < 0.01). Both vasodilation (r(2) = 0.64, P < 0.001) and the exercise pressor response (r(2) = 0.33, P < 0.001) independently contributed to interindividual differences in FBF. In conclusion, interindividual differences in forearm O2 delivery account for most of the interindividual variation in critical impulse. Furthermore, individual differences in pressor response play an important role in determining differences in O2 delivery in addition to vasodilation. The mechanistic origins of this vasodilatory and pressor response heterogeneity across individuals remain to be determined. © 2014 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Physiological Society and The Physiological Society.

Does oxygen delivery explain interindividual variation in forearm critical impulse?

PubMed Central

Kellawan, J. Mikhail; Bentley, Robert F.; Bravo, Michael F.; Moynes, Jackie S.; Tschakovsky, Michael E.

2014-01-01

Abstract Within individuals, critical power appears sensitive to manipulations in O2 delivery. We asked whether interindividual differences in forearm O2 delivery might account for a majority of the interindividual differences in forearm critical force impulse (critical impulse), the force analog of critical power. Ten healthy men (24.6 ± 7.10 years) completed a maximal effort rhythmic handgrip exercise test (1 sec contraction‐2 sec relaxation) for 10 min. The average of contraction impulses over the last 30 sec quantified critical impulse. Forearm brachial artery blood flow (FBF; echo and Doppler ultrasound) and mean arterial pressure (MAP; finger photoplethysmography) were measured continuously. O2 delivery (FBF arterial oxygen content (venous blood [hemoglobin] and oxygen saturation from pulse oximetry)) and forearm vascular conductance (FVC; FBF·MAP−1) were calculated. There was a wide range in O2 delivery (59.98–121.15 O2 mL·min−1) and critical impulse (381.5–584.8 N) across subjects. During maximal effort exercise, O2 delivery increased rapidly, plateauing well before the declining forearm impulse and explained most of the interindividual differences in critical impulse (r2 = 0.85, P < 0.01). Both vasodilation (r2 = 0.64, P < 0.001) and the exercise pressor response (r2 = 0.33, P < 0.001) independently contributed to interindividual differences in FBF. In conclusion, interindividual differences in forearm O2 delivery account for most of the interindividual variation in critical impulse. Furthermore, individual differences in pressor response play an important role in determining differences in O2 delivery in addition to vasodilation. The mechanistic origins of this vasodilatory and pressor response heterogeneity across individuals remain to be determined. PMID:25413323

An improved algorithm for balanced POD through an analytic treatment of impulse response tails

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Jonathan H.; Rowley, Clarence W.

2012-06-01

We present a modification of the balanced proper orthogonal decomposition (balanced POD) algorithm for systems with simple impulse response tails. In this new method, we use dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) to estimate the slowly decaying eigenvectors that dominate the long-time behavior of the direct and adjoint impulse responses. This is done using a new, low-memory variant of the DMD algorithm, appropriate for large datasets. We then formulate analytic expressions for the contribution of these eigenvectors to the controllability and observability Gramians. These contributions can be accounted for in the balanced POD algorithm by simply appending the impulse response snapshot matrices (direct and adjoint, respectively) with particular linear combinations of the slow eigenvectors. Aside from these additions to the snapshot matrices, the algorithm remains unchanged. By treating the tails analytically, we eliminate the need to run long impulse response simulations, lowering storage requirements and speeding up ensuing computations. To demonstrate its effectiveness, we apply this method to two examples: the linearized, complex Ginzburg-Landau equation, and the two-dimensional fluid flow past a cylinder. As expected, reduced-order models computed using an analytic tail match or exceed the accuracy of those computed using the standard balanced POD procedure, at a fraction of the cost.

Personality differences in the susceptibility to stress-eating: The influence of emotional control and impulsivity.

PubMed

Van Blyderveen, Sherry; Lafrance, Adele; Emond, Michael; Kosmerly, Stacey; O'Connor, Megan; Chang, Felicia

2016-12-01

Stress has been associated with deviations from typical eating patterns, with respect to both food choice and overall caloric intake. Both increases and decreases in dietary intake have been previously noted in response to stress. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the affect regulation strategies of emotional control and impulsivity predict susceptibility to eating in response to stress. Specifically, it was anticipated that emotional suppression would predict decreases in caloric intake, whereas impulsivity would predict increases in caloric intake, in response to a stressor. Participants were randomly assigned to view either a video designed to elicit stress or a control video. Food was provided during the video and the amount and type of food consumed was measured. Participants' nutritional intake was greater in the stress condition than in the control condition. One aspect of affect regulation, impulsivity, moderated this relationship, with a tendency for greater impulsivity to be associated with greater caloric intake in the stress condition. The degree of negative affect that participants experienced in the stress condition predicted food choice and overall caloric intake. Both emotional control and impulsivity moderated the relationship between negative affect and both food choice and caloric intake in the stress condition. The present study highlights the importance of considering the personality attributes of both impulsivity and emotional suppression in understanding stress eating. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Switching non-local vector median filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuoka, Jyohei; Koga, Takanori; Suetake, Noriaki; Uchino, Eiji

2016-04-01

This paper describes a novel image filtering method that removes random-valued impulse noise superimposed on a natural color image. In impulse noise removal, it is essential to employ a switching-type filtering method, as used in the well-known switching median filter, to preserve the detail of an original image with good quality. In color image filtering, it is generally preferable to deal with the red (R), green (G), and blue (B) components of each pixel of a color image as elements of a vectorized signal, as in the well-known vector median filter, rather than as component-wise signals to prevent a color shift after filtering. By taking these fundamentals into consideration, we propose a switching-type vector median filter with non-local processing that mainly consists of a noise detector and a noise removal filter. Concretely, we propose a noise detector that proactively detects noise-corrupted pixels by focusing attention on the isolation tendencies of pixels of interest not in an input image but in difference images between RGB components. Furthermore, as the noise removal filter, we propose an extended version of the non-local median filter, we proposed previously for grayscale image processing, named the non-local vector median filter, which is designed for color image processing. The proposed method realizes a superior balance between the preservation of detail and impulse noise removal by proactive noise detection and non-local switching vector median filtering, respectively. The effectiveness and validity of the proposed method are verified in a series of experiments using natural color images.

[Electrical response of inner membrane structures of corynebacteria during electrotransformation].

PubMed

Tiurin, M V; Voroshilova, E B; Rostova, Iu G; Oparina, N Iu; Gusiatiner, M M

1998-01-01

The efficiency of the electrotransformation of intact cells of corynebacteria by a solitary impulse with a complex shape amounted to 10(6) transformants/microgram of plasmid pNV1 DNA at an electric field strength of 14.2 kW/cm; the voltage-current curve of the cell samples was nonlinear. Under these conditions, the structure of the electric current impulse passing intact cells or protoplasts included oscillations characterized by increasing amplitude and a duration of 170 microseconds, which were not detected in the structure of the electric current impulses at field strengths insufficient for obtaining transformants. These changes in the impulse shape suggest the involvement of internal closed membrane structures in the electrical response of cells to the exogenous electric impulse. Most probably, under conditions of electrical treatment optimal for transformation, electropores are formed in the intracellular membranes of corynebacteria.

Electric field and space charge distribution measurement in transformer oil struck by impulsive high voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sima, Wenxia; Guo, Hongda; Yang, Qing; Song, He; Yang, Ming; Yu, Fei

2015-08-01

Transformer oil is widely used in power systems because of its excellent insulation properties. The accurate measurement of electric field and space charge distribution in transformer oil under high voltage impulse has important theoretical and practical significance, but still remains challenging to date because of its low Kerr constant. In this study, the continuous electric field and space charge distribution over time between parallel-plate electrodes in high-voltage pulsed transformer oil based on the Kerr effect is directly measured using a linear array photoelectrical detector. Experimental results demonstrate the applicability and reliability of this method. This study provides a feasible approach to further study the space charge effects and breakdown mechanisms in transformer oil.

Characterization of gigahertz (GHz) bandwidth photomultipliers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abshire, J. B.; Rowe, H. E.

1977-01-01

The average impulse response, root-mean-square times jitter as a function of signal level, single photoelectron distribution, and multiphotoelectron dark-count distribution have been measured for two static crossed-field and five electrostatic photomultipliers. The optical signal source for the first three of these tests was a 30 picosecond mode-locked laser pulse at 0.53 micron. The static crossed-field detectors had 2-photoelectron resolution, less than 200 ps rise times, and rms time jitters of 30 ps at the single photoelectron level. The electrostatic photomultipliers had rise times from 1 to 2.5 nanoseconds, and rms time jitters from 160 to 650 ps at the same signal level. The two static crossed-field photomultipliers had ion-feedback-generated dark pulses to the 50-photoelectron level, whereas one electrostatic photomultiplier had dark pulses to the 30-photoelectron level.

Symbol signal-to-noise ratio loss in square-wave subcarrier downconversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feria, Y.; Statman, J.

1993-01-01

This article presents the simulated results of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) loss in the process of a square-wave subcarrier down conversion. In a previous article, the SNR degradation was evaluated at the output of the down converter based on the signal and noise power change. Unlike in the previous article, the SNR loss is defined here as the difference between the actual and theoretical symbol SNR's for the same symbol-error rate at the output of the symbol matched filter. The results show that an average SNR loss of 0.3 dB can be achieved with tenth-order infinite impulse response (IIR) filters. This loss is a 0.2-dB increase over the SNR degradation in the previous analysis where neither the signal distortion nor the symbol detector was considered.

Neurocognitive and psychiatric dimensions of hot, but not cool, impulsivity predict HIV sexual risk behaviors among drug users in protracted abstinence.

PubMed

Wilson, Michael J; Vassileva, Jasmin

2016-03-01

Impulsivity is an important risk factor for HIV risky drug and sexual behaviors. Research identifies hot (i.e. affectively-mediated, reward-based) and cool (motoric, attentional, independent of context) neurocognitive and psychiatric dimensions of impulsivity, though the impact of specific drugs of abuse on these varieties of impulsivity remains an open question. The present study examined the associations of neurocognitive and psychiatric varieties of hot and cool impulsivity with measures of lifetime and recent sexual risk behaviors among users of different classes of drugs. The study sample was comprised of drug users in protracted (> 1 year) abstinence: heroin mono-dependent (n = 61), amphetamine mono-dependent (n = 44), and polysubstance dependent (n = 73). Hot impulsivity was operationalized via neurocognitive tasks of reward-based decision-making and symptoms of psychopathy. Cool impulsivity was operationalized via neurocognitive tasks of response inhibition and symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Hot impulsivity was associated with sexual risk behaviors among heroin and amphetamine users in protracted abstinence, whereas cool impulsivity was not associated with sexual risk behaviors among any drug-using group. Neurocognitive hot impulsivity was associated with recent (past 30-day) sexual risk behaviors, whereas psychopathy was associated with sexual risk behaviors during more remote time-periods (past 6 month and lifetime) and mediated the association between heroin dependence and past 6-month sexual risk behaviors. Assessments and interventions aimed at reducing sexual risk behaviors among drug users should focus on hot neurocognitive and psychiatric dimensions of impulsivity, such as decision-making and psychopathy. Cool dimensions of impulsivity such as response inhibition and ADHD were not related to sexual risk behaviors among drug users in protracted abstinence.

Magneto-Radar Hidden Metal Detector

DOEpatents

McEwan, Thomas E.

2005-07-05

A varying magnetic field excites slight vibrations in an object and a radar sensor detects the vibrations at a harmonic of the excitation frequency. The synergy of the magnetic excitation and radar detection provides increased detection range compared to conventional magnetic metal detectors. The radar rejects background clutter by responding only to reflecting objects that are vibrating at a harmonic excitation field, thereby significantly improving detection reliability. As an exemplary arrangement, an ultra-wideband micropower impulse radar (MIR) is capable of being employed to provide superior materials penetration while providing range information. The magneto-radar may be applied to pre-screening magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) patients, landmine detection and finding hidden treasures.

Impulse control and restrained eating among young women: Evidence for compensatory cortical activation during a chocolate-specific delayed discounting task.

PubMed

Dong, Debo; Wang, Yulin; Jackson, Todd; Chen, Shuaiyu; Wang, Yu; Zhou, Feng; Chen, Hong

2016-10-01

Theory and associated research indicate that people with elevated restrained eating (RE) scores have higher risk for binge eating, future bulimic symptom onset and weight gain. Previous imaging studies have suggested hyper-responsive reward brain area activation in response to food cues contributes to this risk but little is known about associated neural impulse control mechanisms, especially when considering links between depleted cognitive resources related to unsuccessful RE. Towards illuminating this issue, we used a chocolate-specific delayed discounting (DD) task to investigate relations between RE scores, behavior impulsivity, and corresponding neural impulse control correlates in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study of 27 young women. Specifically, participants were required to choose between more immediate, smaller versus delayed, larger hypothetical chocolate rewards following initial consumption of a chocolate. As predicted, RE scores were correlated positively with behavior impulse control levels. More critically, higher RE scores were associated with stronger activation in impulse control region, the dorsal-lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during the completion of difficult decision trials reflecting higher cognitive demands and resource depletion relative to easy decision trials. Exploratory analyses revealed a positive correlation between RE scores and activity in a reward system hub, the right striatum. Moreover, a positive correlation between left DLPFC and striatum activation was posited to reflect, in part, impulse control region compensation in response to stronger reward signal among women with RE elevations. Findings suggested impulse control lapses may contribute to difficulties in maintaining RE, particularly when cognitive demands are high. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Reward Sensitivity and Waiting Impulsivity: Shift towards Reward Valuation away from Action Control

PubMed Central

Mechelmans, Daisy J; Strelchuk, Daniela; Doñamayor, Nuria; Banca, Paula; Robbins, Trevor W; Baek, Kwangyeol

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Impulsivity and reward expectancy are commonly interrelated. Waiting impulsivity, measured using the rodent 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time task, predicts compulsive cocaine seeking and sign (or cue) tracking. Here, we assess human waiting impulsivity using a novel translational task, the 4-Choice Serial Reaction Time task, and the relationship with reward cues. Methods Healthy volunteers (n=29) performed the monetary incentive delay task as a functional MRI study where subjects observe a cue predicting reward (cue) and wait to respond for high (£5), low (£1), or no reward. Waiting impulsivity was tested with the 4-Choice Serial Reaction Time task. Results For high reward prospects (£5, no reward), greater waiting impulsivity on the 4-CSRT correlated with greater medial orbitofrontal cortex and lower supplementary motor area activity to cues. In response to high reward cues, greater waiting impulsivity was associated with greater subthalamic nucleus connectivity with orbitofrontal cortex and greater subgenual cingulate connectivity with anterior insula, but decreased connectivity with regions implicated in action selection and preparation. Conclusion These findings highlight a shift towards regions implicated in reward valuation and a shift towards compulsivity away from higher level motor preparation and action selection and response. We highlight the role of reward sensitivity and impulsivity, mechanisms potentially linking human waiting impulsivity with incentive approach and compulsivity, theories highly relevant to disorders of addiction. PMID:29020291

Field camera measurements of gradient and shim impulse responses using frequency sweeps.

PubMed

Vannesjo, S Johanna; Dietrich, Benjamin E; Pavan, Matteo; Brunner, David O; Wilm, Bertram J; Barmet, Christoph; Pruessmann, Klaas P

2014-08-01

Applications of dynamic shimming require high field fidelity, and characterizing the shim field dynamics is therefore necessary. Modeling the system as linear and time-invariant, the purpose of this work was to measure the impulse response function with optimal sensitivity. Frequency-swept pulses as inputs are analyzed theoretically, showing that the sweep speed is a key factor for the measurement sensitivity. By adjusting the sweep speed it is possible to achieve any prescribed noise profile in the measured system response. Impulse response functions were obtained for the third-order shim system of a 7 Tesla whole-body MR scanner. Measurements of the shim fields were done with a dynamic field camera, yielding also cross-term responses. The measured shim impulse response functions revealed system characteristics such as response bandwidth, eddy currents and specific resonances, possibly of mechanical origin. Field predictions based on the shim characterization were shown to agree well with directly measured fields, also in the cross-terms. Frequency sweeps provide a flexible tool for shim or gradient system characterization. This may prove useful for applications involving dynamic shimming by yielding accurate estimates of the shim fields and a basis for setting shim pre-emphasis. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

On the limits of Kagan's impulsive reflective distinction.

PubMed

Jones, B; McIntyre, L

1976-05-01

A logical analysis is made of the Matching Familiar Figures (MFF) Test on the basis of which children have been classified as "impulsive" or "reflective." The reflective strategy is implicitly preferred to the impulsive because the reflective child makes fewer errors though generally taking longer to make his first response. We show that the test allows the choice of a number of "game plans" and speed-accuracy tradeoffs which in practice may not be very different. Error rates may not indicate perceptual sensitivity, in any case, since sensitivity and response factors may be confounded in the error rate. Using a visual running-memory-span task to avoid the inherent difficulties of the MFF test, we found that children previously classified on the basis of that test as impulsive or reflective did not differ in recognition accuracy but did differ in response bias and response latency. Accuracy and bias are estimated by way of Luce's choice theory (Luce, 1963), and the results are discussed in those terms.

The effect of spinal manipulation impulse duration on spine neuromechanical responses

PubMed Central

Pagé, Isabelle; Nougarou, François; Dugas, Claude; Descarreaux, Martin

2014-01-01

Introduction: Spinal manipulation therapy (SMT) is characterized by specific kinetic and kinematic parameters that can be modulated. The purpose of this study is to investigate fundamental aspects of SMT dose-physiological response relation in humans by varying SMT impulse duration. Methods: Twenty healthy adults were subjected to four different SMT force-time profiles delivered by a servo-controlled linear actuator motor and differing in their impulse duration. EMG responses of the left and right thoracic paraspinal muscles (T6 and T8 levels) and vertebral displacements of T7 and T8 were evaluated for all SMT phases. Results: Significant differences in paraspinal EMG were observed during the “Thrust phase” and immediately after (“Post-SMT1”) (all T8 ps < 0.01 and T6 during the thrust ps < 0.05). Sagittal vertebral displacements were similar across all conditions (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Decreasing SMT impulse duration leads to a linear increase in EMG response of thoracic paraspinal during and following the SMT thrust. PMID:24932018

On the interpretation of kernels - Computer simulation of responses to impulse pairs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hung, G.; Stark, L.; Eykhoff, P.

1983-01-01

A method is presented for the use of a unit impulse response and responses to impulse pairs of variable separation in the calculation of the second-degree kernels of a quadratic system. A quadratic system may be built from simple linear terms of known dynamics and a multiplier. Computer simulation results on quadratic systems with building elements of various time constants indicate reasonably that the larger time constant term before multiplication dominates in the envelope of the off-diagonal kernel curves as these move perpendicular to and away from the main diagonal. The smaller time constant term before multiplication combines with the effect of the time constant after multiplication to dominate in the kernel curves in the direction of the second-degree impulse response, i.e., parallel to the main diagonal. Such types of insight may be helpful in recognizing essential aspects of (second-degree) kernels; they may be used in simplifying the model structure and, perhaps, add to the physical/physiological understanding of the underlying processes.

Linear response theory for annealing of radiation damage in semiconductor devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litovchenko, Vitaly

1988-01-01

A theoretical study of the radiation/annealing response of MOS ICs is described. Although many experiments have been performed in this field, no comprehensive theory dealing with radiation/annealing response has been proposed. Many attempts have been made to apply linear response theory, but no theoretical foundation has been presented. The linear response theory outlined here is capable of describing a broad area of radiation/annealing response phenomena in MOS ICs, in particular, both simultaneous irradiation and annealing, as well as short- and long-term annealing, including the case when annealing is nearing completion. For the first time, a simple procedure is devised to determine the response function from experimental radiation/annealing data. In addition, this procedure enables us to study the effect of variable temperature and dose rate, effects which are of interest in spaceflight. In the past, the shift in threshold potential due to radiation/annealing has usually been assumed to depend on one variable: the time lapse between an impulse dose and the time of observation. While such a suggestion of uniformity in time is certainly true for a broad range of radiation annealing phenomena, it may not hold for some ranges of the variables of interest (temperature, dose rate, etc.). A response function is projected which is dependent on two variables: the time of observation and the time of the impulse dose. This dependence on two variables allows us to extend the theory to the treatment of a variable dose rate. Finally, the linear theory is generalized to the case in which the response is nonlinear with impulse dose, but is proportional to some impulse function of dose. A method to determine both the impulse and response functions is presented.

Qualitative analysis of MTEM response using instantaneous attributes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fayemi, Olalekan; Di, Qingyun

2017-11-01

This paper introduces new technique for qualitative analysis of multi-transient electromagnetic (MTEM) earth impulse response over complex geological structures. Instantaneous phase and frequency attributes were used in place of the conventional common offset section for improved qualitative interpretation of MTEM data by obtaining more detailed information from the earth impulse response. The instantaneous attributes were used to describe the lateral variation in subsurface resistivity and the visible geological structure with respect to given offsets. Instantaneous phase attribute was obtained by converting the impulse response into a complex form using the Hilbert transform. Conversely, the polynomial phase difference (PPD) estimator was favored over the center finite difference (CFD) approximation method in calculating the instantaneous frequency attribute because it is computationally efficient and has the ability to give a smooth variation of the instantaneous frequency over a common offset section. The observed results from the instantaneous attributes were in good agreement with both the subsurface model used and the apparent resistivity section obtained from the MTEM earth impulse response. Hence, this study confirms the capability of both instantaneous phase and frequency attributes as highly effective tools for MTEM qualitative analysis.

[Impulse control in addiction: a translational perspective].

PubMed

Schmaal, L; Broos, N; Joos, L; Pattij, T; Goudriaan, A E

2013-01-01

Impulsivity is a hallmark of addiction and predicts treatment response and relapse. Impulsivity is, however, a complex construct. Translational cross-species research is needed to give us greater insight into the neurobiology and the role of impulsivity in addiction and to help with the development of new treatment strategies for improving patients' impulse control. To review recent evidence concerning the concept of impulsivity and the role of impulsivity in addiction. The concept and neurobiology of impulsivity are reviewed from a translational perspective. The role of impulsivity in addiction and implications for treatment are discussed. Our recent translational cross-species study indicates that impulsivity is made up of several, separate independent features with partly distinct underlying neurobiological substrates. There are also indications that these features make a unique and independent contribution to separate stages of the addiction cycle. In addition, the improvement of impulse control is a promising new target area for treatments that could lead to better results. However, those involved in developing new treatment strategies will have to take into account the complexity and multidimensional character of impulsivity.

Daily morphine administration increases impulsivity in rats responding under a 5‐choice serial reaction time task

PubMed Central

Maguire, DR; Henson, C

2016-01-01

Background and Purpose Repeated administration of a μ opioid receptor agonist can enhance some forms of impulsivity, such as delay discounting. However, it is unclear whether repeated administration alters motor impulsivity. Experimental Approach We examined the effects of acute administration of morphine and amphetamine prior to and during daily morphine administration in rats responding under a five‐choice serial reaction time task. Rats (n = 5) were trained to detect a brief flash of light presented randomly in one of five response holes; responding in the target hole delivered food, whereas responding in the wrong hole or responding prior to illumination of the target stimulus (premature response) initiated a timeout. Premature responding served as an index of motor impulsivity. Key Results Administered acutely, morphine (0.1–10 mg·kg−1, i.p.) increased omissions and modestly, although not significantly, premature responding without affecting response accuracy; amphetamine (0.1–1.78 mg·kg−1, i.p.) increased premature responding without changing omissions or response accuracy. After 3 weeks of 10 mg·kg−1·day−1 morphine, tolerance developed to its effects on omissions whereas premature responding increased approximately fourfold, compared with baseline. Effects of amphetamine were not significantly affected by daily morphine administration. Conclusions and Implications These data suggest that repeated administration of morphine increased effects of morphine on motor impulsivity, although tolerance developed to other effects, such as omissions. To the extent that impulsivity is a risk factor for drug abuse, repeated administration of μ opioid receptor agonists, for recreational or therapeutic purposes, might increase impulsivity and thus the risk for drug abuse. PMID:26776751

Effects of Displacement Damage on the Time-Resolved Gain and Bandwidth of a Low Breakdown Voltage Si Avalanche Photodiode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laird, Jamie S.; Onoda, Shinobu; Hirao, Toshio; Becker, Heidi; Johnston, Allan; Laird, Jamie S.; Itoh, Hisayoshi

2006-01-01

Effects of displacement damage and ionization damage induced by gamma irradiation on the dark current and impulse response of a high-bandwidth low breakdown voltage Si Avalanche Photodiode has been investigated using picosecond laser microscopy. At doses as high as 10Mrad (Si) minimal alteration in the impulse response and bandwidth were observed. However, dark current measurements also performed with and without biased irradiation exhibit anomalously large damage factors for applied biases close to breakdown. The absence of any degradation in the impulse response is discussed as are possible mechanisms for higher dark current damage factors observed for biased irradiation.

Women with borderline personality disorder do not show altered BOLD responses during response inhibition.

PubMed

van Eijk, Julia; Sebastian, Alexandra; Krause-Utz, Annegret; Cackowski, Sylvia; Demirakca, Traute; Biedermann, Sarah V; Lieb, Klaus; Bohus, Martin; Schmahl, Christian; Ende, Gabriele; Tüscher, Oliver

2015-12-30

Impulsivity is central to borderline personality disorder (BPD). Response inhibition, addressing the ability to suppress or stop actions, is one aspect of behavioral impulse control which is frequently used to assess impulsivity. BPD patients display deficits in response inhibition under stress condition or negative emotions. We assessed whether response inhibition and its neural underpinnings are impaired in BPD when tested in an emotionally neutral setting and when co-morbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is excluded. To this end, we studied response inhibition in unmedicated BPD patients and healthy controls (HC) in two independent samples using functional magnetic resonance imaging during Simon-, Go/nogo-, and Stopsignal tasks. BPD patients and HC did not differ significantly in their performance in the Go/nogo and the Stopsignal tasks. Response interference in the Simon task was increased in BPD patients in one sample, but this could not be replicated in the second sample. In both samples, no significant differences in brain activation patterns during any of the tasks were present while the neural impulse control network was robustly activated during the inhibition tasks in both groups. Our results provide evidence that under emotionally neutral conditions response inhibition is not impaired in patients with BPD without co-occurring ADHD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sex differences in impulsive action and impulsive choice.

PubMed

Weafer, Jessica; de Wit, Harriet

2014-11-01

Here, we review the evidence for sex differences in behavioral measures of impulsivity for both humans and laboratory animals. We focus on two specific components of impulsivity: impulsive action (i.e., difficulty inhibiting a prepotent response) and impulsive choice (i.e., difficulty delaying gratification). Sex differences appear to exist on these measures, but the direction and magnitude of the differences vary. In laboratory animals, impulsive action is typically greater in males than females, whereas impulsive choice is typically greater in females. In humans, women discount more steeply than men, but sex differences on measures of impulsive action depend on tasks and subject samples. We discuss implications of these findings as they relate to drug addiction. We also point out the major gaps in this research to date, including the lack of studies designed specifically to examine sex differences in behavioral impulsivity, and the lack of consideration of menstrual or estrous phase or sex hormone levels in the studies. © 2013.

Sex differences in impulsive action and impulsive choice

PubMed Central

Weafer, Jessica; de Wit, Harriet

2013-01-01

Here, we review the evidence for sex differences in behavioral measures of impulsivity for both humans and laboratory animals. We focus on two specific components of impulsivity: impulsive action (i.e., difficulty inhibiting a prepotent response) and impulsive choice (i.e., difficulty delaying gratification). Sex differences appear to exist on these measures, but the direction and magnitude of the differences vary. In laboratory animals, impulsive action is typically greater in males than females, whereas impulsive choice is typically greater in females. In humans, women discount more steeply than men, but sex differences on measures of impulsive action depend on tasks and subject samples. We discuss implications of these findings as they relate to drug addiction. We also point out the major gaps in this research to date, including the lack of studies designed specifically to examine sex differences in behavioral impulsivity, and the lack of consideration of menstrual or estrous phase or sex hormone levels in the studies. PMID:24286704

Relationships between trait impulsivity and cognitive control: the effect of attention switching on response inhibition and conflict resolution.

PubMed

Leshem, Rotem

2016-02-01

This study examined the relationship between trait impulsivity and cognitive control, as measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) and a focused attention dichotic listening to words task, respectively. In the task, attention was manipulated in two attention conditions differing in their cognitive control demands: one in which attention was directed to one ear at a time for a whole block of trials (blocked condition) and another in which attention was switched pseudo-randomly between the two ears from trial to trial (mixed condition). Results showed that high impulsivity participants exhibited more false alarm and intrusion errors as well as a lesser ability to distinguish between stimuli in the mixed condition, as compared to low impulsivity participants. In the blocked condition, the performance levels of the two groups were comparable with respect to these measures. In addition, total BIS scores were correlated with intrusions and laterality index in the mixed but not the blocked condition. The findings suggest that high impulsivity individuals may be less prone to attentional difficulties when cognitive load is relatively low. In contrast, when attention switching is involved, high impulsivity is associated with greater difficulty in inhibiting responses and resolving cognitive conflict than is low impulsivity, as reflected in error-prone information processing. The conclusion is that trait impulsivity in a non-clinical population is manifested more strongly when attention switching is required than during maintained attention. This may have important implications for the conceptualization and treatment of impulsivity in both non-clinical and clinical populations.

The Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krucker, Säm; Christe, Steven; Glesener, Lindsay; Ishikawa, Shin-nosuke; McBride, Stephen; Glaser, David; Turin, Paul; Lin, R. P.; Gubarev, Mikhail; Ramsey, Brian; Saito, Shinya; Tanaka, Yasuyuki; Takahashi, Tadayuki; Watanabe, Shin; Tanaka, Takaaki; Tajima, Hiroyasu; Masuda, Satoshi

2011-09-01

The Focusing Optics x-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) is a sounding rocket payload funded under the NASA Low Cost Access to Space program to test hard x-ray (HXR) focusing optics and position-sensitive solid state detectors for solar observations. Today's leading solar HXR instrument, the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) provides excellent spatial (2 arcseconds) and spectral (1 keV) resolution. Yet, due to its use of an indirect imaging system, the derived images have a low dynamic range (typically <10) and sensitivity. These limitations make it difficult to study faint x-ray sources in the solar corona which are crucial for understanding the particle acceleration processes which occur there. Grazing-incidence x-ray focusing optics combined with position-sensitive solid state detectors can overcome both of these limitations enabling the next breakthrough in understanding impulsive energy release on the Sun. The FOXSI project is led by the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is responsible for the grazingincidence optics, while the Astro-H team at JAXA/ISAS has provided double-sided silicon strip detectors. FOXSI is a pathfinder for the next generation of solar hard x-ray spectroscopic imagers. Such observatories will be able to image the non-thermal electrons within the solar flare acceleration region, trace their paths through the corona, and provide essential quantitative measurements such as energy spectra, density, and energy content in accelerated electrons.

The Focusing Optics X-Ray Solar Imager: FOXSI

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krucker, Saem; Christe, Steven; Glesener, Lindsay; Ishikawa, Shin-nosuke; McBride, Stephen; Glaser, David; Turin, Paul; Lin, R. P.; Gubarev, Mikhail; Ramsey, Brian;

Pulse shaping system research of CdZnTe radiation detector for high energy x-ray diagnostic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Miao; Zhao, Mingkun; Ding, Keyu; Zhou, Shousen; Zhou, Benjie

2018-02-01

As one of the typical wide band-gap semiconductor materials, the CdZnTe material has high detection efficiency and excellent energy resolution for the hard X-ray and the Gamma ray. The generated signal of the CdZnTe detector needs to be transformed to the pseudo-Gaussian pulse with a small impulse-width to remove noise and improve the energy resolution by the following nuclear spectrometry data acquisition system. In this paper, the multi-stage pseudo-Gaussian shaping-filter has been investigated based on the nuclear electronic principle. The optimized circuit parameters were also obtained based on the analysis of the characteristics of the pseudo-Gaussian shaping-filter in our following simulations. Based on the simulation results, the falling-time of the output pulse was decreased and faster response time can be obtained with decreasing shaping-time τs-k. And the undershoot was also removed when the ratio of input resistors was set to 1 to 2.5. Moreover, a two stage sallen-key Gaussian shaping-filter was designed and fabricated by using a low-noise voltage feedback operation amplifier LMH6628. A detection experiment platform had been built by using the precise pulse generator CAKE831 as the imitated radiation pulse which was equivalent signal of the semiconductor CdZnTe detector. Experiment results show that the output pulse of the two stage pseudo-Gaussian shaping filter has minimum 200ns pulse width (FWHM), and the output pulse of each stage was well consistent with the simulation results. Based on the performance in our experiment, this multi-stage pseudo-Gaussian shaping-filter can reduce the event-lost caused by pile-up in the CdZnTe semiconductor detector and improve the energy resolution effectively.

Annoyance due to simulated blade-slap noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, C. A.

1978-01-01

The effects of several characteristics of blade slap noise on annoyance response were studied. These characteristics or parameters were the sound pressure level of the continuous noise used to simulate helicopter broadband noise, the ratio of impulse peak to broadband noise or crest factor, the number of pressure excursions comprising an impulse event, the rise and fall time of the individual impulses, and the repetition frequency of the impulses. Analyses were conducted to determine the correlation between subjective response and various physical measures for the range of parameters studied. A small but significant improvement in the predictive ability of PNL was provided by an A-weighted crest factor correlation. No significant improvement in predictive ability was provided by a rate correction.

Understanding Computation of Impulse Response in Microwave Software Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potrebic, Milka M.; Tosic, Dejan V.; Pejovic, Predrag V.

2010-01-01

In modern microwave engineering curricula, the introduction of the many new topics in microwave industrial development, or of software tools for design and simulation, sometimes results in students having an inadequate understanding of the fundamental theory. The terminology for and the explanation of algorithms for calculating impulse response in…

Specific cognitive-neurophysiological processes predict impulsivity in the childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder combined subtype.

PubMed

Bluschke, A; Roessner, V; Beste, C

2016-04-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders in childhood. Besides inattention and hyperactivity, impulsivity is the third core symptom leading to diverse and serious problems. However, the neuronal mechanisms underlying impulsivity in ADHD are still not fully understood. This is all the more the case when patients with the ADHD combined subtype (ADHD-C) are considered who are characterized by both symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. Combining high-density electroencephalography (EEG) recordings with source localization analyses, we examined what information processing stages are dysfunctional in ADHD-C (n = 20) compared with controls (n = 18). Patients with ADHD-C made more impulsive errors in a Go/No-go task than healthy controls. Neurophysiologically, different subprocesses from perceptual gating to attentional selection, resource allocation and response selection processes are altered in this patient group. Perceptual gating, stimulus-driven attention selection and resource allocation processes were more pronounced in ADHD-C, are related to activation differences in parieto-occipital networks and suggest attentional filtering deficits. However, only response selection processes, associated with medial prefrontal networks, predicted impulsive errors in ADHD-C. Although the clinical picture of ADHD-C is complex and a multitude of processing steps are altered, only a subset of processes seems to directly modulate impulsive behaviour. The present findings improve the understanding of mechanisms underlying impulsivity in patients with ADHD-C and might help to refine treatment algorithms focusing on impulsivity.

Generalized fluid impulse functions for oscillating marine structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janardhanan, K.; Price, W. G.; Wu, Y.

1992-03-01

A selection of generalized impulse response functions is presented for a variety of rigid and flexible marine structures (i.e. mono-hull, SWATH, floating drydock and twin dock, fixed flexible pile). These functions are determined from calculated and experimental frequency-dependent hydrodynamic data, and the characteristics of these data depend on the type of structure considered. This information is reflected in the shape and duration of the generalized impulse response functions which are pre-requisites for a generalized integro-differential mathematical model describing the dynamic behaviour of the structures to seaway excitation.

Error processing and response inhibition in excessive computer game players: an event-related potential study.

PubMed

Littel, Marianne; van den Berg, Ivo; Luijten, Maartje; van Rooij, Antonius J; Keemink, Lianne; Franken, Ingmar H A

2012-09-01

Excessive computer gaming has recently been proposed as a possible pathological illness. However, research on this topic is still in its infancy and underlying neurobiological mechanisms have not yet been identified. The determination of underlying mechanisms of excessive gaming might be useful for the identification of those at risk, a better understanding of the behavior and the development of interventions. Excessive gaming has been often compared with pathological gambling and substance use disorder. Both disorders are characterized by high levels of impulsivity, which incorporates deficits in error processing and response inhibition. The present study aimed to investigate error processing and response inhibition in excessive gamers and controls using a Go/NoGo paradigm combined with event-related potential recordings. Results indicated that excessive gamers show reduced error-related negativity amplitudes in response to incorrect trials relative to correct trials, implying poor error processing in this population. Furthermore, excessive gamers display higher levels of self-reported impulsivity as well as more impulsive responding as reflected by less behavioral inhibition on the Go/NoGo task. The present study indicates that excessive gaming partly parallels impulse control and substance use disorders regarding impulsivity measured on the self-reported, behavioral and electrophysiological level. Although the present study does not allow drawing firm conclusions on causality, it might be that trait impulsivity, poor error processing and diminished behavioral response inhibition underlie the excessive gaming patterns observed in certain individuals. They might be less sensitive to negative consequences of gaming and therefore continue their behavior despite adverse consequences. © 2012 The Authors, Addiction Biology © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Impulsive responses to emotion as a transdiagnostic vulnerability to internalizing and externalizing symptoms.

PubMed

Johnson, Sheri L; Carver, Charles S; Joormann, Jutta

2013-09-25

This study explored the hypothesis that impulsive reactions to heightened emotion may reflect a transdiagnostic vulnerability to both externalizing and internalizing symptoms. A sample of undergraduates completed self-report measures of aggression, borderline personality disorder symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and alcohol problems, and a subset completed interviews that assessed suicidality. All participants also completed self-report measures relating to impulsivity. We predicted that emotion-reactive impulsivity, but not other aspects of impulsivity, would be related to the set of psychopathology symptoms. Multiple regression analyses found that emotion-reactive impulsivity was uniquely related to each of the psychopathology scales, whereas non-emotion-relevant impulsivity was uniquely related only to alcohol problems. Discussion focuses on limitations and clinical implications. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Space-borne remote sensing of CO2 by IPDA lidar with heterodyne detection: random error estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matvienko, G. G.; Sukhanov, A. Y.

2015-11-01

Possibilities of measuring the CO2 column concentration by spaceborne integrated path differential lidar (IPDA) signals in the near IR absorption bands are investigated. It is shown that coherent detection principles applied in the nearinfrared spectral region promise a high sensitivity for the measurement of the integrated dry air column mixing ratio of the CO2. The simulations indicate that for CO2 the target observational requirements (0.2%) for the relative random error can be met with telescope aperture 0.5 m, detector bandwidth 10 MHz, laser energy per impulse 0.3 mJ and averaging 7500 impulses. It should also be noted that heterodyne technique allows to significantly reduce laser power and receiver overall dimensions compared to direct detection.

Multi-channel spatialization systems for audio signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Begault, Durand R. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

Synthetic head related transfer functions (HRTF's) for imposing reprogrammable spatial cues to a plurality of audio input signals included, for example, in multiple narrow-band audio communications signals received simultaneously are generated and stored in interchangeable programmable read only memories (PROM's) which store both head related transfer function impulse response data and source positional information for a plurality of desired virtual source locations. The analog inputs of the audio signals are filtered and converted to digital signals from which synthetic head related transfer functions are generated in the form of linear phase finite impulse response filters. The outputs of the impulse response filters are subsequently reconverted to analog signals, filtered, mixed, and fed to a pair of headphones.

Multi-channel spatialization system for audio signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Begault, Durand R. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

Synthetic head related transfer functions (HRTF's) for imposing reprogramable spatial cues to a plurality of audio input signals included, for example, in multiple narrow-band audio communications signals received simultaneously are generated and stored in interchangeable programmable read only memories (PROM's) which store both head related transfer function impulse response data and source positional information for a plurality of desired virtual source locations. The analog inputs of the audio signals are filtered and converted to digital signals from which synthetic head related transfer functions are generated in the form of linear phase finite impulse response filters. The outputs of the impulse response filters are subsequently reconverted to analog signals, filtered, mixed and fed to a pair of headphones.

Age and Impulsive Behavior in Drug Addiction: A Review of Past Research and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Argyriou, Evangelia; Um, Miji; Carron, Clair; Cyders, Melissa A.

2018-01-01

Impulsive behavior is implicated in the initiation, maintenance, and relapse of drug-seeking behaviors involved in drug addiction. Research shows that changes in impulsive behavior across the lifespan contribute to drug use and addiction. The goal of this review is to examine existing research on the relationship between impulsive behavior and drug use across the lifespan and to recommend directions for future research. Three domains of impulsive behavior are explored in this review: impulsive behavior-related personality traits, delay discounting, and prepotent response inhibition. First, we present previous research on these three domains of impulsive behavior and drug use across developmental stages. Then, we discuss how changes in impulsive behavior across the lifespan are implicated in the progression of drug use and addiction. Finally, we discuss the relatively limited attention given to middle-to-older adults in the current literature, consider the validity of the measures used to assess impulsive behavior in middle-to-older adulthood, and suggest recommendations for future research. PMID:28778737

Methods and apparatuses for self-generating fault-tolerant keys in spread-spectrum systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moradi, Hussein; Farhang, Behrouz; Subramanian, Vijayarangam

Self-generating fault-tolerant keys for use in spread-spectrum systems are disclosed. At a communication device, beacon signals are received from another communication device and impulse responses are determined from the beacon signals. The impulse responses are circularly shifted to place a largest sample at a predefined position. The impulse responses are converted to a set of frequency responses in a frequency domain. The frequency responses are shuffled with a predetermined shuffle scheme to develop a set of shuffled frequency responses. A set of phase differences is determined as a difference between an angle of the frequency response and an angle ofmore » the shuffled frequency response at each element of the corresponding sets. Each phase difference is quantized to develop a set of secret-key quantized phases and a set of spreading codes is developed wherein each spreading code includes a corresponding phase of the set of secret-key quantized phases.« less

Vibrational Responses Of Structures To Impulses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zak, Michail A.

1990-01-01

Report discusses propagation of vibrations in structure in response to impulsive and/or concentrated loads. Effects of pulsed loads treated by analyzing propagation of characteristic vibrational waves explicitly through each member of structure. This wave-front analysis used in combination with usual finite-element modal analysis to obtain more accurate representation of overall vibrational behavior.

A Brief Experimental Analysis of Reinforcer and Response Dimensions Related to Self-Control in an Outpatient Clinic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falcomata, Terry S.; Cooper-Brown, Linda J.; Wacker, David P.; Gardner, Andrew W.; Boelter, Eric W.

2010-01-01

We conducted an assessment of self-control and impulsivity with 9 children referred to an outpatient clinic for impulsive, inattentive, and hyperactive behaviors. Each condition of the assessment consisted of a choice between 2 concurrently presented math or writing tasks, with 1 alternative reflecting impulsive responding and 1 alternative…

How partial reinforcement of food cues affects the extinction and reacquisition of appetitive responses. A new model for dieting success?

PubMed

van den Akker, Karolien; Havermans, Remco C; Bouton, Mark E; Jansen, Anita

2014-10-01

Animals and humans can easily learn to associate an initially neutral cue with food intake through classical conditioning, but extinction of learned appetitive responses can be more difficult. Intermittent or partial reinforcement of food cues causes especially persistent behaviour in animals: after exposure to such learning schedules, the decline in responding that occurs during extinction is slow. After extinction, increases in responding with renewed reinforcement of food cues (reacquisition) might be less rapid after acquisition with partial reinforcement. In humans, it may be that the eating behaviour of some individuals resembles partial reinforcement schedules to a greater extent, possibly affecting dieting success by interacting with extinction and reacquisition. Furthermore, impulsivity has been associated with less successful dieting, and this association might be explained by impulsivity affecting the learning and extinction of appetitive responses. In the present two studies, the effects of different reinforcement schedules and impulsivity on the acquisition, extinction, and reacquisition of appetitive responses were investigated in a conditioning paradigm involving food rewards in healthy humans. Overall, the results indicate both partial reinforcement schedules and, possibly, impulsivity to be associated with worse extinction performance. A new model of dieting success is proposed: learning histories and, perhaps, certain personality traits (impulsivity) can interfere with the extinction and reacquisition of appetitive responses to food cues and they may be causally related to unsuccessful dieting. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regional Gray Matter Density Associated with Cognitive Reflectivity–Impulsivity: Evidence from Voxel-Based Morphometry

PubMed Central

Yokoyama, Ryoichi; Nozawa, Takayuki; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Taki, Yasuyuki; Sekiguchi, Atsushi; Nouchi, Rui; Kotozaki, Yuka; Nakagawa, Seishu; Miyauchi, Carlos Makoto; Iizuka, Kunio; Shinada, Takamitsu; Yamamoto, Yuki; Hanawa, Sugiko; Araki, Tsuyoshi; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Kunitoki, Keiko; Hanihara, Mayu; Sassa, Yuko; Kawashima, Ryuta

2015-01-01

When faced with a problem or choice, humans can use two different strategies: “cognitive reflectivity,” which involves slow responses and fewer mistakes, or “cognitive impulsivity,” which comprises of quick responses and more mistakes. Different individuals use these two strategies differently. To our knowledge, no study has directly investigated the brain regions involved in reflectivity–impulsivity; therefore, this study focused on associations between these cognitive strategies and the gray matter structure of several brain regions. In order to accomplish this, we enrolled 776 healthy, right-handed individuals (432 men and 344 women; 20.7 ± 1.8 years) and used voxel-based morphometry with administration of a cognitive reflectivity–impulsivity questionnaire. We found that high cognitive reflectivity was associated with greater regional gray matter density in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex. Our finding suggests that this area plays an important role in defining an individual’s trait associated with reflectivity and impulsivity. PMID:25803809

Periodic components of hand acceleration/deceleration impulses during telemanipulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Draper, J.V.; Handel, S.

1994-01-01

Responsiveness is the ability of a telemanipulator to recreate user trajectories and impedance in time and space. For trajectory production, a key determinant of responsiveness is the ability of the system to accept user inputs, which are forces on the master handle generated by user hand acceleration/deceleration (a/d) impulses, and translate them into slave arm acceleration/deceleration. This paper presents observations of master controller a/d impulses during completion of a simple target acquisition task. Power spectral density functions (PSDF`s) calculated from hand controller a/d impulses were used to assess impulse waveform. The relative contributions of frequency intervals ranging up to 25more » Hz for three spatially different versions of the task were used to determine which frequencies were most important. The highest relative power was observed in frequencies between 1 Hz and 6 Hz. The key frequencies related to task difficulty were in the range from 2 Hz to 8 Hz. the results provide clues to the source of the performance inhibition.« less

A Review of Research on Impulsive Loading of Marine Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porfiri, Maurizio; Gupta, Nikhil

Impulsive loading conditions, such as those produced by blast waves, are being increasingly recognized as relevant in marine applications. Significant research efforts are directed towards understanding the impulsive loading response of traditional naval materials, such as aluminum and steel, and advanced composites, such as laminates and sandwich structures. Several analytical studies are directed towards establishing predictive models for structural response and failure of marine structures under blast loading. In addition, experimental research efforts are focused on characterizing structural response to blast loading. The aim of this review is to provide a general overview of the state of the art on analytical and experimental studies in this field that can serve as a guideline for future research directions. Reported studies cover the Office of Naval Research-Solid Mechanics Program sponsored research along with other worldwide research efforts of relevance to marine applications. These studies have contributed to developing a fundamental knowledge of the mechanics of advanced materials subjected to impulsive loading, which is of interest to all Department of Defense branches.

Neurophysiological correlates of altered response inhibition in internet gaming disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder: Perspectives from impulsivity and compulsivity

PubMed Central

Kim, Minah; Lee, Tak Hyung; Choi, Jung-Seok; Kwak, Yoo Bin; Hwang, Wu Jeong; Kim, Taekwan; Lee, Ji Yoon; Lim, Jae-A; Park, Minkyung; Kim, Yeon Jin; Kim, Sung Nyun; Kim, Dai Jin; Kwon, Jun Soo

2017-01-01

Although internet gaming disorder (IGD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) represent opposite ends of the impulsivity and compulsivity dimensions, the two disorders share common neurocognitive deficits in response inhibition. However, the similarities and differences in neurophysiological features of altered response inhibition between IGD and OCD have not been investigated sufficiently. In total, 27 patients with IGD, 24 patients with OCD, and 26 healthy control (HC) subjects participated in a Go/NoGo task with electroencephalographic recordings. N2-P3 complexes elicited during Go and NoGo condition were analyzed separately and compared among conditions and groups. NoGo-N2 latency at the central electrode site was delayed in IGD group versus the HC group and correlated positively with the severity of internet game addiction and impulsivity. NoGo-N2 amplitude at the frontal electrode site was smaller in OCD patients than in IGD patients. These findings suggest that prolonged NoGo-N2 latency may serve as a marker of trait impulsivity in IGD and reduced NoGo-N2 amplitude may be a differential neurophysiological feature between OCD from IGD with regard to compulsivity. We report the first differential neurophysiological correlate of the altered response inhibition in IGD and OCD, which may be a candidate biomarker for impulsivity and compulsivity. PMID:28134318

Electronic Imaging: Rochester Imaging Consortium, Abstracts of Research Topics Reported at the Annual Meeting of the Optical Society of America Held in San Jose, California on 3-8 November 1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-11-01

Nicholas George "Image Deblurring for Multiple-Point Impulse Responses," Bryan J. Stossel and Nicholas George 14. SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF PAGES...Keith B. Farr Nicholas George Backscatter from a Tilted Rough Disc Donald J. Schertler Nicholas George Image Deblurring for Multiple-Point Impulse ...correlation components. Uf) c)z 0 CL C/) Ix I- z 0 0 LL C,z -J a 0l IMAGE DEBLURRING FOR MULTIPLE-POINT IMPULSE RESPONSES Bryan J. Stossel and Nicholas George

Eyes wide shopped: shopping situations trigger arousal in impulsive buyers.

PubMed

Serfas, Benjamin G; Büttner, Oliver B; Florack, Arnd

2014-01-01

The present study proposes arousal as an important mechanism driving buying impulsiveness. We examined the effect of buying impulsiveness on arousal in non-shopping and shopping contexts. In an eye-tracking experiment, we measured pupil dilation while participants viewed and rated pictures of shopping scenes and non-shopping scenes. The results demonstrated that buying impulsiveness is closely associated with arousal as response to viewing pictures of shopping scenes. This pertained for hedonic shopping situations as well as for utilitarian shopping situations. Importantly, the effect did not emerge for non-shopping scenes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that arousal of impulsive buyers is independent from cognitive evaluation of scenes in the pictures.

Impulsivity in the supermarket. Responses to calorie taxes and subsidies in healthy weight undergraduates.

PubMed

Giesen, Janneke C A H; Havermans, Remco C; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Jansen, Anita

2012-02-01

The present study investigated the effect of taxing high-energy dense products and subsidizing low-energy dense products on changes in calorie consumption. More specifically, we hypothesized that 'more impulsive' individuals were less influenced by such pricing strategies compared to 'less impulsive' individuals. Contrary to our hypothesis, results showed that 'more impulsive' individuals adjusted their calorie consumption with regard to price changes whereas 'less impulsive' participants were less influenced by price changes. Furthermore, taxing high-energy dense products was more successful in reducing calorie consumption than subsidizing low-energy dense products. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of intertrial interval on basal and drug-induced impulsive action in the 5-choice serial reaction time task: Effects of d-amphetamine and (±)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI).

PubMed

Fitzpatrick, Ciaràn M; Maric, Vojislav S; Bate, Simon T; Andreasen, Jesper T

2018-01-01

Impulsivity is a characteristic of a number of neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) is a rodent paradigm extensively used to assess attention and impulsivity. Notably, 5-CSRTT studies do not typically account for the reduction in premature responding, the measure of impulsive action, occurring upon repeated exposure to test sessions with long or variable intertrial intervals (ITIs). This present 5-CSRTT study investigated the use of variable ITIs (5, 10 or 15s) across 15 test days (4 training days followed by 1 drug test day per week for three weeks) as previous experience had shown that 4 training days would be sufficient to induce consistent premature response levels in male C57BL/6J mice. Once a steady state was achieved, the effects of dextroamphetamine (AMPH) and (±)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) were then assessed using a Latin-square design to determine whether pharmacological-induced impulsive actions depended on ITI length. Mice habituated to the variable ITI schedule after only 3days and showed consistently lower premature response levels until the end of the study. AMPH (p<0.05) and DOI (p<0.05) increased the percentage of premature responses at 15s ITI trials, while only DOI (p<0.05) increased impulsive action at 10s ITI trials. Additionally, DOI increased omission rates (p<0.001), mean correct latency (p<0.01), reward collection latency (p<0.001), and reduced the total attempted trials (p<0.001). In summary, we demonstrated that mice habituate to the variable ITI schedule, suggesting that using the variable ITI schedule during training allowed premature response rates to stabilize before commencing pharmacological testing. Moreover, in these habituated mice AMPH and DOI significantly enhanced impulsive action at the long ITI trials only. We propose that experimental design considerations can improve the sensitivity of the 5-CSRTT to detect pharmacologicallyinduced impulsive action. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Linear Ordinary Differential Equations with Constant Coefficients. Revisiting the Impulsive Response Method Using Factorization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camporesi, Roberto

2011-01-01

We present an approach to the impulsive response method for solving linear constant-coefficient ordinary differential equations based on the factorization of the differential operator. The approach is elementary, we only assume a basic knowledge of calculus and linear algebra. In particular, we avoid the use of distribution theory, as well as of…

Impulsivity, self-control, and hypnotic suggestibility.

PubMed

Ludwig, V U; Stelzel, C; Krutiak, H; Prunkl, C E; Steimke, R; Paschke, L M; Kathmann, N; Walter, H

2013-06-01

Hypnotic responding might be due to attenuated frontal lobe functioning after the hypnotic induction. Little is known about whether personality traits linked with frontal functioning are associated with responsiveness to hypnotic suggestions. We assessed whether hypnotic suggestibility is related to the traits of self-control and impulsivity in 154 participants who completed the Brief Self-Control Scale, the Self-Regulation Scale, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility (HGSHS:A). BIS-11 non-planning impulsivity correlated positively with HGSHS:A (Bonferroni-corrected). Furthermore, in the best model emerging from a stepwise multiple regression, both non-planning impulsivity and self-control positively predicted hypnotic suggestibility, and there was an interaction of BIS-11 motor impulsivity with gender. For men only, motor impulsivity tended to predict hypnotic suggestibility. Hypnotic suggestibility is associated with personality traits linked with frontal functioning, and hypnotic responding in men and women might differ. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impulse noise generator--design and operation.

PubMed

Brinkmann, H

1991-01-01

In the seventies PFANDER (Pfander, 1975) proposed a screening test with an impulse noise simulator to check the particular responsivity of soldiers on vulnerability of the inner ear concerning the impulse noise-induced hearing loss. According to a system developed at the University of Oldenburg (Germany) (Klug & Radek, 1987), we have constructed an impulse noise generator designed for our specific requirements that will be presented. The simulator consists of an electrical ignited impulse noise spark gap which is supplied by a 3.5 kV high voltage source. At a distance of 1.10 m from the center of the impulse noise spark gap a peak pressure level of 155 dB with a C-Duration (Pfander, 1975) of .2 msec and with the main energy in the frequency range from 1 kHz to 2 kHz was good reproducible. It would be preferable to shift the impulse noise spectrum to lower frequencies but experimental effort has failed so far.

Anger and Impulsivity Among Japanese Adolescents: A Nationwide Representative Survey.

PubMed

Itani, Osamu; Kaneita, Yoshitaka; Munezawa, Takeshi; Ikeda, Maki; Osaki, Yoneatsu; Higuchi, Susumu; Kanda, Hideyuki; Nakagome, Sachi; Suzuki, Kenji; Ohida, Takashi

2016-07-01

This study aimed to clarify the prevalence of anger and impulsivity and its associated factors through a nationwide survey of junior and senior high school adolescent students in Japan. A self-administered questionnaire covering (1) personal data, (2) lifestyle, (3) mental health status, and (4) feelings of anger and impulsivity was distributed to junior and senior high school students in Japan. Among the total of 10,955 junior high schools and 5,115 senior high schools nationwide, 130 and 110 were randomly selected, respectively. Of those, 92 junior and 80 senior high schools participated in the survey. The survey period was from December 2008 to the end of January 2009. A total of 95,680 questionnaires were collected. After excluding invalid responses, the remaining 94,777 responses (response rate: 62.3%) were analyzed. From the questions regarding anger and impulsivity, 8.7% (95% CI, 8.5%-8.9%) and 7.5% (95% CI, 7.3%-7.7%) of the participants were considered to have experienced intense anger and impulsivity, respectively. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds ratios for experiencing intense feelings of anger were significantly higher (all P values < .05) among students who smoked, consumed alcohol, skipped breakfast, did not wish to go to university, had short sleep duration, had decreased positive feelings, had increased depressive feelings, or used mobile phones for longer hours. The odds ratios for experiencing intense impulsivity were significantly higher among students who smoked, consumed alcohol, skipped breakfast, did not participate in club activities, had short sleep duration, had decreased positive feelings, had increased depressive feelings, or used mobile phones for longer hours. The results suggest that healthy lifestyle habits, good sleep habits, and improved mental health are important for preventing intense feelings of anger and impulsivity among adolescents. © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

The Utility of Impulsive Bias and Altered Decision Making as Predictors of Drug Efficacy and Target Selection: Rethinking Behavioral Screening for Antidepressant Drugs.

PubMed

Marek, Gerard J; Day, Mark; Hudzik, Thomas J

2016-03-01

Cognitive dysfunction may be a core feature of major depressive disorder, including affective processing bias, abnormal response to negative feedback, changes in decision making, and increased impulsivity. Accordingly, a translational medicine paradigm predicts clinical action of novel antidepressants by examining drug-induced changes in affective processing bias. With some exceptions, these concepts have not been systematically applied to preclinical models to test new chemical entities. The purpose of this review is to examine whether an empirically derived behavioral screen for antidepressant drugs may screen for compounds, at least in part, by modulating an impulsive biasing of responding and altered decision making. The differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate (DRL) 72-second schedule is an operant schedule with a documented fidelity for discriminating antidepressant drugs from nonantidepressant drugs. However, a theoretical basis for this empirical relationship has been lacking. Therefore, this review will discuss whether response bias toward impulsive behavior may be a critical screening characteristic of DRL behavior requiring long inter-response times to obtain rewards. This review will compare and contrast DRL behavior with the five-choice serial reaction time task, a test specifically designed for assessing motoric impulsivity, with respect to psychopharmacological testing and the neural basis of distributed macrocircuits underlying these tasks. This comparison suggests that the existing empirical basis for the DRL 72-second schedule as a pharmacological screen for antidepressant drugs is complemented by a novel hypothesis that altering impulsive response bias for rodents trained on this operant schedule is a previously unrecognized theoretical cornerstone for this screening paradigm. Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Sex-specific attenuation of impulsive action by progesterone in a Go/No-go task for cocaine in rats

PubMed Central

Swalve, Natashia; Smethells, John R.; Younk, Rebecca; Mitchell, Jared; Dougen, Ben; Carroll, Marilyn E.

2018-01-01

Rationale Previous work indicated that progesterone (PRO) reduced impulsive choice for cocaine in female but not male rats (Smethells et al. 2016). Impulsive action, typically measured by responding for a reinforcer during a signaled period of nonavailability of natural reinforcers, predicts initiation and escalation of drug use in animals and humans. The present study examined impulsive action for cocaine using progesterone (PRO) in male and female rats trained on a Go/No-go task. Objective Rats were trained on a Go/No-go task to respond for cocaine infusions (0.4 mg/kg/inf). During the “Go” component, responding was reinforced on a VI 30-s schedule; whereas, during the “No-Go” component withholding a response was reinforced on a differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) 30-s schedule. A response during the No-go component reset the DRO timer and served as a measure of impulsive action. After baseline responding was established, rats were pretreated with vehicle (VEH) or PRO (0.5 mg/kg), and DRO resets and responding during the Go component for cocaine were compared in males vs. females. Results DRO resets were significantly lower following PRO treatment compared to VEH in female, but not male, rats. Response rates and overall infusions during the Go component were not significantly altered by PRO in either females or males. Conclusion Treatment with PRO resulted in a sex-specific reduction in impulsive action for cocaine, while not affecting cocaine self-administration. PMID:29018893

Prefrontal Cortex and Impulsive Decision Making

PubMed Central

Kim, Soyoun; Lee, Daeyeol

2010-01-01

Impulsivity refers to a set of heterogeneous behaviors that are tuned suboptimally along certain temporal dimensions. Impulsive inter-temporal choice refers to the tendency to forego a large but delayed reward and to seek an inferior but more immediate reward, whereas impulsive motor responses also result when the subjects fail to suppress inappropriate automatic behaviors. In addition, impulsive actions can be produced when too much emphasis is placed on speed rather than accuracy in a wide range of behaviors, including perceptual decision making. Despite this heterogeneous nature, the prefrontal cortex and its connected areas, such as the basal ganglia, play an important role in gating impulsive actions in a variety of behavioral tasks. Here, we describe key features of computations necessary for optimal decision making, and how their failures can lead to impulsive behaviors. We also review the recent findings from neuroimaging and single-neuron recording studies on the neural mechanisms related to impulsive behaviors. Converging approaches in economics, psychology, and neuroscience provide a unique vista for better understanding the nature of behavioral impairments associated with impulsivity. PMID:20728878

Age and impulsive behavior in drug addiction: A review of past research and future directions.

PubMed

Argyriou, Evangelia; Um, Miji; Carron, Claire; Cyders, Melissa A

2018-01-01

Impulsive behavior is implicated in the initiation, maintenance, and relapse of drug-seeking behaviors involved in drug addiction. Research shows that changes in impulsive behavior across the lifespan contribute to drug use and addiction. The goal of this review is to examine existing research on the relationship between impulsive behavior and drug use across the lifespan and to recommend directions for future research. Three domains of impulsive behavior are explored in this review: impulsive behavior-related personality traits, delay discounting, and prepotent response inhibition. First, we present previous research on these three domains of impulsive behavior and drug use across developmental stages. Then, we discuss how changes in impulsive behavior across the lifespan are implicated in the progression of drug use and addiction. Finally, we discuss the relatively limited attention given to middle-to-older adults in the current literature, consider the validity of the measures used to assess impulsive behavior in middle-to-older adulthood, and suggest recommendations for future research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stopping at the sight of food - How gender and obesity impact on response inhibition.

PubMed

Mühlberg, Christoph; Mathar, David; Villringer, Arno; Horstmann, Annette; Neumann, Jane

2016-12-01

Recent research indicates that reduced inhibitory control is associated with higher body mass index (BMI), higher food craving and increased food intake. However, experimental evidence for the relationship between response inhibition and weight status is inconsistent and to date has been investigated predominantly in women. In the current study, 56 participants (26 obese, 30 lean; 27 female, 29 male) performed a Food Picture Rating Task followed by a Stop Signal Task where pictures of palatable high or low caloric food or non-food items were presented prior to the Go signal. We further assessed participants' self-reported eating behavior and trait impulsivity as potential factors influencing response inhibition, in particular within the food context. Independent of BMI, women showed significantly higher liking for low caloric food items than men. This was accompanied by shorter Stop Signal Reaction Times (SSRT) after high compared to low caloric food pictures for women, and shorter SSRT in women compared to men for high caloric food. No influence of gender on SSRT was observable outside of the food context. While SSRTs did not differ between obese and lean participants across the three picture categories, we found a moderating effect of trait impulsivity on the relationship between BMI and SSRT, specifically in the high caloric food context. Higher BMI was predictive of longer SSRT only for participants with low to normal trait impulsivity, pointing at a complex interplay between response inhibition, general impulsivity and weight status. Our results support the notion that individuals with obesity do not suffer from diminished response inhibition capacity per se. Rather, the ability to withhold a response depends on context and social norms, and strongly interacts with factors like gender and trait impulsivity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in cocaine consumption are associated with fluctuations in self-reported impulsivity and gambling decision-making.

PubMed

Hulka, L M; Vonmoos, M; Preller, K H; Baumgartner, M R; Seifritz, E; Gamma, A; Quednow, B B

2015-10-01

In cross-sectional studies, cocaine users generally display elevated levels of self-reported and cognitive impulsivity. To what extent these impairments are stable v. variable markers of cocaine use disorder, and, thus, are pre-existing or drug-induced, has not yet been systematically investigated. We conducted a longitudinal study with cocaine users who changed or maintained their consumption intensity, measuring self-reported impulsivity with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), and cognitive impulsivity with the Rapid Visual Processing task (RVP), Iowa Gambling task (IGT), and Delay Discounting task (DD) at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. We assessed 48 psychostimulant-naive controls and 19 cocaine users with decreased, 19 users with increased, and 19 users with unchanged cocaine intake after 1 year as confirmed by hair analysis. Results of linear multilevel modelling showed significant group × time interactions for the BIS-11 total score and the IGT total card ratio. Increasers showed a trend for elevated scores, whereas decreasers exhibited reduced self-reported impulsivity scores within 1 year. Surprisingly, increasers' IGT performance was improved after 1 year, whereas decreasers' performance deteriorated. By contrast, neither RVP response bias B" nor DD total score showed substantial group × time interactions. Importantly, BIS-11 and DD revealed strong test-retest reliabilities. Self-reported impulsivity (BIS-11) and decision-making impulsivity (IGT) covary with changing cocaine use, whereas response bias and delay discounting remain largely unaffected. Thus, self-reported impulsivity and gambling decision-making were strongly state-dependent in a stimulant-using population and may be suitable to monitor treatment success, whereas delay of gratification was confirmed as a potential endophenotype of stimulant addiction.

The effects of physical activity on impulsive choice: Influence of sensitivity to reinforcement amount and delay

PubMed Central

Strickland, Justin C.; Feinstein, Max A.; Lacy, Ryan T.; Smith, Mark A.

2016-01-01

Impulsive choice is a diagnostic feature and/or complicating factor for several psychological disorders and may be examined in the laboratory using delay-discounting procedures. Recent investigators have proposed using quantitative measures of analysis to examine the behavioral processes contributing to impulsive choice. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of physical activity (i.e., wheel running) on impulsive choice in a single-response, discrete-trial procedure using two quantitative methods of analysis. To this end, rats were assigned to physical activity or sedentary groups and trained to respond in a delay-discounting procedure. In this procedure, one lever always produced one food pellet immediately, whereas a second lever produced three food pellets after a 0, 10, 20, 40, or 80-second delay. Estimates of sensitivity to reinforcement amount and sensitivity to reinforcement delay were determined using (1) a simple linear analysis and (2) an analysis of logarithmically transformed response ratios. Both analyses revealed that physical activity decreased sensitivity to reinforcement amount and sensitivity to reinforcement delay. These findings indicate that (1) physical activity has significant but functionally opposing effects on the behavioral processes that contribute to impulsive choice and (2) both quantitative methods of analysis are appropriate for use in single-response, discrete-trial procedures. PMID:26964905

High-Q microwave photonic filter with a tuned modulator.

PubMed

Capmany, J; Mora, J; Ortega, B; Pastor, D

2005-09-01

We propose the use of tuned electro-optic or electroabsorption external modulators to implement high-quality (high-Q) factor, single-bandpass photonic filters for microwave signals. Using this approach, we experimentally demonstrate a transversal finite impulse response with a Q factor of 237. This is to our knowledge the highest value ever reported for a passive finite impulse-response microwave photonic filter.

Recursive inversion of externally defined linear systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bach, Ralph E., Jr.; Baram, Yoram

1988-01-01

The approximate inversion of an internally unknown linear system, given by its impulse response sequence, by an inverse system having a finite impulse response, is considered. The recursive least squares procedure is shown to have an exact initialization, based on the triangular Toeplitz structure of the matrix involved. The proposed approach also suggests solutions to the problems of system identification and compensation.

A Fresh Look at Linear Ordinary Differential Equations with Constant Coefficients. Revisiting the Impulsive Response Method Using Factorization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camporesi, Roberto

2016-01-01

We present an approach to the impulsive response method for solving linear constant-coefficient ordinary differential equations of any order based on the factorization of the differential operator. The approach is elementary, we only assume a basic knowledge of calculus and linear algebra. In particular, we avoid the use of distribution theory, as…

Eyes Wide Shopped: Shopping Situations Trigger Arousal in Impulsive Buyers

PubMed Central

Serfas, Benjamin G.; Büttner, Oliver B.; Florack, Arnd

2014-01-01

The present study proposes arousal as an important mechanism driving buying impulsiveness. We examined the effect of buying impulsiveness on arousal in non-shopping and shopping contexts. In an eye-tracking experiment, we measured pupil dilation while participants viewed and rated pictures of shopping scenes and non-shopping scenes. The results demonstrated that buying impulsiveness is closely associated with arousal as response to viewing pictures of shopping scenes. This pertained for hedonic shopping situations as well as for utilitarian shopping situations. Importantly, the effect did not emerge for non-shopping scenes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that arousal of impulsive buyers is independent from cognitive evaluation of scenes in the pictures. PMID:25489955

A Finite-Element Method Model of Soft Tissue Response to Impulsive Acoustic Radiation Force

PubMed Central

Palmeri, Mark L.; Sharma, Amy C.; Bouchard, Richard R.; Nightingale, Roger W.; Nightingale, Kathryn R

2010-01-01

Several groups are studying acoustic radiation force and its ability to image the mechanical properties of tissue. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is one modality using standard diagnostic ultrasound scanners to generate localized, impulsive, acoustic radiation forces in tissue. The dynamic response of tissue is measured via conventional ultrasonic speckle-tracking methods and provides information about the mechanical properties of tissue. A finite-element method (FEM) model has been developed that simulates the dynamic response of tissues, with and without spherical inclusions, to an impulsive acoustic radiation force excitation from a linear array transducer. These FEM models were validated with calibrated phantoms. Shear wave speed, and therefore elasticity, dictates tissue relaxation following ARFI excitation, but Poisson’s ratio and density do not significantly alter tissue relaxation rates. Increased acoustic attenuation in tissue increases the relative amount of tissue displacement in the near field compared with the focal depth, but relaxation rates are not altered. Applications of this model include improving image quality, and distilling material and structural information from tissue’s dynamic response to ARFI excitation. Future work on these models includes incorporation of viscous material properties and modeling the ultrasonic tracking of displaced scatterers. PMID:16382621

A model-independent comparison of the rates of uptake and short term retention of 47Ca and 85Sr by the skeleton.

PubMed

Reeve, J; Hesp, R

1976-12-22

1. A method has been devised for comparing the impulse response functions of the skeleton for two or more boneseeking tracers, and for estimating the contribution made by measurement errors to the differences between any pair of impulse response functions. 2. Comparisons were made between the calculated impulse response functions for 47Ca and 85Sr obtained in simultaneous double tracer studies in sixteen subjects. Collectively the differences between the 47Ca and 85Sr functions could be accounted for entirely by measurement errors. 3. Because the calculation of an impulse response function requires fewer a priori assumptions than other forms of mathematical analysis, and automatically corrects for differences induced by recycling of tracer and non-identical rates of excretory plasma clearance of tracer, it is concluded that differences shown in previous in vivo studies between the fluxes of Ca and Sr into bone can be fully accounted for by undetermined oversimplifications in the various mathematical models used to analyse the results of those studies. 85Sr is therefore an adequate tracer for bone calcium in most in vivo studies.

Braking and Propulsive Impulses Increase with Speed during Accelerated and Decelerated Walking

PubMed Central

Peterson, Carrie L.; Kautz, Steven A.; Neptune, Richard R.

2011-01-01

The ability to accelerate and decelerate is important for daily activities and likely more demanding than maintaining a steady-state walking speed. Walking speed is modulated by anterior-posterior (AP) ground reaction force (GRF) impulses. The purpose of this study was to investigate AP impulses across a wide range of speeds during accelerated and decelerated walking. Kinematic and GRF data were collected from ten healthy subjects walking on an instrumented treadmill. Subjects completed trials at steady-state speeds and at four rates of acceleration and deceleration across a speed range of 0 to 1.8 m/s. Mixed regression models were generated to predict AP impulses, step length and frequency from speed, and joint moment impulses from AP impulses during non-steady-state walking. Braking and propulsive impulses were positively related to speed. The braking impulse had a greater relationship with speed than the propulsive impulse, suggesting that subjects modulate the braking impulse more than the propulsive impulse to change speed. Hip and knee extensor, and ankle plantarflexor moment impulses were positively related to the braking impulse, and knee flexor and ankle plantarflexor moment impulses were positively related to the propulsive impulse. Step length and frequency increased with speed and were near the subjects’ preferred combination at steady-state speeds, at which metabolic cost is minimized in nondisabled walking. Thus, these variables may be modulated to minimize metabolic cost while accelerating and decelerating. The outcomes of this work provide the foundation to investigate motor coordination in pathological subjects in response to the increased task demands of non-steady-state walking. PMID:21356590

Calculation of zero-offset vertical seismic profiles generated by a horizontal point force acting on the surface of an elastic half-space

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hsi-Ping, Liu

1990-01-01

Impulse responses including near-field terms have been obtained in closed form for the zero-offset vertical seismic profiles generated by a horizontal point force acting on the surface of an elastic half-space. The method is based on the correspondence principle. Through transformation of variables, the Fourier transform of the elastic impulse response is put in a form such that the Fourier transform of the corresponding anelastic impulse response can be expressed as elementary functions and their definite integrals involving distance angular frequency, phase velocities, and attenuation factors. These results are used for accurate calculation of shear-wave arrival rise times of synthetic seismograms needed for data interpretation of anelastic-attenuation measurements in near-surface sediment. -Author

Impulse response measurement in the HgCdTe avalanche photodiode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Anand; Pal, Ravinder

2018-04-01

HgCdTe based mid-wave infrared focal plane arrays (MWIR FPAs) are being developed for high resolution imaging and range determination of distant camouflaged targets. Effect of bandgap grading on the response time in the n+/ν/p+ HgCdTe electron avalanche photodiode (e-APD) is evaluated using impulse response measurement. Gain normalized dark current density of 2 × 10-9 A/cm2 at low reverse bias for passive mode and 2 × 10-4 A/cm2 at -8 V for active mode is measured in the fabricated APD device, yielding high gain bandwidth product of 2.4 THZ at the maximum gain. Diffusion of carriers is minimized to achieve transit time limited impulse response by introducing composition grading in the HgCdTe epilayer. The noise equivalent photon performance less than one is achievable in the FPA that is suitable for active cum passive imaging applications.

Delay discounting and response disinhibition under acute experimental stress in women with borderline personality disorder and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Krause-Utz, A; Cackowski, S; Daffner, S; Sobanski, Esther; Plichta, Michael M; Bohus, M; Ende, G; Schmahl, C

2016-11-01

Impulsivity is a core feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In BPD, impulsive behavior primarily occurs under acute stress; impulse control deficits under non-stress conditions may be partly related to co-morbid ADHD. We aimed to investigate whether acute experimental stress has an impact on self-reported impulsivity, response inhibition (action withholding, action cancelation) and delay discounting in BPD compared to ADHD. Thirty female BPD patients, 28 female ADHD patients (excluding patients with co-morbid BPD and ADHD), and 30 female healthy controls (HC) completed self-reports and behavioral measures of impulsivity (IMT, assessing action withholding; GoStop, measuring action cancelation, Delay Discounting Task) under baseline conditions and after an experimental stress induction (Mannheim Multicomponent Stress Test). Both patient groups reported higher impulsivity than HC, ADHD reported higher trait impulsivity than BPD. On the IMT, ADHD showed significant action-withholding deficits under both conditions, while BPD performed significantly worse than HC under stress. In BPD but not ADHD and HC, action-withholding deficits (IMT) were significantly increased under stress compared to baseline, while no group/stress effects were found for action cancelation (GoStop). Delay discounting was significantly more pronounced in BPD than in HC (no stress effect was found). In BPD, behavioral deficits in action withholding (but not in action cancelation) appear to be influenced by acute experimental stress. Delay discounting seems to be a general feature of BPD, independent of co-morbid ADHD and acute stress, possibly underlying typical expressions of behavioral impulsivity in the disorder.

Impulsive-choice patterns for food in genetically lean and obese Zucker rats

PubMed Central

Boomhower, Steven R.; Rasmussen, Erin B.; Doherty, Tiffany S.

2012-01-01

Behavioral-economic studies have shown that differences between lean and obese Zuckers in food consumption depend on the response requirement for food. Since a response requirement inherently increases the delay to reinforcement, differences in sensitivity to delay may also be a relevant mechanism of food consumption in the obese Zucker rat. Furthermore, the endocannabinoid neurotransmitter system has been implicated in impulsivity, but studies that attempt to characterize the effects of cannabinoid drugs (e.g., rimonabant) on impulsive choice may be limited by floor effects. The present study aimed to characterize impulsive-choice patterns for sucrose using an adjusting-delay procedure in genetically lean and obese Zuckers. Ten lean and ten obese Zucker rats chose between one lever that resulted in one pellet after a standard delay (either 1 s or 5 s) and a second lever that resulted in two or three pellets after an adjusting delay. After behavior stabilized under baseline, rimonabant (0–10 mg/kg) was administered prior to some choice sessions in the two-pellet condition. Under baseline, obese Zuckers made more impulsive choices than leans in three of the four standard-delay/pellet conditions. Additionally, in the 2-pellet condition, rimonabant increased impulsive choice in lean rats in the 1-s standard-delay condition; however, rimonabant decreased impulsive choice in obese rats in the 1-s and 5-s standard-delay conditions. These data suggest that genetic factors that influence impulsive choice are stronger in some choice conditions than others, and that the endocannabinoid system may be a relevant neuromechanism. PMID:23261877

Impulsive-choice patterns for food in genetically lean and obese Zucker rats.

PubMed

Boomhower, Steven R; Rasmussen, Erin B; Doherty, Tiffany S

2013-03-15

Behavioral-economic studies have shown that differences between lean and obese Zuckers in food consumption depend on the response requirement for food. Since a response requirement inherently increases the delay to reinforcement, differences in sensitivity to delay may also be a relevant mechanism of food consumption in the obese Zucker rat. Furthermore, the endocannabinoid neurotransmitter system has been implicated in impulsivity, but studies that attempt to characterize the effects of cannabinoid drugs (e.g., rimonabant) on impulsive choice may be limited by floor effects. The present study aimed to characterize impulsive-choice patterns for sucrose using an adjusting-delay procedure in genetically lean and obese Zuckers. Ten lean and ten obese Zucker rats chose between one lever that resulted in one pellet after a standard delay (either 1 s or 5 s) and a second lever that resulted in two or three pellets after an adjusting delay. After behavior stabilized under baseline, rimonabant (0-10 mg/kg) was administered prior to some choice sessions in the two-pellet condition. Under baseline, obese Zuckers made more impulsive choices than leans in three of the four standard-delay/pellet conditions. Additionally, in the 2-pellet condition, rimonabant increased impulsive choice in lean rats in the 1-s standard-delay condition; however, rimonabant decreased impulsive choice in obese rats in the 1-s and 5-s standard-delay conditions. These data suggest that genetic factors that influence impulsive choice are stronger in some choice conditions than others, and that the endocannabinoid system may be a relevant neuromechanism. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Temporal resolution measurement of 128-slice dual source and 320-row area detector computed tomography scanners in helical acquisition mode using the impulse method.

PubMed

Hara, Takanori; Urikura, Atsushi; Ichikawa, Katsuhiro; Hoshino, Takashi; Nishimaru, Eiji; Niwa, Shinji

2016-04-01

To analyse the temporal resolution (TR) of modern computed tomography (CT) scanners using the impulse method, and assess the actual maximum TR at respective helical acquisition modes. To assess the actual TR of helical acquisition modes of a 128-slice dual source CT (DSCT) scanner and a 320-row area detector CT (ADCT) scanner, we assessed the TRs of various acquisition combinations of a pitch factor (P) and gantry rotation time (R). The TR of the helical acquisition modes for the 128-slice DSCT scanner continuously improved with a shorter gantry rotation time and greater pitch factor. However, for the 320-row ADCT scanner, the TR with a pitch factor of <1.0 was almost equal to the gantry rotation time, whereas with pitch factor of >1.0, it was approximately one half of the gantry rotation time. The maximum TR values of single- and dual-source helical acquisition modes for the 128-slice DSCT scanner were 0.138 (R/P=0.285/1.5) and 0.074s (R/P=0.285/3.2), and the maximum TR values of the 64×0.5- and 160×0.5-mm detector configurations of the helical acquisition modes for the 320-row ADCT scanner were 0.120 (R/P=0.275/1.375) and 0.195s (R/P=0.3/0.6), respectively. Because the TR of a CT scanner is not accurately depicted in the specifications of the individual scanner, appropriate acquisition conditions should be determined based on the actual TR measurement. Copyright © 2016 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Minimum Impulse Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, J. Morgan; Wilson, Michael J.

2005-01-01

The Minimum Impulse Thruster (MIT) was developed to improve the state-of-the-art minimum impulse capability of hydrazine monopropellant thrusters. Specifically, a new fast response solenoid valve was developed, capable of responding to a much shorter electrical pulse width, thereby reducing the propellant flow time and the minimum impulse bit. The new valve was combined with the Aerojet MR-103, 0.2 lbf (0.9 N) thruster and put through an extensive Delta-qualification test program, resulting in a factor of 5 reduction in the minimum impulse bit, from roughly 1.1 milli-lbf-seconds (5 milliNewton seconds) to - 0.22 milli-lbf-seconds (1 mN-s). To maintain it's extensive heritage, the thruster itself was left unchanged. The Minimum Impulse Thruster provides mission and spacecraft designers new design options for precision pointing and precision translation of spacecraft.

Analysis of a predator-prey model with Holling II functional response concerning impulsive control strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Bing; Teng, Zhidong; Chen, Lansun

2006-08-01

According to biological and chemical control strategy for pest control, we investigate the dynamic behavior of a Holling II functional response predator-prey system concerning impulsive control strategy-periodic releasing natural enemies and spraying pesticide at different fixed times. By using Floquet theorem and small amplitude perturbation method, we prove that there exists a stable pest-eradication periodic solution when the impulsive period is less than some critical value. Further, the condition for the permanence of the system is also given. Numerical results show that the system we consider can take on various kinds of periodic fluctuations and several types of attractor coexistence and is dominated by periodic, quasiperiodic and chaotic solutions, which implies that the presence of pulses makes the dynamic behavior more complex. Finally, we conclude that our impulsive control strategy is more effective than the classical one if we take chemical control efficiently.

Do Different Facets of Impulsivity Predict Different Types of Aggression?

PubMed Central

Derefinko, Karen; DeWall, C. Nathan; Metze, Amanda V.; Walsh, Erin C.; Lynam, Donald R.

2011-01-01

The current study examined the relations between impulsivity-related traits (as assessed by the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale) and aggressive behaviors. Results indicated that UPPS-P Lack of Premeditation and Sensation Seeking were important in predicting general violence. In contrast, UPPS-P Urgency was most useful in predicting intimate partner violence. To further explore relations between intimate partner violence and Urgency, a measure of autonomic response to pleasant and aversive stimuli and facets of Neuroticism from the NEO PI-R were used as control variables. Autonomic responsivity was correlated with intimate partner violence at the zero-order level, and predicted significant variance in intimate partner violence in regression equations. However, UPPS-P Urgency was able to account for unique variance in intimate partner violence above and beyond measures of Neuroticism and arousal. Implications regarding the use of a multifaceted conceptualization of impulsivity in the prediction of different types of violent behavior are discussed. PMID:21259270

The Latent Structure of Impulsivity: Impulsive Choice, Impulsive Action, and Impulsive Personality Traits

PubMed Central

MacKillop, James; Weafer, Jessica; Gray, Joshua; Oshri, Assaf; Palmer, Abraham; de Wit, Harriet

2016-01-01

Rationale Impulsivity has been strongly linked to addictive behaviors, but can be operationalized in a number of ways that vary considerably in overlap, suggesting multidimensionality. Objective This study tested the hypothesis that the latent structure among multiple measures of impulsivity would reflect three broad categories: impulsive choice, reflecting discounting of delayed rewards; impulsive action, reflecting ability to inhibit a prepotent motor response; and impulsive personality traits, reflecting self-reported attributions of self-regulatory capacity. Methods The study used a cross-sectional confirmatory factor analysis of multiple impulsivity assessments. Participants were 1252 young adults (62% female) with low levels of addictive behavior who were assessed in individual laboratory rooms at the University of Chicago and the University of Georgia. The battery comprised a delay discounting task, Monetary Choice Questionnaire, Conners Continuous Performance Test, Go/NoGo Task, Stop Signal Task, Barratt Impulsivity Scale, and the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale. Results The hypothesized three-factor model provided the best fit to the data, although Sensation Seeking was excluded from the final model. The three latent factors were largely unrelated to each other and were variably associated with substance use. Conclusions These findings support the hypothesis that diverse measures of impulsivity can broadly be organized into three categories that are largely distinct from one another. These findings warrant investigation among individuals with clinical levels of addictive behavior and may be applied to understanding the underlying biological mechanisms of these categories. PMID:27449350

Optimization and Comparison of Different Digital Mammographic Tomosynthesis Reconstruction Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-01

physical measurements of impulse response analysis, modulation transfer function (MTF) and noise power spectrum (NPS). (Months 5- 12). This task has...and 2 impulse -added: projection images with simulated impulse and the I /r2 shading difference. Other system blur and noise issues are not...blur, and suppressed high frequency noise . Point-by-point BP rather than traditional SAA should be considered as the basis of further deblurring

Specific Impulse and Mass Flow Rate Error

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, Don A.

2005-01-01

Specific impulse is defined in words in many ways. Very early in any text on rocket propulsion a phrase similar to .specific impulse is the thrust force per unit propellant weight flow per second. will be found.(2) It is only after seeing the mathematics written down does the definition mean something physically to scientists and engineers responsible for either measuring it or using someone.s value for it.

Identification of Linear and Nonlinear Aerodynamic Impulse Responses Using Digital Filter Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silva, Walter A.

1997-01-01

This paper discusses the mathematical existence and the numerically-correct identification of linear and nonlinear aerodynamic impulse response functions. Differences between continuous-time and discrete-time system theories, which permit the identification and efficient use of these functions, will be detailed. Important input/output definitions and the concept of linear and nonlinear systems with memory will also be discussed. It will be shown that indicial (step or steady) responses (such as Wagner's function), forced harmonic responses (such as Theodorsen's function or those from doublet lattice theory), and responses to random inputs (such as gusts) can all be obtained from an aerodynamic impulse response function. This paper establishes the aerodynamic impulse response function as the most fundamental, and, therefore, the most computationally efficient, aerodynamic function that can be extracted from any given discrete-time, aerodynamic system. The results presented in this paper help to unify the understanding of classical two-dimensional continuous-time theories with modern three-dimensional, discrete-time theories. First, the method is applied to the nonlinear viscous Burger's equation as an example. Next the method is applied to a three-dimensional aeroelastic model using the CAP-TSD (Computational Aeroelasticity Program - Transonic Small Disturbance) code and then to a two-dimensional model using the CFL3D Navier-Stokes code. Comparisons of accuracy and computational cost savings are presented. Because of its mathematical generality, an important attribute of this methodology is that it is applicable to a wide range of nonlinear, discrete-time problems.

Identification of Linear and Nonlinear Aerodynamic Impulse Responses Using Digital Filter Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silva, Walter A.

1997-01-01

This paper discusses the mathematical existence and the numerically-correct identification of linear and nonlinear aerodynamic impulse response functions. Differences between continuous-time and discrete-time system theories, which permit the identification and efficient use of these functions, will be detailed. Important input/output definitions and the concept of linear and nonlinear systems with memory will also be discussed. It will be shown that indicial (step or steady) responses (such as Wagner's function), forced harmonic responses (such as Tbeodorsen's function or those from doublet lattice theory), and responses to random inputs (such as gusts) can all be obtained from an aerodynamic impulse response function. This paper establishes the aerodynamic impulse response function as the most fundamental, and, therefore, the most computationally efficient, aerodynamic function that can be extracted from any given discrete-time, aerodynamic system. The results presented in this paper help to unify the understanding of classical two-dimensional continuous-time theories with modem three-dimensional, discrete-time theories. First, the method is applied to the nonlinear viscous Burger's equation as an example. Next the method is applied to a three-dimensional aeroelastic model using the CAP-TSD (Computational Aeroelasticity Program - Transonic Small Disturbance) code and then to a two-dimensional model using the CFL3D Navier-Stokes code. Comparisons of accuracy and computational cost savings are presented. Because of its mathematical generality, an important attribute of this methodology is that it is applicable to a wide range of nonlinear, discrete-time problems.

Auditorium acoustics evaluation based on simulated impulse response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Shuoxian; Wang, Hongwei; Zhao, Yuezhe

2004-05-01

The impulse responses and other acoustical parameters of Huangpu Teenager Palace in Guangzhou were measured. Meanwhile, the acoustical simulation and auralization based on software ODEON were also made. The comparison between the parameters based on computer simulation and measuring is given. This case study shows that auralization technique based on computer simulation can be used for predicting the acoustical quality of a hall at its design stage.

Recursive inversion of externally defined linear systems by FIR filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bach, Ralph E., Jr.; Baram, Yoram

1989-01-01

The approximate inversion of an internally unknown linear system, given by its impulse response sequence, by an inverse system having a finite impulse response, is considered. The recursive least-squares procedure is shown to have an exact initialization, based on the triangular Toeplitz structure of the matrix involved. The proposed approach also suggests solutions to the problem of system identification and compensation.

On the Spur of the Moment: Intrinsic Predictors of Impulse Sports Betting.

PubMed

Hing, Nerilee; Li, En; Vitartas, Peter; Russell, Alex M T

2018-06-01

Betting on impulse, without thoughtful consideration, research or informed decision-making, may cause financial and other harms and lead to the development of gambling problems. Impulse betting undermines responsible consumption of gambling because it reflects self-regulatory failure, impaired control, unreflective decision-making and betting more than planned. In this paper we define impulse gambling and report on a study that aimed to understand more about the intrinsic characteristics of sports bettors who have a greater tendency to bet on impulse. Specifically, the study aimed to identify behavioural, psychological and socio-demographic predictors of impulse sports betting. A sample of 1816 Australian sports bettors completed an online survey that measured the proportion of their bets placed on impulse both before and during sporting events, as well as bets that were researched and planned in advance. Impulse betting was common, accounting for nearly one-half of all past-year sports bets by respondents. Over three-quarters of respondents had placed one or more impulse bets in the last year and one in seven respondents had made all of their sports bets on impulse. More impulsive sports bettors were characterised as having higher trait impulsiveness, higher problem gambling severity, more frequent sports betting and a shorter history of sports betting. They favoured betting on in-match contingencies instead of overall match outcomes. While health promotion strategies are needed to discourage impulse betting, research into contextual factors that arouse urges to bet would also provide direction for harm minimisation measures that help consumers to resist impulsive betting decisions.

Frontal dysfunctions of impulse control - a systematic review in borderline personality disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Sebastian, Alexandra; Jung, Patrick; Krause-Utz, Annegret; Lieb, Klaus; Schmahl, Christian; Tüscher, Oliver

2014-01-01

Disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are characterized by impulsive behaviors. Impulsivity as used in clinical terms is very broadly defined and entails different categories including personality traits as well as different cognitive functions such as emotion regulation or interference resolution and impulse control. Impulse control as an executive function, however, is neither cognitively nor neurobehaviorally a unitary function. Recent findings from behavioral and cognitive neuroscience studies suggest related but dissociable components of impulse control along functional domains like selective attention, response selection, motivational control, and behavioral inhibition. In addition, behavioral and neural dissociations are seen for proactive vs. reactive inhibitory motor control. The prefrontal cortex with its sub-regions is the central structure in executing these impulse control functions. Based on these concepts of impulse control, neurobehavioral findings of studies in BPD and ADHD were reviewed and systematically compared. Overall, patients with BPD exhibited prefrontal dysfunctions across impulse control components rather in orbitofrontal, dorsomedial, and dorsolateral prefrontal regions, whereas patients with ADHD displayed disturbed activity mainly in ventrolateral and medial prefrontal regions. Prefrontal dysfunctions, however, varied depending on the impulse control component and from disorder to disorder. This suggests a dissociation of impulse control related frontal dysfunctions in BPD and ADHD, although only few studies are hitherto available to assess frontal dysfunctions along different impulse control components in direct comparison of these disorders. Yet, these findings might serve as a hypothesis for the future systematic assessment of impulse control components to understand differences and commonalities of prefrontal cortex dysfunction in impulsive disorders.

Psychedelic symptoms of cannabis and cocaine use as a function of trait impulsivity.

PubMed

van Wel, J H P; Spronk, D B; Kuypers, K P C; Theunissen, E L; Toennes, S W; Verkes, R J; Ramaekers, J G

2015-03-01

Trait impulsivity has been linked to addiction in humans. It has been suggested that drug users with high trait impulsivity levels are more sensitive to subjective drug intoxication. This study assessed whether subjective response to drugs differs between drug users with normal or high levels of trait impulsivity. Regular drug users (N = 122) received doses of cocaine HCl, cannabis, and placebo in a three-way crossover study. Their mood, dissociative state, and psychedelic symptoms were measured with subjective rating scales (CADDS, Bowdle, POMS). Trait impulsivity was assessed with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Cannabis increased dissociation and psychedelic state, as well as fatigue, confusion, depression and anxiety, and decreased arousal, positive mood, vigor, friendliness, and elation. Cocaine increased dissociation, psychedelic state, vigor, friendliness, elation, positive mood, anxiety and arousal, while decreasing fatigue. Only a few subjective items revealed a drug × trait impulsivity interaction, suggesting that psychedelic symptoms were most intense in high impulsivity subjects. Trait impulsiveness ratings were negatively correlated with ratings of vigor (r = -.197) and positively correlated with ratings of loss of thought control (r = .237) during cannabis intoxication. It is concluded that a broad association between trait impulsivity and psychedelic subjective drug experience appears to be absent. © The Author(s) 2015.

The error-related negativity (ERN) is an electrophysiological marker of motor impulsiveness on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) during adolescence.

PubMed

Taylor, Jasmine B; Visser, Troy A W; Fueggle, Simone N; Bellgrove, Mark A; Fox, Allison M

2018-04-01

Previous studies have postulated that the error-related negativity (ERN) may reflect individual differences in impulsivity; however, none have used a longitudinal framework or evaluated impulsivity as a multidimensional construct. The current study evaluated whether ERN amplitude, measured in childhood and adolescence, is predictive of impulsiveness during adolescence. Seventy-five children participated in this study, initially at ages 7-9 years and again at 12-18 years. The interval between testing sessions ranged from 5 to 9 years. The ERN was extracted in response to behavioural errors produced during a modified visual flanker task at both time points (i.e. childhood and adolescence). Participants also completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale - a measure that considers impulsiveness to comprise three core sub-traits - during adolescence. At adolescence, the ERN amplitude was significantly larger than during childhood. Additionally, ERN amplitude during adolescence significantly predicted motor impulsiveness at that time point, after controlling for age, gender, and the number of trials included in the ERN. In contrast, ERN amplitude during childhood did not uniquely predict impulsiveness during adolescence. These findings provide preliminary evidence that ERN amplitude is an electrophysiological marker of self-reported motor impulsiveness (i.e. acting without thinking) during adolescence. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Modulation of meso-limbic reward processing by motivational tendencies in young adolescents and adults

PubMed Central

Joseph, Jane E.; Zhu, Xun; Lynam, Donald; Kelly, Thomas H.

2015-01-01

Adolescence is a particularly vulnerable period for the onset of substance use disorders and other psychopathology. Individual variability in motivational tendencies and temperament and significant changes in functional brain organization during adolescence are important factors to consider in the development of substance use and dependence. Recent conceptualizations suggest that sensitivity to reward is heightened in adolescence and that this motivation tendency may precipitate subsequent substance abuse. The present study examined the role of personality traits in mesolimbic neurobehavioral response on a monetary incentive delay (MID) task in young adolescents (11–14 years) and emerging adults (18–25 years) using functional magnetic resonance imaging. As a group, adolescents were not more sensitive to gains than losses compared to adults during either anticipatory and feedback phases; instead, compared to adults they showed less sensitivity to incentive magnitude in mesolimbic circuitry during anticipation and feedback stages. However, personality modulated this response such that adolescents high in impulsivity or low in avoidance tendencies showed greater gain sensitivity and adolescents high in avoidance showed greater loss sensitivity during cue anticipation. In adults, mesolimbic response was modulated by the impulsivity construct such that high-impulsive adults showed reduced magnitude sensitivity during both anticipation and feedback compared to low impulsive adults. The present findings suggest that impulsive personality significantly modulates mesolimbic reward response during both adolescence and adulthood but avoidance and approach tendencies also modulate this response in adolescents. Moreover, personality modulated incentive valence in adolescents but incentive magnitude in adults. Collectively, these findings suggest that mesolimbic reward circuitry function is modulated by somewhat different parameters in adolescence than in adulthood. PMID:26690806

Overlapping Neural Endophenotypes in Addiction and Obesity

PubMed Central

Michaud, Andréanne; Vainik, Uku; Garcia-Garcia, Isabel; Dagher, Alain

2017-01-01

Impulsivity refers to a tendency to act rapidly without full consideration of consequences. The trait is thought to result from the interaction between high arousal responses to potential rewards and poor self-control. Studies have suggested that impulsivity confers vulnerability to both addiction and obesity. However, results in this area are unclear, perhaps due to the high phenotypic complexity of addictions and obesity. Focusing on impulsivity, the aim of this review is to tackle the putative overlaps between addiction and obesity in four domains: (1) personality research, (2) neurocognitive tasks, (3) brain imaging, and (4) clinical evidence. We suggest that three impulsivity-related domains are particularly relevant for our understanding of similarities between addiction and obesity: lower self-control (high Disinhibition/low Conscientiousness), reward sensitivity (high Extraversion/Positive Emotionality), and negative affect (high Neuroticism/Negative Emotionality). Neurocognitive studies have shown that obesity and addiction are both associated with increased impulsive decision-making and attention bias in response to drug or food cues, respectively. Mirroring this, obesity and different forms of addiction seem to exhibit similar alterations in functional MRI brain activity in response to reward processing and during self-control tasks. Overall, our review provides an integrative approach to understand those facets of obesity that present similarities to addictive behaviors. In addition, we suggest that therapeutic interventions targeting inhibitory control may represent a promising approach for the prevention and/or treatment of obesity. PMID:28659866

An investigation of two dimensions of impulsivity as predictors of loss-of-control eating severity and frequency.

PubMed

Espel, Hallie M; Muratore, Alexandra F; Lowe, Michael R

2017-10-01

Loss-of-control (LOC) eating episodes represent one form of dysregulated eating common to full- and sub-threshold eating disorders. Extensive evidence suggests that impulsivity, particularly in the context of negative affect and/or depression, may play an important etiological role in the development and maintenance of LOC eating. However, most prior studies have considered LOC eating as a dichotomous rather than dimensional construct, and few studies have considered the interaction of multiple dimensions of impulsivity while also accounting for the role of depressive symptoms. The present study examined the independent and interacting effects of two facets of impulsivity-response inhibition and negative urgency-on LOC eating episode severity and frequency among college women (N = 102). Depressive symptom severity was included as a covariate. Results indicated that greater negative urgency was associated with greater LOC severity; this effect was moderated by response inhibition, such that the effect of urgency was particularly pronounced for individuals with higher response inhibition capacity. Negative urgency was the only significant predictor of LOC frequency. Depression had no significant effect on either LOC severity or frequency (ps ≥ 0.16). Results support the importance of considering multiple facets of impulsivity in predicting LOC eating behavior, and further indicate that factors influencing subjective severity and frequency of LOC may be distinct. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of physical activity on impulsive choice: Influence of sensitivity to reinforcement amount and delay.

PubMed

Strickland, Justin C; Feinstein, Max A; Lacy, Ryan T; Smith, Mark A

2016-05-01

Impulsive choice is a diagnostic feature and/or complicating factor for several psychological disorders and may be examined in the laboratory using delay-discounting procedures. Recent investigators have proposed using quantitative measures of analysis to examine the behavioral processes contributing to impulsive choice. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of physical activity (i.e., wheel running) on impulsive choice in a single-response, discrete-trial procedure using two quantitative methods of analysis. To this end, rats were assigned to physical activity or sedentary groups and trained to respond in a delay-discounting procedure. In this procedure, one lever always produced one food pellet immediately, whereas a second lever produced three food pellets after a 0, 10, 20, 40, or 80-s delay. Estimates of sensitivity to reinforcement amount and sensitivity to reinforcement delay were determined using (1) a simple linear analysis and (2) an analysis of logarithmically transformed response ratios. Both analyses revealed that physical activity decreased sensitivity to reinforcement amount and sensitivity to reinforcement delay. These findings indicate that (1) physical activity has significant but functionally opposing effects on the behavioral processes that contribute to impulsive choice and (2) both quantitative methods of analysis are appropriate for use in single-response, discrete-trial procedures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does impulsivity predict outcome in treatment for binge eating disorder? A multimodal investigation.

PubMed

Manasse, Stephanie M; Espel, Hallie M; Schumacher, Leah M; Kerrigan, Stephanie G; Zhang, Fengqing; Forman, Evan M; Juarascio, Adrienne S

2016-10-01

Multiple dimensions of impulsivity (e.g., affect-driven impulsivity, impulsive inhibition - both general and food-specific, and impulsive decision-making) are associated with binge eating pathology cross-sectionally, yet the literature on whether impulsivity predicts treatment outcome is limited. The present pilot study explored impulsivity-related predictors of 20-week outcome in a small open trial (n = 17) of a novel treatment for binge eating disorder. Overall, dimensions of impulsivity related to emotions (i.e., negative urgency) and food cues emerged as predictors of treatment outcomes (i.e., binge eating frequency and global eating pathology as measured by the Eating Disorders Examination), while more general measures of impulsivity were statistically unrelated to global eating pathology or binge frequency. Specifically, those with higher levels of negative urgency at baseline experienced slower and less pronounced benefit from treatment, and those with higher food-specific impulsivity had more severe global eating pathology at baseline that was consistent at post-treatment and follow-up. These preliminary findings suggest that patients high in negative urgency and with poor response inhibition to food cues may benefit from augmentation of existing treatments to achieve optimal outcomes. Future research will benefit from replication with a larger sample, parsing out the role of different dimensions of impulsivity in treatment outcome for eating disorders, and identifying how treatment can be improved to accommodate higher levels of baseline impulsivity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of methods of predicting community response to impulsive and nonimpulsive noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fidell, Sanford; Pearsons, Karl S.

1994-01-01

Several scientific, regulatory, and policy-coordinating bodies have developed methods for predicting community response to sonic booms. The best known of these is the dosage-response relationship of Working Group 84 of the National Academy of Science's Committee on Hearing, Bioacoustics and Biomechanics. This dosage-response relationship between C-weighted DayNight Average Sound Level and the prevalence of annoyance with high energy impulsive sounds was derived from limited amounts of information about community response to regular, prolonged, and expected exposure to artillery and sonic booms. U.S. Army Regulation 201 adapts this approach to predictions of the acceptability of impulsive noise exposure in communities. This regulation infers equivalent degrees of effect with respect to a well known dosage-response relationship for general (nonimpulsive) transportation noise. Differences in prevalence of annoyance predicted by various relationships lead to different predictions of the compatibility of land uses with sonic boom exposure. An examination of these differences makes apparent several unresolved issues in current practice for predicting and interpreting the prevalence of annoyance due to sonic boom exposure.

The impact of comorbid impulsive/compulsive disorders in problematic Internet use.

PubMed

Chamberlain, Samuel R; Ioannidis, Konstantinos; Grant, Jon E

2018-05-23

Background and aims Problematic Internet use (PIU) is commonplace but is not yet recognized as a formal mental disorder. Excessive Internet use could result from other conditions such as gambling disorder. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of impulsive-compulsive comorbidities on the presentation of PIU, defined using Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire. Methods A total of 123 adults aged 18-29 years were recruited using media advertisements, and attended the research center for a detailed psychiatric assessment, including interviews, completion of questionnaires, and neuropsychological testing. Participants were classified into three groups: PIU with no comorbid impulsive/compulsive disorders (n = 18), PIU with one or more comorbid impulsive/compulsive disorders (n = 37), and healthy controls who did not have any mental health diagnoses (n = 67). Differences between the three groups were characterized in terms of demographic, clinical, and cognitive variables. Effect sizes for overall effects of group were also reported. Results The three groups did not significantly differ on age, gender, levels of education, nicotine consumption, or alcohol use (small effect sizes). Quality of life was significantly impaired in PIU irrespective of whether or not individuals had comorbid impulsive/compulsive disorders (large effect size). However, impaired response inhibition and decision-making were only identified in PIU with impulsive/compulsive comorbidities (medium effect sizes). Discussion and conclusions Most people with PIU will have one or more other impulsive/compulsive disorders, but PIU can occur without such comorbidities and still present with impaired quality of life. Response inhibition and decision-making appear to be disproportionately impacted in the case of PIU comorbid with other impulsive/compulsive conditions, which may account for some of the inconsistencies in the existing literature. Large scale international collaborations are required to validate PIU and further assess its clinical, cognitive, and biological sequelae.

From Serpent to CEO: Improving First-Term Security Forces Airman Performance Through Neuroscience Education

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-09

full ability to inhibit ANS and limbic response are prone to be impulsive, 25 unintentional, or hesitant when faced with high -threat decisions...graduate degrees in Criminal Justice, a Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership, and a current American Society for Industrial Security...experience and full ability to inhibit ANS and limbic response are prone to be impulsive, unintentional, or hesitant when faced with high -threat

Imaging through Scattering Media with Grating-Based Interferometers.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

Theoretically, if the instantaneous impulse response nf the scat- tering medium can be measured and an inverse filter [7, 8] can be created in real time, it... impulse response of a time- varying volume scattering medium. Moreover, no modulator appears to possess the required temporal and spatial bandwidth for...or optical deblurring techniques. Thirdly, since the achromatic grating interferometric system discriminates by the directions of propa- gation, the

Frontal Dysfunctions of Impulse Control – A Systematic Review in Borderline Personality Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

PubMed Central

Sebastian, Alexandra; Jung, Patrick; Krause-Utz, Annegret; Lieb, Klaus; Schmahl, Christian; Tüscher, Oliver

2014-01-01

Disorders such as borderline personality disorder (BPD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are characterized by impulsive behaviors. Impulsivity as used in clinical terms is very broadly defined and entails different categories including personality traits as well as different cognitive functions such as emotion regulation or interference resolution and impulse control. Impulse control as an executive function, however, is neither cognitively nor neurobehaviorally a unitary function. Recent findings from behavioral and cognitive neuroscience studies suggest related but dissociable components of impulse control along functional domains like selective attention, response selection, motivational control, and behavioral inhibition. In addition, behavioral and neural dissociations are seen for proactive vs. reactive inhibitory motor control. The prefrontal cortex with its sub-regions is the central structure in executing these impulse control functions. Based on these concepts of impulse control, neurobehavioral findings of studies in BPD and ADHD were reviewed and systematically compared. Overall, patients with BPD exhibited prefrontal dysfunctions across impulse control components rather in orbitofrontal, dorsomedial, and dorsolateral prefrontal regions, whereas patients with ADHD displayed disturbed activity mainly in ventrolateral and medial prefrontal regions. Prefrontal dysfunctions, however, varied depending on the impulse control component and from disorder to disorder. This suggests a dissociation of impulse control related frontal dysfunctions in BPD and ADHD, although only few studies are hitherto available to assess frontal dysfunctions along different impulse control components in direct comparison of these disorders. Yet, these findings might serve as a hypothesis for the future systematic assessment of impulse control components to understand differences and commonalities of prefrontal cortex dysfunction in impulsive disorders. PMID:25232313

Correlation Filtering of Modal Dynamics using the Laplace Wavelet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freudinger, Lawrence C.; Lind, Rick; Brenner, Martin J.

1997-01-01

Wavelet analysis allows processing of transient response data commonly encountered in vibration health monitoring tasks such as aircraft flutter testing. The Laplace wavelet is formulated as an impulse response of a single mode system to be similar to data features commonly encountered in these health monitoring tasks. A correlation filtering approach is introduced using the Laplace wavelet to decompose a signal into impulse responses of single mode subsystems. Applications using responses from flutter testing of aeroelastic systems demonstrate modal parameters and stability estimates can be estimated by correlation filtering free decay data with a set of Laplace wavelets.

Response of a piezoelectric pressure transducer to IR laser beam impingement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, William C.; Leiweke, Robert J.; Beeson, Harold

1992-01-01

The non-pressure response of a PCB Model 113A transducer to a far infrared radiation impulse from a carbon dioxide laser was investigated. Incident radiation was applied both to the bare transducer diaphragm and to coated diaphragms. Coatings included two common ablative materials and a reflective gold coating. High-flux radiation impulses induced an immediate brief negative output followed by a longer-duration positive output. Both timing and amplitude of the responses will be discussed, and the effects of coatings will be compared. Bursts of blackbody radiation from a 1500 K source produced qualitatively similar responses.

Structural frequency functions for an impulsive, distributed forcing function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bateman, Vesta I.

1987-01-01

The response of a penetrator structure to a spatially distributed mechanical impulse with a magnitude approaching field test force levels (1-2 Mlb) were measured. The frequency response function calculated from the response to this unique forcing function is compared to frequency response functions calculated from response to point forces of about 2000 pounds. The results show that the strain gages installed on the penetrator case respond similiarly to a point, axial force and to a spatially distributed, axial force. This result suggests that the distributed axial force generated in a penetration event may be reconstructed as a point axial force when the penetrator behaves in linear manner.

Obtaining high-energy responses of nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvester by voltage impulse perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, Chunbo; Tang, Lihua; Qin, Weiyang

2017-07-01

Nonlinear energy harvesters have attracted wide research attentions to achieve broadband performances in recent years. Nonlinear structures have multiple solutions in certain frequency region that contains high-energy and low-energy orbits. It is effectively the frequency region of capturing a high-energy orbit that determines the broadband performance. Thus, maintaining large-amplitude high-energy-orbit oscillations is highly desired. In this paper, a voltage impulse perturbation approach based on negative resistance is applied to trigger high-energy-orbit responses of piezoelectric nonlinear energy harvesters. First, the mechanism of the voltage impulse perturbation and the implementation of the synthetic negative resistance circuit are discussed in detail. Subsequently, numerical simulation and experiment are conducted and the results demonstrate that the high-energy-orbit oscillations can be triggered by the voltage impulse perturbation method for both monostable and bistable configurations given various scenarios. It is revealed that the perturbation levels required to trigger and maintain high-energy-orbit oscillations are different for various excitation frequencies in the region where multiple solutions exist. The higher gain in voltage output when high-energy-orbit oscillations are captured is accompanied with the demand of a higher voltage impulse perturbation level.

Is impulsivity a link between childhood abuse and suicide?

PubMed

Braquehais, M Dolores; Oquendo, Maria A; Baca-García, Enrique; Sher, Leo

2010-01-01

Childhood abuse and neglect are known to affect psychological states through behavioral, emotional, and cognitive pathways. They increase the risk of having psychiatric diseases in adulthood and have been considered risk factors for suicidal behavior in all diagnostic categories. Early, prolonged, and severe trauma is also known to increase impulsivity, diminishing the capacity of the brain to inhibit negative actions and to control and modulate emotions. Many neurobiological studies hold that childhood maltreatment may lead to a persistent failure of the inhibitory processes ruled mainly by the frontal cortex over a fear-motivated hyperresponsive limbic system. Multiple neurotransmitters and hormones are involved in the stress response, but, to our knowledge, the two major biological consequences of the chronic exposure to trauma are the hypofunction of the serotonergic system and changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function. Some of these findings overlap with the neurobiological features of impulsivity and of suicidal behavior. Impulsivity has also been said to be both a consequence of trauma and a risk factor for the development of a pathological response to trauma. Thus, we suggest that impulsivity could be one of the links between childhood trauma and suicidal behavior. Prevention of childhood abuse could significantly reduce suicidal behavior in adolescents and adults, in part, through a decrease in the frequency of impulsive behaviors in the future. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Persistent effects of chronic Δ9-THC exposure on motor impulsivity in rats.

PubMed

Irimia, Cristina; Polis, Ilham Y; Stouffer, David; Parsons, Loren H

2015-08-01

In humans, long-term marijuana use is associated with impaired impulse control and attentional capacity, though it has been difficult to distinguish pre-existing cognitive deficits from possible consequences of prolonged marijuana exposure. To evaluate the effects of long-term exposure to Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the primary psychoactive constituent in marijuana, on indices of impulse control and attentional capacity using the rat 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task (5-CSRTT). Ten 14-day cycles of Δ9-THC dosing and 5-CSRTT testing were employed, each comprised of 5-day Δ9-THC dosing (0.3 or 3 mg/kg b.i.d.) and 5-CSRTT testing during the 9 days of drug abstinence. Subsequent 5-CSRTT testing continued during 5 weeks of protracted abstinence. Dose-dependent increases in motor impulsivity (premature responses) and behavioral disinhibition (perseverative responses) emerged following 5 cycles of Δ9-THC exposure that persisted for the remaining dosing and testing cycles. Δ9-THC-related disruptions in motor impulsivity and behavioral inhibition were most pronounced during cognitively challenging 5-CSRTT sessions incorporating varying novel inter-trial intervals (ITIs), and these disruptions persisted for at least 5 weeks of Δ9-THC abstinence. Δ9-THC-related impairments in attentional capacity (response accuracy) were also evident during variable ITI challenge tests, though these attentional disruptions abated within 3 weeks of Δ9-THC abstinence. These observations demonstrate that long-term intermittent exposure to clinically meaningful Δ9-THC doses induces persistent impairments in impulse control and attentional function. If present in humans, these disruptions may impact academic and professional performance.

Characterizing Impulsivity in Mania

PubMed Central

Strakowski, Stephen M.; Fleck, David E.; DelBello, Melissa P.; Adler, Caleb M.; Shear, Paula K.; McElroy, Susan L.; Keck, Paul E.; Moss, Quinton; Cerullo, Michael A.; Kotwal, Renu; Arndt, Stephan

2008-01-01

Objective To determine whether specific aspects of impulsivity (response disinhibition, inability to delay gratification, inattention) differ between healthy and bipolar manic subjects, and whether these aspects of impulsivity were associated with each other and severity of affective symptoms. Methods Performance of 70 bipolar I manic or mixed patients was compared to that of 34 healthy subjects on three tasks specifically designed to study response inhibition, ability to delay gratification, and attention; namely a stop signal task, a delayed reward task, and a continuous performance task respectively. Correlations among tasks and with symptom ratings were also performed. Results Bipolar subjects demonstrated significant deficits on all three tasks as compared to healthy subjects. Performance on the three tasks was largely independent. Task performance was not significantly associated with the severity of affective symptom ratings. However, measures of response inhibition and attention were sensitive to medication effects. Differences in the delayed reward task were independent of medication effects or symptom ratings. During the delayed reward task, although bipolar patients made their choices more slowly than healthy subjects, they were significantly more likely to choose a smaller, but more quickly obtained reward. Moreover performance on this task was not associated with performance on the other impulsivity measures. Manic patients showed more impulsive responding than mixed patients. Conclusions Bipolar I manic patients demonstrate deficits on tests of various aspects of impulsivity as compared to healthy subjects. Some of these differences between groups may be mediated by medication effects. Findings suggested that inability to delay gratification (i.e., delayed reward task) was not simply a result of the speed of decision making or inattention, but rather that it reflected differences between bipolar and healthy subjects in the valuation of reward relative to delay. PMID:19133965

Pay attention to impulsivity: modelling low attentive and high impulsive subtypes of adult ADHD in the 5-choice continuous performance task (5C-CPT) in female rats.

PubMed

Tomlinson, Anneka; Grayson, Ben; Marsh, Samuel; Harte, Michael K; Barnes, Samuel A; Marshall, Kay M; Neill, Joanna C

2014-08-01

Varying levels of attention and impulsivity deficits are core features of the three subtypes of adult attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To date, little is known about the neurobiological correlates of these subtypes. Development of a translational animal model is essential to improve our understanding and improve therapeutic strategies. The 5-choice continuous performance task (5C-CPT) in rats can be used to examine different forms of attention and impulsivity. Adult rats were trained to pre-set 5C-CPT criterion and subsequently separated into subgroups according to baseline levels of sustained attention, vigilance, premature responding and response disinhibition in the 5C-CPT. The behavioural subgroups were selected to represent the different subtypes of adult ADHD. Consequently, effects of the clinically used pharmacotherapies (methylphenidate and atomoxetine) were assessed in the different subgroups. Four subgroups were identified: low-attentive (LA), high-attentive (HA), high-impulsive (HI) and low-impulsive (LI). Methylphenidate and atomoxetine produced differential effects in the subgroups. Methylphenidate increased sustained attention and vigilance in LA animals, and reduced premature responding in HI animals. Atomoxetine also improved sustained attention and vigilance in LA animals, and reduced response disinhibition and premature responding in HI animals. This is the first study using adult rats to demonstrate the translational value of the 5C-CPT to select subgroups of rats, which may be used to model the subtypes observed in adult ADHD. Our findings suggest that this as an important paradigm to increase our understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of adult ADHD-subtypes and their response to pharmacotherapy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

Mid-latency evoked potentials in self-reported impulsive aggression.

PubMed

Houston, R J; Stanford, M S

2001-02-01

The present study was conducted to examine psychophysiological differences in arousability among individuals who display impulsive aggressive outbursts. Amplitude and latency for the mid-latency evoked potentials (P1, N1 and P2) were obtained at scalp electrode sites. The evoking stimuli were three intensities (low, medium, high) of photic stimulation. Compared to non-aggressive controls, impulsive aggressive subjects showed significantly reduced P1 amplitude, which is indicative of an inefficient sensory gating mechanism. In addition, these subjects exhibited significantly larger N1 amplitude implying an enhanced orienting of attention to stimuli. Impulsive aggressive subjects also exhibited shorter P1, N1 and P2 peak latency. These results suggest that impulsive aggressive individuals may display quicker orienting and processing of stimuli in an attempt to compensate for low resting arousal levels. Finally, impulsive aggressive subjects augmented the P1-N1 component more frequently than controls, which is consistent with previous studies examining impulsivity and sensation seeking. Together, these findings extend previous work concerning the underlying physiology of impulsive aggression. It has been suggested that impulsive aggressive individuals may attempt to compensate for low resting arousal levels by engaging in stimulus seeking behaviors. Accordingly, the present findings imply similar physiological compensatory responses as demonstrated by heightened orienting of attention, processing and arousability. In addition, a compromised sensory gating system in impulsive aggressors may exacerbate such circumstances, and lead to later cognitive processing deficits.

HITCal: a software tool for analysis of video head impulse test responses.

PubMed

Rey-Martinez, Jorge; Batuecas-Caletrio, Angel; Matiño, Eusebi; Perez Fernandez, Nicolás

2015-09-01

The developed software (HITCal) may be a useful tool in the analysis and measurement of the saccadic video head impulse test (vHIT) responses and with the experience obtained during its use the authors suggest that HITCal is an excellent method for enhanced exploration of vHIT outputs. To develop a (software) method to analyze and explore the vHIT responses, mainly saccades. HITCal was written using a computational development program; the function to access a vHIT file was programmed; extended head impulse exploration and measurement tools were created and an automated saccade analysis was developed using an experimental algorithm. For pre-release HITCal laboratory tests, a database of head impulse tests (HITs) was created with the data collected retrospectively in three reference centers. This HITs database was evaluated by humans and was also computed with HITCal. The authors have successfully built HITCal and it has been released as open source software; the developed software was fully operative and all the proposed characteristics were incorporated in the released version. The automated saccades algorithm implemented in HITCal has good concordance with the assessment by human observers (Cohen's kappa coefficient = 0.7).

Testing the Impulsiveness of Solar Flare Heating through Analysis of Dynamic Atmospheric Response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newton, E. K.; Emslie, A. G.; Mariska, J. T.

1996-03-01

One crucial test of a solar flare energy transport model is its ability to reproduce the characteristics of the atmospheric motions inferred from soft X-ray line spectra. Using a recently developed diagnostic, the velocity differential emission measure (VDEM), we can obtain from observations a physical measure of the amount of soft X-ray mitting plasma flowing at each velocity, v, and hence the total momentum of the upflowing plasma, without approximation or parametric fitting. We have correlated solar hard X-ray emission profiles by the Yohkoh Hard X-ray telescope with the mass and momentum histories inferred from soft X-ray line profiles observed by the Yohkoh Bragg crystal spectrometers. For suitably impulsive hard X-ray emission, an analysis of the hydrodynamic equations predicts a proportionality between the hard X-ray intensity and the second time derivative of the soft X-ray mitting plasma's momentum. This relationship is borne out by an analysis of 18 disk-center impulsive flares of varying durations, thereby lending support to the hypothesis that a prompt energy deposition mechanism, such as an energetic electron flux, is indeed responsible for the soft X-ray response observed in the rise phase of sufficiently impulsive solar flares.

Training impulsive choices for healthy and sustainable food.

PubMed

Veling, Harm; Chen, Zhang; Tombrock, Merel C; Verpaalen, Iris A M; Schmitz, Laura I; Dijksterhuis, Ap; Holland, Rob W

2017-06-01

Many people find it hard to change their dietary choices. Food choice often occurs impulsively, without deliberation, and it has been unclear whether impulsive food choice can be experimentally created. Across 3 exploratory and 2 confirmatory preregistered experiments we examined whether impulsive food choice can be trained. Participants were cued to make motor responses upon the presentation of, among others, healthy and sustainable food items. They subsequently selected these food items more often for actual consumption when they needed to make their choices impulsively as a result of time pressure. This effect disappeared when participants were asked to think about their choices, merely received more time to make their choices, or when choosing required attention to alternatives. Participants preferred high to low valued food items under time pressure and without time pressure, suggesting that the impulsive choices reflect valid preferences. These findings demonstrate that it is possible to train impulsive choices for food items while leaving deliberative choices for these items unaffected, and connect research on attention training to dual-process theories of decision making. The present research suggests that attention training may lead to behavioral change only when people behave impulsively. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Acoustic impulse response method as a source of undergraduate research projects and advanced laboratory experiments.

PubMed

Robertson, W M; Parker, J M

2012-03-01

A straightforward and inexpensive implementation of acoustic impulse response measurement is described utilizing the signal processing technique of coherent averaging. The technique is capable of high signal-to-noise measurements with personal computer data acquisition equipment, an amplifier/speaker, and a high quality microphone. When coupled with simple waveguide test systems fabricated from commercial PVC plumbing pipe, impulse response measurement has proven to be ideal for undergraduate research projects-often of publishable quality-or for advanced laboratory experiments. The technique provides important learning objectives for science or engineering students in areas such as interfacing and computer control of experiments; analog-to-digital conversion and sampling; time and frequency analysis using Fourier transforms; signal processing; and insight into a variety of current research areas such as acoustic bandgap materials, acoustic metamaterials, and fast and slow wave manipulation. © 2012 Acoustical Society of America

Optimal spatial filtering and transfer function for SAR ocean wave spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beal, R. C.; Tilley, D. G.

1981-01-01

The impulse response of the SAR system is not a delta function and the spectra represent the product of the underlying image spectrum with the transform of the impulse response which must be removed. A digitally computed spectrum of SEASAT imagery of the Atlantic Ocean east of Cape Hatteras was smoothed with a 5 x 5 convolution filter and the trend was sampled in a direction normal to the predominant wave direction. This yielded a transform of a noise-like process. The smoothed value of this trend is the transform of the impulse response. This trend is fit with either a second- or fourth-order polynomial which is then used to correct the entire spectrum. A 16 x 16 smoothing of the spectrum shows the presence of two distinct swells. Correction of the effects of speckle is effected by the subtraction of a bias from the spectrum.

Multidimensional Assessment of Impulsivity in Relation to Obesity and Food Addiction

PubMed Central

VanderBroek-Stice, Lauren; Stojek, Monika K.; Beach, Steven R. H.; vanDellen, Michelle R.; MacKillop, James

2017-01-01

Based on similarities between overconsumption of food and addictive drugs, there is increasing interest in “food addiction,” a compulsive eating pattern defined using symptoms parallel to substance use disorders. Impulsivity, a multidimensional construct robustly linked to drug addiction, has been increasingly examined as an obesity determinant, but with mixed findings. This study sought to clarify relations between three major domains of impulsivity (i.e., impulsive personality traits, discounting of delayed rewards, and behavioral inhibition) in both obesity and food addiction. Based on the association between impulsivity and compulsive drug use, the general hypothesis was that the impulsivity-food addiction relation would be stronger than and responsible for the impulsivity-obesity relation. Using a cross-sectional dimensional design, participants (N = 181; 32% obese) completed a biometric assessment, the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scales, a Go/NoGo task, and measures of monetary delay discounting. Results revealed significantly higher prevalence of food addiction among obese participants and stronger zero-order associations between impulsivity indices and YFAS compared to obesity. Two aspects of impulsivity were independently significantly associated with food addiction: (a) a composite of Positive and Negative Urgency, reflecting proneness to act impulsively during intense mood states, and (b) steep discounting of delayed rewards. Furthermore, the results supported food addiction as a mediator connecting both urgency and delay discounting with obesity. These findings provide further evidence linking impulsivity to food addiction and obesity, and suggest that food addiction may be a candidate etiological pathway to obesity for individuals exhibiting elevations in these domains. PMID:28087369

Multidimensional assessment of impulsivity in relation to obesity and food addiction.

PubMed

VanderBroek-Stice, Lauren; Stojek, Monika K; Beach, Steven R H; vanDellen, Michelle R; MacKillop, James

2017-05-01

Based on similarities between overconsumption of food and addictive drugs, there is increasing interest in "food addiction," a compulsive eating pattern defined using symptoms parallel to substance use disorders. Impulsivity, a multidimensional construct robustly linked to drug addiction, has been increasingly examined as an obesity determinant, but with mixed findings. This study sought to clarify relations between three major domains of impulsivity (i.e., impulsive personality traits, discounting of delayed rewards, and behavioral inhibition) in both obesity and food addiction. Based on the association between impulsivity and compulsive drug use, the general hypothesis was that the impulsivity-food addiction relation would be stronger than and responsible for the impulsivity-obesity relation. Using a cross-sectional dimensional design, participants (N = 181; 32% obese) completed a biometric assessment, the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scales, a Go/NoGo task, and measures of monetary delay discounting. Results revealed significantly higher prevalence of food addiction among obese participants and stronger zero-order associations between impulsivity indices and YFAS compared to obesity. Two aspects of impulsivity were independently significantly associated with food addiction: (a) a composite of Positive and Negative Urgency, reflecting proneness to act impulsively during intense mood states, and (b) steep discounting of delayed rewards. Furthermore, the results supported food addiction as a mediator connecting both urgency and delay discounting with obesity. These findings provide further evidence linking impulsivity to food addiction and obesity, and suggest that food addiction may be a candidate etiological pathway to obesity for individuals exhibiting elevations in these domains. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Progesterone attenuates impulsive action in a Go/No-Go task for sucrose pellets in female and male rats

PubMed Central

Swalve, Natashia; Smethells, John R.; Carroll, Marilyn E.

2016-01-01

Impulsivity, or a tendency to act without anticipation of future consequences, is associated with drug abuse. Impulsivity is typically separated into two main measures, impulsive action and impulsive choice. Given the association of impulsivity and drug abuse, treatments that reduce impulsivity have been proposed as an effective method for countering drug addiction. Progesterone has emerged as a promising treatment, as it is associated with decreased addiction-related behaviors and impulsive action. The goal of the present study was to determine the effects of progesterone (PRO) on impulsive action for food: a Go/No-Go task. Female and male rats responded for sucrose pellets during a Go component when lever pressing was reinforced on a variable-interval 30-s schedule. During the alternate No-Go component, withholding a lever press was reinforced on a differential reinforcement of other (DRO) behavior 30-s schedule, where a lever press reset the DRO timer. Impulsive action was operationally defined as the inability to withhold a response during the No-Go component (i.e. the number of DRO resets). Once Go/No-Go behavior was stable, responding between rats treated with PRO (0.5 mg/kg) or vehicle was examined. Progesterone significantly decreased the total number of DRO resets in both males and females, but it did not affect VI responding for sucrose pellets. This suggests that PRO decreases motor impulsivity for sucrose pellets without affecting motivation for food. Thus, PRO may reduce motor impulsivity, a behavior underlying drug addiction. PMID:27497836

77 FR 33724 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-07

... and OMB Number: Assessing Human Response to Military Impulse Noise; OMB Control Number 0710-TBD. Type... community annoyance and complaints, related to impulsive noise from military installations. The [[Page 33725... the need for training operations at military installations with public safety and welfare. Affected...

Anatomical and functional organization of the human substantia nigra and its connections

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yu; Larcher, Kevin Michel-Herve; Misic, Bratislav

2017-01-01

We investigated the anatomical and functional organization of the human substantia nigra (SN) using diffusion and functional MRI data from the Human Connectome Project. We identified a tripartite connectivity-based parcellation of SN with a limbic, cognitive, motor arrangement. The medial SN connects with limbic striatal and cortical regions and encodes value (greater response to monetary wins than losses during fMRI), while the ventral SN connects with associative regions of cortex and striatum and encodes salience (equal response to wins and losses). The lateral SN connects with somatomotor regions of striatum and cortex and also encodes salience. Behavioral measures from delay discounting and flanker tasks supported a role for the value-coding medial SN network in decisional impulsivity, while the salience-coding ventral SN network was associated with motor impulsivity. In sum, there is anatomical and functional heterogeneity of human SN, which underpins value versus salience coding, and impulsive choice versus impulsive action. PMID:28826495

BIS impulsivity and acute nicotine exposure are associated with discounting global consequences in the Harvard game.

PubMed

Hogarth, Lee; Stillwell, David J; Tunney, Richard J

2013-01-01

The Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) provides a transdiagnostic marker for a number of psychiatric conditions and drug abuse, but the precise psychological trait(s) tapped by this questionnaire remain obscure. To address this, 51 smokers completed in counterbalanced order the BIS, a delay discounting task and a Harvard game that measured choice between a response that yielded a high immediate monetary payoff but decreased opportunity to earn money overall (local choice) versus a response that yielded a lower immediate payoff but afforded a greater opportunity to earn overall (global choice). Individual level of BIS impulsivity and self-elected smoking prior to the study were independently associated with increased preference for the local over the global choice in the Harvard game, but not delay discounting. BIS impulsivity and acute nicotine exposure reflect a bias in the governance of choice by immediate reward contingencies over global consequences, consistent with contemporary dual-process instrumental learning theories. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Being impulsive and obese increases susceptibility to speeded detection of high-calorie foods.

PubMed

Bongers, Peggy; van de Giessen, Elsmarieke; Roefs, Anne; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Booij, Jan; van den Brink, Wim; Jansen, Anita

2015-06-01

Overeating and obesity are associated with impulsivity. In studies among patients with a substance use disorder, impulsivity was found to be associated with substance-related attentional bias. This study examined whether obesity, impulsivity and food craving are associated with an attentional bias for high-calorie food. Obese (n = 185, mean BMI = 38.18 ± 6.17) and matched healthy-weight (n = 134, mean BMI = 22.35 ± 1.63) men (27.9%) and women (72.1%), aged 18-45 years, took part in the study. Participants were tested on several self-report and behavioral measures of impulsivity (i.e., response inhibition and reward sensitivity) and self-reported trait craving. In addition, they performed a visual search task to measure attentional bias for high- and low-caloric foods. Self-reported impulsivity influenced the relationship between weight status and detection speed of high- and low-caloric food items: High-impulsive participants with obesity were significantly faster than high-impulsive healthy-weight participants in detecting a high-caloric food item among neutral items, whereas no such difference was observed among low-impulsive participants. No significant effects were found on low-caloric food items, for trait craving or any of the behavioral measures of impulsivity. Self-reported impulsivity, but not trait craving or behavioral measures of impulsivity, is associated with an attentional bias for high-caloric foods, but only in people with obesity. It is in particular the speedy detection of high-caloric foods in the environment that characterizes the impulsive person with obesity, which in turn may cause risky eating patterns in a society were high-caloric food is overly present. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

GADRAS Detector Response Function.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mitchell, Dean J.; Harding, Lee; Thoreson, Gregory G

2014-11-01

The Gamma Detector Response and Analysis Software (GADRAS) applies a Detector Response Function (DRF) to compute the output of gamma-ray and neutron detectors when they are exposed to radiation sources. The DRF is fundamental to the ability to perform forward calculations (i.e., computation of the response of a detector to a known source), as well as the ability to analyze spectra to deduce the types and quantities of radioactive material to which the detectors are exposed. This document describes how gamma-ray spectra are computed and the significance of response function parameters that define characteristics of particular detectors.

Factors of psychopathy and electrocortical response to emotional pictures: Further evidence for a two-process theory.

PubMed

Venables, Noah C; Hall, Jason R; Yancey, James R; Patrick, Christopher J

2015-05-01

The Two-Process theory of psychopathy posits that distinct etiological mechanisms contribute to the condition: (a) a weakness in defensive (fear) reactivity related to affective-interpersonal features, and (b) impaired cognitive-executive functioning, marked by reductions in brain responses such as P3, related to impulsive-antisocial features. The current study examined relations between psychopathy factors and electrocortical response to emotional and neutral pictures in male offenders (N = 139) assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Impulsive-antisocial features of the PCL-R (Factor 2) were associated with reduced amplitude of earlier P3 brain response to pictures regardless of valence, whereas the affective-interpersonal dimension (Factor 1) was associated specifically with reductions in late positive potential response to aversive pictures. Findings provide further support for the Two-Process theory and add to a growing body of evidence linking the impulsive-antisocial facet of psychopathy to the broader construct of externalizing proneness. Findings are discussed in terms of current initiatives directed at incorporating neuroscientific concepts into psychopathology classification. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Factors of Psychopathy and Electrocortical Response to Emotional Pictures: Further Evidence for a Two-Process Theory

PubMed Central

Venables, Noah C.; Hall, Jason R.; Yancey, James R.; Patrick, Christopher J.

2014-01-01

The Two-Process theory of psychopathy posits distinct etiological mechanisms contribute to the disorder: 1) a weakness in defensive (fear) reactivity related to affective-interpersonal features, and 2) impaired cognitive-executive functioning, marked by reductions in brain responses such as P3, related to impulsive-antisocial features. The current study examined relations between psychopathy factors and electrocortical response to emotional and neutral pictures in male offenders (N=139) assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Impulsive-antisocial features of the PCL-R (Factor 2) were associated with reduced amplitude of earlier P3 brain response to pictures regardless of valence, whereas the affective-interpersonal dimension (Factor 1) was associated specifically with reductions in late positive potential response to aversive pictures. Findings provide further support for the Two-Process theory and add to a growing body of evidence linking the impulsive-antisocial facet of psychopathy to the broader construct of externalizing proneness. Findings are discussed in terms of current initiatives directed at incorporating neuroscientific concepts into psychopathology classification. PMID:25603361

SNPP VIIRS Spectral Bands Co-Registration and Spatial Response Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Guoqing; Tilton, James C.; Wolfe, Robert E.; Tewari, Krishna P.; Nishihama, Masahiro

2013-01-01

The Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite was launched on 28 October 2011. The VIIRS has 5 imagery spectral bands (I-bands), 16 moderate resolution spectral bands (M-bands) and a panchromatic day/night band (DNB). Performance of the VIIRS spatial response and band-to-band co-registration (BBR) was measured through intensive pre-launch tests. These measurements were made in the non-aggregated zones near the start (or end) of scan for the I-bands and M-bands and for a limited number of aggregation modes for the DNB in order to test requirement compliance. This paper presents results based on a recently re-processed pre-launch test data. Sensor (detector) spatial impulse responses in the scan direction are parameterized in terms of ground dynamic field of view (GDFOV), horizontal spatial resolution (HSR), modulation transfer function (MTF), ensquared energy (EE) and integrated out-of-pixel (IOOP) spatial response. Results are presented for the non-aggregation, 2-sample and 3-sample aggregation zones for the I-bands and M-bands, and for a limited number of aggregation modes for the DNB. On-orbit GDFOVs measured for the 5 I-bands in the scan direction using a straight bridge are also presented. Band-to-band co-registration (BBR) is quantified using the prelaunch measured band-to-band offsets. These offsets may be expressed as fractions of horizontal sampling intervals (HSIs), detector spatial response parameters GDFOV or HSR. BBR bases on HSIs in the non-aggregation, 2-sample and 3-sample aggregation zones are presented. BBR matrices based on scan direction GDFOV and HSR are compared to the BBR matrix based on HSI in the non-aggregation zone. We demonstrate that BBR based on GDFOV is a better representation of footprint overlap and so this definition should be used in BBR requirement specifications. We propose that HSR not be used as the primary image quality indicator, since we show that it is neither an adequate representation of the size of sensor spatial response nor an adequate measure of imaging quality.

Rearing practices and impulsivity/hyperactivity symptoms in relation to inflated responsibility and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

PubMed

Smári, Jakob; Martinsson, Davíð Rúrik; Einarsson, Hjalti

2010-10-01

The aim of the study was to investigate potential precursors of inflated responsibility (responsibility attitudes) and obsessive-compulsive (OCD) symptoms. It was argued that both parental overprotection and impulsivity, separately and in interaction with each other, contribute to inflated responsibility and OCD symptoms. In a large sample of young adults (N = 570), self-report measures of OCD symptoms (OCI-R), responsibility attitudes (RAS), anxiety/depression (HADS), rearing practices (EMBU), present and past impulsivity/hyperactivity symptoms (IMP/HY) were administered. Overprotection as well as IMP/HY were found to predict OCD symptoms as well as inflated responsibility. Finally, a significant interaction was found between IMP/HY and overprotection with regard to both OCD symptoms and inflated responsibility. This effect reflected that IMP/HY was more strongly related to OCD symptoms and responsibility in people who had not been overprotected than in people who had been. Conversely overprotection was related to OCD symptoms and responsibility in people low but not in people high in IMP/HY. The results seem to indicate that the inadequacy between offer and need for parental control may play a role in the development of OCD symptoms. © 2010 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2010 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

Targeted isometric force impulses in patients with traumatic brain injury reveal delayed motor programming and change of strategy.

PubMed

Cantagallo, Anna; Di Russo, Francesco; Favilla, Marco; Zoccolotti, Pierluigi

2015-04-15

The capability of quickly (as soon as possible) producing fast uncorrected and accurate isometric force impulses was examined to assess the motor efficiency of patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and good motor recovery at a clinical evaluation. Twenty male right-handed patients with moderate to severe TBI and 24 age-matched healthy male right-handed controls participated in the study. The experimental task required subjects to aim brief and uncorrected isometric force impulses to targets visually presented along with subjects' force displays. Both TBI patients and controls were able to produce force impulses whose mean peak amplitudes varied proportionally to the target load with no detectable group difference. Patients with TBI, however, were slower than controls in initiating their responses (reaction times [RTs] were longer by 125 msec) and were also slower during the execution of their motor responses, reaching the peak forces requested 23 msec later than controls (time to peak force: 35% delay). Further, their mean dF/dt (35 kg/sec) was slower than that of controls (53 kg/sec), again indicating a 34% impairment with respect to controls. Overall, patients with TBI showed accurate but delayed and slower isometric force impulses. Thus, an evaluation taking into account also response time features is more effective in picking up motor impairments than the standard clinical scales focusing on accuracy of movement only.

Detector response function of an energy-resolved CdTe single photon counting detector.

PubMed

Liu, Xin; Lee, Hyoung Koo

2014-01-01

While spectral CT using single photon counting detector has shown a number of advantages in diagnostic imaging, knowledge of the detector response function of an energy-resolved detector is needed to correct the signal bias and reconstruct the image more accurately. The objective of this paper is to study the photo counting detector response function using laboratory sources, and investigate the signal bias correction method. Our approach is to model the detector response function over the entire diagnostic energy range (20 keV

Signaling When (and When Not) to Be Cautious and Self-Protective: Impulsive and Reflective Trust in Close Relationships

PubMed Central

Murray, Sandra L.; Pinkus, Rebecca T.; Holmes, John G.; Harris, Brianna; Gomillion, Sarah; Aloni, Maya; Derrick, Jaye L.; Leder, Sadie

2011-01-01

A dual process model is proposed to explain how automatic evaluative associations to the partner (i.e., impulsive trust) and deliberative expectations of partner caring (i.e., reflective trust) interact to govern self-protection in romantic relationships. Experimental and correlational studies of dating and marital relationships supported the model. Subliminally conditioning more positive evaluative associations to the partner increased confidence in the partner’s caring, suggesting that trust has an impulsive basis. Being high on impulsive trust (i.e., more positive evaluative associations to the partner on the IAT) also reduced the automatic inclination to distance in response to doubts about the partner’s trustworthiness. It similarly reduced self-protective behavioral reactions to these reflective trust concerns. The studies further revealed that the effects of impulsive trust depend on working memory capacity: Being high on impulsive trust inoculated against reflective trust concerns for people low on working memory capacity. PMID:21443370

Impulse Testing of Corporate-Fed Patch Array Antennas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamberlain, Neil F.

2011-01-01

This paper discusses a novel method for detecting faults in antenna arrays. The method, termed Impulse Testing, was developed for corporate-fed patch arrays where the element is fed by a probe and is shorted at its center. Impulse Testing was devised to supplement conventional microwave measurements in order to quickly verify antenna integrity. The technique relies on exciting each antenna element in turn with a fast pulse (or impulse) that propagates through the feed network to the output port of the antenna. The resulting impulse response is characteristic of the path through the feed network. Using an oscilloscope, a simple amplitude measurement can be made to detect faults. A circuit model of the antenna elements and feed network was constructed to assess various fault scenarios and determine fault-detection thresholds. The experimental setup and impulse measurements for two patch array antennas are presented. Advantages and limitations of the technique are discussed along with applications to other antenna array topologies

Time Delay Estimation

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-04-09

of the signal and noise remain HH ***^-^*--~ 53 h, to r(Mc) h2(r» r(we) Figure 3-2 Sy&toetric Impulse Response for Two FIR Linear Phase...Inputs x,y and Outputs x.j. , 15 2-2 Linear System with Impulse Response h("r) 23 2-3 Model of Error Resulting from Linearly Filtering x(t) to...Corrupted with Additive Noise 42 2-6 Model of Directional Signal Corrupted with Additive Noise and Processed .... 45 2-7 Source Driving Two

A-law/Mu-law Dynamic Range Compression Deconvolution (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-04

noise filtering via the spectrum proportionality filter, and second the signal deblurring via the inverse filter. In this process for regions when...is the joint image of motion impulse response and the noisy blurred image with signal to noise ratio 5, 6(A’) is the gray level recovered image...joint image of motion impulse response and the noisy blurred image with signal to noise ratio 5, (A’) the gray level recovered image using the A-law

The Morava E-theories of finite general linear groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattafirri, Sara

The feasibility of producing an image of radioactivity distribution within a patient or confined region of space using information carried by the gamma-rays emitted from the source is investigated. The imaging approach makes use of parameters related to the gamma-rays which undergo Compton scattering within a detection system, it does not involve the use of pin-holes, and it employs gamma-rays of energy ranging from a few hundreds of keVs to MeVs. Energy range of the photons and absence of pin-holes aim to provide larger pool of radioisotopes and larger efficiency than other emission imaging modalities, such as single photon emission computed tomography and positron emission tomography, making it possible to investigate larger pool of functions and smaller radioactivity doses. The observables available to produce the image are the gamma-ray position of interaction and energy deposition during Compton scattering within the detection systems. Image reconstruction methodologies such as backprojection and list-mode maximum likelihood expectation maximization algorithm are characterized and applied to produce images of simulated and experimental sources on the basis of the observed parameters. Given the observables and image reconstruction methodologies, imaging systems based on minimizing the variation of the impulse response with position within the field of view are developed. The approach allows imaging of three-dimensional sources when an imaging system which provides full 4 pi view of the object is used and imaging of two-dimensional sources when a single block-type detector which provides one view of the object is used. Geometrical resolution of few millimeters is obtained at few centimeters from the detection system if employing gamma-rays of energy in the order of few hundreds of keVs and current state of the art semi-conductor detectors; At this level of resolution, detection efficiency is in the order of 10-3 at few centimeters from the detector when a single block detector few centimeters in size is used. The resolution significantly improves with increasing energy of the photons and it degrades roughly linearly with increasing distance from the detector; Larger detection efficiency can be obtained at the expenses of resolution or via targeted configurations of the detector. Results pave the way for image reconstruction of practical gamma-ray emitting sources.

Development of Aeroservoelastic Analytical Models and Gust Load Alleviation Control Laws of a SensorCraft Wind-Tunnel Model Using Measured Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silva, Walter A.; Vartio, Eric; Shimko, Anthony; Kvaternik, Raymond G.; Eure, Kenneth W.; Scott,Robert C.

2007-01-01

Aeroservoelastic (ASE) analytical models of a SensorCraft wind-tunnel model are generated using measured data. The data was acquired during the ASE wind-tunnel test of the HiLDA (High Lift-to-Drag Active) Wing model, tested in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) in late 2004. Two time-domain system identification techniques are applied to the development of the ASE analytical models: impulse response (IR) method and the Generalized Predictive Control (GPC) method. Using measured control surface inputs (frequency sweeps) and associated sensor responses, the IR method is used to extract corresponding input/output impulse response pairs. These impulse responses are then transformed into state-space models for use in ASE analyses. Similarly, the GPC method transforms measured random control surface inputs and associated sensor responses into an AutoRegressive with eXogenous input (ARX) model. The ARX model is then used to develop the gust load alleviation (GLA) control law. For the IR method, comparison of measured with simulated responses are presented to investigate the accuracy of the ASE analytical models developed. For the GPC method, comparison of simulated open-loop and closed-loop (GLA) time histories are presented.

Development of Aeroservoelastic Analytical Models and Gust Load Alleviation Control Laws of a SensorCraft Wind-Tunnel Model Using Measured Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silva, Walter A.; Shimko, Anthony; Kvaternik, Raymond G.; Eure, Kenneth W.; Scott, Robert C.

2006-01-01

Aeroservoelastic (ASE) analytical models of a SensorCraft wind-tunnel model are generated using measured data. The data was acquired during the ASE wind-tunnel test of the HiLDA (High Lift-to-Drag Active) Wing model, tested in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) in late 2004. Two time-domain system identification techniques are applied to the development of the ASE analytical models: impulse response (IR) method and the Generalized Predictive Control (GPC) method. Using measured control surface inputs (frequency sweeps) and associated sensor responses, the IR method is used to extract corresponding input/output impulse response pairs. These impulse responses are then transformed into state-space models for use in ASE analyses. Similarly, the GPC method transforms measured random control surface inputs and associated sensor responses into an AutoRegressive with eXogenous input (ARX) model. The ARX model is then used to develop the gust load alleviation (GLA) control law. For the IR method, comparison of measured with simulated responses are presented to investigate the accuracy of the ASE analytical models developed. For the GPC method, comparison of simulated open-loop and closed-loop (GLA) time histories are presented.

Serotonin Depletion Induces ‘Waiting Impulsivity' on the Human Four-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task: Cross-Species Translational Significance

PubMed Central

Worbe, Yulia; Savulich, George; Voon, Valerie; Fernandez-Egea, Emilio; Robbins, Trevor W

2014-01-01

Convergent results from animal and human studies suggest that reducing serotonin neurotransmission promotes impulsive behavior. Here, serotonin depletion was induced by the dietary tryptophan depletion procedure (TD) in healthy volunteers to examine the role of serotonin in impulsive action and impulsive choice. We used a novel translational analog of a rodent 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT)— the human 4-CSRTT—and a reward delay-discounting questionnaire to measure effects on these different forms of ‘waiting impulsivity'. There was no effect of TD on impulsive choice as indexed by the reward delay-discounting questionnaire. However, TD significantly increased 4-CSRTT premature responses (or impulsive action), which is remarkably similar to the previous findings of effect of serotonin depletion on rodent 5-CSRTT performance. Moreover, the increased premature responding in TD correlated significantly with individual differences on the motor impulsivity subscale of the Barratt Impulsivity Scale. TD also improved the accuracy of performance and speeded responding, possibly indicating enhanced attention and reward processing. The results suggest: (i) the 4-CSRTT will be a valuable addition to the tests already available to measure impulsivity in humans in a direct translational analog of a test extensively used in rodents; (ii) TD in humans produces a qualitatively similar profile of effects to those in rodents (ie, enhancing premature responding), hence supporting the conclusion that TD in humans exerts at least some of its effects on central serotonin; and (iii) this manipulation of serotonin produces dissociable effects on different measures of impulsivity, suggesting considerable specificity in its modulatory role. PMID:24385133

Trait impulsivity and impaired prefrontal impulse inhibition function in adolescents with internet gaming addiction revealed by a Go/No-Go fMRI study.

PubMed

Ding, Wei-na; Sun, Jin-hua; Sun, Ya-Wen; Chen, Xue; Zhou, Yan; Zhuang, Zhi-guo; Li, Lei; Zhang, Yong; Xu, Jian-rong; Du, Ya-song

2014-05-30

Recent studies suggest that Internet gaming addiction (IGA) is an impulse disorder, or is at least related to impulse control disorders. In the present study, we hypothesized that different facets of trait impulsivity may be specifically linked to the brain regions with impaired impulse inhibition function in IGA adolescents. Seventeen adolescents with IGA and seventeen healthy controls were scanned during performance of a response-inhibition Go/No-Go task using a 3.0 T MRI scanner. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS)-11 was used to assess impulsivity. There were no differences in the behavioral performance on the Go/No-Go task between the groups. However, the IGA group was significantly hyperactive during No-Go trials in the left superior medial frontal gyrus, right anterior cingulate cortex, right superior/middle frontal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, left precentral gyrus, and left precuneus and cuneus. Further, the bilateral middle temporal gyrus, bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, and right superior parietal lobule were significantly hypoactive during No-Go trials. Activation of the left superior medial frontal gyrus was positively associated with BIS-11 and Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) total score across IGA participants. Our data suggest that the prefrontal cortex may be involved in the circuit modulating impulsivity, while its impaired function may relate to high impulsivity in adolescents with IGA, which may contribute directly to the Internet addiction process.

Trait impulsivity and impaired prefrontal impulse inhibition function in adolescents with internet gaming addiction revealed by a Go/No-Go fMRI study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Recent studies suggest that Internet gaming addiction (IGA) is an impulse disorder, or is at least related to impulse control disorders. In the present study, we hypothesized that different facets of trait impulsivity may be specifically linked to the brain regions with impaired impulse inhibition function in IGA adolescents. Methods Seventeen adolescents with IGA and seventeen healthy controls were scanned during performance of a response-inhibition Go/No-Go task using a 3.0 T MRI scanner. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS)-11 was used to assess impulsivity. Results There were no differences in the behavioral performance on the Go/No-Go task between the groups. However, the IGA group was significantly hyperactive during No-Go trials in the left superior medial frontal gyrus, right anterior cingulate cortex, right superior/middle frontal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, left precentral gyrus, and left precuneus and cuneus. Further, the bilateral middle temporal gyrus, bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, and right superior parietal lobule were significantly hypoactive during No-Go trials. Activation of the left superior medial frontal gyrus was positively associated with BIS-11 and Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) total score across IGA participants. Conclusions Our data suggest that the prefrontal cortex may be involved in the circuit modulating impulsivity, while its impaired function may relate to high impulsivity in adolescents with IGA, which may contribute directly to the Internet addiction process. PMID:24885073

The impact of self-reported life stress on current impulsivity in cocaine dependent adults

PubMed Central

Ross, Elizabeth L.; Yoon, Jin H.; Mahoney, James J.; Omar, Yasmine; Newton, Thomas F.; De La Garza, Richard

2014-01-01

Current cocaine treatments may be enhanced with a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms that contribute to the onset and maintenance of the disease, such as life stress and impulsivity. Life stress and impulsivity have previously been studied independently as contributors to drug use, and the current study expands upon past research by examining how these factors interact with one another. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the role of life stress in predicting impulsivity in a non-treatment seeking cocaine-dependent sample (N = 112). Analyses revealed that trait impulsivity (as measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) was associated with education (r = −3.09, p < 0.01), as those who had higher educational attainment also reported lower rates of trait impulsivity. In addition, those over the age of 30 demonstrated lower impulsivity in decision-making (as measured by delay discounting) than those under 30 (t = 2.21, p = 0.03). Overall exposure to life stress was not significantly correlated to either aspect of impulsivity. However several specific life stressors were significantly related to greater impulsivity including having been put up for adoption or in foster care (t = −2.96, p < 0.01), and having a child taken away against their will (t = −2.68, p = 0.01). These findings suggest that age and education relate to impulsivity; and that while an overall compilation of life stress scores was not related to impulsivity, specific types of stress related to either being taken away from a parent or having a child taken away were. Future studies should assess these constructs longitudinally to restrict response bias. PMID:23796525

Attention switching after dietary brain 5-HT challenge in high impulsive subjects.

PubMed

Markus, C Rob; Jonkman, Lisa M

2007-09-01

High levels of impulsivity have adverse effects on performance in cognitive tasks, particularLy in those tasks that require high attention investment. Furthermore, both animal and human research has indicated that reduced brain serotonin (5-HT) function is associated with increases in impulsive behaviour or decreased inhibition ability, but the effects of 5-HT challenge have not yet been investigated in subjects vulnerable to impulsivity. The present study aimed to investigate whether subjects with high trait impulsivity perform worse than low impulsive subjects in a task switching paradigm in which they have to rapidly shift their attention between two response rules, and to investigate the influence of a 5-HT enhancing diet. Healthy subjects with high ( n = 19) and low (n = 18) trait impulsivity scores participated in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. All subjects performed the attention switch task in the morning following breakfast containing either tryptophan-rich alpha-lactalbumin (4.8 g/100 g TRP) or placebo protein (1.4 g/100 g TRP). Whereas there were no baseline differences between high and low impulsive subjects in task switching abilities, high impulsive subjects made significantly more switch errors and responded slower after dietary 5-HT stimulation, whereas no dietary effects were found on task switching performance in low-impulsive subjects. The deterioration in task switching performance induced by the 5-HT enhancing diet in high impulsive subjects was suggested to be established by general arousal/attention-reducing effects of 5-HT, which might have a larger impact in high impulsive subjects due to either different brain circuitry involved in task switching in this group or lower baseline arousal levels.

Self-reported impulsivity in Huntington's disease patients and relationship to executive dysfunction and reward responsiveness.

PubMed

Johnson, Patricia L; Potts, Geoffrey F; Sanchez-Ramos, Juan; Cimino, Cynthia R

2017-09-01

Few studies have directly investigated impulsivity in Huntington's disease (HD) despite known changes in dopaminergic and frontal functioning, changes that have been associated with impulsivity in other disorders and in the normal population. This study sought to further categorize impulsivity in HD through examining differences in self-reported impulsivity between community controls and HD patients, the relationship between executive dysfunction and impulsivity, and the relationship of a reward/punishment behavioral inhibition task in relation to these self-report measures. It was expected that HD patients would report higher impulsivity and executive dysfunction and that these measures would relate to a reward/punishment behavioral inhibition task. The Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) and Behavioral Inhibition/Behavioral Activation Scale (BIS/BAS) were completed, and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and a reward-based flanker task with punishing and rewarding conditions were administered to 22 HD patients and 14 control participants. HD patients reported higher trait impulsivity (BIS-11) and executive dysfunction (Frontal Systems Behavior Scale, FrSBE) but not increased impulsivity on the BIS/BAS relative to controls. Higher BIS-11 scores were related to increased self-reported executive dysfunction and the attention/working memory factor of the MMSE. On a reward/punishment behavioral inhibition task, BAS was uniquely related to increased accuracy on rewarding trials of the flanker task, but was not related to punishing trials in HD patients. The relationships found suggest that trait impulsivity is reported higher in HD and may not be driven by altered reward evaluation and the appetitive nature of stimuli but rather by increased executive dysfunction and lack of sensitivity to punishment. Impulsivity in HD may represent a combination of trait impulsivity, altered dopaminergic circuitry, and executive dysfunction. Understanding impulsivity in HD is important as it is related to increased risk to the patient and difficult behaviors for the caregiver, and sheds light on the disease process.

Impulsive aggression, delay discounting, and adolescent suicide attempts: effects of current psychotropic medication use and family history of suicidal behavior.

PubMed

Bridge, Jeffrey A; Reynolds, Brady; McBee-Strayer, Sandra M; Sheftall, Arielle H; Ackerman, John; Stevens, Jack; Mendoza, Kristen; Campo, John V; Brent, David A

2015-03-01

Impulsive-aggressive behaviors have been consistently implicated in the phenomenology, neurobiology, and familial aggregation of suicidal behavior. The purpose of this study was to extend previous work by examining laboratory behavioral measures of delayed reward impulsivity and impulsive aggression in adolescent suicide attempters and never-suicidal comparison subjects. Using the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP) and the Delay Discounting Task (DDQ), the authors examined delay discounting and impulsive aggression in 40 adolescent suicide attempters, ages 13-18, and 40 never-suicidal, demographically matched psychiatric comparison subjects. Overall, suicide attempters and comparison subjects performed similarly on the PSAP and DDQ. There was a significant group by current psychotropic medication use interaction (p=0.013) for mean aggressive responses on the PSAP. Group comparisons revealed that attempters emitted more aggressive responses per provocation than comparison subjects, only in those not on psychotropic medication (p=0.049), whereas for those currently treated with psychotropic medication, there were no group differences (p>0.05). This interaction effect was specific to current antidepressant use. Among all subjects, family history of suicidal behavior (suicide or suicide attempt) in first degree relatives was significantly correlated with both delay discounting (r=-0.22, p=0.049), and aggressive responding (r=0.27, p=0.015). Family history of suicidal behavior was associated with delay discounting, but not with aggressive responding on the PSAP, after controlling for relevant covariates. In this study, impulsive-aggressive responding was associated with suicide attempt only in those not being treated with antidepressants. Future work to replicate and extend these findings could have important therapeutic implications for the treatment of depressed suicide attempters, many of whom are affected by impulsive aggression.

Mouse and Human Genetic Analyses Associate Kalirin with Ventral Striatal Activation during Impulsivity and with Alcohol Misuse

PubMed Central

Peña-Oliver, Yolanda; Carvalho, Fabiana M.; Sanchez-Roige, Sandra; Quinlan, Erin B.; Jia, Tianye; Walker-Tilley, Tom; Rulten, Stuart L.; Pearl, Frances M. G.; Banaschewski, Tobias; Barker, Gareth J.; Bokde, Arun L. W.; Büchel, Christian; Conrod, Patricia J.; Flor, Herta; Gallinat, Jürgen; Garavan, Hugh; Heinz, Andreas; Gowland, Penny; Paillere Martinot, Marie-Laure; Paus, Tomáš; Rietschel, Marcella; Robbins, Trevor W.; Smolka, Michael N.; Schumann, Gunter; Stephens, David N.

2016-01-01

Impulsivity is associated with a spectrum of psychiatric disorders including drug addiction. To investigate genetic associations with impulsivity and initiation of drug taking, we took a two-step approach. First, we identified genes whose expression level in prefrontal cortex, striatum and accumbens were associated with impulsive behavior in the 5-choice serial reaction time task across 10 BXD recombinant inbred (BXD RI) mouse strains and their progenitor C57BL/6J and DBA2/J strains. Behavioral data were correlated with regional gene expression using GeneNetwork (www.genenetwork.org), to identify 44 genes whose probability of association with impulsivity exceeded a false discovery rate of < 0.05. We then interrogated the IMAGEN database of 1423 adolescents for potential associations of SNPs in human homologs of those genes identified in the mouse study, with brain activation during impulsive performance in the Monetary Incentive Delay task, and with novelty seeking scores from the Temperament and Character Inventory, as well as alcohol experience. There was a significant overall association between the human homologs of impulsivity-related genes and percentage of premature responses in the MID task and with fMRI BOLD-response in ventral striatum (VS) during reward anticipation. In contrast, no significant association was found between the polygenic scores and anterior cingulate cortex activation. Univariate association analyses revealed that the G allele (major) of the intronic SNP rs6438839 in the KALRN gene was significantly associated with increased VS activation. Additionally, the A-allele (minor) of KALRN intronic SNP rs4634050, belonging to the same haplotype block, was associated with increased frequency of binge drinking. PMID:27092175

Impulsive Aggression, Delay Discounting, and Adolescent Suicide Attempts: Effects of Current Psychotropic Medication Use and Family History of Suicidal Behavior

PubMed Central

Reynolds, Brady; McBee-Strayer, Sandra M.; Sheftall, Arielle H.; Ackerman, John; Stevens, Jack; Mendoza, Kristen; Campo, John V.; Brent, David A.

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective: Impulsive-aggressive behaviors have been consistently implicated in the phenomenology, neurobiology, and familial aggregation of suicidal behavior. The purpose of this study was to extend previous work by examining laboratory behavioral measures of delayed reward impulsivity and impulsive aggression in adolescent suicide attempters and never-suicidal comparison subjects. Methods: Using the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP) and the Delay Discounting Task (DDQ), the authors examined delay discounting and impulsive aggression in 40 adolescent suicide attempters, ages 13–18, and 40 never-suicidal, demographically matched psychiatric comparison subjects. Results: Overall, suicide attempters and comparison subjects performed similarly on the PSAP and DDQ. There was a significant group by current psychotropic medication use interaction (p=0.013) for mean aggressive responses on the PSAP. Group comparisons revealed that attempters emitted more aggressive responses per provocation than comparison subjects, only in those not on psychotropic medication (p=0.049), whereas for those currently treated with psychotropic medication, there were no group differences (p>0.05). This interaction effect was specific to current antidepressant use. Among all subjects, family history of suicidal behavior (suicide or suicide attempt) in first degree relatives was significantly correlated with both delay discounting (r=−0.22, p=0.049), and aggressive responding (r=0.27, p=0.015). Family history of suicidal behavior was associated with delay discounting, but not with aggressive responding on the PSAP, after controlling for relevant covariates. Conclusions: In this study, impulsive-aggressive responding was associated with suicide attempt only in those not being treated with antidepressants. Future work to replicate and extend these findings could have important therapeutic implications for the treatment of depressed suicide attempters, many of whom are affected by impulsive aggression. PMID:25745870

Blocking serotonin but not dopamine reuptake alters neural processing during perceptual decision making.

PubMed

Costa, Vincent D; Kakalios, Laura C; Averbeck, Bruno B

2016-10-01

Dopamine and serotonin have opponent interactions on aspects of impulsivity. Therefore we wanted to test the hypothesis that dopamine and serotonin would have opposing effects on speed-accuracy trade offs in a perceptual decision making task. Unlike other behavioral measures of impulsivity, perceptual decision making allows us to determine whether decreasing premature responses, often interpreted as decreased impulsivity, corresponds to increased behavioral performance. We administered GBR-12909 (a dopamine transporter blocker), escitalopram (a serotonin transporter blocker), or saline in separate sessions to 3 rhesus macaques. We found that animals had slower reaction times (RTs) on escitalopram than on GBR-12909 or saline. However, they were also least accurate on escitalopram. Animals were faster, although nonsignificantly, on GBR than saline and had equivalent accuracy. Administration of GBR-12909 did cause animals to be faster in error trials than correct trials. Therefore, from the point of view of RTs the animals were less impulsive on escitalopram. However, the decreased accuracy of the monkeys shows that they were not able to make use of their slower response times to make more accurate decisions. Therefore, impulsivity was reduced on escitalopram, but at the expense of a slower information-processing rate in the perceptual inference task. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Cognitive control training for emotion-related impulsivity.

PubMed

Peckham, Andrew D; Johnson, Sheri L

2018-06-01

Many forms of psychopathology are tied to a heightened tendency to respond impulsively to strong emotions, and this tendency, in turn, is closely tied to problems with cognitive control. The goal of the present study was to test whether a two-week, six-session cognitive control training program is efficacious in reducing emotion-related impulsivity. Participants (N = 52) reporting elevated scores on an emotion-related impulsivity measure completed cognitive control training targeting working memory and response inhibition. A subset of participants were randomized to a waitlist control group. Impulsivity, emotion regulation, and performance on near and far-transfer cognitive tasks were assessed at baseline and after completion of training. Emotion-related impulsivity declined significantly from pre-training to post-training and at two-week follow-up; improvements were not observed in the waitlist control group. A decrease in brooding rumination and an increase in reappraisal were also observed. Participants showed significant improvements on trained versions of the working memory and inhibition tasks as well as improvements on an inhibition transfer task. In sum, these preliminary findings show that cognitive training appears to be well-tolerated for people with significant emotion-driven impulsivity. Results provide preliminary support for the efficacy of cognitive training interventions as a way to reduce emotion-related impulsivity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interrelationships among impulsive personality traits, food addiction, and Body Mass Index

PubMed Central

Murphy, Cara M.; Stojek, Monika K.; MacKillop, James

2016-01-01

Objective Impulsive personality traits have been robustly associated with alcohol and drug misuse, but have received little attention in the context of food addiction. The goal of the current study was to examine the interrelationships between impulsive personality traits, food addiction, and Body Mass Index (BMI), including indirect pathways of influence. Method Participants (N = 233) completed the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) to assess patterns of addictive consumption of food, the UPPS-P Impulsivity Scale to assess impulsive personality traits, and provided weight and height to generate BMI. Results Significant positive associations were found between facets of impulsivity, food addiction symptoms, and BMI. Impulsivity was found to be indirectly associated with BMI by way of associations with addictive consumption of food. In particular, an inclination toward behaving irrationally while experiencing negative mood states (Negative Urgency) and low levels of task persistence (lack of Perseverance) were significantly associated with food addiction directly and that relationship was responsible for their relationship to BMI. Conclusions Dispositional impulsivity, routinely associated with high-risk behaviors including addictive consumption of alcohol and drugs, may be an important risk factor when considering tendency to engage in addictive consumption of food. Monitoring food addiction symptoms early may help reduce the likelihood that compulsive food consumption patterns result in weight gain and obesity. Methodological considerations are discussed. PMID:24511618

Interrelationships among impulsive personality traits, food addiction, and Body Mass Index.

PubMed

Murphy, Cara M; Stojek, Monika K; MacKillop, James

2014-02-01

Impulsive personality traits have been robustly associated with alcohol and drug misuse, but have received little attention in the context of food addiction. The goal of the current study was to examine the interrelationships between impulsive personality traits, food addiction, and Body Mass Index (BMI), including indirect pathways of influence. Participants (N = 233) completed the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) to assess patterns of addictive consumption of food, the upps-p impulsivity scale to assess impulsive personality traits, and provided weight and height to generate BMI. Significant positive associations were found between facets of impulsivity, food addiction symptoms, and BMI. Impulsivity was found to be indirectly associated with BMI by way of associations with addictive consumption of food. In particular, an inclination toward behaving irrationally while experiencing negative mood states (Negative Urgency) and low levels of task persistence (lack of Perseverance) were significantly associated with food addiction directly and that relationship was responsible for their relationship to BMI. Dispositional impulsivity, routinely associated with high-risk behaviors including addictive consumption of alcohol and drugs, may be an important risk factor when considering tendency to engage in addictive consumption of food. Monitoring food addiction symptoms early may help reduce the likelihood that compulsive food consumption patterns result in weight gain and obesity. Methodological considerations are discussed.

The overlapping brain region accounting for the relationship between procrastination and impulsivity: A voxel-based morphometry study.

PubMed

Liu, Peiwei; Feng, Tingyong

2017-09-30

Procrastination is a prevalent problematic behavior that brings serious consequences, such as lower levels of health, wealth, and well-being. Previous research has verified that impulsivity is one of the traits most strongly correlated with procrastination. However, little is known about why there is a tight behavioral relationship between them. To address this question, we used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to explore the common neural substrates between procrastination and impulsivity. In line with previous findings, the behavioral results showed a strong behavioral correlation between procrastination and impulsivity. Neuroimaging results showed impulsivity and procrastination shared the common neurobiological underpinnings in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) based on the data from 85 participants (sample 1). Furthermore, the mediation analysis revealed that impulsivity mediated the impact of gray matter (GM) volumes of this overlapping region in the DLPFC on procrastination on another independent 84 participants' data (sample 2). In conclusion, the overlapping brain region in the DLPFC would be responsible for the close relationship between procrastination and impulsivity. As a whole, the present study extends our knowledge on procrastination, and provides a novel perspective to explain the tight impulsivity - procrastination relationship. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wedeken, U.; Voelker, H.; Knott, K.

The SSC occurring on March 22, 1979, at 0826 UT had an unusually sharp onset in Scandinavia, in Middle Europe and in experiments on the geostationary satellite GEOS 2, which was near noon, local magnetic time. The ground magnetometer stations showed a small preimpuse which started approx.5 s before the main impulse. Both impulses needed approx.2 s to ''propagate'' from ground stations at L = 6.3-4.6. Search coil magnetometers indicate a very small precursor in northern Finland (Lapprox.4.4-6.0) which started approx.15-20 s before the main impulse. This small precursor also occurred close to the time of the SSC onset atmore » GEOS 2. We interpret this precursor as an effect of precipitating electrons changing the ionospheric conductivity in a localized region. The main impulse triggered damped magnetic pulsations (Psc) with periods near 160 s and 50 s visible in northern Scandinavia and the electric field detector on GEOS 2. Furthermore, the magnetic field and the energetic ions at GEOS observed pulsations with periods near 80 s, but these could only be observed at the northernmost ground stations. There are several indications that the first three harmonics of standing hydromagnetic waves are detected. They may correspond to periodic oscillations of the subsolar point or eigenperiods of the SSC-excited fast mode (compressional cavity resonance). The tentatively identified second harmonic wave (period approx.80 s) is indicative of a bounce resonance of ring current protons. Inside the plasmasphere the dominant period of a superimposed Psc 4 event increased with latitude for the H component indicating several toroidal eigenoscillations.« less

Homodyne impulse radar hidden object locator

DOEpatents

McEwan, T.E.

1996-04-30

An electromagnetic detector is designed to locate an object hidden behind a separator or a cavity within a solid object. The detector includes a PRF generator for generating 2 MHz pulses, a homodyne oscillator for generating a 2 kHz square wave, and for modulating the pulses from the PRF generator. A transmit antenna transmits the modulated pulses through the separator, and a receive antenna receives the signals reflected off the object. The receiver path of the detector includes a sample and hold circuit, an AC coupled amplifier which filters out DC bias level shifts in the sample and hold circuit, and a rectifier circuit connected to the homodyne oscillator and to the AC coupled amplifier, for synchronously rectifying the modulated pulses transmitted over the transmit antenna. The homodyne oscillator modulates the signal from the PRF generator with a continuous wave (CW) signal, and the AC coupled amplifier operates with a passband centered on that CW signal. The present detector can be used in several applications, including the detection of metallic and non-metallic objects, such as pipes, studs, joists, nails, rebars, conduits and electrical wiring, behind wood wall, ceiling, plywood, particle board, dense hardwood, masonry and cement structure. The detector is portable, light weight, simple to use, inexpensive, and has a low power emission which facilitates the compliance with Part 15 of the FCC rules. 15 figs.

Homodyne impulse radar hidden object locator

DOEpatents

McEwan, Thomas E.

1996-01-01

An electromagnetic detector is designed to locate an object hidden behind a separator or a cavity within a solid object. The detector includes a PRF generator for generating 2 MHz pulses, a homodyne oscillator for generating a 2 kHz square wave, and for modulating the pulses from the PRF generator. A transmit antenna transmits the modulated pulses through the separator, and a receive antenna receives the signals reflected off the object. The receiver path of the detector includes a sample and hold circuit, an AC coupled amplifier which filters out DC bias level shifts in the sample and hold circuit, and a rectifier circuit connected to the homodyne oscillator and to the AC coupled amplifier, for synchronously rectifying the modulated pulses transmitted over the transmit antenna. The homodyne oscillator modulates the signal from the PRF generator with a continuous wave (CW) signal, and the AC coupled amplifier operates with a passband centered on that CW signal. The present detector can be used in several applications, including the detection of metallic and non-metallic objects, such as pipes, studs, joists, nails, rebars, conduits and electrical wiring, behind wood wall, ceiling, plywood, particle board, dense hardwood, masonry and cement structure. The detector is portable, light weight, simple to use, inexpensive, and has a low power emission which facilitates the compliance with Part 15 of the FCC rules.

Identification of Scattering Mechanisms from Measured Impulse Response Signatures of Several Conducting Objects.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-01

conducting sphere 35 compared to inverse transform of exact solution. 4-5. Measured impulse response of a conducting 2:1 right 37 circular cylinder with...frequency domain. This is equivalent to multiplication in the time domain by the inverse transform of w(n), which is shown in Figure 3-1 for N=15. The...equivalent pulse width from 0.066 T for the rectangular window to 0.10 T for the Hanning window. The inverse transform of the Hanning window is shown

Impulse Response Shaping for Ultra Wide Band SAR in a Circular Flight Path

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jin, Michael Y.

1996-01-01

An ultra wide band SAR (synthetic aperture radar) has potential applications on imaging underground objects. Flying this SAR in a circular flight path is an efficient way to acquire high resolution images from a localized area. This paper characterizes the impulse response of sucha system. The results indicate that to achieve an image with a more uniformed resolution over the entire imaged area, proper weighting coeficients should be applied to both the principle aperture and the complimentary aperture.

Iterative design of one- and two-dimensional FIR digital filters. [Finite duration Impulse Response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suk, M.; Choi, K.; Algazi, V. R.

1976-01-01

The paper describes a new iterative technique for designing FIR (finite duration impulse response) digital filters using a frequency weighted least squares approximation. The technique is as easy to implement (via FFT) and as effective in two dimensions as in one dimension, and there are virtually no limitations on the class of filter frequency spectra approximated. An adaptive adjustment of the frequency weight to achieve other types of design approximation such as Chebyshev type design is discussed.

Impulse oscillometry in the evaluation of diseases of the airways in children

PubMed Central

Komarow, Hirsh D.; Myles, Ian A.; Uzzaman, Ashraf; Metcalfe, Dean D.

2012-01-01

Objective To provide an overview of impulse oscillometry and its application to the evaluation of children with diseases of the airways. Data Sources Medline and PubMed search, limited to English language and human disease, with keywords forced oscillation, impulse oscillometry, and asthma. Study Selections The opinions of the authors were used to select studies for inclusion in this review. Results Impulse oscillometry is a noninvasive and rapid technique requiring only passive cooperation by the patient. Pressure oscillations are applied at the mouth to measure pulmonary resistance and reactance. It is employed by health care professionals to help diagnose pediatric pulmonary diseases such asthma and cystic fibrosis; assess therapeutic responses; and measure airway resistance during provocation testing. Conclusions Impulse oscillometry provides a rapid, noninvasive measure of airway impedance. It may be easily employed in the diagnosis and management of diseases of the airways in children. PMID:21354020

[Impulsivity-focused Group Intervention to reduce Binge Eating Episodes in Patients with Binge Eating Disorder - A Group Training Program].

PubMed

Schag, Kathrin; Leehr, Elisabeth J; Skoda, Eva-Maria; Becker, Sandra; Zipfel, Stephan; Giel, Katrin E

2016-11-01

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is an eating disorder where cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could already show reliable efficacy. Relying on basic research, CBT interventions which especially focus on impulsivity could be effective, because binge eating episodes represent highly impulsive eating behaviour. For this reason, we developed a treatment concept about an impulsivity-focused behavioural group intervention for patients with BED, called IMPULS. The efficacy of IMPULS is currently investigated in a randomised controlled trial 1. IMPULS is drafted as a weekly group training programme with 5-6 participants per group. The essential interventions are food-related cue exposure with response prevention and the development of self-control strategies. These interventions are adapted onto the impulsivity concept from conventional treatment of addictive disorders and BED. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Determination of acoustical transfer functions using an impulse method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacPherson, J.

1985-02-01

The Transfer Function of a system may be defined as the relationship of the output response to the input of a system. Whilst recent advances in digital processing systems have enabled Impulse Transfer Functions to be determined by computation of the Fast Fourier Transform, there has been little work done in applying these techniques to room acoustics. Acoustical Transfer Functions have been determined for auditoria, using an impulse method. The technique is based on the computation of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of a non-ideal impulsive source, both at the source and at the receiver point. The Impulse Transfer Function (ITF) is obtained by dividing the FFT at the receiver position by the FFT of the source. This quantity is presented both as linear frequency scale plots and also as synthesized one-third octave band data. The technique enables a considerable quantity of data to be obtained from a small number of impulsive signals recorded in the field, thereby minimizing the time and effort required on site. As the characteristics of the source are taken into account in the calculation, the choice of impulsive source is non-critical. The digital analysis equipment required for the analysis is readily available commercially.

Characterization Of Improved Binary Phase-Only Filters In A Real-Time Coherent Optical Correlation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flannery, D.; Keller, P.; Cartwright, S.; Loomis, J.

1987-06-01

Attractive correlation system performance potential is possible using magneto-optic spatial light modulators (SLM) to implement binary phase-only reference filters at high rates, provided the correlation performance of such reduced-information-content filters is adequate for the application. In the case studied here, the desired filter impulse response is a rectangular shape, which cannot be achieved with the usual binary phase-only filter formulation. The correlation application problem is described and techniques for synthesizing improved filter impulse response are considered. A compromise solution involves the cascading of a fixed amplitude-only weighting mask with the binary phase-only SLM. Based on simulations presented, this approach provides improved impulse responses and good correlation performance, while retaining the critical feature of real-time variations of the size, shape, and orientation of the rectangle by electronic programming of the phase pattern in the SLM. Simulations indicate that, for at least one very challenging input scene clutter situation, these filters provide higher correlation signal-to-noise than does "ideal" correlation, i.e. using a perfect rectangle filter response.

Real-Time Decision Making and Aggressive Behavior in Youth: A Heuristic Model of Response Evaluation and Decision (RED)

PubMed Central

Fontaine, Reid Griffith; Dodge, Kenneth A.

2009-01-01

Considerable scientific and intervention attention has been paid to judgment and decision-making systems associated with aggressive behavior in youth. However, most empirical studies have investigated social-cognitive correlates of stable child and adolescent aggressiveness, and less is known about real-time decision making to engage in aggressive behavior. A model of real-time decision making must incorporate both impulsive actions and rational thought. The present paper advances a process model (response evaluation and decision; RED) of real-time behavioral judgments and decision making in aggressive youths with mathematic representations that may be used to quantify response strength. These components are a heuristic to describe decision making, though it is doubtful that individuals always mentally complete these steps. RED represents an organization of social–cognitive operations believed to be active during the response decision step of social information processing. The model posits that RED processes can be circumvented through impulsive responding. This article provides a description and integration of thoughtful, rational decision making and nonrational impulsivity in aggressive behavioral interactions. PMID:20802851

Real-Time Decision Making and Aggressive Behavior in Youth: A Heuristic Model of Response Evaluation and Decision (RED).

PubMed

Fontaine, Reid Griffith; Dodge, Kenneth A

2006-11-01

Considerable scientific and intervention attention has been paid to judgment and decision-making systems associated with aggressive behavior in youth. However, most empirical studies have investigated social-cognitive correlates of stable child and adolescent aggressiveness, and less is known about real-time decision making to engage in aggressive behavior. A model of real-time decision making must incorporate both impulsive actions and rational thought. The present paper advances a process model (response evaluation and decision; RED) of real-time behavioral judgments and decision making in aggressive youths with mathematic representations that may be used to quantify response strength. These components are a heuristic to describe decision making, though it is doubtful that individuals always mentally complete these steps. RED represents an organization of social-cognitive operations believed to be active during the response decision step of social information processing. The model posits that RED processes can be circumvented through impulsive responding. This article provides a description and integration of thoughtful, rational decision making and nonrational impulsivity in aggressive behavioral interactions.

Improving control over the impulse for reward: sensitivity of harmful alcohol drinkers to delayed reward but not immediate punishment.

PubMed

Rossiter, Sarah; Thompson, Julian; Hester, Robert

2012-09-01

Cognitive control dysfunction has been identified in dependent alcohol users and implicated in the transition from abuse to dependence, although evidence of dyscontrol in chronic but non-dependent 'harmful' alcohol abusers is mixed. The current study examined harmful alcohol users response inhibition over rewarding stimuli in the presence of monetary reward and punishment, to determine whether changes in sensitivity to these factors, noted in imaging studies of dependent users, influences impulse control. Harmful (n=30) and non-hazardous (n=55) alcohol users were administered a Monetary Incentive Go/No-go task that required participants to inhibit a prepotent motor response associated with reward. Harmful alcohol users showed a significantly poorer ability to withhold their impulse for a rewarding stimulus in the presence of immediate monetary punishment for failure, while retaining equivalent response inhibition performance under neutral conditions (associated with neither monetary loss or gain), and significantly better performance under delayed reward conditions. The results of the present study suggest that non-dependent alcohol abusers have altered sensitivity to reward and punishment that influences their impulse control for reward, in the absence of gross dyscontrol that is consistent with past findings in which such performance contingencies were not used. The ability of delayed monetary reward, but not punishment, to increase sustained impulse control in this sample has implications for the mechanism that might underlie the transition from alcohol abuse to dependence, as well as intervention strategies aimed at preventing this transition. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavioral Assessment of Impulsivity: A Comparison of Children with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neef, Nancy A.; Marckel, Julie; Ferreri, Summer J.; Bicard, David F.; Endo, Sayaka; Aman, Michael G.; Miller, Kelly M.; Jung, Sunhwa; Nist, Lindsay; Armstrong, Nancy

2005-01-01

We conducted a brief computer-based assessment involving choices of concurrently presented arithmetic problems associated with competing reinforcer dimensions to assess impulsivity (choices controlled primarily by reinforcer immediacy) as well as the relative influence of other dimensions (reinforcer rate, quality, and response effort), with 58…

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN IMPULSIVE CHOICE AND TIMING IN RATS

PubMed Central

Galtress, Tiffany; Garcia, Ana; Kirkpatrick, Kimberly

2012-01-01

Individual differences in impulsive choice behavior have been linked to a variety of behavioral problems including substance abuse, smoking, gambling, and poor financial decision-making. Given the potential importance of individual differences in impulsive choice as a predictor of behavioral problems, the present study sought to measure the extent of individual differences in a normal sample of hooded Lister rats. Three experiments utilized variations of a delay discounting task to measure the degree of variation in impulsive choice behavior across individual rats. The individual differences accounted for 22–55% of the variance in choice behavior across the three experiments. In Experiments 2 and 3, the individual differences were still apparent when behavior was measured across multiple choice points. Large individual differences in the rate of responding, and modest individual differences in timing of responding were also observed during occasional peak trials. The individual differences in timing and rate, however, did not correlate consistently with individual differences in choice behavior. This suggests that a variety of factors may affect choice behavior, response rate, and response timing. PMID:22851792

Detecting Structural Failures Via Acoustic Impulse Responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bayard, David S.; Joshi, Sanjay S.

1995-01-01

Advanced method of acoustic pulse reflectivity testing developed for use in determining sizes and locations of failures within structures. Used to detect breaks in electrical transmission lines, detect faults in optical fibers, and determine mechanical properties of materials. In method, structure vibrationally excited with acoustic pulse (a "ping") at one location and acoustic response measured at same or different location. Measured acoustic response digitized, then processed by finite-impulse-response (FIR) filtering algorithm unique to method and based on acoustic-wave-propagation and -reflection properties of structure. Offers several advantages: does not require training, does not require prior knowledge of mathematical model of acoustic response of structure, enables detection and localization of multiple failures, and yields data on extent of damage at each location.

Ventral striatal D2/3 receptor availability is associated with impulsive choice behavior as well aslimbic corticostriatal connectivity.

PubMed

Barlow, Rebecca L; Gorges, Martin; Wearn, Alfie; Niessen, Heiko G; Kassubek, Jan; Dalley, Jeffrey W; Pekcec, Anton

2018-03-15

Low dopamine D2/3 receptor availability in the nucleus accumbens (NAcb) shell is associated with highly-impulsive behavior in rats, as measured by premature responses in a cued attentional task. However, it is unclear whether dopamine D2/3 receptor availability in the NAcb is equally linked to intolerance for delayed rewards, a related form of impulsivity. We investigated the relationship between D2/3 receptor availability in the NAcb and impulsivity in a delay-discounting task (DDT) where animals must choose between immediate small-magnitude rewards and delayed larger-magnitude rewards. Corticostriatal D2/3 receptor availability was measured in rats stratified for high-, and low-impulsivity using in-vivo [18F]fallypride positron emission tomography (PET) and ex-vivo [3H]raclopride autoradiography. Resting-state functional connectivity in limbic corticostriatal networks was also assessed using fMRI. DDT impulsivity was inversely related to D2/3 receptor availability in the NAcb core but not the dorsal striatum with higher D2/3 binding in the NAcb shell of high-impulsive rats compared with low-impulsive rats. D2/3 receptor availability was associated with stronger connectivity between the cingulate cortex and hippocampus of high versus low impulsive rats. We conclude that DDT impulsivity is associated with low D2/3 receptor binding in the NAcb core. Thus two related forms of waiting impulsivity - premature responding and delay intolerance in a delay-of-reward task - implicate an involvement of D2/3 receptor availability in the NAcb shell and core, respectively. This dissociation may be causal or consequential to enhanced functional connectivity of limbic brain circuitry and hold relevance for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, drug addiction and other psychiatric disorders.

Climatic and land-use driven change of runoff throughout Sweden

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worman, A. L. E.; Riml, J.; Lindstrom, G.

2015-12-01

Changes in runoff can be caused by climatic variations, land-use changes and water regulation. In this paper we propose a separation of the power spectral response of runoff in watersheds in terms of the product of the power spectra of precipitation and the impulse response function for the watershed. This allows a formal separation of the spectral response in climatic factors - the precipitation - from those of land-use change and regulation - the impulse response function. The latter function characterizes the surface water-groundwater interaction, stream network topology and open channel hydraulics. Based on daily data of digitalized hydro-climatological data from 1961, we constructed synthetic, but calibrated data of runoff from 1001 watersheds in Sweden. From spectral analysis of the data we found periodic fluctuations occurring on time scales of about a decade and a bi-annual peak. These multi-annual fluctuations could be statistically linked through the coherence spectra to climatic indices like the NAO, PDO, geostrophic wind velocity and sun spot numbers on common periods of 3,6 and 7,6 years. Such long-term fluctuations in runoff are not significantly affected by the land-use or regulation other than indirectly through impact on local hydro-climate. Based on a spectral separation of precipitation and impulse response function of the watersheds, we found that the intra-annual variation in runoff was primarily affected by the land-use change in 79 unregulated catchments with up to century-long time series of measured daily discharge. There is a statistically significant increasing slope of the catchments impulse response function for 63 of the 79 catchments and this suggest a significant hydrological effect of land-use practice in agriculture, urbanisation and forestry.

Reduced attention and increased impulsivity in mice lacking NPY Y2 receptors: relation to anxiolytic-like phenotype.

PubMed

Greco, Barbara; Carli, Mirjana

2006-05-15

Neuropeptide (NPY) Y2 receptors play an important role in some anxiety-related and stress-related behaviours in mice. Changes in the level of anxiety can affect some cognitive functions such as memory, attention and inhibitory response control. We investigated the effects of NPY Y2 receptor deletion (Y2(-/-)) in mice on visual attention and response control using the five-choice serial reaction time (5-CSRT) task in which accuracy of detection of a brief visual stimulus across five spatial locations may serve as a valid behavioural index of attentional functioning. Anticipatory and perseverative responses provide a measure of inhibitory response control. During training, the Y2(-/-) mice had lower accuracy (% correct), and made more anticipatory responses. At stimulus durations of 2 and 4s the Y2(-/-) were as accurate as the Y2(+/+) mice but still more impulsive than Y(+/+). At stimulus durations of 0.25 and 0.5s both groups performed worse but the Y2(-/-) mice made significantly fewer correct responses than the Y2(+/+) controls. The anxiolytic drug diazepam at 2mg/kg IP greatly increased the anticipatory responding of Y2(-/-) mice compared to Y2(+/+). The anxiogenic inverse benzodiazepine agonist, FG 7142, at 10mg/kg IP reduced the anticipatory responding of Y2(-/-) but not Y2(+/+) mice. These data suggest that NPY Y2 receptors make an important contribution to mechanisms controlling attentional functioning and "impulsivity". They also show that "impulsivity" of NPY Y2(-/-) mice may depend on their level of anxiety. These findings may help in understanding the pathophysiology of stress disorders and depression.

An efficient approach to ARMA modeling of biological systems with multiple inputs and delays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perrott, M. H.; Cohen, R. J.

1996-01-01

This paper presents a new approach to AutoRegressive Moving Average (ARMA or ARX) modeling which automatically seeks the best model order to represent investigated linear, time invariant systems using their input/output data. The algorithm seeks the ARMA parameterization which accounts for variability in the output of the system due to input activity and contains the fewest number of parameters required to do so. The unique characteristics of the proposed system identification algorithm are its simplicity and efficiency in handling systems with delays and multiple inputs. We present results of applying the algorithm to simulated data and experimental biological data In addition, a technique for assessing the error associated with the impulse responses calculated from estimated ARMA parameterizations is presented. The mapping from ARMA coefficients to impulse response estimates is nonlinear, which complicates any effort to construct confidence bounds for the obtained impulse responses. Here a method for obtaining a linearization of this mapping is derived, which leads to a simple procedure to approximate the confidence bounds.

ACIRF user's guide: Theory and examples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dana, Roger A.

1989-12-01

Design and evaluation of radio frequency systems that must operate through ionospheric disturbances resulting from high altitude nuclear detonations requires an accurate channel model. This model must include the effects of high gain antennas that may be used to receive the signals. Such a model can then be used to construct realizations of the received signal for use in digital simulations of trans-ionospheric links or for use in hardware channel simulators. The FORTRAN channel model ACIRF (Antenna Channel Impulse Response Function) generates random realizations of the impulse response function at the outputs of multiple antennas. This user's guide describes the FORTRAN program ACIRF (version 2.0) that generates realizations of channel impulse response functions at the outputs of multiple antennas with arbitrary beamwidths, pointing angles, and relatives positions. This channel model is valid under strong scattering conditions when Rayleigh fading statistics apply. Both frozen-in and turbulent models for the temporal fluctuations are included in this version of ACIRF. The theory of the channel model is described and several examples are given.

Non-Invasive Pneumothorax Detector Final Report CRADA No. TC02110.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, J. T.; Purcell, R.

This was a collaborative effort between Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC as manager and operator of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and ElectroSonics Medical Inc. (formerly known as BIOMEC, Inc.), to develop a non-invasive pneumothorax detector based upon the micropower impulse radar technology invented at LLNL. Under a Work for Others Subcontract (L-9248), LLNL and ElectroSonics successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a novel device for non-invasive detection of pneumothorax for emergency and long-term monitoring. The device is based on Micropower Impulse Radar (MIR) Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology. Phase I experimental results were promising, showing that a pneumothorax volume even asmore » small as 30 ml was clearly detectable from the MIR signals. Phase I results contributed to the award of a National Institute of Health (NIH) SBIR Phase II grant to support further research and development. The Phase II award led to the establishment of a LLNL/ElectroSonics CRADA related to Case No. TC02045.0. Under the subsequent CRADA, LLNL and ElectroSonics successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the pneumothorax detection in human subject research trials. Under this current CRADA TC02110.0, also referred to as Phase II Type II, the project scope consisted of seven tasks in Project Year 1; five tasks in Project Year 2; and four tasks in Project Year 3. Year 1 tasks were aimed toward the delivery of the pneumothorax detector design package for the pre-production of the miniaturized CompactFlash dockable version of the system. The tasks in Project Years 2 and 3 critically depended upon the accomplishments of Task 1. Since LLNL’s task was to provide subject matter expertise and performance verification, much of the timeline of engagement by the LLNL staff depended upon the overall project milestones as determined by the lead organization ElectroSonics. The scope of efforts were subsequently adjusted accordingly to commensurate with funding availability.« less

The Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) of Semicircular Canal Function - Age-Dependent Normative Values of VOR Gain in Healthy Subjects.

PubMed

McGarvie, Leigh A; MacDougall, Hamish G; Halmagyi, G Michael; Burgess, Ann M; Weber, Konrad P; Curthoys, Ian S

2015-01-01

The video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) is now widely used to test the function of each of the six semicircular canals individually by measuring the eye rotation response to an abrupt head rotation in the plane of the canal. The main measure of canal adequacy is the ratio of the eye movement response to the head movement stimulus, i.e., the gain of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). However, there is a need for normative data about how VOR gain is affected by age and also by head velocity, to allow the response of any particular patient to be compared to the responses of healthy subjects in their age range. In this study, we determined for all six semicircular canals, normative values of VOR gain, for each canal across a range of head velocities, for healthy subjects in each decade of life. The VOR gain was measured for all canals across a range of head velocities for at least 10 healthy subjects in decade age bands: 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80-89. The compensatory eye movement response to a small, unpredictable, abrupt head rotation (head impulse) was measured by the ICS impulse prototype system. The same operator delivered every impulse to every subject. Vestibulo-ocular reflex gain decreased at high head velocities, but was largely unaffected by age into the 80- to 89-year age group. There were some small but systematic differences between the two directions of head rotation, which appear to be largely due to the fact that in this study only the right eye was measured. The results are considered in relation to recent evidence about the effect of age on VOR performance. These normative values allow the results of any particular patient to be compared to the values of healthy people in their age range and so allow, for example, detection of whether a patient has a bilateral vestibular loss. VOR gain, as measured directly by the eye movement response to head rotation, seems largely unaffected by aging.

Method and system for improved resolution of a compensated calorimeter detector

DOEpatents

Dawson, John W.

1991-01-01

An improved method and system for a depleted uranium calorimeter detector used in high energy physics experiments. In a depleted uranium calorimeter detector, the energy of a particle entering the calorimeter detector is determined and the output response of the calorimeter detector is compensated so that the ratio of the integrated response of the calorimeter detector from a lepton to the integrated response of the calorimeter detector from a hadron of the same energy as the lepton is approximately equal to 1. In the present invention, the energy of a particle entering the calorimeter detector is determined as a function of time and the hadron content of the response of the calorimeter detector is inferred based upon the time structure of the energy pulse measured by the calorimeter detector. The energy measurement can be corrected based on the inference of the hadron content whereby the resolution of the calorimeter can be improved.

Global dynamics of a stochastic neuronal oscillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamanobe, Takanobu

2013-11-01

Nonlinear oscillators have been used to model neurons that fire periodically in the absence of input. These oscillators, which are called neuronal oscillators, share some common response structures with other biological oscillations such as cardiac cells. In this study, we analyze the dependence of the global dynamics of an impulse-driven stochastic neuronal oscillator on the relaxation rate to the limit cycle, the strength of the intrinsic noise, and the impulsive input parameters. To do this, we use a Markov operator that both reflects the density evolution of the oscillator and is an extension of the phase transition curve, which describes the phase shift due to a single isolated impulse. Previously, we derived the Markov operator for the finite relaxation rate that describes the dynamics of the entire phase plane. Here, we construct a Markov operator for the infinite relaxation rate that describes the stochastic dynamics restricted to the limit cycle. In both cases, the response of the stochastic neuronal oscillator to time-varying impulses is described by a product of Markov operators. Furthermore, we calculate the number of spikes between two consecutive impulses to relate the dynamics of the oscillator to the number of spikes per unit time and the interspike interval density. Specifically, we analyze the dynamics of the number of spikes per unit time based on the properties of the Markov operators. Each Markov operator can be decomposed into stationary and transient components based on the properties of the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. This allows us to evaluate the difference in the number of spikes per unit time between the stationary and transient responses of the oscillator, which we show to be based on the dependence of the oscillator on past activity. Our analysis shows how the duration of the past neuronal activity depends on the relaxation rate, the noise strength, and the impulsive input parameters.

Global dynamics of a stochastic neuronal oscillator.

PubMed

Yamanobe, Takanobu

2013-11-01

Nonlinear oscillators have been used to model neurons that fire periodically in the absence of input. These oscillators, which are called neuronal oscillators, share some common response structures with other biological oscillations such as cardiac cells. In this study, we analyze the dependence of the global dynamics of an impulse-driven stochastic neuronal oscillator on the relaxation rate to the limit cycle, the strength of the intrinsic noise, and the impulsive input parameters. To do this, we use a Markov operator that both reflects the density evolution of the oscillator and is an extension of the phase transition curve, which describes the phase shift due to a single isolated impulse. Previously, we derived the Markov operator for the finite relaxation rate that describes the dynamics of the entire phase plane. Here, we construct a Markov operator for the infinite relaxation rate that describes the stochastic dynamics restricted to the limit cycle. In both cases, the response of the stochastic neuronal oscillator to time-varying impulses is described by a product of Markov operators. Furthermore, we calculate the number of spikes between two consecutive impulses to relate the dynamics of the oscillator to the number of spikes per unit time and the interspike interval density. Specifically, we analyze the dynamics of the number of spikes per unit time based on the properties of the Markov operators. Each Markov operator can be decomposed into stationary and transient components based on the properties of the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. This allows us to evaluate the difference in the number of spikes per unit time between the stationary and transient responses of the oscillator, which we show to be based on the dependence of the oscillator on past activity. Our analysis shows how the duration of the past neuronal activity depends on the relaxation rate, the noise strength, and the impulsive input parameters.

Effects of channel tap spacing on delay-lock tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dana, Roger A.; Milner, Brian R.; Bogusch, Robert L.

1995-12-01

High fidelity simulations of communication links operating through frequency selective fading channels require both accurate channel models and faithful reproduction of the received signal. In modern radio receivers, processing beyond the analog-to-digital converter (A/D) is done digitally, so a high fidelity simulation is actually an emulation of this digital signal processing. The 'simulation' occurs in constructing the output of the A/D. One approach to constructing the A/D output is to convolve the channel impulse response function with the combined impulse response of the transmitted modulation and the A/D. For both link simulations and hardware channel simulators, the channel impulse response function is then generated with a finite number of samples per chip, and the convolution is implemented in a tapped delay line. In this paper we discuss the effects of the channel model tap spacing on the performance of delay locked loops (DLLs) in both direct sequence and frequency hopped spread spectrum systems. A frequency selective fading channel is considered, and the channel impulse response function is constructed with an integer number of taps per modulation symbol or chip. The tracking loop time delay is computed theoretically for this tapped delay line channel model and is compared to the results of high fidelity simulations of actual DLLs. A surprising result is obtained. The performance of the DLL depends strongly on the number of taps per chip. As this number increases the DLL delay approaches the theoretical limit.

A Fast Method to Calculate the Spatial Impulse Response for 1-D Linear Ultrasonic Phased Array Transducers

PubMed Central

Zou, Cheng; Sun, Zhenguo; Cai, Dong; Muhammad, Salman; Zhang, Wenzeng; Chen, Qiang

2016-01-01

A method is developed to accurately determine the spatial impulse response at the specifically discretized observation points in the radiated field of 1-D linear ultrasonic phased array transducers with great efficiency. In contrast, the previously adopted solutions only optimize the calculation procedure for a single rectangular transducer and required approximation considerations or nonlinear calculation. In this research, an algorithm that follows an alternative approach to expedite the calculation of the spatial impulse response of a rectangular linear array is presented. The key assumption for this algorithm is that the transducer apertures are identical and linearly distributed on an infinite rigid plane baffled with the same pitch. Two points in the observation field, which have the same position relative to two transducer apertures, share the same spatial impulse response that contributed from corresponding transducer, respectively. The observation field is discretized specifically to meet the relationship of equality. The analytical expressions of the proposed algorithm, based on the specific selection of the observation points, are derived to remove redundant calculations. In order to measure the proposed methodology, the simulation results obtained from the proposed method and the classical summation method are compared. The outcomes demonstrate that the proposed strategy can speed up the calculation procedure since it accelerates the speed-up ratio which relies upon the number of discrete points and the number of the array transducers. This development will be valuable in the development of advanced and faster linear ultrasonic phased array systems. PMID:27834799

Impulsivity and Gambling Type Among Treatment-Seeking Disordered Gamblers: An Explorative Study.

PubMed

Lutri, Vittorio; Soldini, Emiliano; Ronzitti, Silvia; Smith, Neil; Clerici, Massimo; Blaszczynski, Alex; Bowden-Jones, Henrietta

2018-03-03

Several studies have found that certain traits of impulsivity are associated with gambling disorder, and influence its severity. Furthermore, it has been suggested that some forms of gambling, particularly electronic gambling machines, are particularly widespread among pathological gamblers. In the present, exploratory study, we aim to clarify the role played by impulsivity in influencing the choice of specific gambling activities, by examining the relation between individual dimensions of impulsivity, and the choice of specific gambling activities in a clinical population. 100 consecutively admitted pathological gamblers at the National Problem Gambling Clinic in London (UK) in 2014 were administered the UPPS-P and BIS-11 impulsivity questionnaires, the Problem Gambling Severity Index, and underwent a structured interview concerning their gambling activities in the month and year prior to assessment. The correlation between individual gambling activities and impulsivity dimensions was analyzed both at a bivariate level, and using logistic regression. We found a significant correlation between Negative Urgency, Motor impulsivity and low-stakes machine gambling on multivariate analysis. Negative urgency (i.e. the tendency to act impulsively in response to negative affect), and Motor impulsivity (a tendency to rash action and restlessness) might be mediating factors in the choice of electronic gambling machines, particularly among patients whose gambling is escape-oriented. Structural and situational characteristics of gambling machines, particularly the widespread availability of low-stakes-rather than high-stakes-gaming machines, might concur to the choice of this form of gambling among individuals who present higher negative urgency and restlessness.

Cued to Act on Impulse: More Impulsive Choice and Risky Decision Making by Women Susceptible to Overeating after Exposure to Food Stimuli.

PubMed

Yeomans, Martin R; Brace, Aaron

2015-01-01

There is increasing evidence that individual differences in tendency to overeat relate to impulsivity, possibly by increasing reactivity to food-related cues in the environment. This study tested whether acute exposure to food cues enhanced impulsive and risky responses in women classified on tendency to overeat, indexed by scores on the three factor eating questionnaire disinhibition (TFEQ-D), restraint (TFEQ-R) and hunger scales. Ninety six healthy women completed two measures of impulsive responding (delayed discounting, DDT and a Go No-Go, GNG, task) and a measure of risky decision making (the balloon analogue risk task, BART) as well as questionnaire measures of impulsive behaviour either after looking at a series of pictures of food or visually matched controls. Impulsivity (DDT) and risk-taking (BART) were both positively associated with TFEQ-D scores, but in both cases this effect was exacerbated by prior exposure to food cues. No effects of restraint were found. TFEQ-D scores were also related to more commission errors on the GNG, while restrained women were slower on the GNG, but neither effect was modified by cue exposure. Overall these data suggest that exposure to food cues act to enhance general impulsive responding in women at risk of overeating and tentatively suggest an important interaction between tendency for impulsive decision making and food cues that may help explain a key underlying risk factor for overeating.

Cued to Act on Impulse: More Impulsive Choice and Risky Decision Making by Women Susceptible to Overeating after Exposure to Food Stimuli

PubMed Central

Yeomans, Martin R.; Brace, Aaron

2015-01-01

There is increasing evidence that individual differences in tendency to overeat relate to impulsivity, possibly by increasing reactivity to food-related cues in the environment. This study tested whether acute exposure to food cues enhanced impulsive and risky responses in women classified on tendency to overeat, indexed by scores on the three factor eating questionnaire disinhibition (TFEQ-D), restraint (TFEQ-R) and hunger scales. Ninety six healthy women completed two measures of impulsive responding (delayed discounting, DDT and a Go No-Go, GNG, task) and a measure of risky decision making (the balloon analogue risk task, BART) as well as questionnaire measures of impulsive behaviour either after looking at a series of pictures of food or visually matched controls. Impulsivity (DDT) and risk-taking (BART) were both positively associated with TFEQ-D scores, but in both cases this effect was exacerbated by prior exposure to food cues. No effects of restraint were found. TFEQ-D scores were also related to more commission errors on the GNG, while restrained women were slower on the GNG, but neither effect was modified by cue exposure. Overall these data suggest that exposure to food cues act to enhance general impulsive responding in women at risk of overeating and tentatively suggest an important interaction between tendency for impulsive decision making and food cues that may help explain a key underlying risk factor for overeating. PMID:26378459

D4 receptor deficiency in mice has limited effects on impulsivity and novelty seeking.

PubMed

Helms, C M; Gubner, N R; Wilhelm, C J; Mitchell, S H; Grandy, D K

2008-09-01

Alleles of the human dopamine D(4) receptor (D(4)R) gene (DRD4.7) have repeatedly been found to correlate with novelty seeking, substance abuse, pathological gambling, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). If these various psychopathologies are a result of attenuated D(4)R-mediated signaling, mice lacking D(4)Rs (D(4)KO) should be more impulsive than wild-type (WT) mice and exhibit more novelty seeking. However, in our study, D(4)KO and WT mice showed similar levels of impulsivity as measured by delay discounting performance and response inhibition on a Go/No-go test, suggesting that D(4)R-mediated signaling may not affect impulsivity. D(4)KO mice were more active than WT mice in the first 5 min of a novel open field test, suggesting greater novelty seeking. For both genotypes, more impulsive mice habituated less in the novel open field. These data suggest that the absence of D(4)Rs is not sufficient to cause psychopathologies associated with heightened impulsivity and novelty seeking.

Preliminary evidence of altered neural response during intertemporal choice of losses in adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Tanaka, Saori C; Yahata, Noriaki; Todokoro, Ayako; Kawakubo, Yuki; Kano, Yukiko; Nishimura, Yukika; Ishii-Takahashi, Ayaka; Ohtake, Fumio; Kasai, Kiyoto

2018-04-30

Impulsive behaviours are common symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although previous studies have suggested functional models of impulsive behaviour, a full explanation of impulsivity in ADHD remains elusive. To investigate the detailed mechanisms behind impulsive behaviour in ADHD, we applied an economic intertemporal choice task involving gains and losses to adults with ADHD and healthy controls and measured brain activity by functional magnetic resonance imaging. In the intertemporal choice of future gains, we observed no behavioural or neural difference between the two groups. In the intertemporal choice of future losses, adults with ADHD exhibited higher discount rates than the control participants. Furthermore, a comparison of brain activity representing the sensitivity of future loss in the two groups revealed significantly lower activity in the striatum and higher activity in the amygdala in adults with ADHD than in controls. Our preliminary findings suggest that an altered size sensitivity to future loss is involved in apparent impulsive choice behaviour in adults with ADHD and shed light on the multifaceted impulsivity underlying ADHD.

Paralimbic and lateral prefrontal encoding of reward value during intertemporal choice in attempted suicide.

PubMed

Vanyukov, P M; Szanto, K; Hallquist, M N; Siegle, G J; Reynolds, C F; Forman, S D; Aizenstein, H J; Dombrovski, A Y

2016-01-01

Alongside impulsive suicide attempts, clinicians encounter highly premeditated suicidal acts, particularly in older adults. We have previously found that in contrast to the more impulsive suicide attempters' inability to delay gratification, serious and highly planned suicide attempts were associated with greater willingness to wait for larger rewards. This study examined neural underpinnings of intertemporal preference in suicide attempters. We expected that impulsivity and suicide attempts, particularly poorly planned ones, would predict altered paralimbic subjective value representations. We also examined lateral prefrontal and paralimbic correlates of premeditation in suicidal behavior. A total of 48 participants aged 46-90 years underwent extensive clinical and cognitive characterization and completed the delay discounting task in the scanner: 26 individuals with major depression (13 with and 13 without history of suicide attempts) and 22 healthy controls. More impulsive individuals displayed greater activation in the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) to value difference favoring the delayed option. Suicide attempts, particularly better-planned ones, were associated with deactivation of the lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC) in response to value difference favoring the immediate option. Findings were robust to medication exposure, depression severity and possible brain damage from suicide attempts, among other confounders. Finally, in suicide attempters longer reward delays were associated with diminished parahippocampal responses. Impulsivity was associated with an altered paralimbic (precuneus/PCC) encoding of value difference during intertemporal choice. By contrast, better-planned suicidal acts were associated with altered lPFC representations of value difference. The study provides preliminary evidence of impaired decision processes in both impulsive and premeditated suicidal behavior.

Impulsivity in binge eating disorder: food cues elicit increased reward responses and disinhibition.

PubMed

Schag, Kathrin; Teufel, Martin; Junne, Florian; Preissl, Hubert; Hautzinger, Martin; Zipfel, Stephan; Giel, Katrin Elisabeth

2013-01-01

Binge eating disorder (BED) represents a distinct eating disorder diagnosis. Current approaches assume increased impulsivity to be one factor leading to binge eating and weight gain. We used eye tracking to investigate both components of impulsivity, namely reward sensitivity and rash-spontaneous behaviour towards food in BED for the first time. Overweight and obese people with BED (BED+; n = 25), without BED (BED-; n = 26) and healthy normal-weight controls (NWC; n = 25) performed a free exploration paradigm measuring reward sensitivity (experiment 1) and a modified antisaccade paradigm measuring disinhibited, rash-spontaneous behaviour (experiment 2) using food and nonfood stimuli. Additionally, trait impulsivity was assessed. In experiment 1, all participants located their initial fixations more often on food stimuli and BED+ participants gazed longer on food stimuli in comparison with BED- and NWC participants. In experiment 2, BED+ participants had more difficulties inhibiting saccades towards food and nonfood stimuli compared with both other groups in first saccades, and especially towards food stimuli in second saccades and concerning sequences of first and second saccades. BED- participants did not differ significantly from NWC participants in both experiments. Additionally, eye tracking performance was associated with self-reported reward responsiveness and self-control. According to these results, food-related reward sensitivity and rash-spontaneous behaviour, as the two components of impulsivity, are increased in BED in comparison with weight-matched and normal-weight controls. This indicates that BED represents a neurobehavioural phenotype of obesity that is characterised by increased impulsivity. Interventions for BED should target these special needs of affected patients.

A parameter quantifying radiation damping of bay oscillations excited by incident tsunamis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endoh, Takahiro; Inazu, Daisuke; Waseda, Takuji; Hibiya, Toshiyuki

2018-04-01

The transient response of a bay with a narrow mouth to incident tsunamis is interpreted as the convolution of the input signal with the impulse response obtained by an inverse Fourier transform of the response curve of the oscillatory system with one degree of freedom. The rate of radiation damping associated with energy escaping seaward through the bay mouth is expressed in terms of the quality factor Q, which determines the decaying envelope of the impulse response. The value of Q of the resonant peak is approximated by the ratio of the resonant frequency ω0 to the bandwidth between frequencies at which the power spectral density of sea level within the bay drops to half of the peak value. Since the shape of the frequency power spectrum during the tsunami event is almost similar to that in the normal state in the neighborhood of ω0, Q can be estimated from sea level datasets in the normal state. Although the amplitude and phase of the impulse response need to be adjusted using the first crest or trough of the observed leading wave, this approach proves to work well in examining the transient responses of Miyako Bay and Kushimoto Bay on the Japanese Pacific coast to incident tsunamis.

Response of end tidal CO2 pressure to impulse exercise.

PubMed

Yano, T; Afroundeh, R; Yamanak, R; Arimitsu, T; Lian, C-S; Shirkawa, K; Yunoki, T

2014-03-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine how end tidal CO(2) pressure (PETCO(2)) is controlled in impulse exercise. After pre-exercise at 25 watts for 5 min, impulse exercise for 10 sec with 200 watts followed by post exercise at 25 watts was performed. Ventilation (VE) significantly increased until the end of impulse exercise and significantly re-increased after a sudden decrease. Heart rate (HR) significantly increased until the end of impulse exercise and then decreased to the pre-exercise level. PETCO(2) remained constant during impulse exercise. PETCO(2) significantly increased momentarily after impulse exercise and then significantly decreased to the pre-exercise level. PETCO(2) showed oscillation. The average peak frequency of power spectral density in PETCO(2) appeared at 0.0078 Hz. Cross correlations were obtained after impulse exercise. The peak cross correlations between VE and PETCO(2), HR and PETCO(2), and VE and HR were 0.834 with a time delay of -7 sec, 0.813 with a time delay of 7 sec and 0.701 with a time delay of -15 sec, respectively. We demonstrated that PETCO(2) homeodynamics was interactively maintained by PETCO(2) itself, CO(2) transportation (product of cardiac output and mixed venous CO(2) content) into the lungs by heart pumping and CO(2) elimination by ventilation, and it oscillates as a result of their interactions.

Advantage of impulse oscillometry over spirometry to diagnose chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and monitor pulmonary responses to bronchodilators: An observational study.

PubMed

Saadeh, Constantine; Saadeh, Charles; Cross, Blake; Gaylor, Michael; Griffith, Melissa

2015-01-01

This retrospective study was a comparative analysis of sensitivity of impulse oscillometry and spirometry techniques for use in a mixed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease group for assessing disease severity and inhalation therapy. A total of 30 patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were monitored by impulse oscillometry, followed by spirometry. Lung function was measured at baseline after bronchodilation and at follow-up (3-18 months). The impulse oscillometry parameters were resistance in the small and large airways at 5 Hz (R5), resistance in the large airways at 15 Hz (R15), and lung reactance (area under the curve X; AX). After the bronchodilator therapy, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) readings evaluated by spirometry were unaffected at baseline and at follow-up, while impulse oscillometry detected an immediate improvement in lung function, in terms of AX (p = 0.043). All impulse oscillometry parameters significantly improved at follow-up, with a decrease in AX by 37% (p = 0.0008), R5 by 20% (p = 0.0011), and R15 by 12% (p = 0.0097). Impulse oscillometry parameters demonstrated greater sensitivity compared with spirometry for monitoring reversibility of airway obstruction and the effect of maintenance therapy. Impulse oscillometry may facilitate early treatment dose optimization and personalized medicine for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

A nonlinear lag correction algorithm for a-Si flat-panel x-ray detectors

PubMed Central

Starman, Jared; Star-Lack, Josh; Virshup, Gary; Shapiro, Edward; Fahrig, Rebecca

2012-01-01

Purpose: Detector lag, or residual signal, in a-Si flat-panel (FP) detectors can cause significant shading artifacts in cone-beam computed tomography reconstructions. To date, most correction models have assumed a linear, time-invariant (LTI) model and correct lag by deconvolution with an impulse response function (IRF). However, the lag correction is sensitive to both the exposure intensity and the technique used for determining the IRF. Even when the LTI correction that produces the minimum error is found, residual artifact remains. A new non-LTI method was developed to take into account the IRF measurement technique and exposure dependencies. Methods: First, a multiexponential (N = 4) LTI model was implemented for lag correction. Next, a non-LTI lag correction, known as the nonlinear consistent stored charge (NLCSC) method, was developed based on the LTI multiexponential method. It differs from other nonlinear lag correction algorithms in that it maintains a consistent estimate of the amount of charge stored in the FP and it does not require intimate knowledge of the semiconductor parameters specific to the FP. For the NLCSC method, all coefficients of the IRF are functions of exposure intensity. Another nonlinear lag correction method that only used an intensity weighting of the IRF was also compared. The correction algorithms were applied to step-response projection data and CT acquisitions of a large pelvic phantom and an acrylic head phantom. The authors collected rising and falling edge step-response data on a Varian 4030CB a-Si FP detector operating in dynamic gain mode at 15 fps at nine incident exposures (2.0%–92% of the detector saturation exposure). For projection data, 1st and 50th frame lag were measured before and after correction. For the CT reconstructions, five pairs of ROIs were defined and the maximum and mean signal differences within a pair were calculated for the different exposures and step-response edge techniques. Results: The LTI corrections left residual 1st and 50th frame lag up to 1.4% and 0.48%, while the NLCSC lag correction reduced 1st and 50th frame residual lags to less than 0.29% and 0.0052%. For CT reconstructions, the NLCSC lag correction gave an average error of 11 HU for the pelvic phantom and 3 HU for the head phantom, compared to 14–19 HU and 2–11 HU for the LTI corrections and 15 HU and 9 HU for the intensity weighted non-LTI algorithm. The maximum ROI error was always smallest for the NLCSC correction. The NLCSC correction was also superior to the intensity weighting algorithm. Conclusions: The NLCSC lag algorithm corrected for the exposure dependence of lag, provided superior image improvement for the pelvic phantom reconstruction, and gave similar results to the best case LTI results for the head phantom. The blurred ring artifact that is left over in the LTI corrections was better removed by the NLCSC correction in all cases. PMID:23039642

Evidence for confinement of low-energy cosmic rays ahead of interplanetary shock waves.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palmeira, R. A. R.; Allum, F. R.

1973-01-01

Short-lived (about 15 min), low-energy proton increases associated with the passage of interplanetary shock waves have been previously reported. In the present paper, we have examined in a fine time scale (about 1 min) the concurrent particle and magnetic field data, taken by detectors on Explorer 34, for four of these events. Our results further support the view that these impulsive events are due to confinement of the solar cosmic-ray particles in the region just ahead (about 1,000,000 km) of the advancing shock front.

The scattering of electromagnetic pulses by a slit in a conducting screen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ackerknecht, W. E., III; Chen, C.-L.

1975-01-01

A direct method for calculating the impulse response of a slit in a conducting screen is presented which is derived specifically for the analysis of transient scattering by two-dimensional objects illuminated by a plane incident wave. The impulse response is obtained by assuming that the total response is composed of two sequences of diffracted waves. The solution is determined for the first two waves in one sequence by using Green's functions and the equivalence principle, for additional waves in the sequence by iteration, and for the other sequence by a transformation of coordinates. The cases of E-polarization and H-polarization are considered.

High speed cross-amplitude modulation in concatenated SOA-EAM-SOA.

PubMed

Cleary, Ciaran S; Manning, Robert J

2012-06-18

We observe a near-ideal high speed amplitude impulse response in an SOA-EAM-SOA configuration under optimum conditions. Full amplitude recovery times as low as 10 ps with modulation depths of 70% were observed in pump-probe measurements. System behavior could be controlled by the choice of signal wavelength, SOA current biases and EAM reverse bias voltages. Experimental data and impulse response modelling indicated that the slow tail in the gain response of first SOA was negated by a combination of cross-absorption modulation between pump and modulated CW probe, and self-gain modulation of the modulated CW probe in both the EAM and second SOA.

Tracking rainfall impulses through progressively larger drainage basins in steep forested terrain

Treesearch

R. R. Ziemer; R. M. Rice

1990-01-01

Abstract - The precision of timing devices in modern electronic data loggers makes it possible to study the routing of water through small drainage basins having rapid responses to hydrologic impulses. Storm hyetographs were measured using digital tipping bucket rain gauges and their routing was observed at headwater piezometers located mid-slope, above a swale, and...

H.F. emission related to the Li+ ion beam injected into ionosphere - ``PLAZMA'' rocket experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klos, Z.; Zbyszynski, Z.; Agafonov, U. F.; Managadze, G. G.; Mayorov, A. D.

1993-10-01

The H.F. emission generated by artificial ion beam injected into ionosphere was observed either with a wave detector and ion gun attached to the rocket through out the flight, or when the gun was deployed on subpayload. Generally the observations show unstructured shape of the H.F. spectrum. In the PLAZMA active rocket experiment - when ionospheric plasma was perturbed by the operation of impulse ion gun, which injected 300 A, 8.3 eV Li+ions - the waves in the 0.1 - 10 MHz frequency range were observed. The results have shown, that when the wave detector and the ion gun are attached to the rocket the emission enhances in the lower as well as in the upper parts of the spectrum. On the other hand only the lower increase is maintained when ion gun is removing away on the subpayload. The observed sequence of H.F. spectra is presented.

Controller reduction by preserving impulse response energy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Craig, Roy R., Jr.; Su, Tzu-Jeng

1989-01-01

A model order reduction algorithm based on a Krylov recurrence formulation is developed to reduce order of controllers. The reduced-order controller is obtained by projecting the full-order LQG controller onto a Krylov subspace in which either the controllability or the observability grammian is equal to the identity matrix. The reduced-order controller preserves the impulse response energy of the full-order controller and has a parameter-matching property. Two numerical examples drawn from other controller reduction literature are used to illustrate the efficacy of the proposed reduction algorithm.

Bubble mass center and fluid feedback force fluctuations activated by constant lateral impulse with variable thrust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hung, R. J.; Long, Y. T.

1995-01-01

Sloshing dynamics within a partially filled rotating dewar of superfluid helium 2 are investigated in response to constant lateral impulse with variable thrust. The study, including how the rotating bubble of superfluid helium 2 reacts to the constant impulse with variable time period of thrust action in microgravity, how amplitudes of bubble mass center fluctuates with growth and decay of disturbances, and how fluid feedback forces fluctuates in activating on the rotating dewar through the dynamics of sloshing waves are investigated. The numerical computation of sloshing dynamics is based on the non-inertial frame spacecraft bound coordinate with lateral impulses actuating on the rotating dewar in both inertial and non-inertial frames of thrust. Results of the simulations are illustrated.

GADRAS-DRF 18.6 User's Manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horne, Steve M.; Thoreson, Greg G.; Theisen, Lisa A.

2016-05-01

The Gamma Detector Response and Analysis Software–Detector Response Function (GADRAS-DRF) application computes the response of gamma-ray and neutron detectors to incoming radiation. This manual provides step-by-step procedures to acquaint new users with the use of the application. The capabilities include characterization of detector response parameters, plotting and viewing measured and computed spectra, analyzing spectra to identify isotopes, and estimating source energy distributions from measured spectra. GADRAS-DRF can compute and provide detector responses quickly and accurately, giving users the ability to obtain usable results in a timely manner (a matter of seconds or minutes).

Dissociable effects of cocaine and yohimbine on impulsive action and relapse to cocaine seeking.

PubMed

Broos, Nienke; van Mourik, Yvar; Schetters, Dustin; De Vries, Taco J; Pattij, Tommy

2017-11-01

A strong association has been demonstrated between various forms of impulsivity and addiction-like behavior in both humans and rats. In this study, we investigated how impulsive action, as measured in the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), is affected during various stages of cocaine taking and seeking and by relapse-provoking stimuli in animals that were trained both in an intravenous cocaine self-administration paradigm and in the 5-CSRTT. Rats were concurrently trained in the 5-CSRTT and cocaine self-administration protocol, and subsequently, the effects of cocaine (7.5 mg/kg) and the pharmacological stressor yohimbine (1.25 mg/kg) were tested in both paradigms. Cocaine self-administration (5 h/day) transiently altered impulsive action and increased errors of omission in the 5-CSRTT. Pharmacological challenges with cocaine and yohimbine induced increments in impulsive action and reinstated cocaine-seeking responses within the same animals. Further analyses revealed that the effects of cocaine and yohimbine on impulsive action did not correlate with their effects on reinstatement of cocaine seeking. These data suggest that although impulsive action and relapse can be pharmacologically modulated in the same direction within individuals, these effects appear not to be directly coupled.

Amygdala reactivity to fearful faces correlates positively with impulsive aggression.

PubMed

da Cunha-Bang, Sofi; Fisher, Patrick M; Hjordt, Liv V; Holst, Klaus; Knudsen, Gitte M

2018-01-07

Facial expressions robustly activate the amygdala, a brain structure playing a critical role in aggression. Whereas previous studies suggest that amygdala reactivity is related to various measures of impulsive aggression, we here estimate a composite measure of impulsive aggression and evaluate whether it is associated with amygdala reactivity to angry and fearful faces. We estimated amygdala reactivity with functional magnetic resonance imaging in 47 men with varying degree of aggressive traits (19 incarcerated violent offenders and 28 healthy controls). We modeled a composite "impulsive aggression" trait construct (LV agg ) using a linear structural equation model, with a single latent variable capturing the shared correlation between five self-report measures of trait aggression, anger and impulsivity. We tested for associations between amygdala reactivity and the LV agg , adjusting for age and group. The LV agg was significantly positively associated with amygdala reactivity to fearful (p = 0.001), but not angry faces (p = 0.9). We found no group difference in amygdala reactivity to fearful or angry faces. The findings suggest that that amygdala reactivity to fearful faces is represented by a composite index of impulsive aggression and provide evidence that impulsive aggression is associated with amygdala reactivity in response to submissive cues, i.e., fearful faces.

Examination of the heterogeneity in PTSD and impulsivity facets: A latent profile analysis.

PubMed

Contractor, Ateka A; Caldas, Stephanie; Weiss, Nicole H; Armour, Cherie

2018-04-15

The experience of traumatizing events and resulting posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology relates to a range of impulsive behaviors. While both PTSD and impulsivity are heterogeneous and multidimensional constructs, no research has used person-centered approaches to examine subgroups of individuals based on these response endorsements. Hence, our study examined PTSD-impulsivity typologies and their construct validity in two samples: university students ( n = 412) and community participants recruited through Amazon's MTurk ( n = 346). Measures included the Stressful Life Events Screening Questionnaire (PTEs), PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PTSD severity), UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale (negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, sensation seeking). Dimensions of Anger Reaction Scale (anger), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (depression). For both samples, results of latent profile analyses indicated a best-fitting 3-class solution: High, Moderate, and Low PTSD-Negative Urgency. Negative urgency was the most distinguishing impulsivity facet. Anger and depression severity significantly predicted membership in the more severe symptomatology classes. Thus, individuals can be meaningfully categorized into three subgroups based on PTSD and impulsivity item endorsements. We provide some preliminary evidence for a negative urgency subtype of PTSD characterized by greater depression and anger regulation difficulties; and underscore addressing emotional regulation skills for these subgroup members.

Aggression, Suicidality, and Intermittent Explosive Disorder: Serotonergic Correlates in Personality Disorder and Healthy Control Subjects

PubMed Central

Coccaro, Emil F; Lee, Royce; Kavoussi, Richard J

2010-01-01

Central serotonergic (5-HT) activity has long been implicated in the regulation of impulsive aggressive behavior. This study was performed to use a highly selective agent for 5-HT (d-Fenfluramine, d-FEN) in a large group of human subjects to further explore this relationship dimensionally and categorically. One hundred and fifty healthy subjects (100 with personality disorder, PD and 50 healthy volunteer controls, HV) underwent d-FEN challenge studies. Residual peak delta prolactin (ΔPRL[d-FEN]-R; ie, after the removal of potentially confounding variables) was used as the primary 5-HT response variable. Composite measures of aggression and impulsivity were used as dimensional measures, and history of suicidal/self-injurious behavior as well as the presence of intermittent explosive disorder (IED) were used as categorical variables. ΔPRL[d-FEN]-R responses correlated inversely with composite aggression, but not composite impulsivity, in all subjects and in males and females examined separately. The correlation with composite aggression was strongest in male PD subjects. ΔPRL[d-FEN]-R values were reduced in PD subjects with a history of suicidal behavior but not, self-injurious behavior. ΔPRL[d-FEN]-R values were also reduced in patients meeting Research Criteria for IED. Physiologic responses to 5-HT stimulation are reduced as a function of aggression (but not generalized impulsivity) in human subjects. The same is true for personality disordered subjects with a history of suicidal, but not self-injurious, behavior and for subjects with a diagnosis of IED by research criteria. These data have particular relevance to the notion of impulsive aggression and the biological validity of IED. PMID:19776731

Sex differences in impulsivity and brain morphometry in methamphetamine users

PubMed Central

Kogachi, Shannon; Chang, Linda; Alicata, Daniel; Cunningham, Eric; Ernst, Thomas

2016-01-01

Methamphetamine (METH) is an addictive stimulant, and METH users have abnormal brain structures and function. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationships between impulsivity, brain structures, and possible sex-specific differences between METH users and non-drug using Controls. Structural MRI and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) questionnaire were completed in 124 subjects: 62 METH (ages 41.2 ± 1.4 years, 34 males) and 62 Controls (ages 43.3 ± 2.3 years, 36 males). Independent and interactive effects of METH use status and sex were evaluated. Relationships between METH usage characteristics, brain morphometry, and impulsivity scores were examined. METH users had higher impulsivity scores, on both the Cognitive and Behavioral Factors from the BIS (p < 0.0001–0.0001). Compared with same-sex Controls, male METH users had larger, while female METH users had smaller, right superior frontal cortex (interaction-p = 0.0005). The male METH users with larger frontal volumes and female METH users with smaller or thinner frontal cortices had greater Cognitive impulsivity (interaction-p ≤ 0.05). Only female METH users showed relatively larger nucleus accumbens (interaction-p = 0.03). Greater impulsivity and thinner frontal cortices in METH users are validated. Larger superior frontal cortex in male METH users with greater cognitive impulsivity suggest decreased dendritic pruning during adolescence might have contributed to their impulsive and drug use behaviors. In the female METH users, smaller frontal cortices and the associated greater impulsivity suggest greater neurotoxicity to these brain regions, while their relatively larger nucleus accumbens suggest an estrogen-mediated neuroprotective glial response. Men and women may be affected differently by METH use. PMID:27095357

Sex differences in impulsivity and brain morphometry in methamphetamine users.

PubMed

Kogachi, Shannon; Chang, Linda; Alicata, Daniel; Cunningham, Eric; Ernst, Thomas

2017-01-01

Methamphetamine (METH) is an addictive stimulant, and METH users have abnormal brain structures and function. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationships between impulsivity, brain structures, and possible sex-specific differences between METH users and non-drug using Controls. Structural MRI and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) questionnaire were completed in 124 subjects: 62 METH (ages 41.2 ± 1.4 years, 34 males) and 62 Controls (ages 43.3 ± 2.3 years, 36 males). Independent and interactive effects of METH use status and sex were evaluated. Relationships between METH usage characteristics, brain morphometry, and impulsivity scores were examined. METH users had higher impulsivity scores, on both the Cognitive and Behavioral Factors from the BIS (p < 0.0001-0.0001). Compared with same-sex Controls, male METH users had larger, while female METH users had smaller, right superior frontal cortex (interaction-p = 0.0005). The male METH users with larger frontal volumes and female METH users with smaller or thinner frontal cortices had greater Cognitive impulsivity (interaction-p ≤ 0.05). Only female METH users showed relatively larger nucleus accumbens (interaction-p = 0.03). Greater impulsivity and thinner frontal cortices in METH users are validated. Larger superior frontal cortex in male METH users with greater cognitive impulsivity suggest decreased dendritic pruning during adolescence might have contributed to their impulsive and drug use behaviors. In the female METH users, smaller frontal cortices and the associated greater impulsivity suggest greater neurotoxicity to these brain regions, while their relatively larger nucleus accumbens suggest an estrogen-mediated neuroprotective glial response. Men and women may be affected differently by METH use.

Lesions to the subthalamic nucleus decrease impulsive choice but impair autoshaping in rats: the importance of the basal ganglia in Pavlovian conditioning and impulse control.

PubMed

Winstanley, Catharine A; Baunez, Christelle; Theobald, David E H; Robbins, Trevor W

2005-06-01

Although the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is involved in regulating motor function, and inactivation of this structure relieves the motor symptoms in Parkinsonian patients, recent data indicate that corticosubthalamic connections are involved in both the regulation of attention and the ability to withhold from responding. Considerable evidence suggests that the neural circuitry underlying such behavioural disinhibition or impulsive action can be at least partially dissociated from that implicated in impulsive decision-making and it has been suggested that the tendency to choose impulsively is related to the ability to form and use Pavlovian associations. To explore these hypotheses further, STN-lesioned rats were tested on the delay-discounting model of impulsive choice, where impulsivity is defined as the selection of a small immediate over a larger delayed reward, as well as in a rodent autoshaping paradigm. In contrast to previous reports of increased impulsive action, STN lesions decreased impulsive choice but dramatically impaired the acquisition of the autoshaping response. When the STN was lesioned after the establishment of autoshaping behaviour, lesioned subjects were more sensitive to the omission of reward, indicative of a reduction in the use of Pavlovian associations to control autoshaping performance. These results emphasize the importance of the STN in permitting conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus associations to regulate goal-seeking, a function which may relate to the alterations in impulsive choice observed in the delay-discounting task. These data bear a striking similarity to those observed after lesions of the orbitofrontal cortex and are suggestive of an important role for corticosubthalamic connections in complex cognitive behaviour.

Infrared responsivity of a pyroelectric detector with a single-wall carbon nanotube coating.

PubMed

Theocharous, E; Engtrakul, C; Dillon, A C; Lehman, J

2008-08-01

The performance of a 10 mm diameter pyroelectric detector coated with a single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) was evaluated in the 0.8 to 20 microm wavelength range. The relative spectral responsivity of this detector exhibits significant fluctuations over the wavelength range examined. This is consistent with independent absorbance measurements, which show that SWCNTs exhibit selective absorption bands in the visible and near-infrared. The performance of the detector in terms of noise equivalent power and detectivity in wavelength regions of high coating absorptivity was comparable with gold-black-coated pyroelectric detectors based on 50 microm thick LiTaO(3) crystals. The response of this detector was shown to be nonlinear for DC equivalent photocurrents >10(-9) A, and its spatial uniformity of response was comparable with other pyroelectric detectors utilizing gold-black coatings. The nonuniform spectral responsivity exhibited by the SWCNT-coated detector is expected to severely restrict the use of SWCNTs as black coatings for thermal detectors. However, the deposition of SWCNT coatings on a pyroelectric crystal followed by the study of the prominence of the spectral features in the relative spectral responsivity of the resultant pyroelectric detectors is shown to provide an effective method for quantifying the impurity content in SWCNT samples.

The effects of reinforcement and response-cost on a delayed response task in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a research note.

PubMed

Solanto, M V

1990-07-01

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are more inattentive, active, and impulsive than normal children. Some researchers have postulated that these symptoms can all be explained as a result of reduced sensitivity to reinforcement. In order to evaluate this hypothesis, we tested 20 ADD-H children and 18 matched normal controls, 4 1/2-11 years of age, on a delayed response task, a measure of impulsiveness, under conditions of positive reinforcement, and punishment in the form of response-cost. The contingencies each improved performance compared to baseline but did not differ significantly from each other. Neither contingency affected the groups differentially, thus failing to provide support for the reinforcement hypothesis.

Callous-unemotional, impulsive-irresponsible, and grandiose-manipulative traits: Distinct associations with heart rate, skin conductance, and startle responses to violent and erotic scenes.

PubMed

Fanti, Kostas A; Kyranides, Melina N; Georgiou, Giorgos; Petridou, Maria; Colins, Olivier F; Tuvblad, Catherine; Andershed, Henrik

2017-05-01

The present study aimed to examine whether callous-unemotional, grandiose-manipulative, and impulsive-irresponsible dimensions of psychopathy are differentially related to various affective and physiological measures, assessed at baseline and in response to violent and erotic movie scenes. Data were collected from young adults (N = 101) at differential risk for psychopathic traits. Findings from regression analyses revealed a unique predictive contribution of grandiose-manipulative traits in particular to higher ratings of positive valence for violent scenes. Callous-unemotional traits were uniquely associated with lower levels of sympathy toward victims and lower ratings of fear and sadness during violent scenes. All three psychopathy dimensions and the total psychopathy scale showed negative zero-order correlations with heart rate at baseline, but regression analyses revealed that only grandiose manipulation was uniquely predictive of lower baseline heart rate. Grandiose manipulation was also significantly associated with lower baseline skin conductance. Regarding autonomic activity, findings resulted in a unique negative association between grandiose manipulation and heart rate activity in response to violent scenes. In contrast, the impulsive-irresponsible dimension was positively related with heart rate activity to violent scenes. Finally, findings revealed that only callous-unemotional traits were negatively associated with startle potentiation in response to violent scenes. No associations during erotic scenes were identified. These findings point to unique associations between the three assessed dimensions of psychopathy with physiological measures, indicating that grandiose manipulation is associated with hypoarousal, impulsive irresponsibility with hyperarousal, and callous-unemotional traits with low emotional and fear responses to violent scenes. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Examination of trait impulsivity on the response to a brief mindfulness intervention among college student drinkers

PubMed Central

Vinci, Christine; Peltier, MacKenzie; Waldo, Krystal; Kinsaul, Jessica; Shah, Sonia; Coffey, Scott F.; Copeland, Amy L.

2016-01-01

Mindfulness-based strategies show promise for targeting the construct of impulsivity and associated variables among problematic alcohol users. This study examined the moderating role of intervention (mindfulness vs relaxation vs control) on trait impulsivity and three outcomes examined post-intervention (negative affect, positive affect, and urge to drink) among 207 college students with levels of at-risk drinking. Moderation analyses revealed that the relationship between baseline impulsivity and the primary outcomes significantly differed for participants who underwent the mindfulness versus relaxation interventions. Notably, simple slope analyses revealed that negative urgency was positively associated with urge to drink following the mindfulness intervention. Among participants who underwent the relaxation intervention, analysis of simple slopes revealed that negative urgency was negatively associated with urge to drink, while positive urgency was positively associated with positive affect following the relaxation intervention. Findings suggest that level (low vs high) and subscale of impulsivity matter with regard to how a participant will respond to a mindfulness versus relaxation intervention. PMID:27344030

Development and automation of a test of impulse control in zebrafish

PubMed Central

Parker, Matthew O.; Ife, Dennis; Ma, Jun; Pancholi, Mahesh; Smeraldi, Fabrizio; Straw, Chris; Brennan, Caroline H.

2013-01-01

Deficits in impulse control (difficulties in inhibition of a pre-potent response) are fundamental to a number of psychiatric disorders, but the molecular and cellular basis is poorly understood. Zebrafish offer a very useful model for exploring these mechanisms, but there is currently a lack of validated procedures for measuring impulsivity in fish. In mammals, impulsivity can be measured by examining rates of anticipatory responding in the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), a continuous performance task where the subject is reinforced upon accurate detection of a briefly presented light in one of five distinct spatial locations. This paper describes the development of a fully-integrated automated system for testing impulsivity in adult zebrafish. We outline the development of our image analysis software and its integration with National Instruments drivers and actuators to produce the system. We also describe an initial validation of the system through a one-generation screen of chemically mutagenized zebrafish, where the testing parameters were optimized. PMID:24133417

Human factors in cybersecurity; examining the link between Internet addiction, impulsivity, attitudes towards cybersecurity, and risky cybersecurity behaviours.

PubMed

Hadlington, Lee

2017-07-01

The present study explored the relationship between risky cybersecurity behaviours, attitudes towards cybersecurity in a business environment, Internet addiction, and impulsivity. 538 participants in part-time or full-time employment in the UK completed an online questionnaire, with responses from 515 being used in the data analysis. The survey included an attitude towards cybercrime and cybersecurity in business scale, a measure of impulsivity, Internet addiction and a 'risky' cybersecurity behaviours scale. The results demonstrated that Internet addiction was a significant predictor for risky cybersecurity behaviours. A positive attitude towards cybersecurity in business was negatively related to risky cybersecurity behaviours. Finally, the measure of impulsivity revealed that both attentional and motor impulsivity were both significant positive predictors of risky cybersecurity behaviours, with non-planning being a significant negative predictor. The results present a further step in understanding the individual differences that may govern good cybersecurity practices, highlighting the need to focus directly on more effective training and awareness mechanisms.

Individual in Context: The Role of Impulse Control on the Association between the Home, School, and Neighborhood Developmental Contexts and Adolescent Delinquency.

PubMed

Fine, Adam; Mahler, Alissa; Steinberg, Laurence; Frick, Paul J; Cauffman, Elizabeth

2017-07-01

Social ecological theories and decades of supporting research suggest that contexts exert a powerful influence on adolescent delinquency. Individual traits, such as impulse control, also pose a developmental disadvantage to adolescents through increasing risk of delinquency. However, such individual differences may also predispose some youth to struggle more in adverse environments, but also to excel in enriched environments. Despite the prominence of impulse control in both developmental and criminological literatures, researchers are only beginning to consider impulse control as an individual characteristic that may affect developmental outcomes in response to environmental input. Using a racially diverse (Latino 46 %; Black 37 %; White 15 %; other race 2 %) sample of 1,216 first-time, male, juvenile offenders from the longitudinal Crossroads Study, this study examined key interactions between baseline impulse control and the home, school, and neighborhood contexts in relation to delinquency within the following 6 months. The results indicated that even after accounting for prior delinquency, youth in more negative home, school, and neighborhood contexts engaged in the same amount of delinquency in the following 6 months regardless of their level of impulse control. However, the effects of positive home, school, and neighborhood contexts on delinquency were stronger for youth with moderate or high impulse control and minimally affected youth with low impulse control. The findings suggest two risk factors for delinquency: low impulse control as a dispositional vulnerability that operates independently of developmental context, and a second that results from a contextual vulnerability.

Microwave emission from lead zirconate titanate induced by impulsive mechanical load

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aman, A., E-mail: alexander.aman@ovgu.de; Packaging Group, Institute of Micro- and Sensorsytems, Otto-von-Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg; Majcherek, S.

2015-10-28

This paper focuses on microwave emission from Lead zirconate titanate Pb [Zr{sub x}Ti{sub 1−x}] O{sub 3} (PZT) induced by mechanical stressing. The mechanical stress was initiated by impact of a sharp tungsten indenter on the upper surface of PZT ceramic. The sequences of microwave and current impulses, which flew from indenter to electric ground, were detected simultaneously. The voltage between the upper and lower surface of ceramic was measured to obtain the behavior of mechanical force acting on ceramic during the impact. It was found that the amplitude, form, and frequency of measured microwave impulses were different by compression andmore » restitution phase of impact. Two different mechanisms of electron emission, responsible for microwave impulse generation, were proposed based on the dissimilar impulse behavior. The field emission from tungsten indenter is dominant during compression, whereas ferroemission dominates during restitution phase. Indeed, it was observed that the direction of the current flow, i.e., sign of current impulses is changed by transitions from compression to restitution phase of impact. The observed dissimilar behavior of microwave impulses, caused by increasing and decreasing applied force, can be used to calculate the contact time and behavior of mechanical force during mechanical impact on ceramic surface. It is shown that the generation of microwave impulses exhibits high reproducibility, impulse intensity, a low damping factor, and high mechanical failure resistance. Based on these microwave emission properties of PZT, the development of new type of stress sensor with spatial resolution of few microns becomes possible.« less

Sensitivity of combustion and ignition characteristics of the solid-fuel charge of the microelectromechanical system of a microthruster to macrokinetic and design parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Futko, S. I.; Ermolaeva, E. M.; Dobrego, K. V.; Bondarenko, V. P.; Dolgii, L. N.

2012-07-01

We have developed a sensitivity analysis permitting effective estimation of the change in the impulse responses of a microthrusters and in the ignition characteristics of the solid-fuel charge caused by the variation of the basic macrokinetic parameters of the mixed fuel and the design parameters of the microthruster's combustion chamber. On the basis of the proposed sensitivity analysis, we have estimated the spread of both the propulsive force and impulse and the induction period and self-ignition temperature depending on the macrokinetic parameters of combustion (pre-exponential factor, activation energy, density, and heat content) of the solid-fuel charge of the microthruster. The obtained results can be used for rapid and effective estimation of the spread of goal functions to provide stable physicochemical characteristics and impulse responses of solid-fuel mixtures in making and using microthrusters.

Aurally-adequate time-frequency analysis for scattered sound in auditoria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norris, Molly K.; Xiang, Ning; Kleiner, Mendel

2005-04-01

The goal of this work was to apply an aurally-adequate time-frequency analysis technique to the analysis of sound scattering effects in auditoria. Time-frequency representations were developed as a motivated effort that takes into account binaural hearing, with a specific implementation of interaural cross-correlation process. A model of the human auditory system was implemented in the MATLAB platform based on two previous models [A. Härmä and K. Palomäki, HUTear, Espoo, Finland; and M. A. Akeroyd, A. Binaural Cross-correlogram Toolbox for MATLAB (2001), University of Sussex, Brighton]. These stages include proper frequency selectivity, the conversion of the mechanical motion of the basilar membrane to neural impulses, and binaural hearing effects. The model was then used in the analysis of room impulse responses with varying scattering characteristics. This paper discusses the analysis results using simulated and measured room impulse responses. [Work supported by the Frank H. and Eva B. Buck Foundation.

Making Professional Decisions in Research: Measurement and Key Predictors

PubMed Central

Antes, Alison L.; Chibnall, John T.; Baldwin, Kari A.; Tait, Raymond C.; Vander Wal, Jillon S.; DuBois, James M.

2016-01-01

The professional decision-making in research (PDR) measure was administered to 400 NIH-funded and industry-funded investigators, along with measures of cynicism, moral disengagement, compliance disengagement, impulsivity, work stressors, knowledge of responsible conduct of research (RCR), and socially desirable response tendencies. Negative associations were found for the PDR and measures of cynicism, moral disengagement, and compliance disengagement, while positive associations were found for the PDR and RCR knowledge and positive urgency, an impulsivity subscale. PDR scores were not related to socially desirable responding, or to measures of work stressors and the remaining impulsivity subscales. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, lower moral disengagement scores, higher RCR knowledge, and identifying the United States as one’s nation of origin emerged as key predictors of stronger performance on the PDR. The implications of these findings for understanding the measurement of decision-making in research and future directions for research and RCR education are discussed. PMID:27093003

Probing Thermomechanics at the Nanoscale: Impulsively Excited Pseudosurface Acoustic Waves in Hypersonic Phononic Crystals

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

High-frequency surface acoustic waves can be generated by ultrafast laser excitation of nanoscale patterned surfaces. Here we study this phenomenon in the hypersonic frequency limit. By modeling the thermomechanics from first-principles, we calculate the system’s initial heat-driven impulsive response and follow its time evolution. A scheme is introduced to quantitatively access frequencies and lifetimes of the composite system’s excited eigenmodes. A spectral decomposition of the calculated response on the eigemodes of the system reveals asymmetric resonances that result from the coupling between surface and bulk acoustic modes. This finding allows evaluation of impulsively excited pseudosurface acoustic wave frequencies and lifetimes and expands our understanding of the scattering of surface waves in mesoscale metamaterials. The model is successfully benchmarked against time-resolved optical diffraction measurements performed on one-dimensional and two-dimensional surface phononic crystals, probed using light at extreme ultraviolet and near-infrared wavelengths. PMID:21910426

Lateral Diffusion Length Changes in HgCdTe Detectors in a Proton Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubbs, John E.; Marshall, Paul W.; Marshall, Cheryl J.; Gramer, Mark E.; Maestas, Diana; Garcia, John P.; Dole, Gary A.; Anderson, Amber A.

2007-01-01

This paper presents a study of the performance degradation in a proton environment of very long wavelength infrared (VLWIR) HgCdTe detectors. The energy dependence of the Non-Ionizing Energy Loss (NIEL) in HgCdTe provides a framework for estimating the responsivity degradation in VLWIR HgCdTe due to on orbit exposure from protons. Banded detector arrays that have different detector designs were irradiated at proton energies of 7, 12, and 63 MeV. These banded detector arrays allovedin sight into how the fundamental detector parameters degraded in a proton environment at the three different proton energies. Measured data demonstrated that the detector responsivity degradation at 7 MeV is 5 times larger than the degradation at 63 MeV. The comparison of the responsivity degradation at the different proton energies suggests that the atomic Columbic interaction of the protons with the HgCdTe detector is likely the primary mechanism responsible for the degradation in responsivity at proton energies below 30 MeV.

Simulation of radiation environment for the LHeC detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayaz, Abdullah; Piliçer, Ercan; Joya, Musa

2017-02-01

The detector response and simulation of radiation environment for the Large Hadron electron Collider (LHeC) baseline detector is estimated to predict its performance over the lifetime of the project. In this work, the geometry of the LHeC detector, as reported in LHeC Conceptual Design Report (CDR), built in FLUKA Monte Carlo tool in order to simulate the detector response and radiation environment. For this purpose, events of electrons and protons with high enough energy were sent isotropically from interaction point of the detector. As a result, the detector response and radiation background for the LHeC detector, with different USRBIN code (ENERGY, HADGT20M, ALL-CHAR, ALL-PAR) in FLUKA, are presented.

Matching Condition of Direct THz-Signal Detection from On-Chip Resonating Antennas with CMOS Transistors in Non-resonant Plasma Wave Mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chai, S.; Lim, S.; Kim, C.-Y.; Hong, S.

2018-06-01

This paper presents matching condition for detector at THz frequencies, which directly read signals from an integrated antenna. We use direct THz-signal detections with CMOS transistors in non-resonant plasma wave mode, which are embedded in on-chip resonating antennas. The detector detects THz envelope signals directly from the side edges of the on-chip patch antennas. The signal detection mechanism is studied in the view of the impedance conditions of the antenna and the detector. The detectors are implemented with stacked transistors structures to achieve high responsivity. The measured responsivities of the detectors with antenna impedances that were simulated to be 599.7, 912.3, 1565, and 3190.6 Ω agree well with the calculated values. Moreover, the responsivity dependence on the detector impedance is shown with two different input impedances of the detectors. Since CMOS circuit models from foundry are not accurate at frequencies higher than f t , the matching guideline between the antenna and the detector is very useful in designing high responsivity detectors. This study found that a detector has to have a large input impedance conjugately matched to the antenna's impedance to have high responsivity.

Matching Condition of Direct THz-Signal Detection from On-Chip Resonating Antennas with CMOS Transistors in Non-resonant Plasma Wave Mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chai, S.; Lim, S.; Kim, C.-Y.; Hong, S.

2018-04-01

This paper presents matching condition for detector at THz frequencies, which directly read signals from an integrated antenna. We use direct THz-signal detections with CMOS transistors in non-resonant plasma wave mode, which are embedded in on-chip resonating antennas. The detector detects THz envelope signals directly from the side edges of the on-chip patch antennas. The signal detection mechanism is studied in the view of the impedance conditions of the antenna and the detector. The detectors are implemented with stacked transistors structures to achieve high responsivity. The measured responsivities of the detectors with antenna impedances that were simulated to be 599.7, 912.3, 1565, and 3190.6 Ω agree well with the calculated values. Moreover, the responsivity dependence on the detector impedance is shown with two different input impedances of the detectors. Since CMOS circuit models from foundry are not accurate at frequencies higher than f t , the matching guideline between the antenna and the detector is very useful in designing high responsivity detectors. This study found that a detector has to have a large input impedance conjugately matched to the antenna's impedance to have high responsivity.

Stabilization of time domain acoustic boundary element method for the interior problem with impedance boundary conditions.

PubMed

Jang, Hae-Won; Ih, Jeong-Guon

2012-04-01

The time domain boundary element method (BEM) is associated with numerical instability that typically stems from the time marching scheme. In this work, a formulation of time domain BEM is derived to deal with all types of boundary conditions adopting a multi-input, multi-output, infinite impulse response structure. The fitted frequency domain impedance data are converted into a time domain expression as a form of an infinite impulse response filter, which can also invoke a modeling error. In the calculation, the response at each time step is projected onto the wave vector space of natural radiation modes, which can be obtained from the eigensolutions of the single iterative matrix. To stabilize the computation, unstable oscillatory modes are nullified, and the same decay rate is used for two nonoscillatory modes. As a test example, a transient sound field within a partially lined, parallelepiped box is used, within which a point source is excited by an octave band impulse. In comparison with the results of the inverse Fourier transform of a frequency domain BEM, the average of relative difference norm in the stabilized time response is found to be 4.4%.

Microwave characteristics of GaAs MMIC integratable optical detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Claspy, Paul C.; Hill, Scott M.; Bhasin, Kul B.

1989-01-01

Interdigitated photoconductive detectors were fabricated on microwave device structures, making them easily integratable with Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMIC). Detector responsivity as high as 2.5 A/W and an external quantum efficiency of 3.81 were measured. Response speed was nearly independent of electrode geometry, and all detectors had usable response at frequencies to 6 GHz. A small signal model of the detectors based on microwave measurements was also developed.

Auditory and behavioral responses of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and a beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) to impulsive sounds resembling distant signatures of underwater explosions.

PubMed

Finneran, J J; Schlundt, C E; Carder, D A; Clark, J A; Young, J A; Gaspin, J B; Ridgway, S H

2000-07-01

A behavioral response paradigm was used to measure masked underwater hearing thresholds in two bottlenose dolphins and one beluga whale before and after exposure to impulsive underwater sounds with waveforms resembling distant signatures of underwater explosions. An array of piezoelectric transducers was used to generate impulsive sounds with waveforms approximating those predicted from 5 or 500 kg HBX-1 charges at ranges from 1.5 to 55.6 km. At the conclusion of the study, no temporary shifts in masked-hearing thresholds (MTTSs), defined as a 6-dB or larger increase in threshold over pre-exposure levels, had been observed at the highest impulse level generated (500 kg at 1.7 km, peak pressure 70 kPa); however, disruptions of the animals' trained behaviors began to occur at exposures corresponding to 5 kg at 9.3 km and 5 kg at 1.5 km for the dolphins and 500 kg at 1.9 km for the beluga whale. These data are the first direct information regarding the effects of distant underwater explosion signatures on the hearing abilities of odontocetes.

Tethered swimming can be used to evaluate force contribution for short-distance swimming performance.

PubMed

Morouço, Pedro G; Marinho, Daniel A; Keskinen, Kari L; Badillo, Juan J; Marques, Mário C

2014-11-01

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (a) to compare stroke and the physiological responses between maximal tethered and free front crawl swimming and (b) to evaluate the contribution of force exertion for swimming performance over short distances. A total of 34 male swimmers, representing various levels of competitive performance, participated in this study. Each participant was tested in both a 30-second maximal tethered swimming test and a 50-m free swimming test. The tethered force parameters, the swimming speed, stroke (stroke rate [SR]), and the physiological responses (increase in blood lactate concentration [ΔBLa], heart rate, and rate of perceived exertion) were recorded and calculated. The results showed no differences in stroke and the physiological responses between tethered and free swimming, with a high level of agreement for the SR and ΔBLa. A strong correlation was obtained between the maximum impulse of force per stroke and the speed (r = 0.91; p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the maximum impulse and SR in the tethered condition explained 84% of the free swimming performance. The relationship between the swimming speed and maximum force tended to be nonlinear, whereas linear relationships were observed with the maximum impulse. This study demonstrates that tethered swimming does not significantly alter stroke and the physiological responses compared with free swimming, and that the maximum impulse per stroke should be used to evaluate the balance between force and the ability to effectively apply force during sprint swimming. Consequently, coaches can rely on tethered forces to identify strength deficits and improve swimming performance over short distances.

Statistics of “Cold” Early Impulsive Solar Flares in X-Ray and Microwave Domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lysenko, Alexandra L.; Altyntsev, Alexander T.; Meshalkina, Natalia S.; Zhdanov, Dmitriy; Fleishman, Gregory D.

2018-04-01

Solar flares often happen after a preflare/preheating phase, which is almost or entirely thermal. In contrast, there are the so-called early impulsive flares that do not show a (significant) preflare heating, but instead often show the Neupert effect—a relationship where the impulsive phase is followed by a gradual, cumulative-like, thermal response. This has been interpreted as a dominance of nonthermal energy release at the impulsive phase, even though a similar phenomenology is expected if the thermal and nonthermal energies are released in comparable amounts at the impulsive phase. Nevertheless, some flares do show a good quantitative correspondence between the nonthermal electron energy input and plasma heating; in such cases, the thermal response was weak, which results in them being called “cold” flares. We undertook a systematic search for such events among early impulsive flares registered by the Konus-Wind instrument in the triggered mode from 11/1994 to 4/2017, and selected 27 cold flares based on relationships between hard X-ray (HXR) (Konus-Wind) and soft X-ray (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) emission. For these events, we put together all available microwave data from different instruments. We obtained temporal and spectral parameters of HXR and microwave emissions of the events and examined correlations between them. We found that, compared to a “mean” flare, the cold flares: (i) are weaker, shorter, and harder in the X-ray domain; (ii) are harder and shorter, but not weaker in the microwaves; (iii) have a significantly higher spectral peak frequencies in the microwaves. We discuss the possible physical reasons for these distinctions and implication of the finding.

Effects of amphetamine exposure in adolescence or young adulthood on inhibitory control in adult male and female rats

PubMed Central

Hammerslag, Lindsey R.; Waldman, Alex J.; Gulley, Joshua M.

2014-01-01

Heightened impulsivity is a feature of some psychiatric disorders, including addiction, that also have sex-specific patterns of expression. The relationship between addiction and impulsivity may be driven by drug-induced changes in behavior caused by long term adaptations in signaling within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Here, we used a response inhibition task that is sensitive to changes in mPFC function to examine the effects of sex and exposure to amphetamine (AMPH) on impulsive action and vigilance. We also examined drug-induced alterations in glutamatergic and dopaminergic signaling through challenge injections with the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 (dizocilpine) and AMPH. Male and female Sprague Dawley rats were injected (i.p.) with saline or 3 mg/kg AMPH every other day during adolescence (postnatal day (P) 27–45) or adulthood (P85–103). Starting on P125–135, rats were tested for their ability to lever press for a food reward during periods of signaled availability and withhold responding during a “premature response” phase. In experiment 1, rats received challenge injections (i.p.) of MK-801 and AMPH followed by tests of task performance and locomotor activity. In experiment 2, rats received intra-mPFC infusion of MK-801. We found that females had better inhibitory control and poorer vigilance than males and that AMPH exposure had both sex- and age-of-exposure dependent effects on impulsivity. Systemic drug challenges disrupted task performance, particularly in females, and increased impulsivity while intra-mPFC infusions had modest effects. AMPH exposure did not affect responses to drug challenges. Together, these results suggest that sex mediates both trait and drug-induced impulsivity. PMID:24462963

Measurements of speed of response of high-speed visible and IR optical detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rowe, H. E.; Osmundson, J. S.

1972-01-01

A technique for measuring speed of response of high speed visible and IR optical detectors to mode-locked Nd:YAG laser pulses is described. Results of measurements of response times of four detectors are presented. Three detectors that can be used as receivers in a 500-MHz optical communication system are tested.

How is impulsivity related to depression in adolescence? Evidence from a French validation of the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire.

PubMed

d'Acremont, Mathieu; Van der Linden, Martial

2007-04-01

The aim of this study was to validate a French version of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ; Garnefski, N., Kraaij, V., & Spinhoven, P., 2001. Negative life events, cognitive emotion regulation and emotional problems. Personality and Individual Differences, 30, 1311-1327) and to explore its relationships with impulsivity and depression. Teenagers from a junior secondary (n=107, 13-16 years) and a secondary school (n=110, 15-19 years) completed the CERQ, which assesses regulation strategies in response to negative events. The secondary school adolescents also completed the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale (Whiteside, S. P., & Lynam, D. R., 2001. The five factor model and impulsivity: Using a structural model of personality to understand impulsivity. Personality and Individual Differences, 30, 669-689) and the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (Reynolds, W. M., 1987. Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale: Professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources). Factor analysis for the CERQ confirmed the presence of the nine original regulation strategies. In the secondary school students, impulsivity was related to depression. A path analysis revealed that regulation strategies mediated this relationship. The role of emotion regulation in the development of adolescent psychopathology is discussed.

Impulsive response of an automatic transmission system with multiple clearances: Formulation, simulation and experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowther, Ashley R.; Singh, Rajendra; Zhang, Nong; Chapman, Chris

2007-10-01

Impulsive responses in geared systems with multiple clearances are studied when the mean torque excitation and system load change abruptly, with application to a vehicle driveline with an automatic transmission. First, torsional lumped-mass models of the planetary and differential gear sets are formulated using matrix elements. The model is then reduced to address tractable nonlinear problems while successfully retaining the main modes of interest. Second, numerical simulations for the nonlinear model are performed for transient conditions and a typical driving situation that induces an impulsive behaviour simulated. However, initial conditions and excitation and load profiles have to be carefully defined before the model can be numerically solved. It is shown that the impacts within the planetary or differential gears may occur under combinations of engine, braking and vehicle load transients. Our analysis shows that the shaping of the engine transient by the torque converter before reaching the clearance locations is more critical. Third, a free vibration experiment is developed for an analogous driveline with multiple clearances and three experiments that excite different response regimes have been carried out. Good correlations validate the proposed methodology.

Impulse responses of visible phototubes used in National Ignition Facility neutron time of flight diagnostics.

PubMed

Datte, P S; Eckart, M; Moore, A S; Thompson, W; Vergel de Dios, G

2016-11-01

Neutron-induced visible scintillation in neutron time of flight (NToF) diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is measured with 40 mm single stage micro-channel plate photomultipliers and a 40 mm vacuum photodiode, outside the neutron line of sight. In NIF experiments with 14 MeV neutron yields above Y > 10 × 10 15 these tubes are configured to deliver of order 1 nC of charge in the nominally 5 ns NToF into a 50 Ω load. We have examined a number of 40 mm tubes manufactured by Photek Ltd. of St. Leonards on Sea, UK, to determine possible changes in the instrument impulse response as a function of signal charge delivered in 1 ns. Precision NToF measurements at approximately 20 m require that we characterize changes in the impulse response moments to <40 ps for the first central moment and ∼2% rms for the square root of the second central moment with ∼500 ps value. Detailed results are presented for three different diode configurations.

GPU-accelerated low-latency real-time searches for gravitational waves from compact binary coalescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yuan; Du, Zhihui; Chung, Shin Kee; Hooper, Shaun; Blair, David; Wen, Linqing

2012-12-01

We present a graphics processing unit (GPU)-accelerated time-domain low-latency algorithm to search for gravitational waves (GWs) from coalescing binaries of compact objects based on the summed parallel infinite impulse response (SPIIR) filtering technique. The aim is to facilitate fast detection of GWs with a minimum delay to allow prompt electromagnetic follow-up observations. To maximize the GPU acceleration, we apply an efficient batched parallel computing model that significantly reduces the number of synchronizations in SPIIR and optimizes the usage of the memory and hardware resource. Our code is tested on the CUDA ‘Fermi’ architecture in a GTX 480 graphics card and its performance is compared with a single core of Intel Core i7 920 (2.67 GHz). A 58-fold speedup is achieved while giving results in close agreement with the CPU implementation. Our result indicates that it is possible to conduct a full search for GWs from compact binary coalescence in real time with only one desktop computer equipped with a Fermi GPU card for the initial LIGO detectors which in the past required more than 100 CPUs.

Ground vibration test results of a JetStar airplane using impulsive sine excitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kehoe, Michael W.; Voracek, David F.

1989-01-01

Structural excitation is important for both ground vibration and flight flutter testing. The structural responses caused by this excitation are analyzed to determine frequency, damping, and mode shape information. Many excitation waveforms have been used throughout the years. The use of impulsive sine (sin omega t)/omega t as an excitation waveform for ground vibration testing and the advantages of using this waveform for flight flutter testing are discussed. The ground vibration test results of a modified JetStar airplane using impulsive sine as an excitation waveform are compared with the test results of the same airplane using multiple-input random excitation. The results indicated that the structure was sufficiently excited using the impulsive sine waveform. Comparisons of input force spectrums, mode shape plots, and frequency and damping values for the two methods of excitation are presented.

Anger, impulsivity, and anger control in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Chemtob, C M; Hamada, R S; Roitblat, H L; Muraoka, M Y

1994-08-01

Empirical evidence of a relationship between combat-related PTSD and increased anger is lacking. In this study, 24 veterans of the Vietnam War with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) scored significantly higher on an Anger factor comprising multiple measures of anger than did comparison groups of 23 well-adjusted Vietnam combat veterans and 12 noncombat Vietnam-era veterans with psychiatric diagnoses. In contrast, the 3 groups did not differ significantly on orthogonal factors, one of which comprised cognitive impulsivity measures and the other of which reflected motor impulsivity. Changes in heart rate in response to provocation loaded positively on the Anger factor and negatively on the 2 Impulsivity factors. Concurrent depression and trait anxiety did not have an effect on level of anger in individuals with PTSD. These empirical findings support and extend the clinical evidence regarding PTSD and anger.

QUETIAPINE IMPROVES RESPONSE INHIBITION IN ALCOHOL DEPENDENT PATIENTS: A PLACEBO-CONTROLLED PILOT STUDY

PubMed Central

Moallem, Nathasha; Ray, Lara A.

2013-01-01

Rationale Quetiapine has been shown to be a promising medication for the treatment of alcoholism. As an atypical antipsychotic medication with antagonist activity at D1 and D2, 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A, H1 and α1 and α2 receptors, quetiapine has been found to decrease impulsivity in other psychiatric disorders but its effects on impulsivity have not been studied in alcohol dependent patients. Objective This study seeks to test the effects of quetiapine on a specific dimension of impulsivity, namely response inhibition. This pilot study seeks to further elucidate the mechanisms of action of quetiapine for alcohol use disorders. Method A total of 20 non-treatment seeking alcohol dependent individuals were randomized to one of the following conditions in a double-blind, placebo-controlled design: (1) quetiapine (400 mg/day); or (2) matched placebo. Participants completed two counterbalanced intravenous placebo-alcohol administration sessions as well as behavioral measure of response inhibition (i.e. stop signal task) pre and post placebo-alcohol administration sessions. Results Analyses revealed a significant effect of quetiapine in improving response inhibition as measured by the stop signal task. These results provide preliminary evidence suggesting that quetiapine improves response inhibition in alcohol dependent patients, as compared to placebo. Conclusion This pilot study contributes a novel putative mechanism of action of quetiapine in alcoholism, namely an improvement in response inhibition. PMID:22037407

Comparison of the response of four aerosol detectors used with ultra high pressure liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Hutchinson, Joseph P; Li, Jianfeng; Farrell, William; Groeber, Elizabeth; Szucs, Roman; Dicinoski, Greg; Haddad, Paul R

2011-03-25

The responses of four different types of aerosol detectors have been evaluated and compared to establish their potential use as a universal detector in conjunction with ultra high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC). Two charged-aerosol detectors, namely Corona CAD and Corona Ultra, and also two different types of light-scattering detectors (an evaporative light scattering detector, and a nano-quantity analyte detector [NQAD]) were evaluated. The responses of these detectors were systematically investigated under changing experimental and instrumental parameters, such as the mobile phase flow-rate, analyte concentration, mobile phase composition, nebulizer temperature, evaporator temperature, evaporator gas flow-rate and instrumental signal filtering after detection. It was found that these parameters exerted non-linear effects on the responses of the aerosol detectors and must therefore be considered when designing analytical separation conditions, particularly when gradient elution is performed. Identical reversed-phase gradient separations were compared on all four aerosol detectors and further compared with UV detection at 200 nm. The aerosol detectors were able to detect all 11 analytes in a test set comprising species having a variety of physicochemical properties, whilst UV detection was applicable only to those analytes containing chromophores. The reproducibility of the detector response for 11 analytes over 10 consecutive separations was found to be approximately 5% for the charged-aerosol detectors and approximately 11% for the light-scattering detectors. The tested analytes included semi-volatile species which exhibited a more variable response on the aerosol detectors. Peak efficiencies were generally better on the aerosol detectors in comparison to UV detection and particularly so for the light-scattering detectors which exhibited efficiencies of around 110,000 plates per metre. Limits of detection were calculated using different mobile phase compositions and the NQAD detector was found to be the most sensitive (LOD of 10 ng/mL), followed by the Corona CAD (76 ng/mL), then UV detection at 200 nm (178 ng/mL) using an injection volume of 25 μL. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transition Region and Chromospheric Signatures of Impulsive Heating Events. I. Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warren, Harry P.; Reep, Jeffrey W.; Crump, Nicholas A.; Simões, Paulo J. A.

2016-09-01

We exploit the high spatial resolution and high cadence of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) to investigate the response of the transition region and chromosphere to energy deposition during a small flare. Simultaneous observations from the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager provide constraints on the energetic electrons precipitating into the flare footpoints, while observations of the X-Ray Telescope, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly, and Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) allow us to measure the temperatures and emission measures from the resulting flare loops. We find clear evidence for heating over an extended period on the spatial scale of a single IRIS pixel. During the impulsive phase of this event, the intensities in each pixel for the Si IV 1402.770 Å, C II 1334.535 Å, Mg II 2796.354 Å, and O I 1355.598 Å emission lines are characterized by numerous small-scale bursts typically lasting 60 s or less. Redshifts are observed in Si IV, C II, and Mg II during the impulsive phase. Mg II shows redshifts during the bursts and stationary emission at other times. The Si IV and C II profiles, in contrast, are observed to be redshifted at all times during the impulsive phase. These persistent redshifts are a challenge for one-dimensional hydrodynamic models, which predict only short-duration downflows in response to impulsive heating. We conjecture that energy is being released on many small-scale filaments with a power-law distribution of heating rates.

Inter-individual differences in the impulsive/compulsive dimension: deciphering related dopaminergic and serotonergic metabolisms at rest.

PubMed

Dellu-Hagedorn, Françoise; Rivalan, Marion; Fitoussi, Aurélie; De Deurwaerdère, Philippe

2018-04-19

Several impulse control disorders such as ADHD, mania, personality disorders or substance abuse share common behavioural traits, like impulsiveness, risk-taking or inflexible behaviour. These disorders are treated with drugs targeting dopamine (DA) and/or serotonin (5-HT). However, the patient's monoamine imbalance that these neurotransmitters compensate is unclear. This study aims to investigate the patterns of DA and 5-HT metabolisms at rest within selected brain regions related to inter-individual variability in six main components of impulsivity/compulsivity (anticipatory hyperactivity, premature responses, delay discounting, risk-taking, perseveration, flexibility). Rats with adaptive and highly inadaptive behaviours were identified in each task and a sensitive biochemical approach allowed mapping of post-mortem endogenous monoamine tissue content in 20 brain areas. Distinct patterns of 5-HT and DA metabolisms were revealed according to the behavioural traits. Except for hyperactive responses, lower control of actions was mainly associated with a lower DA or 5-HT metabolism in prefrontal and/or subcortical areas (i.e. in orbitofrontal cortex (DA), amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex (5-HT) for inflexible and risk-prone rats). Our results reveal the complex nature of behavioural traits related to impulse control disorders through their associated monoaminergic networks at rest, paving the way for understanding the link between mental disorders and drug therapeutic actions.This article is part of the theme issue 'Diverse perspectives on diversity: multi-disciplinary approaches to taxonomies of individual differences'. © 2018 The Author(s).

On the performance of piezoelectric harvesters loaded by finite width impulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doria, A.; Medè, C.; Desideri, D.; Maschio, A.; Codecasa, L.; Moro, F.

2018-02-01

The response of cantilevered piezoelectric harvesters loaded by finite width impulses of base acceleration is studied analytically in the frequency domain in order to identify the parameters that influence the generated voltage. Experimental tests are then performed on harvesters loaded by hammer impacts. The latter are used to confirm analytical results and to validate a linear finite element (FE) model of a unimorph harvester. The FE model is, in turn, used to extend analytical results to more general harvesters (tapered, inverse tapered, triangular) and to more general impulses (heel strike in human gait). From analytical and numerical results design criteria for improving harvester performance are obtained.

Numerical modeling of on-orbit propellant motion resulting from an impulsive acceleration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aydelott, John C.; Mjolsness, Raymond C.; Torrey, Martin D.; Hochstein, John I.

1987-01-01

In-space docking and separation maneuvers of spacecraft that have large fluid mass fractions may cause undesirable spacecraft motion in response to the impulsive-acceleration-induced fluid motion. An example of this potential low gravity fluid management problem arose during the development of the shuttle/Centaur vehicle. Experimentally verified numerical modeling techniques were developed to establish the propellant dynamics, and subsequent vehicle motion, associated with the separation of the Centaur vehicle from the shuttle orbiter cargo bay. Although the shuttle/Centaur development activity was suspended, the numerical modeling techniques are available to predict on-orbit liquid motion resulting from impulsive accelerations for other missions and spacecraft.

Reduced-Order Models Based on Linear and Nonlinear Aerodynamic Impulse Responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silva, Walter A.

1999-01-01

This paper discusses a method for the identification and application of reduced-order models based on linear and nonlinear aerodynamic impulse responses. The Volterra theory of nonlinear systems and an appropriate kernel identification technique are described. Insight into the nature of kernels is provided by applying the method to the nonlinear Riccati equation in a non-aerodynamic application. The method is then applied to a nonlinear aerodynamic model of RAE 2822 supercritical airfoil undergoing plunge motions using the CFL3D Navier-Stokes flow solver with the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. Results demonstrate the computational efficiency of the technique.

Reduced Order Models Based on Linear and Nonlinear Aerodynamic Impulse Responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silva, Walter A.

1999-01-01

This paper discusses a method for the identification and application of reduced-order models based on linear and nonlinear aerodynamic impulse responses. The Volterra theory of nonlinear systems and an appropriate kernel identification technique are described. Insight into the nature of kernels is provided by applying the method to the nonlinear Riccati equation in a non-aerodynamic application. The method is then applied to a nonlinear aerodynamic model of an RAE 2822 supercritical airfoil undergoing plunge motions using the CFL3D Navier-Stokes flow solver with the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. Results demonstrate the computational efficiency of the technique.

Linear ordinary differential equations with constant coefficients. Revisiting the impulsive response method using factorization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camporesi, Roberto

2011-06-01

We present an approach to the impulsive response method for solving linear constant-coefficient ordinary differential equations based on the factorization of the differential operator. The approach is elementary, we only assume a basic knowledge of calculus and linear algebra. In particular, we avoid the use of distribution theory, as well as of the other more advanced approaches: Laplace transform, linear systems, the general theory of linear equations with variable coefficients and the variation of constants method. The approach presented here can be used in a first course on differential equations for science and engineering majors.

VAR and generalized impulse response analysis of manufacturing unit labor costs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ewing, Bradley T.; Thompson, Mark A.

2008-04-01

This paper examines the relationship among manufacturing unit labor costs in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. The analysis is conducted within the context of an economic system utilizing the recently developed method of generalized impulse response analysis to simulate the responses of the cost series to disturbances. The results indicate that, while unit labor costs do not share a common stochastic trend, there are significant responses in the unit labor costs of each country to shocks in the costs of other countries that are not captured by standard interpretation of the multiple-equation model results. The findings indicate the presence of significant linkages among unit labor costs in the countries studied. The results are consistent with the economic environment of manufacturing operations being characterized by a competitive, integrated marketplace.

Do Executive Function and Impulsivity Predict Adolescent Health Behaviour after Accounting for Intelligence? Findings from the ALSPAC Cohort

PubMed Central

Pechey, Rachel; Couturier, Dominique-Laurent; Deary, Ian J.; Marteau, Theresa M.

2016-01-01

Objective Executive function, impulsivity, and intelligence are correlated markers of cognitive resource that predict health-related behaviours. It is unknown whether executive function and impulsivity are unique predictors of these behaviours after accounting for intelligence. Methods Data from 6069 participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children were analysed to investigate whether components of executive function (selective attention, attentional control, working memory, and response inhibition) and impulsivity (parent-rated) measured between ages 8 and 10, predicted having ever drunk alcohol, having ever smoked, fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and overweight at age 13, after accounting for intelligence at age 8 and childhood socioeconomic characteristics. Results Higher intelligence predicted having drunk alcohol, not smoking, greater fruit and vegetable consumption, and not being overweight. After accounting for intelligence, impulsivity predicted alcohol use (odds ratio = 1.10; 99% confidence interval = 1.02, 1.19) and smoking (1.22; 1.11, 1.34). Working memory predicted not being overweight (0.90; 0.81, 0.99). Conclusions After accounting for intelligence, executive function predicts overweight status but not health-related behaviours in early adolescence, whilst impulsivity predicts the onset of alcohol and cigarette use, all with small effects. This suggests overlap between executive function and intelligence as predictors of health behaviour in this cohort, with trait impulsivity accounting for additional variance. PMID:27479488

Do Executive Function and Impulsivity Predict Adolescent Health Behaviour after Accounting for Intelligence? Findings from the ALSPAC Cohort.

PubMed

Stautz, Kaidy; Pechey, Rachel; Couturier, Dominique-Laurent; Deary, Ian J; Marteau, Theresa M

2016-01-01

Executive function, impulsivity, and intelligence are correlated markers of cognitive resource that predict health-related behaviours. It is unknown whether executive function and impulsivity are unique predictors of these behaviours after accounting for intelligence. Data from 6069 participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children were analysed to investigate whether components of executive function (selective attention, attentional control, working memory, and response inhibition) and impulsivity (parent-rated) measured between ages 8 and 10, predicted having ever drunk alcohol, having ever smoked, fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and overweight at age 13, after accounting for intelligence at age 8 and childhood socioeconomic characteristics. Higher intelligence predicted having drunk alcohol, not smoking, greater fruit and vegetable consumption, and not being overweight. After accounting for intelligence, impulsivity predicted alcohol use (odds ratio = 1.10; 99% confidence interval = 1.02, 1.19) and smoking (1.22; 1.11, 1.34). Working memory predicted not being overweight (0.90; 0.81, 0.99). After accounting for intelligence, executive function predicts overweight status but not health-related behaviours in early adolescence, whilst impulsivity predicts the onset of alcohol and cigarette use, all with small effects. This suggests overlap between executive function and intelligence as predictors of health behaviour in this cohort, with trait impulsivity accounting for additional variance.

A novel flat-response x-ray detector in the photon energy range of 0.1-4 keV

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li Zhichao; Guo Liang; Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, Sichuan 621900

2010-07-15

A novel flat-response x-ray detector has been developed for the measurement of radiation flux from a hohlraum. In order to obtain a flat response in the photon energy range of 0.1-4 keV, it is found that both the cathode and the filter of the detector can be made of gold. A further improvement on the compound filter can then largely relax the requirement of the calibration x-ray beam. The calibration of the detector, which is carried out on Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility at Institute of High Energy Physics, shows that the detector has a desired flat response in the photonmore » energy range of 0.1-4 keV, with a response flatness smaller than 13%. The detector has been successfully applied in the hohlraum experiment on Shenguang-III prototype laser facility. The radiation temperatures inferred from the detector agree well with those from the diagnostic instrument Dante installed at the same azimuth angle from the hohlraum axis, demonstrating the feasibility of the detector.« less

A novel flat-response x-ray detector in the photon energy range of 0.1-4 keV.

PubMed

Li, Zhichao; Jiang, Xiaohua; Liu, Shenye; Huang, Tianxuan; Zheng, Jian; Yang, Jiamin; Li, Sanwei; Guo, Liang; Zhao, Xuefeng; Du, Huabin; Song, Tianming; Yi, Rongqing; Liu, Yonggang; Jiang, Shaoen; Ding, Yongkun

2010-07-01

A novel flat-response x-ray detector has been developed for the measurement of radiation flux from a hohlraum. In order to obtain a flat response in the photon energy range of 0.1-4 keV, it is found that both the cathode and the filter of the detector can be made of gold. A further improvement on the compound filter can then largely relax the requirement of the calibration x-ray beam. The calibration of the detector, which is carried out on Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility at Institute of High Energy Physics, shows that the detector has a desired flat response in the photon energy range of 0.1-4 keV, with a response flatness smaller than 13%. The detector has been successfully applied in the hohlraum experiment on Shenguang-III prototype laser facility. The radiation temperatures inferred from the detector agree well with those from the diagnostic instrument Dante installed at the same azimuth angle from the hohlraum axis, demonstrating the feasibility of the detector.

Impulsive action and impulsive choice across substance and behavioral addictions: cause or consequence?

PubMed

Grant, Jon E; Chamberlain, Samuel R

2014-11-01

Substance use disorders are prevalent and debilitating. Certain behavioral syndromes ('behavioral addictions') characterized by repetitive habits, such as gambling disorder, stealing, shopping, and compulsive internet use, may share clinical, co-morbid, and neurobiological parallels with substance addictions. This review considers overlap between substance and behavioral addictions with a particular focus on impulsive action (inability to inhibit motor responses), and impulsive choice (preference for immediate smaller rewards to the detriment of long-term outcomes). We find that acute consumption of drugs with abuse potential is capable of modulating impulsive choice and action, although magnitude and direction of effect appear contingent on baseline function. Many lines of evidence, including findings from meta-analyses, show an association between chronic drug use and elevated impulsive choice and action. In some instances, elevated impulsive choice and action have been found to predate the development of substance use disorders, perhaps signifying their candidacy as objective vulnerability markers. Research in behavioral addictions is preliminary, and has mostly focused on impulsive action, finding this to be elevated versus controls, similar to that seen in chronic substance use disorders. Only a handful of imaging studies has explored the neural correlates of impulsive action and choice across these disorders. Key areas for future research are highlighted along with potential implications in terms of neurobiological models and treatment. In particular, future work should further explore whether the cognitive deficits identified are state or trait in nature: i.e. are evident before addiction perhaps signaling risk; or are a consequence of repetitive engagement in habitual behavior; and effects of novel agents known to modulate these cognitive abilities on various addictive disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vestibulo-ocular reflex gain values in the suppression head impulse test of healthy subjects.

PubMed

Rey-Martinez, Jorge; Thomas-Arrizabalaga, Izaskun; Espinosa-Sanchez, Juan Manuel; Batuecas-Caletrio, Angel; Trinidad-Ruiz, Gabriel; Matiño-Soler, Eusebi; Perez-Fernandez, Nicolas

2018-02-15

To assess whether there are differences in vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain for suppression head impulse (SHIMP) and head impulse (HIMP) video head impulse test paradigms, and if so, what are their causes. Prospective multicenter observational double-blind nonrandomized clinical study was performed by collecting 80 healthy subjects from four reference hospitals. SHIMP data was postprocessed to eliminate impulses in which early SHIMP saccades were detected. Differences between HIMP and SHIMP VOR gain values were statistically evaluated. Head impulse maximum velocity, gender, age, direction of impulse, and hospital center were considered as possible influential factors. A small significant statistical difference between HIMP and SHIMP VOR gain values was found on repeated measures analysis of variance (-0.05 ± 0.006, P < 0.001). Optimized linear model showed a significant influence of age variable on the observed differences for HIMP and SHIMP gain values and did not find influence between gain values differences and maximum head impulse velocity. Both HIMP and SHIMP VOR gain values were significant lower (-0.09, P < 0.001) when the impulses were performed to the left side. We had observed a difference in SHIMP and HIMP gain values not adequately explained by known gain modification factors. The persistence of this slight but significant difference indicates that there are more factors causing lower SHIMP VOR gain values. This difference must to be considered in further studies as well as in the clinical SHIMP testing protocols. We hypothesized that VOR phasic response inhibition could be the underlying cause of this difference. IIb. Laryngoscope, 2018. © 2018 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

A Novel Saccadic Strategy Revealed by Suppression Head Impulse Testing of Patients with Bilateral Vestibular Loss.

PubMed

de Waele, Catherine; Shen, Qiwen; Magnani, Christophe; Curthoys, Ian S

2017-01-01

We examined the eye movement response patterns of a group of patients with bilateral vestibular loss (BVL) during suppression head impulse testing. Some showed a new saccadic strategy that may have potential for explaining how patients use saccades to recover from vestibular loss. Eight patients with severe BVL [vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gains less than 0.35 and absent otolithic function] were tested. All patients were given the Dizziness Handicap Inventory and questioned about oscillopsia during abrupt head movements. Two paradigms of video head impulse testing of the horizontal VOR were used: (1) the classical head impulse paradigm [called head impulse test (HIMPs)]-fixating an earth-fixed target during the head impulse and (2) the new complementary test paradigm-fixating a head-fixed target during the head impulse (called SHIMPs). The VOR gain of HIMPs was quantified by two algorithms. During SHIMPs testing, some BVL patients consistently generated an inappropriate covert compensatory saccade during the head impulse that required a corresponding large anti-compensatory saccade at the end of the head impulse in order to obey the instructions to maintain gaze on the head-fixed target. By contrast, other BVL patients did not generate this inappropriate covert saccade and did not exhibit a corresponding anti-compensatory saccade. The latencies of the covert saccade in SHIMPs and HIMPs were similar. The pattern of covert saccades during SHIMPs appears to be related to the reduction of oscillopsia during abrupt head movements. BVL patients who did not report oscillopsia showed this unusual saccadic pattern, whereas BVL patients who reported oscillopsia did not show this pattern. This inappropriate covert SHIMPs saccade may be an objective indicator of how some patients with vestibular loss have learned to trigger covert saccades during head movements in everyday life.

Poor impulse control predicts inelastic demand for nicotine but not alcohol in rats.

PubMed

Diergaarde, Leontien; van Mourik, Yvar; Pattij, Tommy; Schoffelmeer, Anton N M; De Vries, Taco J

2012-05-01

Tobacco and alcohol dependence are characterized by continued use despite deleterious health, social and occupational consequences, implying that addicted individuals pay a high price for their use. In behavioral economic terms, such persistent consumption despite increased costs can be conceptualized as inelastic demand. Recent animal studies demonstrated that high-impulsive individuals are more willing to work for nicotine or cocaine infusions than their low-impulsive counterparts, indicating that this trait might be causally related to inelastic drug demand. By employing progressive ratio schedules of reinforcement combined with a behavioral economics approach of analysis, we determined whether trait impulsivity is associated with an insensitivity of nicotine or alcohol consumption to price increments. Rats were trained on a delayed discounting task, measuring impulsive choice. Hereafter, high- and low-impulsive rats were selected and trained to nose poke for intravenous nicotine or oral alcohol. Upon stable self-administration on a continuous reinforcement schedule, the price (i.e. response requirement) was increased. Demand curves, depicting the relationship between price and consumption, were produced using Hursh's exponential demand equation. Similar to human observations, nicotine and alcohol consumption in rats fitted this equation, thereby demonstrating the validity of our model. Moreover, high-impulsive rats displayed inelastic nicotine demand, as their nicotine consumption was less sensitive to price increments as compared with that in low-impulsive rats. Impulsive choice was not related to differences in alcohol demand elasticity. Our model seems well suited for studying nicotine and alcohol demand in rats and, as such, might contribute to our understanding of tobacco and alcohol dependence. © 2011 The Authors, Addiction Biology © 2011 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Towards higher stability of resonant absorption measurements in pulsed plasmas.

PubMed

Britun, Nikolay; Michiels, Matthieu; Snyders, Rony

2015-12-01

Possible ways to increase the reliability of time-resolved particle density measurements in pulsed gaseous discharges using resonant absorption spectroscopy are proposed. A special synchronization, called "dynamic source triggering," between a gated detector and two pulsed discharges, one representing the discharge of interest and another being used as a reference source, is developed. An internal digital delay generator in the intensified charge coupled device camera, used at the same time as a detector, is utilized for this purpose. According to the proposed scheme, the light pulses from the reference source follow the gates of detector, passing through the discharge of interest only when necessary. This allows for the utilization of short-pulse plasmas as reference sources, which is critical for time-resolved absorption analysis of strongly emitting pulsed discharges. In addition to dynamic source triggering, the reliability of absorption measurements can be further increased using simultaneous detection of spectra relevant for absorption method, which is also demonstrated in this work. The proposed methods are illustrated by the time-resolved measurements of the metal atom density in a high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharge, using either a hollow cathode lamp or another HiPIMS discharge as a pulsed reference source.

Low Pretreatment Impulsivity and High Medication Adherence Increase the Odds of Abstinence in a Trial of N-Acetylcysteine in Adolescents with Cannabis Use Disorder

PubMed Central

Bentzley, Jessica P.; Tomko, Rachel L.; Gray, Kevin M.

2016-01-01

Background In light of recent progress toward pharmacologic interventions to treat adolescent cannabis use disorder, it is important to consider which adolescent characteristics may be associated with a favorable response to treatment. This study presents secondary analyses from a parent randomized controlled trial of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in adolescents with cannabis use disorder. We hypothesized high pretreatment impulsivity and medication non-adherence would be associated with reduced abstinence rates. Methods Participants were treatment-seeking adolescents (N = 115) who met criteria for cannabis use disorder and were assessed for pretreatment impulsivity. They received 1200 mg NAC or placebo orally twice daily for 8 weeks. An intent-to-treat analysis using a repeated-measures logistic regression model was used to relate pretreatment impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) and treatment group to abstinence rates, measured by urine cannabinoid tests. To explore mechanisms by which NAC may reduce cannabis use, relationships between impulsivity, adherence, and abstinence were assessed in a second statistical model using data from participants with recorded adherence and urine cannabinoid test results (n = 54). Results In the intent-to-treat analysis, low pretreatment impulsivity, NAC treatment, and negative baseline urine cannabinoid test results independently increased the odds of having negative urine cannabinoid tests during treatment (OR = 2.1, 2.3, 5.3 respectively). In the sample of participants with adherence data (n = 54), adherence tripled the odds of abstinence. Notably, the effect of adherence on abstinence was only observed in the NAC treatment group. Lastly, although the highly impulsive participants had reduced rates of abstinence, highly impulsive individuals adherent to NAC treatment had increased abstinence rates compared to non-adherent individuals. Conclusion Low impulsivity, NAC treatment, medication adherence, and baseline negative cannabinoid testing were associated with increased rates of abstinence in adolescents seeking treatment for cannabis use disorder. Efforts to optimize pharmacotherapy adherence may be particularly crucial for highly impulsive individuals. Understanding and addressing factors, such as impulsivity and adherence, which may affect outcomes, may aid in the successful evaluation and development of potentially promising pharmacotherapies. PMID:26827257

Tactile responses of hindpaw, forepaw and whisker neurons in the thalamic ventrobasal complex of anesthetized rats

PubMed Central

Aguilar, J; Morales-Botello, M L; Foffani, G

2008-01-01

The majority of studies investigating responses of thalamocortical neurons to tactile stimuli have focused on the whisker representation of the rat thalamus: the ventral–posterior–medial nucleus (VPM). To test whether the basic properties of thalamocortical responses to tactile stimuli could be extended to the entire ventrobasal complex, we recorded single neurons from the whisker, forepaw and hindpaw thalamic representations. We performed a systematic analysis of responses to stereotyped tactile stimuli − 500 ms pulses (i.e. ON–OFF stimuli) or 1 ms pulses (i.e. impulsive stimuli) − under two different anesthetics (pentobarbital or urethane). We obtained the following main results: (i) the tuning of cells to ON vs. OFF stimuli displayed a gradient across neurons, so that two-thirds of cells responded more to ON stimuli and one-third responded more to OFF stimuli; (ii) on average, response magnitudes did not differ between ON and OFF stimuli, whereas latencies of response to OFF stimuli were a few milliseconds longer; (iii) latencies of response to ON and OFF stimuli were highly correlated; (iv) responses to impulsive stimuli and ON stimuli showed a strong correlation, whereas the relationship between the responses to impulsive stimuli and OFF stimuli was subtler; (v) unlike ON responses, OFF responses did not decrease when stimuli were moved from the receptive field center to a close location in the excitatory surround. We obtained the same results for hindpaw, forepaw and whisker neurons. Our results support the view of a neurophysiologically homogeneous ventrobasal complex, in which OFF responses participate in the structure of the spatiotemporal receptive field of thalamocortical neurons for tactile stimuli. PMID:18190520

Development of a low-power, low-cost front end electronics module for large scale distributed neutrino detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

James J. Beatty

2008-03-08

A number of concepts have been presented for distributed neutrino detectors formed of large numbers of autonomous detectors. Examples include the Antarctic Ross Ice Shelf Antenna Neutrino Array (ARIANNA) [Barwick 2006], as well as proposed radio extensions to the IceCube detector at South Pole Station such as AURA and IceRay. [Besson 2008]. We have focused on key enabling technical developments required by this class of experiments. The radio Cherenkov signal, generated by the Askaryan mechanism [Askaryan 1962, 1965], is impulsive and coherent up to above 1 GHz. In the frequency domain, the impulsive character of the emission results in simultaneousmore » increase of the power detected in multiple frequency bands. This multiband triggering approach has proven fruitful, especially as anthropogenic interference often results from narrowband communications signals. A typical distributed experiment of this type consists of a station responsible for the readout of a cluster of antennas either near the surface of the ice or deployed in boreholes. Each antenna is instrumented with a broadband low-noise amplifier, followed by an array of filters to facilitate multi-band coincidence trigger schemes at the antenna level. The power in each band is detected at the output of each band filter, using either square-law diode detectors or log-power detectors developed for the cellular telephone market. The use of multiple antennas per station allows a local coincidence among antennas to be used as the next stage of the trigger. Station triggers can then be combined into an array trigger by comparing timestamps of triggers among stations and identifying space-time clusters of station triggers. Data from each station is buffered and can be requested from the individual stations when a multi-station coincidence occurs. This approach has been successfully used in distributed experiments such as the Pierre Auger Observatory. [Abraham et al. 2004] We identified the filters as being especially critical. The frequency range of interest, {approx}200 MHz to {approx}1.2 GHz, is a transitional region where the lumped circuit element approach taken at low frequencies begins to reach limitations due to component tolerances, component losses, and parasitic effects. Active circuits can help to mitigate against these effects at the cost of added power consumption that becomes prohibitive for distributed experiments across the band of interest. At higher frequency microstrip, stripline, and other microwave techniques come to the fore. We have developed designs and design tools for passive filters extending the high frequency techniques to the frequency range of interest. Microstrip and stripline techniques are not usually attractive here because of the large physical dimensions of the resulting circuits, but in this application the tradeoff of size against power consumption favors this choice. These techniques are also intrinsically low-cost, as the filter is built into the circuit boards and the cost of components and their assembly onto the board is avoided. The basic element of the filter tree is an impedance matched wideband diplexer. This consists of a pair of low pass and high pass filters with a shared cutoff frequency and complementary frequency responses. These are designing the lowpass filter as a high order LC filter, which can be implemented as a series of transmission line segments of varying width. This can be transformed in to a CL high pass filter with a complementary frequency response. When the two filters are coupled to a common input, the input impedances of the networks add in parallel to give a constant input impedance as a function of frequency, with power flowing into one leg or the other of the filter pair. These filters can be cascaded to divide the band into the frequency ranges of interest; the broadband impedance matching at the inputs makes coupling of successive stages straightforward. These circuits can be produced in quantity at low cost using standard PCB fabrication techniques. We have determined that to achieve best performance the circuits should be built on a low loss-tangent RF substrate. We are working in cooperation with our colleagues in condensed matter who also have a need for this capability to purchase the equipment for in-house fabrication of prototype quantities of these circuits. We plan to continue the work on these filtersusing internal funds, and produce and characterize the performance of prototypes. We also participated in deployment of a prototype detector station near McMurdo Station, Antarctica in collaboration with colleagues at UCLA and UC-Irvine. The prototype station includes a single-board computer, GPS receiver, ADC board, and Iridium satellite modem powered by an omnidirectional solar array. We operated this station in the austral summer of 2006-2007, and used the Iridium SMS mode to transmit the status of the station until the end of the daylight season.« less

Insight Into the Relationship Between Impulsivity and Substance Abuse From Studies Using Animal Models

PubMed Central

Winstanley, Catharine A.; Olausson, Peter; Taylor, Jane R.; Jentsch, J. David

2010-01-01

Drug use disorders are often accompanied by deficits in the capacity to efficiently process reward-related information and to monitor, suppress, or override reward-controlled behavior when goals are in conflict with aversive or immediate outcomes. This emerging deficit in behavioral flexibility and impulse control may be a central component of the progression to addiction, as behavior becomes increasingly driven by drugs and drug-associated cues at the expense of more advantageous activities. Understanding how neural mechanisms implicated in impulse control are affected by addictive drugs may therefore prove a useful strategy in the search for new treatment options. Animal models of impulsivity and addiction could make a significant contribution to this endeavor. Here, some of the more common behavioral paradigms used to measure different aspects of impulsivity across species are outlined, and the importance of the response to reward-paired cues in such paradigms is discussed. Naturally occurring differences in forms of impulsivity have been found to be predictive of future drug self-administration, but drug exposure can also increase impulsive responding. Such data are in keeping with the suggestion that impulsivity may contribute to multiple stages within the spiral of addiction. From a neurobiological perspective, converging evidence from rat, monkey, and human studies suggest that compromised functioning within the orbitofrontal cortex may critically contribute to the cognitive sequelae of drug abuse. Changes in gene transcription and protein expression within this region may provide insight into the mechanism underlying drug-induced cortical hypofunction, reflecting new molecular targets for the treatment of uncontrolled drug-seeking and drug-taking behavior. PMID:20491734

SU-F-T-490: Separating Effects Influencing Detector Response in Small MV Photon Fields

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wegener, S; Sauer, O

2016-06-15

Purpose: Different detector properties influence their responses especially in field sizes below the lateral electron range. Due to the finite active volume, the detector density and electron perturbation at other structural parts, the response factor is in general field size dependent. We aimed to visualize and separate the main effects contributing to detector behavior for a variety of detector types. This was achieved in an experimental setup, shielding the field center. Thus, effects caused by scattered radiation could be examined separately. Methods: Signal ratios for field sizes down to 8 mm (SSD 90 cm, water depth 10 cm) of amore » 6MV beam from a Siemens Primus LINAC were recorded with several detectors: PTW microDiamond and PinPoint ionization chamber, shielded diodes (PTW P-60008, IBA PFD and SNC Edge) and unshielded diodes (PTW E-60012 and IBA SFD). Measurements were carried out in open fields and with an aluminum pole of 4 mm diameter as a central block. The geometric volume effect was calculated from profiles obtained with Gafchromic EBT3 film, evaluated using FilmQA Pro software (Ashland, USA). Results: Volume corrections were 1.7% at maximum. After correction, in small open fields, unshielded diodes showed a lower response than the diamond, i.e. diamond detector over-response seems to be higher than that for unshielded diodes. Beneath the block, this behavior was amplified by a factor of 2. For the shielded diodes, the overresponse for small open fields could be confirmed. However their lateral response behavior was strongly type dependent, e.g. the signal ratio dropped from 1.02 to 0.98 for the P-60008 diode. Conclusion: The lateral detector response was experimentally examined. Detector volume and density alone do not fully account for the field size dependence of detector response. Detector construction details play a major role, especially for shielded diodes.« less

Transient airload computer analysis for simulating wind induced impulsive noise conditions of a hovering helicopter rotor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, G. F.

1975-01-01

A numerical analysis was developed to determine the airloads on helicopter rotors operating under near-hovering flight conditions capable of producing impulsive noise. A computer program was written in which the solutions for the rotor tip vortex geometry, inflow, aeroelastic response, and airloads are solved in a coupled manner at sequential time steps, with or without the influence of an imposed steady ambient wind or transient gust. The program was developed for future applications in which predicted airloads would be incorporated in an acoustics analysis to attempt to predict and analyze impulsive noise (blade slap). The analysis was applied to a hovering full-scale rotor for which impulsive noise was recorded in the presence of ambient wind. The predicted tip vortex coordinates are in reasonable agreement with the test data, and the blade airload solutions converged to a periodic behavior for an imposed steady ambient wind conditions.

THz impulse radar for biomedical sensing: nonlinear system behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, E. R.; Sung, Shijun; Grundfest, W. S.; Taylor, Z. D.

2014-03-01

The THz impulse radar is an "RF-inspired" sensor system that has performed remarkably well since its initial development nearly six years ago. It was developed for ex vivo skin-burn imaging, and has since shown great promise in the sensitive detection of hydration levels in soft tissues of several types, such as in vivo corneal and burn samples. An intriguing aspect of the impulse radar is its hybrid architecture which combines the high-peak-power of photoconductive switches with the high-responsivity and -bandwidth (RF and video) of Schottky-diode rectifiers. The result is a very sensitive sensor system in which the post-detection signal-to-noise ratio depends super-linearly on average signal power up to a point where the diode is "turned on" in the forward direction, and then behaves quasi-linearly beyond that point. This paper reports the first nonlinear systems analysis done on the impulse radar using MATLAB.

Astragaloside IV inhibits apoptotic cell death in the guinea pig cochlea exposed to impulse noise.

PubMed

Xiong, Min; He, Qinglian; Lai, Huangwen; Wang, Jian

2012-05-01

The results suggest that the beneficial effect of astragaloside IV on impulse noise-induced hearing loss may be due to its ability to inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) and prevent apoptosis. Astragaloside IV is the major active constituent of Astragalus membranaceus, which has been widely used for the treatment of diseases in China for its antioxidant properties. ROS and apoptosis are involved in damage induced by impulse noise trauma. We aimed to investigate if the beneficial effects of astragaloside IV on cochlea exposed to impulse noise are associated with the inhibition of ROS and the decrease in apoptosis. 4-Hydroxynonenal (HNE) was used as the marker of ROS. Active-caspase-3 (cas-3) served as a marker for apoptosis. 4HNE and cas-3 were determined immunohistochemically. Guinea pigs in the experimental group were administered astragaloside IV intragastrically. Auditory thresholds were assessed by sound-evoked auditory brainstem response (ABR) 72 h before and after exposure to impulse noise. The results showed that astragaloside IV significantly reduced ABR deficits, and decreased the expression of ROS and cas-3.

Examination of trait impulsivity on the response to a brief mindfulness intervention among college student drinkers.

PubMed

Vinci, Christine; Peltier, MacKenzie; Waldo, Krystal; Kinsaul, Jessica; Shah, Sonia; Coffey, Scott F; Copeland, Amy L

2016-08-30

Mindfulness-based strategies show promise for targeting the construct of impulsivity and associated variables among problematic alcohol users. This study examined the moderating role of intervention (mindfulness vs relaxation vs control) on trait impulsivity and three outcomes examined post-intervention (negative affect, positive affect, and urge to drink) among 207 college students with levels of at-risk drinking. Moderation analyses revealed that the relationship between baseline impulsivity and the primary outcomes significantly differed for participants who underwent the mindfulness versus relaxation interventions. Notably, simple slope analyses revealed that negative urgency was positively associated with urge to drink following the mindfulness intervention. Among participants who underwent the relaxation intervention, analysis of simple slopes revealed that negative urgency was negatively associated with urge to drink, while positive urgency was positively associated with positive affect following the relaxation intervention. Findings suggest that level (low vs high) and subscale of impulsivity matter with regard to how a participant will respond to a mindfulness versus relaxation intervention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders

PubMed Central

Allen, Andrea; King, Audrey; Hollander, Eric

2003-01-01

The obsessive-compulsive spectrum is an important concept referring to a number of disorders drawn from several diagnostic categories that share core obsessive-compulsive features. These disorders can be grouped by the focus of their symptoms: bodily preoccupation, impulse control, or neurological disorders. Although the disorders are clearly distinct from one another, they have intriguing similarities in phenomenology, etiology, pathophysiology, patient characteristics, and treatment response. In combination with the knowledge gained through many years of research on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the concept of a spectrum has generated much fruitful research on the spectrum disorders. It has become apparent that these disorders can also be viewed as being on a continuum of compulsivity to impulsivity, characterized by harm avoidance at the compulsive end and risk seeking at the impulsive end. The compulsive and impulsive disorders differ in systematic ways that are just beginning to be understood. Here, we review these concepts and several representative obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders including both compulsive and impulsive disorders, as well as the three different symptom clusters: OCD, body dysmorphic disorder, pathological gambling, sexual compulsivity, and autism spectrum disorders. PMID:22033547

Dopamine D1 and D3 Receptors Modulate Heroin-Induced Cognitive Impairment through Opponent Actions in Mice

PubMed Central

Zhu, Yongsheng; Wang, Yunpeng; Wei, Shuguang; Zhang, Hongbo; Yan, Peng; Li, Yunxiao; Qiao, Xiaomeng; Yin, Fangyuan

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Chronic abuse of heroin leads to long-lasting and complicated cognitive impairment. Dopamine receptors are critically involved in the impulsive drug-driven behavior and the altered attention, processing speed, and mental flexibility that are associated with higher relapse rates. However, the effects of the different dopamine receptors and their possible involvement in heroin-induced cognitive impairment remain unclear. Methods: The 5-choice serial reaction time task was used to investigate the profiles of heroin-induced cognitive impairment in mice. The expression levels of dopamine D1- and D2-like receptors in the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and caudate-putamen were determined. The effects of dopamine receptors on heroin-induced impulsivity in the 5-choice serial reaction time task were examined by agonist/antagonist treatment on D1 or D3 receptor mutant mice. Results: Systemic heroin administration influences several variables in the 5-choice serial reaction time task, most notably premature responses, a measure of motor impulsivity. These behavioral impairments are associated with increased D1 receptor and decreased D3 receptor mRNA and protein levels in 3 observed brain areas. The heroin-evoked increase in premature responses is mimicked by a D1 agonist and prevented by a D1 antagonist or genetic ablation of the D1 receptor gene. In contrast, a D3 agonist decreases both basal and heroin-evoked premature responses, while genetic ablation of the D3 receptor gene results in increased basal and heroin-evoked premature responses. Conclusions: Heroin-induced impulsive behavior in the 5-choice serial reaction time task is oppositely modulated by D1 and D3 receptor activation. The D1 receptors in the cortical-mesolimbic region play an indispensable role in modulating such behaviors. PMID:27815417

Ice Sheet Roughness Estimation Based on Impulse Responses Acquired in the Global Ice Sheet Mapping Orbiter Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niamsuwan, N.; Johnson, J. T.; Jezek, K. C.; Gogineni, P.

2008-12-01

The Global Ice Sheet Mapping Orbiter (GISMO) mission was developed to address scientific needs to understand the polar ice subsurface structure. This NASA Instrument Incubator Program project is a collaboration between Ohio State University, the University of Kansas, Vexcel Corporation and NASA. The GISMO design utilizes an interferometric SAR (InSAR) strategy in which ice sheet reflected signals received by a dual-antenna system are used to produce an interference pattern. The resulting interferogram can be used to filter out surface clutter so as to reveal the signals scattered from the base of the ice sheet. These signals are further processed to produce 3D-images representing basal topography of the ice sheet. In the past three years, the GISMO airborne field campaigns that have been conducted provide a set of useful data for studying geophysical properties of the Greenland ice sheet. While topography information can be obtained using interferometric SAR processing techniques, ice sheet roughness statistics can also be derived by a relatively simple procedure that involves analyzing power levels and the shape of the radar impulse response waveforms. An electromagnetic scattering model describing GISMO impulse responses has previously been proposed and validated. This model suggested that rms-heights and correlation lengths of the upper surface profile can be determined from the peak power and the decay rate of the pulse return waveform, respectively. This presentation will demonstrate a procedure for estimating the roughness of ice surfaces by fitting the GISMO impulse response model to retrieved waveforms from selected GISMO flights. Furthermore, an extension of this procedure to estimate the scattering coefficient of the glacier bed will be addressed as well. Planned future applications involving the classification of glacier bed conditions based on the derived scattering coefficients will also be described.

Charge distribution and response time for a modulation-doped extrinsic infrared detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hadek, Victor

1987-01-01

The electric charge distribution and response time of a modulation-doped extrinsic infrared detector are determined. First, it is demonstrated theoretically that the photoconductive layer is effectively depleted of ionized majority-impurity charges so that scattering is small and mobility is high for photogenerated carriers. Then, using parameters appropriate to an actual detector, the predicted response time is 10 to the -8th to about 10 to the -9th s, which is much faster than comparable conventional detectors. Thus, the modulation-doped detector design would be valuable for heterodyne applications.

High resolution, multiple-energy linear sweep detector for x-ray imaging

DOEpatents

Perez-Mendez, Victor; Goodman, Claude A.

1996-01-01

Apparatus for generating plural electrical signals in a single scan in response to incident X-rays received from an object. Each electrical signal represents an image of the object at a different range of energies of the incident X-rays. The apparatus comprises a first X-ray detector, a second X-ray detector stacked upstream of the first X-ray detector, and an X-ray absorber stacked upstream of the first X-ray detector. The X-ray absorber provides an energy-dependent absorption of the incident X-rays before they are incident at the first X-ray detector, but provides no absorption of the incident X-rays before they are incident at the second X-ray detector. The first X-ray detector includes a linear array of first pixels, each of which produces an electrical output in response to the incident X-rays in a first range of energies. The first X-ray detector also includes a circuit that generates a first electrical signal in response to the electrical output of each of the first pixels. The second X-ray detector includes a linear array of second pixels, each of which produces an electrical output in response to the incident X-rays in a second range of energies, broader than the first range of energies. The second X-ray detector also includes a circuit that generates a second electrical signal in response to the electrical output of each of the second pixels.

High resolution, multiple-energy linear sweep detector for x-ray imaging

DOEpatents

Perez-Mendez, V.; Goodman, C.A.

1996-08-20

Apparatus is disclosed for generating plural electrical signals in a single scan in response to incident X-rays received from an object. Each electrical signal represents an image of the object at a different range of energies of the incident X-rays. The apparatus comprises a first X-ray detector, a second X-ray detector stacked upstream of the first X-ray detector, and an X-ray absorber stacked upstream of the first X-ray detector. The X-ray absorber provides an energy-dependent absorption of the incident X-rays before they are incident at the first X-ray detector, but provides no absorption of the incident X-rays before they are incident at the second X-ray detector. The first X-ray detector includes a linear array of first pixels, each of which produces an electrical output in response to the incident X-rays in a first range of energies. The first X-ray detector also includes a circuit that generates a first electrical signal in response to the electrical output of each of the first pixels. The second X-ray detector includes a linear array of second pixels, each of which produces an electrical output in response to the incident X-rays in a second range of energies, broader than the first range of energies. The second X-ray detector also includes a circuit that generates a second electrical signal in response to the electrical output of each of the second pixels. 12 figs.

Arbitrary magnetic field gradient waveform correction using an impulse response based pre-equalization technique.

PubMed

Goora, Frédéric G; Colpitts, Bruce G; Balcom, Bruce J

2014-01-01

The time-varying magnetic fields used in magnetic resonance applications result in the induction of eddy currents on conductive structures in the vicinity of both the sample under investigation and the gradient coils. These eddy currents typically result in undesired degradations of image quality for MRI applications. Their ubiquitous nature has resulted in the development of various approaches to characterize and minimize their impact on image quality. This paper outlines a method that utilizes the magnetic field gradient waveform monitor method to directly measure the temporal evolution of the magnetic field gradient from a step-like input function and extracts the system impulse response. With the basic assumption that the gradient system is sufficiently linear and time invariant to permit system theory analysis, the impulse response is used to determine a pre-equalized (optimized) input waveform that provides a desired gradient response at the output of the system. An algorithm has been developed that calculates a pre-equalized waveform that may be accurately reproduced by the amplifier (is physically realizable) and accounts for system limitations including system bandwidth, amplifier slew rate capabilities, and noise inherent in the initial measurement. Significant improvements in magnetic field gradient waveform fidelity after pre-equalization have been realized and are summarized. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Motor Impulsivity in Parkinson Disease: Associations with COMT and DRD2 polymorphisms

PubMed Central

Ziegler, David A.; Ashourian, Paymon; Wonderlick, Julien S.; Sarokhan, Alison K.; Prelec, Drazen; Scherzer, Clemens R.; Corkin, Suzanne

2017-01-01

Parkinson disease (PD) is an age-related degenerative disease of the brain, characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. Neurologists and neuroscientists now understand that several symptoms of the disease, including hallucinations and impulse control behaviors, stem from the dopaminergic medications used to control the motor aspects of PD. Converging evidence from animals and humans suggests that individual differences in the genes that affect the dopamine system influence the response of PD patients to dopaminergic medication. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that patients taking dopamine replacement therapy who carry candidate alleles that increase dopamine signaling exhibit greater amounts of motor impulsivity. We examined the relation between inhibitory ability (measured by the Stop Signal Task) and polymorphisms of COMT Val158Met and DRD2 C957T in patients with idiopathic PD. On the Stop Signal Task, carriers of COMT Val/Met and Met/Met genotypes were more impulsive than Val/Val carriers, but we did not find a link between DRD2 polymorphisms and inhibitory ability. These results support the hypothesis that the Met allele of COMT confers an increased risk for behavioral impulsivity in PD patients, whereas DRD2 polymorphisms appear to be less important in determining whether PD patients exhibit a dopamine overdose in the form of motor impulsivity. PMID:24749760

Hazardous drinking and dimensions of impulsivity, behavioral approach, and inhibition in adult men and women.

PubMed

Hamilton, Kristen R; Sinha, Rajita; Potenza, Marc N

2012-06-01

Hazardous drinking is characterized by decisions to engage in excessive or risky patterns of alcohol consumption. Levels of impulsivity and behavioral approach and inhibition may differ in hazardous drinkers and nonhazardous drinkers. A comparison of the relative levels of dimensions of impulsivity and behavioral inhibition and approach in adult men and women hazardous and nonhazardous drinkers may inform treatment and prevention efforts. In the present research, 466 men and women from a community sample were administered the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Approach System (BIS/BAS) scale, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, version 11 (BIS-11). Relations among the dimensions of these constructs were examined using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), with age and race as covariates. There were main effects of hazardous drinking on all 3 dimensions of impulsivity, the behavioral inhibition system, and the behavioral activation system Reward Responsiveness, and Fun-Seeking components, with hazardous drinkers scoring higher than nonhazardous drinkers. This research provides a better understanding of the manner in which impulsivity and behavioral inhibition and approach tendencies relate to hazardous alcohol use in men and women. The present results have implications for alcohol-related prevention and treatment strategies for adult men and women. Copyright © 2012 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Are juvenile domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domestica) sensitive to the attentive states of humans?--The impact of impulsivity on choice behaviour.

PubMed

Nawroth, Christian; Ebersbach, Mirjam; von Borell, Eberhard

2013-06-01

Previous studies have shown that apes, dogs and horses seem to be able to attribute attentive states to humans. Subjects had to choose between two persons: one who was able to see the animal and one who was not. Using a similar paradigm, we tested a species that does not rely strongly on visual cues, the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica). Subjects could choose between two unfamiliar persons, with only one showing attention, in three different conditions (body, head away, body turned - head front). Subjects (n=16) only showed a tendency towards the attentive human in the head away condition. However, by pooling those two conditions where the position of the human head was the only salient cue, we found a significant preference for the attentive person. Moreover, two approach styles could be distinguished - an impulsive style with short response times and a non-impulsive style where response times were relatively long. With the second approach style, pigs chose the attentive person significantly more often than expected by chance level, which was not the case when subjects chose impulsively. These first results suggest that pigs are able to use head cues to discriminate between different attentive states of humans. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Uncontrolled eating in adolescents: The role of impulsivity and automatic approach bias for food.

PubMed

Booth, Charlotte; Spronk, Desiree; Grol, Maud; Fox, Elaine

2018-01-01

Obesity is a global problem reaching epidemic proportions and can be explained by unhealthy eating and sedentary lifestyles. Understanding the psychological processes underlying unhealthy eating behaviour is crucial for the development of effective obesity prevention programmes. Dual-process models implicate the interplay between impaired cognitive control and enhanced automatic responsivity to rewarding food cues as key risk factors. The current study assessed the influence of four different components of trait impulsivity (reflecting impaired cognitive control) and automatic approach bias for food (reflecting automatic responsivity to food) on uncontrolled eating in a large sample (N = 504) of young adolescents. Of the four impulsivity factors, negative urgency was found to be the strongest predictor of uncontrolled eating. Interestingly, we found that lack of premeditation was a key risk factor for uncontrolled eating, but only when approach bias for food was high, supporting a dual-process model. Lack of perseverance showed a similar interactive pattern to a lesser degree and sensation-seeking did not predict uncontrolled eating. Together, our results show that distinct components of trait impulsivity are differentially associated with uncontrolled eating behaviour in adolescents, and that automatic processing of food cues may be an important factor in modulating this relationship. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Auditory and behavioral responses of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) to single underwater impulses from an arc-gap transducer.

PubMed

Finneran, James J; Dear, Randall; Carder, Donald A; Ridgway, Sam H

2003-09-01

A behavioral response paradigm was used to measure underwater hearing thresholds in two California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) before and after exposure to underwater impulses from an arc-gap transducer. Preexposure and postexposure hearing thresholds were compared to determine if the subjects experienced temporary shifts in their masked hearing thresholds (MTTS). Hearing thresholds were measured at 1 and 10 kHz. Exposures consisted of single underwater impulses produced by an arc-gap transducer referred to as a "pulsed power device" (PPD). The electrical charge of the PPD was varied from 1.32 to 2.77 kJ; the distance between the subject and the PPD was varied over the range 3.4 to 25 m. No MTTS was observed in either subject at the highest received levels: peak pressures of approximately 6.8 and 14 kPa, rms pressures of approximately 178 and 183 dB re: 1 microPa, and total energy fluxes of 161 and 163 dB re: 1 microPa2s for the two subjects. Behavioral reactions to the tests were observed in both subjects. These reactions primarily consisted of temporary avoidance of the site where exposure to the PPD impulse had previously occurred.

Impulse response and spatio-temporal wave-packets: The common feature of rogue waves, tsunami, and transition to turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhaumik, Swagata; Sengupta, Tapan K.

2017-12-01

Here, we present the impulse response of the canonical zero pressure gradient boundary layer from the dynamical system approach. The fundamental physical mechanism of the impulse response is in creation of a spatio-temporal wave-front (STWF) by a localized, time-impulsive wall excitation of the boundary layer. The present research is undertaken to explain the unit process of diverse phenomena in geophysical fluid flows and basic hydrodynamics. Creation of a tsunami has been attributed to localized events in the ocean-bed caused by earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions, whose manifestation is in the run up to the coast by surface waves of massive amplitude but of very finite fetch. Similarly rogue waves have often been noted; a coherent account of the same is yet to appear, although some explanations have been proposed. Our studies in both two- and three-dimensional frameworks in Sengupta and Bhaumik ["Onset of turbulence from the receptivity stage of fluid flows," Phys. Rev. Lett. 107(15), 154501 (2011)] and Bhaumik and Sengupta ["Precursor of transition to turbulence: Spatiotemporal wave front," Phys. Rev. E 89(4), 043018 (2014)] have shown that the STWF provides the central role for causing transition to turbulence by reproducing carefully conducted transition experiments. Here, we furthermore relax the condition of time behavior and use a Dirac-delta wall excitation for the impulse response. The present approach is not based on any simplification of the governing Navier-Stokes equation (NSE), which is unlike solving a nonlinear shallow water equation and/or nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The full nonlinear Navier-Stokes equation (NSE) is solved here using high accuracy dispersion relation preserving numerical schemes and using appropriate formulation of the NSE which minimizes error. The adopted numerical methods and formulation have been extensively validated with respect to various external and internal 2D and 3D flow problems. We also present results from the Orr-Sommerfeld equation to show that the origin of the STWF is via a linear mechanism. Nonlinearity and nonparallelism play the central role in causing these phenomena of geophysics and transition to turbulence.

Accuracy of Monte Carlo photon transport simulation in characterizing brachytherapy dosimeter energy-response artefacts.

PubMed

Das, R K; Li, Z; Perera, H; Williamson, J F

1996-06-01

Practical dosimeters in brachytherapy, such as thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) and diodes, are usually calibrated against low-energy megavoltage beams. To measure absolute dose rate near a brachytherapy source, it is necessary to establish the energy response of the detector relative to that of the calibration energy. The purpose of this paper is to assess the accuracy of Monte Carlo photon transport (MCPT) simulation in modelling the absolute detector response as a function of detector geometry and photon energy. We have exposed two different sizes of TLD-100 (LiF chips) and p-type silicon diode detectors to calibrated 60Co, HDR source (192Ir) and superficial x-ray beams. For the Scanditronix electron-field diode, the relative detector response, defined as the measured detector readings per measured unit of air kerma, varied from 38.46 V cGy-1 (40 kVp beam) to 6.22 V cGy-1 (60Co beam). Similarly for the large and small chips the same quantity varied from 2.08-3.02 nC cGy-1 and 0.171-0.244 nC cGy-1, respectively. Monte Carlo simulation was used to calculate the absorbed dose to the active volume of the detector per unit air kerma. If the Monte Carlo simulation is accurate, then the absolute detector response, which is defined as the measured detector reading per unit dose absorbed by the active detector volume, and is calculated by Monte Carlo simulation, should be a constant. For the diode, the absolute response is 5.86 +/- 0.15 (V cGy-1). For TLDs of size 3 x 3 x 1 mm3 the absolute response is 2.47 +/- 0.07 (nC cGy-1) and for TLDs of 1 x 1 x 1 mm3 it is 0.201 +/- 0.008 (nC cGy-1). From the above results we can conclude that the absolute response function of detectors (TLDs and diodes) is directly proportional to absorbed dose by the active volume of the detector and is independent of beam quality.

Neural control of the ciliary muscle.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1963-03-01

The cat ciliary muscle was shown to respond to both parasympathetic and sympathetic nerve impulses in vitro. Sympathetic responses were directionally opposite to parasympathetic responses and are interpreted as active contractions of the radial muscl...

Stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus and impulsivity: release your horses.

PubMed

Ballanger, Benedicte; van Eimeren, Thilo; Moro, Elena; Lozano, Andres M; Hamani, Clement; Boulinguez, Philippe; Pellecchia, Giovanna; Houle, Sylvain; Poon, Yu Yan; Lang, Anthony E; Strafella, Antonio P

2009-12-01

In Parkinson disease (PD) patients, deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) may contribute to certain impulsive behavior during high-conflict decisions. A neurocomputational model of the basal ganglia has recently been proposed that suggests this behavioral aspect may be related to the role played by the STN in relaying a "hold your horses" signal intended to allow more time to settle on the best option. The aim of the present study was 2-fold: 1) to extend these observations by providing evidence that the STN may influence and prevent the execution of any response even during low-conflict decisions; and 2) to identify the neural correlates of this effect. We measured regional cerebral blood flow during a Go/NoGo and a control (Go) task to study the motor improvement and response inhibition deficits associated with STN-DBS in patients with PD. Although it improved Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale motor ratings and induced a global decrease in reaction time during task performance, STN-DBS impaired response inhibition, as revealed by an increase in commission errors in NoGo trials. These behavioral effects were accompanied by changes in synaptic activity consisting of a reduced activation in the cortical networks responsible for reactive and proactive response inhibition. The present results suggest that although it improves motor functions in PD patients, modulation of STN hyperactivity with DBS may tend at the same time to favor the appearance of impulsive behavior by acting on the gating mechanism involved in response initiation.

From reactive to proactive and selective control: developing a richer model for stopping inappropriate responses

PubMed Central

Aron, Adam R

2010-01-01

A better understanding of the neural systems underlying impulse control is important for psychiatry. While most impulses are motivational or emotional rather than motoric per se, it is research into the neural architecture of motor response control that has made the greatest strides. This article reviews recent developments in the cognitive neuroscience of stopping responses. Most research of this kind has focused on reactive control – i.e. how subjects stop a response outright when instructed by a signal. It is argued that reactive paradigms are limited as models of control relevant to psychiatry. Instead, a set of paradigms is advocated that begins to model proactive inhibitory control – i.e. how a subject prepares to stop an upcoming response tendency. Proactive inhibitory control is generated according to the goals of the subject, rather than by an external signal, and it can be selectively targeted at a particular response tendency. This may have wider validity than reactive control as an experimental model for stopping inappropriate responses. PMID:20932513

Lone-actor Terrorism and Impulsivity.

PubMed

Meloy, J Reid; Pollard, Jeffrey W

2017-11-01

In some recent cases of lone-actor terrorism, there is evidence the subject acted impulsively, often in response to a triggering event which contained a loss and humiliation. Evidence suggests the subjects acted precipitously, despite planning and preparation carried out in the preceding weeks or months, and their attacks failed to include the often considerable preparation that had been done. The pathway became a runway. The authors recommend the traditional assessment of impulsivity in persons of concern for lone acts of terrorism, as well as other proximal warning behaviors for targeted violence. Both indirect and direct assessment guidelines are proposed, with an emphasis upon self-report, psychological testing, collateral data gathering, and historical records. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Suicide, guns, and public policy.

PubMed

Lewiecki, E Michael; Miller, Sara A

2013-01-01

Suicide is a serious public health concern that is responsible for almost 1 million deaths each year worldwide. It is commonly an impulsive act by a vulnerable individual. The impulsivity of suicide provides opportunities to reduce the risk of suicide by restricting access to lethal means. In the United States, firearms, particularly handguns, are the most common means of suicide. Despite strong empirical evidence that restriction of access to firearms reduces suicides, access to firearms in the United States is generally subject to few restrictions. Implementation and evaluation of measures such as waiting periods and permit requirements that restrict access to handguns should be a top priority for reducing deaths from impulsive suicide in the United States.

Suicide, Guns, and Public Policy

PubMed Central

Miller, Sara A.

2013-01-01

Suicide is a serious public health concern that is responsible for almost 1 million deaths each year worldwide. It is commonly an impulsive act by a vulnerable individual. The impulsivity of suicide provides opportunities to reduce the risk of suicide by restricting access to lethal means. In the United States, firearms, particularly handguns, are the most common means of suicide. Despite strong empirical evidence that restriction of access to firearms reduces suicides, access to firearms in the United States is generally subject to few restrictions. Implementation and evaluation of measures such as waiting periods and permit requirements that restrict access to handguns should be a top priority for reducing deaths from impulsive suicide in the United States. PMID:23153127

Effect of baffle on slosh reaction forces in rotating liquid helium subjected to a lateral impulse in microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hung, R. J.; Long, Y. T.

1995-01-01

Sloshing dynamics within a partially filled rotating Dewar of superfluid He II are investigated in response to a lateral impulse. The study investigates several factors, including how the rotating bubble of superfluid He II reacts to the impulse in microgravity, how the amplitudes of slosh reaction forces act on the Dewar with various rotating speeds, how the frequencies of the sloshing modes excited differ in terms of differences in rotating speeds, and how the sloshing dynamics differ with and without a baffle. The numerical computation of sloshing dynamics is based on the noninertial frame spacecraft-bound coordinates. Results of the simulations are illustrated.

The relationship between lateral differences in tympanic membrane temperature and behavioral impulsivity.

PubMed

Helton, William S

2010-11-01

In this study lateral differences in tympanic membrane temperature (T(Ty)) were explored as a correlate of either impulsive or cautious responding in Go-No-Go tasks. Thirty-two women and men performed two sustained attention to response tasks (Go-No-Go tasks). Those with warmer right in comparison to left tympanic membranes were more cautious, and those with warmer left in comparison to right tympanic membranes were more impulsive. This finding is in line with previous research and theory indicating a hemispheric bias for active and passive behavior. T(Ty) may be a useful addition to the techniques employed by neuropsychologists. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid-Response Impulsivity: Definitions, Measurement Issues, and Clinical Implications

PubMed Central

Hamilton, Kristen R.; Littlefield, Andrew K.; Anastasio, Noelle C.; Cunningham, Kathryn A.; Fink, Latham H.; Wing, Victoria C.; Mathias, Charles W.; Lane, Scott D.; Schutz, Christian; Swann, Alan C.; Lejuez, C.W.; Clark, Luke; Moeller, F. Gerard; Potenza, Marc N.

2015-01-01

Impulsivity is a multi-faceted construct that is a core feature of multiple psychiatric conditions and personality disorders. However, progress in understanding and treating impulsivity in the context of these conditions is limited by a lack of precision and consistency in its definition and assessment. Rapid-response-impulsivity (RRI) represents a tendency toward immediate action that occurs with diminished forethought and is out of context with the present demands of the environment. Experts from the International Society for Research on Impulsivity (InSRI) met to discuss and evaluate RRI-measures in terms of reliability, sensitivity, and validity with the goal of helping researchers and clinicians make informed decisions about the use and interpretation of findings from RRI-measures. Their recommendations are described in this manuscript. Commonly-used clinical and preclinical RRI-tasks are described, and considerations are provided to guide task selection. Tasks measuring two conceptually and neurobiologically distinct types of RRI, “refraining from action initiation” (RAI) and “stopping an ongoing action” (SOA) are described. RAI and SOA-tasks capture distinct aspects of RRI that may relate to distinct clinical outcomes. The InSRI group recommends that: 1) selection of RRI-measures should be informed by careful consideration of the strengths, limitations, and practical considerations of the available measures; 2) researchers use both RAI and SOA tasks in RRI studies to allow for direct comparison of RRI types and examination of their associations with clinically relevant measures; and, 3) similar considerations should be made for human and non-human studies in an effort to harmonize and integrate pre-clinical and clinical research. PMID:25867840

Emotional eating and Pavlovian learning: does negative mood facilitate appetitive conditioning?

PubMed

Bongers, Peggy; van den Akker, Karolien; Havermans, Remco; Jansen, Anita

2015-06-01

Emotional eating has been suggested to be a learned behaviour; more specifically, classical conditioning processes might be involved in its development. In the present study we investigated whether a negative mood facilitates appetitive conditioning and whether trait impulsivity influences this process. After undergoing either a negative or neutral mood induction, participants were subjected to a differential classical conditioning procedure, using neutral stimuli and appetizing food. Two initially neutral distinctive vases with flowers were (CS+) or were not (CS-) paired with chocolate mousse intake. We measured participants' expectancy and desire to eat (4 CS+ and 4 CS- trials), salivation response, and actual food intake. The BIS-11 was administered to assess trait impulsivity. In both mood conditions, participants showed a classically conditioned appetite. Unexpectedly, there was no evidence of facilitated appetitive learning in a negative mood with regard to expectancy, desire, salivation, or intake. However, immediately before the taste test, participants in the negative mood condition reported a stronger desire to eat in the CS+ compared to the CS- condition, while no such effect occurred in the neutral group. An effect of impulsivity was found with regard to food intake in the neutral mood condition: high-impulsive participants consumed less food when presented with the CS+ compared to the CS-, and also less than low-impulsive participants. An alternative pathway to appetitive conditioning with regard to emotions is that it is not the neutral stimuli, but the emotions themselves that become conditioned stimuli and elicit appetitive responses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of subthalamic deep-brain stimulation on cognitive action control in incentive context.

PubMed

Houvenaghel, Jean-François; Duprez, Joan; Argaud, Soizic; Naudet, Florian; Dondaine, Thibaut; Robert, Gabriel Hadrien; Drapier, Sophie; Haegelen, Claire; Jannin, Pierre; Drapier, Dominique; Vérin, Marc; Sauleau, Paul

2016-10-01

Subthalamic nucleus deep-brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is an effective treatment in Parkinson's disease (PD), but can have cognitive side effects, such as increasing the difficulty of producing appropriate responses when a habitual but inappropriate responses represent strong alternatives. STN-DBS also appears to modulate representations of incentives such as monetary rewards. Furthermore, conflict resolution can be modulated by incentive context. We therefore used a rewarded Simon Task to assess the influence of promised rewards on cognitive action control in 50 patients with PD, half of whom were being treated with STN-DBS. Results were analyzed according to the activation-suppression model. We showed that STN-DBS (i) favored the expression of motor impulsivity, as measured with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, (ii) facilitated the expression of incentive actions as observed with a greater increase in speed according to promised reward in patients with versus without DBS and (iii) may increase impulsive action selection in an incentive context. In addition, analysis of subgroups of implanted patients suggested that those who exhibited the most impulsive action selection had the least severe disease. This may indicate that patients with less marked disease are more at risk of developing impulsivity postoperatively. Finally, in these patients, incentive context increased the difficulty of resolving conflict situations. As a whole, the current study revealed that in patients with PD, STN-DBS affects the cognitive processes involved in conflict resolution, reward processing and the influence of promised rewards on conflict resolution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unable or Unwilling to Exercise Self-control? The Impact of Neuroscience on Perceptions of Impulsive Offenders

PubMed Central

Blakey, Robert; Kremsmayer, Tobias P.

2018-01-01

In growing numbers of court cases, neuroscience is presented to document the mental state of the offender at the level of the brain. While a small body of research has documented the effects of describing the brain state of psychotic offenders, this study tested the impact of neuroscience that could apply to far more offenders; that is the neuroscience of impulse control. In this online vignette experiment, 759 participants sentenced a normally controlled or normally impulsive actor, who committed a violent offense on impulse, explained in either cognitive or neurobiological terms. Although participants considered the neurobiological actor less responsible for his impulsive disposition than the cognitive actor, the neuroscientific testimony did not affect attributions of choice, blame, dangerousness, or punishment for the criminal act. In fact, the neuroscientific testimony exacerbated the perception that the offender offended consciously and “really wanted” to offend. The described disposition of the actor was also influential: participants attributed more capacity for reform, more free choice and consequently, more blame to the normally controlled actor. Participants also attributed this actor's offending more to his social life experiences and less to his genes and brain. However, this shift in attributions was unable to explain the greater blame directed at this offender. Together, such findings suggest that even when neuroscience changes attributions for impulsive character, attributions for impulsive offending may remain unchanged. Hence this study casts doubt on the mitigating and aggravating potential of neuroscientific testimony in court. PMID:29354076

Convergent pharmacological mechanisms in impulsivity and addiction: insights from rodent models

PubMed Central

Jupp, B; Dalley, J W

2014-01-01

Research over the last two decades has widely demonstrated that impulsivity, in its various forms, is antecedent to the development of drug addiction and an important behavioural trait underlying the inability of addicts to refrain from continued drug use. Impulsivity describes a variety of rapidly and prematurely expressed behaviours that span several domains from impaired response inhibition to an intolerance of delayed rewards, and is a core symptom of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other brain disorders. Various theories have been advanced to explain how impulsivity interacts with addiction both causally and as a consequence of chronic drug abuse; these acknowledge the strong overlaps in neural circuitry and mechanisms between impulsivity and addiction and the seemingly paradoxical treatment of ADHD with stimulant drugs with high abuse potential. Recent years have witnessed unprecedented progress in the elucidation of pharmacological mechanisms underpinning impulsivity. Collectively, this work has significantly improved the prospect for new therapies in ADHD as well as our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the shift from recreational drug use to addiction. In this review, we consider the extent to which pharmacological interventions that target impulsive behaviour are also effective in animal models of addiction. We highlight several promising examples of convergence based on empirical findings in rodent-based studies. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on Animal Models in Psychiatry Research. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2014.171.issue-20 PMID:24866553

BMI predicts emotion-driven impulsivity and cognitive inflexibility in adolescents with excess weight.

PubMed

Delgado-Rico, Elena; Río-Valle, Jacqueline S; González-Jiménez, Emilio; Campoy, Cristina; Verdejo-García, Antonio

2012-08-01

Adolescent obesity is increasingly viewed as a brain-related dysfunction, whereby reward-driven urges for pleasurable foods "hijack" response selection systems, such that behavioral control progressively shifts from impulsivity to compulsivity. In this study, we aimed to examine the link between personality factors (sensitivity to reward (SR) and punishment (SP), BMI, and outcome measures of impulsivity vs. flexibility in--otherwise healthy--excessive weight adolescents. Sixty-three adolescents (aged 12-17) classified as obese (n = 26), overweight (n = 16), or normal weight (n = 21) participated in the study. We used psychometric assessments of the SR and SP motivational systems, impulsivity (using the UPPS-P scale), and neurocognitive measures with discriminant validity to dissociate inhibition vs. flexibility deficits (using the process-approach version of the Stroop test). We tested the relative contribution of age, SR/SP, and BMI on estimates of impulsivity and inhibition vs. switching performance using multistep hierarchical regression models. BMI significantly predicted elevations in emotion-driven impulsivity (positive and negative urgency) and inferior flexibility performance in adolescents with excess weight--exceeding the predictive capacity of SR and SP. SR was the main predictor of elevations in sensation seeking and lack of premeditation. These findings demonstrate that increases in BMI are specifically associated with elevations in emotion-driven impulsivity and cognitive inflexibility, supporting a dimensional path in which adolescents with excess weight increase their proneness to overindulge when under strong affective states, and their difficulties to switch or reverse habitual behavioral patterns.

Alcohol Preferring P Rats Exhibit Elevated Motor Impulsivity Concomitant with Operant Responding and Self-Administration of Alcohol

PubMed Central

Beckwith, Steven Wesley; Czachowski, Cristine Lynn

2016-01-01

Background Increased levels of impulsivity are associated with increased illicit drug use and alcoholism. Previous research in our lab has shown that increased levels of delay discounting (a decision-making form of impulsivity) are related to appetitive processes governing alcohol self-administration as opposed to purely consummatory processes. Specifically, the high seeking/high drinking alcohol preferring P rats showed increased delay discounting compared to nonselected Long Evans rats (LE) whereas the high drinking/moderate seeking HAD2 rats did not (Beckwith & Czachowski, 2014). The P rats also displayed a perseverative pattern of behavior such that during operant alcohol self-administration they exhibited greater resistance to extinction. Methods One explanation for the previous findings is that P rats have a deficit in response inhibition. The current study followed up on this possibility by utilizing a countermanding paradigm [stop signal reaction time (SSRT) task] followed by operant self-administration of alcohol across increasing fixed ratio requirements (FR; 1, 2, 5, 10 & 15 responses). In separate animals, 24hr access 2-bottle choice (10% EtOH vs. water) drinking was assessed. Results In the SSRT task, P rats exhibited an increased SSRT compared to both LE and HAD2 rats indicating a decrease in behavioral inhibition in the P rats. Also, P rats showed increased operant self-administration across all FRs and the greatest increase in responding with increasing FR requirements. Conversely, the HAD2 and LE had shorter SSRT, and lower levels of operant alcohol self-administration. However, for 2 bottle choice drinking HAD2s and P rats consumed more EtOH as well as had a greater preference for EtOH compared to LE. Conclusions These data extend previous findings showing the P rats to have increased delay discounting (decision-making impulsivity) and suggest that P rats also have a lack of behavioral inhibition (motor impulsivity). This supports the notion that P rats are a highly impulsive as well as “high seeking” model of alcoholism, and that the HAD2s elevated levels of alcohol consumption are not mediated via appetitive processes or impulsivity. PMID:27028842

Responses of photoreceptors in Hermissenda.

PubMed

Akon, D L; Fuortes, M G

1972-12-01

The five photoreceptors in the eye of the mollusc Hermissenda crassicornis respond to light with depolarization and firing of impulses. The impulses of any one cell inhibit other cells, but the degree of inhibition differs in different pairs. Evidence is presented to show that the interactions occur at terminal branches of the photoreceptor axons, inside the cerebropleural ganglion. Properties of the generator potential are examined and it is shown that the depolarization develops in two phases which are affected differently by extrinsic currents. Finally, it is shown that by enhancing the differences in the responses of individual cells to a variety of stimuli, the interactions may facilitate a number of simple discriminations.

Direction Finding Using an Antenna with Direction Dependent Impulse Response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foltz, Heinrich; Kegege, Obadiah

2016-01-01

Wideband antennas may be designed to have an impulse response that is direction dependent, not only in amplitude but also in waveform shape. This property can be used to perform direction finding using a single fixed antenna, without the need for an array or antenna rotation. In this paper direction finding is demonstrated using a simple candelabra-shaped monopole operating in the 1-3 GHz range. The method requires a known transmitted pulse shape and high signal-to-noise ratio, and is not as accurate or robust as conventional methods. However, it can add direction finding capability to a wideband communication system without the addition of any hardware.

A fresh look at linear ordinary differential equations with constant coefficients. Revisiting the impulsive response method using factorization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camporesi, Roberto

2016-01-01

We present an approach to the impulsive response method for solving linear constant-coefficient ordinary differential equations of any order based on the factorization of the differential operator. The approach is elementary, we only assume a basic knowledge of calculus and linear algebra. In particular, we avoid the use of distribution theory, as well as of the other more advanced approaches: Laplace transform, linear systems, the general theory of linear equations with variable coefficients and variation of parameters. The approach presented here can be used in a first course on differential equations for science and engineering majors.

Endogenous bradykinin activates ischaemically sensitive cardiac visceral afferents through kinin B2 receptors in cats

PubMed Central

Tjen-A-Looi, Stephanie C; Pan, Hui-Lin; Longhurst, John C

1998-01-01

Activity of ischaemically sensitive cardiac visceral afferents during myocardial ischaemia induces both angina and cardiovascular reflexes. Increased production of bradykinin (BK) and cyclo-oxygenase products (i.e. prostaglandins (PGs)) occurs during myocardial ischaemia. However, the role of these agents in activation of ischaemically sensitive cardiac afferents has not been established. The present study tested the hypothesis that BK produced during ischaemia activates cardiac afferents through kinin B2 receptors. Single-unit activity of cardiac afferents innervating the left ventricle was recorded from the left thoracic sympathetic chain (T1–T4) of anaesthetized cats. Ischaemically sensitive cardiac afferents were identified according to their response to 5 min of myocardial ischaemia. The mechanism of BK in activation of ischaemically sensitive cardiac afferents was determined by injection of BK (1 μg kg−1 i.a.), des-Arg9-BK (1 μg kg−1 i.a., a specific kinin B1 receptor agonist), kinin B2 receptor antagonists: HOE140 (30 μg kg−1 i.v.) and NPC-17731 (40 μg kg−1 i.v.), cyclo-oxygenase inhibition with indomethacin (5 mg kg−1 i.v.) and NPC-17731 (40 μg kg−1 i.v.) after pretreatment with indomethacin (5 mg kg−1 i.v.). We observed that BK increased the discharge rate of all eleven ischaemically sensitive cardiac afferents from 0.39 ± 0.12 to 1.47 ± 0.37 impulses s−1 (P < 0.05). Conversely, des-Arg9-BK did not significantly increase the activity of eleven ischaemically sensitive fibres (0.58 ± 0.02 vs. 0.50 ± 0.18 impulses s−1). HOE140 significantly attenuated the response of twelve afferents to ischaemia (0.61 ± 0.22 to 1.85 ± 0.5 vs. 0.53 ± 0.16 to 1.09 ± 0.4 impulses s−1). NPC-17731, another kinin B2 receptor antagonist, had similar inhibitory effects on six other ischaemically sensitive cardiac afferents (0.35 ± 0.14 to 1.19 ± 0.29 vs. 0.22 ± 0.08 to 0.23 ± 0.07 impulses s−1). Indomethacin significantly reduced the responses of seven afferents to ischaemia (0.35 ± 0.13 to 1.89 ± 0.48 vs. 0.40 ± 0.10 to 0.76 ± 0.24 impulses s−1). Indomethacin also significantly reduced the responses of six ischaemically sensitive cardiac afferents to BK (2.65 ± 1.23 to 1.2 ± 0.51 impulses s−1). In six cats pretreated with indomethacin, NPC-17731 attenuated the impulse activity of six ischaemically sensitive cardiac afferents (0.39 ± 0.12 to 1.0 ± 0.3 vs. 0.26 ± 0.14 to 0.48 ± 0.20 impulses s−1). This study demonstrates that BK produced during ischaemia contributes to stimulation of ischaemically sensitive cardiac visceral afferents through activation of kinin B2 receptors. Furthermore, BK stimulates ischaemically sensitive cardiac visceral afferents through a mechanism that is, at least in part, independent of cyclo-oxygenase activation. PMID:9706010

Can Arousal Modulate Response Inhibition?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weinbach, Noam; Kalanthroff, Eyal; Avnit, Amir; Henik, Avishai

2015-01-01

The goal of the present study was to examine if and how arousal can modulate response inhibition. Two competing hypotheses can be drawn from previous literature. One holds that alerting cues that elevate arousal should result in an impulsive response and therefore impair response inhibition. The other suggests that alerting enhances processing of…

Edge detection and localization with edge pattern analysis and inflection characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Bo

2012-05-01

In general edges are considered to be abrupt changes or discontinuities in two dimensional image signal intensity distributions. The accuracy of front-end edge detection methods in image processing impacts the eventual success of higher level pattern analysis downstream. To generalize edge detectors designed from a simple ideal step function model to real distortions in natural images, research on one dimensional edge pattern analysis to improve the accuracy of edge detection and localization proposes an edge detection algorithm, which is composed by three basic edge patterns, such as ramp, impulse, and step. After mathematical analysis, general rules for edge representation based upon the classification of edge types into three categories-ramp, impulse, and step (RIS) are developed to reduce detection and localization errors, especially reducing "double edge" effect that is one important drawback to the derivative method. But, when applying one dimensional edge pattern in two dimensional image processing, a new issue is naturally raised that the edge detector should correct marking inflections or junctions of edges. Research on human visual perception of objects and information theory pointed out that a pattern lexicon of "inflection micro-patterns" has larger information than a straight line. Also, research on scene perception gave an idea that contours have larger information are more important factor to determine the success of scene categorization. Therefore, inflections or junctions are extremely useful features, whose accurate description and reconstruction are significant in solving correspondence problems in computer vision. Therefore, aside from adoption of edge pattern analysis, inflection or junction characterization is also utilized to extend traditional derivative edge detection algorithm. Experiments were conducted to test my propositions about edge detection and localization accuracy improvements. The results support the idea that these edge detection method improvements are effective in enhancing the accuracy of edge detection and localization.

Assessment of temporal resolution of multi-detector row computed tomography in helical acquisition mode using the impulse method.

PubMed

Ichikawa, Katsuhiro; Hara, Takanori; Urikura, Atsushi; Takata, Tadanori; Ohashi, Kazuya

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to propose a method for assessing the temporal resolution (TR) of multi-detector row computed tomography (CT) (MDCT) in the helical acquisition mode using temporal impulse signals generated by a metal ball passing through the acquisition plane. An 11-mm diameter metal ball was shot along the central axis at approximately 5 m/s during a helical acquisition, and the temporal sensitivity profile (TSP) was measured from the streak image intensities in the reconstructed helical CT images. To assess the validity, we compared the measured and theoretical TSPs for the 4-channel modes of two MDCT systems. A 64-channel MDCT system was used to compare TSPs and image quality of a motion phantom for the pitch factors P of 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 with a rotation time R of 0.5 s, and for two R/P combinations of 0.5/1.2 and 0.33/0.8. Moreover, the temporal transfer functions (TFs) were calculated from the obtained TSPs. The measured and theoretical TSPs showed perfect agreement. The TSP narrowed with an increase in the pitch factor. The image sharpness of the 0.33/0.8 combination was inferior to that of the 0.5/1.2 combination, despite their almost identical full width at tenth maximum values. The temporal TFs quantitatively confirmed these differences. The TSP results demonstrated that the TR in the helical acquisition mode significantly depended on the pitch factor as well as the rotation time, and the pitch factor and reconstruction algorithm affected the TSP shape. Copyright © 2015 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neutron light output response and resolution functions in EJ-309 liquid scintillation detectors

DOE PAGES

Enqvist, Andreas; Lawrence, Christopher C.; Wieger, Brian M.; ...

2013-03-26

Here, the neutron light output response functions and detector resolution functions were measured at Ohio University's tandem Van de Graaff generator for three cylindrical EJ-309 liquid scintillator cells, having dimensions 12.7(circle divide)-by-12.7, 7.6-by-7.6, and 7.6-by-5.1 cm. A 7.44 MeV deuteron beam was used on an Al-27 target generating a continuous spectrum over the energy range from a few hundred keV to over 10 MeV. The light output response functions are determined using an exponential fit. Detector resolution functions are obtained for the 12.7-by-12.7 and 7.6-by-7.6 cm detectors. It is demonstrated that the dependence on detector size is important for themore » light output response functions, but not to the same extent for the resolution function, even when photomultiplier tubes, detector material, and other detector characteristics are carefully matched.« less

Characterizing the response of a scintillator-based detector to single electrons.

PubMed

Sang, Xiahan; LeBeau, James M

2016-02-01

Here we report the response of a high angle annular dark field scintillator-based detector to single electrons. We demonstrate that care must be taken when determining the single electron intensity as significant discrepancies can occur when quantifying STEM images with different methods. To account for the detector response, we first image the detector using very low beam currents (∼8fA), and subsequently model the interval between consecutive single electrons events. We find that single electrons striking the detector present a wide distribution of intensities, which we show is not described by a simple function. Further, we present a method to accurately account for the electrons within the incident probe when conducting quantitative imaging. The role detector settings play on determining the single electron intensity is also explored. Finally, we extend our analysis to describe the response of the detector to multiple electron events within the dwell interval of each pixel. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neutron - Alpha irradiation response of superheated emulsion detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felizardo, M.; Morlat, T.; Girard, T. A.; Kling, A.; Fernandes, A. C.; Marques, J. G.; Carvalho, F.; Ramos, A. R.

2017-08-01

We report new experimental investigations of the response of single superheated emulsion detectors with small droplet (<30 μm radii) size distributions to both α- and neutron irradiations. Analysis of the results in terms of the underlying detector physics yields a toy model which reasonably reproduces the observations, and identifies the initial energy of the α in the liquid and distribution of droplet sizes as primarily responsible for the detector capacity to distinguish between nuclear recoil and α events.

Impulsivity, frontal lobes and risk for addiction.

PubMed

Crews, Fulton Timm; Boettiger, Charlotte Ann

2009-09-01

Alcohol and substance abuse disorders involve continued use of substances despite negative consequences, i.e. loss of behavioral control of drug use. The frontal-cortical areas of the brain oversee behavioral control through executive functions. Executive functions include abstract thinking, motivation, planning, attention to tasks and inhibition of impulsive responses. Impulsiveness generally refers to premature, unduly risky, poorly conceived actions. Dysfunctional impulsivity includes deficits in attention, lack of reflection and/or insensitivity to consequences, all of which occur in addiction [Evenden JL. Varieties of impulsivity. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 1999;146:348-361.; de Wit H. Impulsivity as a determinant and consequence of drug use: a review of underlying processes. Addict Biol 2009;14:22-31]. Binge drinking models indicate chronic alcohol damages in the corticolimbic brain regions [Crews FT, Braun CJ, Hoplight B, Switzer III RC, Knapp DJ. Binge ethanol consumption causes differential brain damage in young adolescent rats compared with adult rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2000;24:1712-1723] causing reversal learning deficits indicative of loss of executive function [Obernier JA, White AM, Swartzwelder HS, Crews FT. Cognitive deficits and CNS damage after a 4-day binge ethanol exposure in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2002b;72:521-532]. Genetics and adolescent age are risk factors for alcoholism that coincide with sensitivity to alcohol-induced neurotoxicity. Cortical degeneration from alcohol abuse may increase impulsivity contributing to the development, persistence and severity of alcohol use disorders. Interestingly, abstinence results in bursts of neurogenesis and brain regrowth [Crews FT, Nixon K. Mechanisms of neurodegeneration and regeneration in alcoholism. Alcohol Alcohol 2009;44:115-127]. Treatments for alcoholism, including naltrexone pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy may work through improving executive functions. This review will examine the relationships between impulsivity and executive function behaviors to changes in cortical structure during alcohol dependence and recovery.

A model-based analysis of impulsivity using a slot-machine gambling paradigm

PubMed Central

Paliwal, Saee; Petzschner, Frederike H.; Schmitz, Anna Katharina; Tittgemeyer, Marc; Stephan, Klaas E.

2014-01-01

Impulsivity plays a key role in decision-making under uncertainty. It is a significant contributor to problem and pathological gambling (PG). Standard assessments of impulsivity by questionnaires, however, have various limitations, partly because impulsivity is a broad, multi-faceted concept. What remains unclear is which of these facets contribute to shaping gambling behavior. In the present study, we investigated impulsivity as expressed in a gambling setting by applying computational modeling to data from 47 healthy male volunteers who played a realistic, virtual slot-machine gambling task. Behaviorally, we found that impulsivity, as measured independently by the 11th revision of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), correlated significantly with an aggregate read-out of the following gambling responses: bet increases (BIs), machines switches (MS), casino switches (CS), and double-ups (DUs). Using model comparison, we compared a set of hierarchical Bayesian belief-updating models, i.e., the Hierarchical Gaussian Filter (HGF) and Rescorla–Wagner reinforcement learning (RL) models, with regard to how well they explained different aspects of the behavioral data. We then examined the construct validity of our winning models with multiple regression, relating subject-specific model parameter estimates to the individual BIS-11 total scores. In the most predictive model (a three-level HGF), the two free parameters encoded uncertainty-dependent mechanisms of belief updates and significantly explained BIS-11 variance across subjects. Furthermore, in this model, decision noise was a function of trial-wise uncertainty about winning probability. Collectively, our results provide a proof of concept that hierarchical Bayesian models can characterize the decision-making mechanisms linked to the impulsive traits of an individual. These novel indices of gambling mechanisms unmasked during actual play may be useful for online prevention measures for at-risk players and future assessments of PG. PMID:25071497

Outcome Uncertainty and Brain Activity Aberrance in the Insula and Anterior Cingulate Cortex Are Associated with Dysfunctional Impulsivity in Borderline Personality Disorder

PubMed Central

Mortensen, Jørgen Assar; Evensmoen, Hallvard Røe; Klensmeden, Gunilla; Håberg, Asta Kristine

2016-01-01

Uncertainty is recognized as an important component in distress, which may elicit impulsive behavior in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). These patients are known to be both impulsive and distress intolerant. The present study explored the connection between outcome uncertainty and impulsivity in BPD. The prediction was that cue primes, which provide incomplete information of subsequent target stimuli, led BPD patients to overrate the predictive value of these cues in order to reduce distress related to outcome uncertainty. This would yield dysfunctional impulsive behavior detected as commission errors to incorrectly primed targets. We hypothesized that dysfunctional impulsivity would be accompanied by aberrant brain activity in the right insula and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), previously described to be involved in uncertainty processing, attention-/cognitive control and BPD pathology. 14 female BPD patients and 14 healthy matched controls (HCs) for comparison completed a Posner task during fMRI at 3T. The task was modified to limit the effect of spatial orientation and enhance the effect of conscious expectations. Brain activity was monitored in the priming phase where the effects of cue primes and neutral primes were compared. As predicted, the BPD group made significantly more commission errors to incorrectly primed targets than HCs. Also, the patients had faster reaction times to correctly primed targets relative to targets preceded by neutral primes. The BPD group had decreased activity in the right mid insula and increased activity in bilateral dorsal ACC during cue primes. The results indicate that strong expectations induced by cue primes led to reduced uncertainty, increased response readiness, and ultimately, dysfunctional impulsivity in BPD patients. We suggest that outcome uncertainty may be an important component in distress related impulsivity in BPD. PMID:27199724

Assessment of impulsivity in adolescent mice: A new training procedure for a 3-choice serial reaction time task.

PubMed

Sasamori, Hitomi; Ohmura, Yu; Kubo, Takuya; Yoshida, Takayuki; Yoshioka, Mitsuhiro

2018-05-02

Immaturity in impulse control among adolescents could result in substance abuse, criminal involvement, and suicide. The brains of adolescents and adults are anatomically, neurophysiologically, and pharmacologically different. Therefore, preclinical models of adolescent impulsivity are required to screen drugs for adolescents and elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying age-related differences in impulsivity. The conventional 3- or 5-choice serial reaction time task, which is a widely used task to assess impulsivity in adult rodents, cannot be used for young mice because of two technical problems: impaired growth caused by food restriction and the very long training duration. To overcome these problems, we altered the conventional training process, optimizing the degree of food restriction for young animals and shortening the training duration. We found that almost all basal performance levels were similar between the novel and conventional procedures. We also confirmed the pharmacological validity of our results: the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2C (5-HT 2C ) receptor agonist Ro60-0175 (0.6 mg/kg, subcutaneous) reduced the occurrence of premature responses, whereas the 5-HT 2C receptor antagonist SB242084 (0.5 mg/kg intraperitoneal) increased their occurrence, consistent with results of previous studies using conventional procedures. Furthermore, we detected age-related differences in impulsivity using the novel procedure: adolescent mice were found to be more impulsive than adult mice, congruent with the results of human studies. Thus, the new procedure enables the assessment of impulsivity in adolescent mice and facilitates a better understanding of the neurophysiological/pharmacological properties of adolescents. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Energetics of impulsive solar flares: Correlating BATSE hard x-ray bursts and the solar atmosphere's soft x-ray response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newton, Elizabeth

1996-01-01

This investigation has involved the correlation of BATSE-observed solar hard X-ray emission with the characteristics of soft X-ray emitting plasma observed by the Yohkoh Bragg Crystal Spectrometers. The goal was to test the hypothesis that localized electron beam heating is the dominant energy transport mechanism in impulsive flares, as formulated in the thick-target electron-heated model of Brown.

Food-cue affected motor response inhibition and self-reported dieting success: a pictorial affective shifting task

PubMed Central

Meule, Adrian; Lutz, Annika P. C.; Krawietz, Vera; Stützer, Judith; Vögele, Claus; Kübler, Andrea

2014-01-01

Behavioral inhibition is one of the basic facets of executive functioning and is closely related to self-regulation. Impulsive reactions, that is, low inhibitory control, have been associated with higher body mass index (BMI), binge eating, and other problem behaviors (e.g., substance abuse, pathological gambling, etc.). Nevertheless, studies which investigated the direct influence of food-cues on behavioral inhibition have been fairly inconsistent. In the current studies, we investigated food-cue affected behavioral inhibition in young women. For this purpose, we used a go/no-go task with pictorial food and neutral stimuli in which stimulus-response mapping is reversed after every other block (affective shifting task). In study 1, hungry participants showed faster reaction times to and omitted fewer food than neutral targets. Low dieting success and higher BMI were associated with behavioral disinhibition in food relative to neutral blocks. In study 2, both hungry and satiated individuals were investigated. Satiation did not influence overall task performance, but modulated associations of task performance with dieting success and self-reported impulsivity. When satiated, increased food craving during the task was associated with low dieting success, possibly indicating a preload-disinhibition effect following food intake. Food-cues elicited automatic action and approach tendencies regardless of dieting success, self-reported impulsivity, or current hunger levels. Yet, associations between dieting success, impulsivity, and behavioral food-cue responses were modulated by hunger and satiation. Future research investigating clinical samples and including other salient non-food stimuli as control category is warranted. PMID:24659978

Dopaminergic influences on executive function and impulsive behaviour in impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Leroi, Iracema; Barraclough, Michelle; McKie, Shane; Hinvest, Neal; Evans, Jonathan; Elliott, Rebecca; McDonald, Kathryn

2013-09-01

The development of impulse control disorders (ICDs) in Parkinson's disease (PD) may arise from an interaction among cognitive impairment, impulsive responding and dopaminergic state. Dopaminergic state may be influenced by pharmacologic or genotypic (catechol-O-methyltransferase; COMT) factors. We sought to investigate this interaction further by comparing those with (n = 35) and without (n = 55) ICDs on delay-discounting in different pharmacologic conditions (ON or OFF dopaminergic medication) and on response inhibition as well as aspects of executive functioning in the ON state. We then undertook an exploratory sub-group analysis of these same tasks when the overall PD group was divided into different allelic variants of COMT (val/val vs. met/met). A healthy control group (HC; n = 20) was also included. We found that in those with PD and ICDs, 'cognitive flexibility' (set shifting, verbal fluency, and attention) in the ON medication state was not impaired compared with those without ICDs. In contrast, our working memory, or 'cognitive focus', task was impaired in both PD groups compared with the HC group when ON. During the delay-discounting task, the PD with ICDs group expressed greater impulsive choice compared with the PD group without ICDs, when in the ON, but not the OFF, medication state. However, no group difference on the response inhibition task was seen when ON. Finally, the met homozygous group performed differently on tests of executive function compared with the val homozygous group. We concluded that the disparity in levels of impairment among different domains of executive function and impulsive decision-making distinguishes those with ICD in PD from those without ICD, and may in part be affected by dopaminergic status. Both pharmacologic and genotypic influences on dopaminergic state may be important in ICD. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Impulsiveness and insula activation during reward anticipation are associated with genetic variants in GABRA2 in a family sample enriched for alcoholism.

PubMed

Villafuerte, S; Heitzeg, M M; Foley, S; Yau, W-Y Wendy; Majczenko, K; Zubieta, J-K; Zucker, R A; Burmeister, M

2012-05-01

Genetic factors, externalizing personality traits such as impulsivity, and brain processing of salient stimuli all can affect individual risk for alcoholism. One of very few confirmed genetic association findings differentiating alcoholics from non-alcoholics is with variants in the inhibitory γ-amino butyric acid α2 receptor subunit (GABRA2) gene. Here we report the association of two of these GABRA2 variants with measures of alcohol symptoms, impulsivity and with insula cortex activation during anticipation of reward or loss using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In a sample of 173 families (449 subjects), 129 of whom had at least one member diagnosed with alcohol dependence or abuse, carriers for the G allele in two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes were more likely to have alcohol dependence symptoms (rs279858, P=0.01; rs279826, P=0.05; haplotype, P=0.02) and higher NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO-PI-R) Impulsiveness scores (rs279858, P=0.016; rs279826, P=0.012; haplotype, P=0.032) with a stronger effect in women (rs279858, P=0.011; rs279826, P=0.002; haplotype, P=0.006), all P-values are corrected for family history and age. A subset of offspring from these families (n=44, 20 females), genotyped for GABRA2, participated in an fMRI study using a monetary incentive delay task. Increased insula activation during reward (r(2)=0.4; P=0.026) and loss (r(2)=0.38; P=0.039) anticipation was correlated with NEO-PI-R Impulsiveness and further associated with the GG genotype for both SNPs (P's<0.04). Our results suggest that GABRA2 genetic variation is associated with Impulsiveness through variation of insula activity responses, here evidenced during anticipatory responses.

Distinguishing between learning and motivation in behavioral tests of the reinforcement sensitivity theory of personality.

PubMed

Smillie, Luke D; Dalgleish, Len I; Jackson, Chris J

2007-04-01

According to Gray's (1973) Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST), a Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) and a Behavioral Activation System (BAS) mediate effects of goal conflict and reward on behavior. BIS functioning has been linked with individual differences in trait anxiety and BAS functioning with individual differences in trait impulsivity. In this article, it is argued that behavioral outputs of the BIS and BAS can be distinguished in terms of learning and motivation processes and that these can be operationalized using the Signal Detection Theory measures of response-sensitivity and response-bias. In Experiment 1, two measures of BIS-reactivity predicted increased response-sensitivity under goal conflict, whereas one measure of BAS-reactivity predicted increased response-sensitivity under reward. In Experiment 2, two measures of BIS-reactivity predicted response-bias under goal conflict, whereas a measure of BAS-reactivity predicted motivation response-bias under reward. In both experiments, impulsivity measures did not predict criteria for BAS-reactivity as traditionally predicted by RST.

Absolute linearity measurements on a gold-black-coated deuterated L-alanine-doped triglycine sulfate pyroelectric detector.

PubMed

Theocharous, E

2008-07-20

The nonlinearity characteristics of a commercially available deuterated L-alanine-doped triglycine sulfate (DLATGS) pyroelectric detector were experimentally investigated at high levels of illumination using the National Physical Laboratory detector linearity characterization facility. The detector was shown to exhibit a superlinear response at high levels of illumination. Moreover, the linearity factor was shown to depend on the area of the spot on the detector active area being illuminated, i.e., the incident irradiance. Possible reasons for the observed behavior are proposed and discussed. The temperature coefficient of the response of the DLATGS pyroelectric detector was measured and found to be higher than +2.5% degrees C(-1). This large and positive temperature coefficient of response is the most likely cause of the superlinear behavior of the DLATGS pyroelectric detector.

Response mode-dependent differences in neurofunctional networks during response inhibition: an EEG-beamforming study.

PubMed

Dippel, Gabriel; Chmielewski, Witold; Mückschel, Moritz; Beste, Christian

2016-11-01

Response inhibition processes are one of the most important executive control functions and have been subject to intense research in cognitive neuroscience. However, knowledge on the neurophysiology and functional neuroanatomy on response inhibition is biased because studies usually employ experimental paradigms (e.g., sustained attention to response task, SART) in which behavior is susceptible to impulsive errors. Here, we investigate whether there are differences in neurophysiological mechanisms and networks depending on the response mode that predominates behavior in a response inhibition task. We do so comparing a SART with a traditionally formatted task paradigm. We use EEG-beamforming in two tasks inducing opposite response modes during action selection. We focus on theta frequency modulations, since these are implicated in cognitive control processes. The results show that a response mode that is susceptible to impulsive errors (response mode used in the SART) is associated with stronger theta band activity in the left temporo-parietal junction. The results suggest that the response modes applied during response inhibition differ in the encoding of surprise signals, or related processes of attentional sampling. Response modes during response inhibition seem to differ in processes necessary to update task representations relevant to behavioral control.

On optimal infinite impulse response edge detection filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarkar, Sudeep; Boyer, Kim L.

1991-01-01

The authors outline the design of an optimal, computationally efficient, infinite impulse response edge detection filter. The optimal filter is computed based on Canny's high signal to noise ratio, good localization criteria, and a criterion on the spurious response of the filter to noise. An expression for the width of the filter, which is appropriate for infinite-length filters, is incorporated directly in the expression for spurious responses. The three criteria are maximized using the variational method and nonlinear constrained optimization. The optimal filter parameters are tabulated for various values of the filter performance criteria. A complete methodology for implementing the optimal filter using approximating recursive digital filtering is presented. The approximating recursive digital filter is separable into two linear filters operating in two orthogonal directions. The implementation is very simple and computationally efficient, has a constant time of execution for different sizes of the operator, and is readily amenable to real-time hardware implementation.

Influence of Alcohol Use on Neural Response to Go/No-Go Task in College Drinkers

PubMed Central

Ahmadi, Aral; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Meda, Shashwath A; Dager, Alecia; Potenza, Marc N; Rosen, Rivkah; Austad, Carol S; Raskin, Sarah A; Fallahi, Carolyn R; Tennen, Howard; Wood, Rebecca M; Stevens, Michael C

2013-01-01

Impaired inhibition of prepotent motor response may represent an important risk factor for alcoholism. Alcohol use may also increase impulsive behavior, including impaired response inhibition. Little is known about the brain function underlying response inhibition among college-age drinkers based on their drinking patterns, despite college-age drinkers demonstrating high rates of alcohol-use disorders. Our major objective was to compare behavior and associated brain activity measured with fMRI during a response-inhibition task in matched heavy- and light-alcohol-drinking college students. Participants were light (N=36) and heavy (N=56) drinkers, aged 18–20 years. We characterized blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) responses, while participants performed an fMRI Go/No-Go task to quantify inhibitory behavior and brain activity. Behaviorally, group performance differences were observed for Go correct-hit and No-Go false-alarm reaction times with increased reaction times in heavy compared with light drinkers. During fMRI No-Go correct rejections, light drinkers exhibited greater BOLD response than did heavy drinkers in left supplementary motor area (SMA), bilateral parietal lobule, right hippocampus, bilateral middle frontal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, and cingulate gyrus/anterior cingulate cortex (Brodmann area 24). Group differences in Go/No-Go-related regional activations correlated with alcohol- and impulsivity-related measures. These findings suggest that heavy alcohol drinkers may have dysfunction in brain regions underlying attention and response inhibition, leading to diminished abilities to suppress prepotent responding. The extent to which these tendencies relate to impulsive decision-making and behaviors in real-life settings and may guide intervention development warrants additional investigation. PMID:23670589

Brain structure correlates of emotion-based rash impulsivity

PubMed Central

Muhlert, N.; Lawrence, A.D.

2015-01-01

Negative urgency (the tendency to engage in rash, ill-considered action in response to intense negative emotions), is a personality trait that has been linked to problematic involvement in several risky and impulsive behaviours, and to various forms of disinhibitory psychopathology, but its neurobiological correlates are poorly understood. Here, we explored whether inter-individual variation in levels of trait negative urgency was associated with inter-individual variation in regional grey matter volumes. Using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in a sample (n = 152) of healthy participants, we found that smaller volumes of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and right temporal pole, regions previously linked to emotion appraisal, emotion regulation and emotion-based decision-making, were associated with higher levels of trait negative urgency. When controlling for other impulsivity linked personality traits (sensation seeking, lack of planning/perseverance) and negative emotionality per se (neuroticism), these associations remained, and an additional relationship was found between higher levels of trait negative urgency and smaller volumes of the left ventral striatum. This latter finding mirrors recent VBM findings in an animal model of impulsivity. Our findings offer novel insight into the brain structure correlates of one key source of inter-individual differences in impulsivity. PMID:25957991

The hearing threshold of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) for impulsive sounds (L).

PubMed

Kastelein, Ronald A; Gransier, Robin; Hoek, Lean; de Jong, Christ A F

2012-08-01

The distance at which harbor porpoises can hear underwater detonation sounds is unknown, but depends, among other factors, on the hearing threshold of the species for impulsive sounds. Therefore, the underwater hearing threshold of a young harbor porpoise for an impulsive sound, designed to mimic a detonation pulse, was quantified by using a psychophysical technique. The synthetic exponential pulse with a 5 ms time constant was produced and transmitted by an underwater projector in a pool. The resulting underwater sound, though modified by the response of the projection system and by the pool, exhibited the characteristic features of detonation sounds: A zero to peak sound pressure level of at least 30 dB (re 1 s(-1)) higher than the sound exposure level, and a short duration (34 ms). The animal's 50% detection threshold for this impulsive sound occurred at a received unweighted broadband sound exposure level of 60 dB re 1 μPa(2)s. It is shown that the porpoise's audiogram for short-duration tonal signals [Kastelein et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 128, 3211-3222 (2010)] can be used to estimate its hearing threshold for impulsive sounds.

Development of an inconel self powered neutron detector for in-core reactor monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alex, M.; Ghodgaonkar, M. D.

2007-04-01

The paper describes the development and testing of an Inconel600 (2 mm diameter×21 cm long) self-powered neutron detector for in-core neutron monitoring. The detector has 3.5 mm overall diameter and 22 cm length and is integrally coupled to a 12 m long mineral insulated cable. The performance of the detector was compared with cobalt and platinum detectors of similar dimensions. Gamma sensitivity measurements performed at the 60Co irradiation facility in 14 MR/h gamma field showed values of -4.4×10 -18 A/R/h/cm (-9.3×10 -24 A/ γ/cm 2-s/cm), -5.2×10 -18 A/R/h/cm (-1.133×10 -23 A/ γ/cm 2-s/cm) and 34×10 -18 A/R/h/cm (7.14×10 -23 A/ γ/cm 2-s/cm) for the Inconel, Co and Pt detectors, respectively. The detectors together with a miniature gamma ion chamber and fission chamber were tested in the in-core Apsara Swimming Pool type reactor. The ion chambers were used to estimate the neutron and gamma fields. With an effective neutron cross-section of 4b, the Inconel detector has a total sensitivity of 6×10 -23 A/nv/cm while the corresponding sensitivities for the platinum and cobalt detectors were 1.69×10 -22 and 2.64×10 -22 A/nv/cm. The linearity of the detector responses at power levels ranging from 100 to 200 kW was within ±5%. The response of the detectors to reactor scram showed that the prompt response of the Inconel detector was 0.95 while it was 0.7 and 0.95 for the platinum and cobalt self-powered detectors, respectively. The detector was also installed in the horizontal flux unit of 540 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR). The neutron flux at the detector location was calculated by Triveni code. The detector response was measured from 0.02% to 0.07% of full power and showed good correlation between power level and detector signals. Long-term tests and the dynamic response of the detector to shut down in PHWR are in progress.

Fundamental considerations in ski binding analysis.

PubMed

Mote, C D; Hull, M L

1976-01-01

1. The static adjustment of a ski binding by hand or by available machines is only an adjustment and is neither a static nor a dynamic evaluation of the binding design. Bindings of different design with identical static adjustments will perform differently in environments in which the forces are static or dynamic. 2. The concept of binding release force is a useful measure of binding adjustment, but it is inappropriate as a criterion for binding evaluation. First, it does not direct attention toward the injury causing mechanism, strain, or displacement in the leg. Second, it is only part of the evaluation in dynamic problems. 3. The binding release decision in present bindings is displacement controlled. The relative displacement of the boot and ski is the system variable. For any specified relative displacement the binding force can be any of an infinite number of possibilities determined by the loading path. 4. The response of the leg-ski system to external impulses applied to the ski is independent of the boot-ski relative motion as long as the boot recenters quickly in the binding. Response is dependent upon the external impulse plus system inertia, damping and stiffness. 5. When tested under half sinusoidal forces applied to a test ski, all bindings will demonstrate static and impulse loading regions. In the static region the force drives the binding to a relative release displacement. In the impulse region the initial velocity of the ski drives the binding to a release displacement. 6. The transition between the static and impulse loading regions is determined by the binding's capacity to store and dissipate energy along the principal loading path. Increased energy capacity necessitates larger external impulses to produce release. 7. In all bindings examined to date, the transmitted leg displacement or strain at release under static loading exceeds leg strain under dynamic or impact loading. Because static loading is responsible for many injuries, a skier should be able to release his bindings in every mode by simply pulling or twisting his foot outward. If that cannot be done without injury, the skier has identified for himself one type of fall that will result in injury. 8. And lastly, a little advice from Ben Franklin--"Carelessness does more harm than a want of knowledge."

Predicting compliance with command hallucinations: anger, impulsivity and appraisals of voices' power and intent.

PubMed

Bucci, Sandra; Birchwood, Max; Twist, Laura; Tarrier, Nicholas; Emsley, Richard; Haddock, Gillian

2013-06-01

Command hallucinations are experienced by 33-74% of people who experience voices, with varying levels of compliance reported. Compliance with command hallucinations can result in acts of aggression, violence, suicide and self-harm; the typical response however is non-compliance or appeasement. Two factors associated with such dangerous behaviours are anger and impulsivity, however few studies have examined their relationship with compliance to command hallucinations. The current study aimed to examine the roles of anger and impulsivity on compliance with command hallucinations in people diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. The study was a cross-sectional design and included individuals who reported auditory hallucinations in the past month. Subjects completed a variety of self-report questionnaire measures. Thirty-two people experiencing command hallucinations, from both in-patient and community settings, were included. The tendency to appraise the voice as powerful, to be impulsive, to experience anger and to regulate anger were significantly associated with compliance with command hallucinations to do harm. Two factors emerged as significant independent predictors of compliance with command hallucinations; omnipotence and impulsivity. An interaction between omnipotence and compliance with commands, via a link with impulsivity, is considered and important clinical factors in the assessment of risk when working with clients experiencing command hallucinations are recommended. The data is highly suggestive and warrants further investigation with a larger sample. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impulse response method for characterization of echogenic liposomes.

PubMed

Raymond, Jason L; Luan, Ying; van Rooij, Tom; Kooiman, Klazina; Huang, Shao-Ling; McPherson, David D; Versluis, Michel; de Jong, Nico; Holland, Christy K

2015-04-01

An optical characterization method is presented based on the use of the impulse response to characterize the damping imparted by the shell of an air-filled ultrasound contrast agent (UCA). The interfacial shell viscosity was estimated based on the unforced decaying response of individual echogenic liposomes (ELIP) exposed to a broadband acoustic impulse excitation. Radius versus time response was measured optically based on recordings acquired using an ultra-high-speed camera. The method provided an efficient approach that enabled statistical measurements on 106 individual ELIP. A decrease in shell viscosity, from 2.1 × 10(-8) to 2.5 × 10(-9) kg/s, was observed with increasing dilatation rate, from 0.5 × 10(6) to 1 × 10(7) s(-1). This nonlinear behavior has been reported in other studies of lipid-shelled UCAs and is consistent with rheological shear-thinning. The measured shell viscosity for the ELIP formulation used in this study [κs = (2.1 ± 1.0) × 10(-8) kg/s] was in quantitative agreement with previously reported values on a population of ELIP and is consistent with other lipid-shelled UCAs. The acoustic response of ELIP therefore is similar to other lipid-shelled UCAs despite loading with air instead of perfluorocarbon gas. The methods described here can provide an accurate estimate of the shell viscosity and damping for individual UCA microbubbles.

A comparison of Lewis and Fischer rat strains on autoshaping (sign-tracking), discrimination reversal learning and negative auto-maintenance.

PubMed

Kearns, David N; Gomez-Serrano, Maria A; Weiss, Stanley J; Riley, Anthony L

2006-05-15

Lewis (LEW) and Fischer (F344) rat strains differ on a number of physiological characteristics, such as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, as well as on behavioral tasks, including those that measure impulsivity and drug reward. Since autoshaping, the phenomenon where animals approach and contact reward-paired conditioned stimuli, has been linked to HPA axis functioning, impulsivity and drug taking, the present study compared LEW and F344 rats on the rate of acquisition and performance of the autoshaping response. Rats were trained on an autoshaping procedure where insertions of one retractable lever (CS(+)) were paired response-independently with food, while insertions of another lever (CS(-)) were not paired with food. LEW rats acquired the autoshaping response more rapidly and also performed the autoshaping response at a higher rate than F344 rats. No differences between the strains were observed when rats were trained on a discrimination reversal where the CS(+) and CS(-) levers were reversed or during a negative auto-maintenance phase where CS(+) lever contacts cancelled food delivery. Potential physiological mechanisms that might mediate the present results, including strain differences in HPA axis and monoamine neurotransmitter activity, are discussed. The finding that LEW (as compared to F344 rats) more readily acquire autoshaping and perform more responses is consistent with research indicating that LEW rats behave more impulsively and more readily self-administer drugs of abuse.

Single-trial extraction of cognitive evoked potentials by combination of third-order correlation and wavelet denoising.

PubMed

Zhang, Z; Tian, X

2005-01-01

The application of a recently proposed denoising implementation for obtaining cognitive evoked potentials (CEPs) at the single-trial level is shown. The aim of this investigation is to develop the technique of extracting CEPs by combining both the third-order correlation and the wavelet denoising methods. First, the noisy CEPs was passed through a finite impulse response filter whose impulse response is matched with the shape of the noise-free signal. It was shown that it is possible to estimate the filter impulse response on basis of a select third-order correlation slice (TOCS) of the input noisy CEPs. Second, the output from the third-order correlation filter is decomposed with bi-orthogonal splines at 5 levels. The CEPs is reconstructed by wavelet final approximation a5. We study its performance in simulated data as well as in cognitive evoked potentials of normal rat and Alzheimer's disease (AD) model rat. For the simulated data, the method gives a significantly better reconstruction of the single-trial cognitive evoked potentials responses in comparison with the simulated data. Moreover, with this approach we obtain a significantly better estimation of the amplitudes and latencies of the simulated CEPs. For the real data, the method clearly improves the visualization of single-trial CEPs. This allows the calculation of better averages as well as the study of systematic or unsystematic variations between trials.

Impulsiveness, overactivity, and poorer sustained attention improve by chronic treatment with low doses of l-amphetamine in an animal model of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

PubMed

Sagvolden, Terje

2011-03-30

ADHD is currently defined as a cognitive/behavioral developmental disorder where all clinical criteria are behavioral. Overactivity, impulsiveness, and inattentiveness are presently regarded as the main clinical symptoms. There is no biological marker, but there is considerable evidence to suggest that ADHD behavior is associated with poor dopaminergic and noradrenergic modulation of neuronal circuits that involve the frontal lobes. The best validated animal model of ADHD, the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR), shows pronounced overactivity, impulsiveness, and deficient sustained attention. The primary objective of the present research was to investigate behavioral effects of a range of doses of chronic l-amphetamine on ADHD-like symptoms in the SHR. The present study tested the behavioral effects of 0.75 and 2.2 mg l-amphetamine base/kg i.p. in male SHRs and their controls, the Wistar Kyoto rat (WKY). ADHD-like behavior was tested with a visual discrimination task measuring overactivity, impulsiveness and inattentiveness. The striking impulsiveness, overactivity, and poorer sustained attention seen during baseline conditions in the SHR were improved by chronic treatment with l-amphetamine. The dose-response curves were, however, different for the different behaviors. Most significantly, the 0.75 mg/kg dose of l-amphetamine improved sustained attention without reducing overactivity and impulsiveness. The 2.2 mg/kg dose improved sustained attention as well as reduced SHR overactivity and impulsiveness. The effects of l-amphetamine to reduce the behavioral symptoms of ADHD in the SHR were maintained over the 14 days of daily dosing with no evidence of tolerance developing.

Impulsivity and Aggression in Schizophrenia: A Neural Circuitry Perspective with Implications for Treatment

PubMed Central

Hoptman, Matthew J.

2015-01-01

Elevations of impulsive behavior have been observed in a number of serious mental illnesses. These phenomena can lead to harmful behaviors, including violence, and thus represent a serious public health concern. Such violence is often a reason for psychiatric hospitalization, and it often leads to prolonged hospital stays, suffering by patients and their victims, and increased stigmatization. Despite the attention paid to violence, little is understood about its neural basis in schizophrenia. On a psychological level, aggression in schizophrenia has been primarily attributed to psychotic symptoms, desires for instrumental gain, or impulsive responses to perceived personal slights. Often multiple attributions can coexist during a single aggressive incident. In this review, I will discuss the neural circuitry associated with impulsivity and aggression in schizophrenia, with an emphasis on implications for treatment. Impulsivity appears to account for a great deal of aggression in schizophrenia, especially in inpatient settings. Urgency, defined as impulsivity in the context of strong emotion, is the primary focus of this article. It is elevated in several psychiatric disorders, and in schizophrenia, it has been related to aggression. Many studies have implicated dysfunctional frontotemporal circuitry in impulsivity and aggression in schizophrenia, and pharmacological treatments may act via that circuitry to reduce urgency and aggressive behaviors, but more mechanistic studies are critically needed. Recent studies point toward manipulable neurobehavioral targets and suggest that cognitive, pharmacological, neuromodulatory, and neurofeedback treatment approaches can be developed to ameliorate urgency and aggression in schizophrenia. It is hoped that these approaches will improve treatment efficacy. PMID:25900066

Frontal Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats Causes Long-Lasting Impairments in Impulse Control That Are Differentially Sensitive to Pharmacotherapeutics and Associated with Chronic Neuroinflammation.

PubMed

Vonder Haar, Cole; Lam, Frederick C W; Adams, Wendy K; Riparip, Lara-Kirstie; Kaur, Sukhbir; Muthukrishna, Michael; Rosi, Susanna; Winstanley, Catharine A

2016-11-16

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions yearly, and is increasingly associated with chronic neuropsychiatric symptoms. We assessed the long-term effects of different bilateral frontal controlled cortical impact injury severities (mild, moderate, and severe) on the five-choice serial reaction time task, a paradigm with relatively independent measurements of attention, motor impulsivity, and motivation. Moderately- and severely injured animals exhibited impairments across all cognitive domains that were still evident 14 weeks postinjury, while mild-injured animals only demonstrated persistent deficits in impulse control. However, recovery of function varied considerably between subjects such that some showed no impairment ("TBI-resilient"), some demonstrated initial deficits that recovered ("TBI-vulnerable"), and some never recovered ("chronically-impaired"). Three clinically relevant treatments for impulse-control or TBI, amphetamine, atomoxetine, and amantadine, were assessed for efficacy in treating injury-induced deficits. Susceptibility to TBI affected the response to pharmacological challenge with amphetamine. Whereas sham and TBI-resilient animals showed characteristic impairments in impulse control at higher doses, amphetamine had the opposite effect in chronically impaired rats, improving task performance. In contrast, atomoxetine and amantadine reduced premature responding but increased omissions, suggesting psychomotor slowing. Analysis of brain tissue revealed that generalized neuroinflammation was associated with impulsivity even when accounting for the degree of brain damage. This is one of the first studies to characterize psychiatric-like symptoms in experimental TBI. Our data highlight the importance of testing pharmacotherapies in TBI models in order to predict efficacy, and suggest that neuroinflammation may represent a treatment target for impulse control problems following injury.

Response of a grounded dielectric slab to an impulse line source using leaky modes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duffy, Dean G.

1994-01-01

This paper describes how expansions in leaky (or improper) modes may be used to represent the continuous spectrum in an open radiating waveguide. The technique requires a thorough knowledge of the life history of the improper modes as they migrate from improper to proper Riemann surfaces. The method is illustrated by finding the electric field resulting from an impulsively forced current located in the free space above a grounded dielectric slab.

New Side-Looking Rogowski Coil Sensor for Measuring Large-Magnitude Fast Impulse Currents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metwally, I. A.

2015-12-01

This paper presents a new design of a side-looking "flat spiral" self-integrating Rogowski coil that is wound by twin coaxial cable with individual sheath. The coil is tested with different impulse current waveforms up to 7 kA peak value to improve its performance. The coil design is optimized to achieve bandwidth and sensitivity up to 7.854 MHz and 3.623 V/kA, respectively. The coil is calibrated versus two commercial impulse-current measurement devices at different coil-to-wire separations, coil inclination angles, and impulse current waveforms. Distortion of the coil output voltage waveform is examined by using the lumped-element model to optimize the connections of the four cable winding sheaths and the coil termination resistance. Finally, the coil frequency response is investigated to optimize the coil design parameters and achieve the desired bandwidth (large low-frequency time constant), high rate of rise, no overshoot, very small droop, high rate of fall, and no backswing.

Impacts of Underwater Noise on Marine Vertebrates: Project Introduction and First Results.

PubMed

Liebschner, Alexander; Seibel, Henrike; Teilmann, Jonas; Wittekind, Dietrich; Parmentier, Eric; Dähne, Michael; Dietz, Rune; Driver, Jörg; van Elk, Cornelis; Everaarts, Eligius; Findeisen, Henning; Kristensen, Jacob; Lehnert, Kristina; Lucke, Klaus; Merck, Thomas; Müller, Sabine; Pawliczka, Iwona; Ronnenberg, Katrin; Rosenberger, Tanja; Ruser, Andreas; Tougaard, Jakob; Schuster, Max; Sundermeyer, Janne; Sveegaard, Signe; Siebert, Ursula

2016-01-01

The project conducts application-oriented research on impacts of underwater noise on marine vertebrates in the North and Baltic Seas. In distinct subprojects, the hearing sensitivity of harbor porpoises and gray seals as well as the acoustic tolerance limit of harbor porpoises to impulsive noise from pile driving and stress reactions caused by anthropogenic noise is investigated. Animals are equipped with DTAGs capable of recording the actual surrounding noise field of free-swimming harbor porpoises and seals. Acoustic noise mapping including porpoise detectors in the Natura 2000 sites of the North and Baltic Seas will help to fully understand current noise impacts.

A study of starting time in great hard X-ray flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klein, K. L.; Pick, M.; Magun, A.

1986-01-01

An analysis of the starting time in ten great hard X-ray bursts observed with the X-Ray Burst Spectrometer (HXRBS) is presented. It is shown that the impulsive phase of nine of them is composed of a preflash phase, during which the burst is observed up to an energy limit ranging from some tens of keV to 200 keV, followed ten to some tens of seconds afterwards by a flash phase, where the count rate rises simultaneously in all detector channels. For two events strong gamma-ray line emission is observed and is shown to start close to the onset of the flash phase.

Who's flying the plane: serotonin levels, aggression and free will.

PubMed

Siegel, Allan; Douard, John

2011-01-01

The present paper addresses the philosophical problem raised by current causal neurochemical models of impulsive violence and aggression: to what extent can we hold violent criminal offenders responsible for their conduct if that conduct is the result of deterministic biochemical processes in the brain. This question is currently receiving a great deal of attention among neuroscientists, legal scholars and philosophers. We examine our current knowledge of neuroscience to assess the possible roles of deterministic factors which induce impulsive aggression, and the extent to which this behavior can be controlled by neural conditioning mechanisms. Neural conditioning mechanisms, we suggest, may underlie what we consider the basis of responsible (though not necessarily moral) behavior: the capacity to give and take reasons. The models we first examine are based in part upon the role played by the neurotransmitter, serotonin, in the regulation of violence and aggression. Collectively, these results would appear to argue in favor of the view that low brain serotonin levels induce impulsive aggression which overrides mechanisms related to rational decision making processes. We next present an account of responsibility as based on the capacity to exercise a certain kind of reason-responsive control over one's conduct. The problem with such accounts of responsibility, however, is that they fail to specify a neurobiological realization of such mechanisms of control. We present a neurobiological, and weakly determinist, framework for understanding how persons can exercise guidance control over their conduct. This framework is based upon classical conditioning of neurons in the prefrontal cortex that allow for a decision making mechanism that provides for prefrontal cortical control of the sites in the brain which express aggressive behavior that include the hypothalamus and midbrain periaqueductal gray. The authors support the view that, in many circumstances, neural conditioning mechanisms provide the basis for the control of human aggression in spite of the presence of brain serotonin levels that might otherwise favor the expression of impulsive aggressive behavior. Indeed if those neural conditioning mechanisms underlie the human capacity to exercise control, they may be the neural realization of reason-responsiveness generally. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Who's flying the plane: Serotonin levels, aggression and free will

PubMed Central

Siegel, Allan; Douard, John

2010-01-01

The present paper addresses the philosophical problem raised by current causal neurochemical models of impulsive violence and aggression: to what extent can we hold violent criminal offenders responsible for their conduct if that conduct is the result of deterministic biochemical processes in the brain. This question is currently receiving a great deal of attention among neuroscientists, legal scholars and philosophers. We examine our current knowledge of neuroscience to assess the possible roles of deterministic factors which induce impulsive aggression, and the extent to which this behavior can be controlled by neural conditioning mechanisms. Neural conditioning mechanisms, we suggest, may underlie what we consider the basis of responsible (though not necessarily moral) behavior: the capacity to give and take reasons. The models we first examine are based in part upon the role played by the neurotransmitter, serotonin, in the regulation of violence and aggression. Collectively, these results would appear to argue in favor of the view that low brain serotonin levels induce impulsive aggression which overrides mechanisms related to rational decision making processes. We next present an account of responsibility as based on the capacity to exercise a certain kind of reason-responsive control over one's conduct. The problem with such accounts of responsibility, however, is that they fail to specify a neurobiological realization of such mechanisms of control. We present a neurobiological, and weakly determinist, framework for understanding how persons can exercise guidance control over their conduct. This framework is based upon classical conditioning of neurons in the prefrontal cortex that allow for a decision making mechanism that provides for prefrontal cortical control of the sites in the brain which express aggressive behavior that include the hypothalamus and midbrain periaqueductal gray. The authors support the view that, in many circumstances, neural conditioning mechanisms provide the basis for the control of human aggression in spite of the presence of brain serotonin levels that might otherwise favor the expression of impulsive aggressive behavior. Indeed if those neural conditioning mechanisms underlie the human capacity to exercise control, they may be the neural realization of reason-responsiveness generally. PMID:21112635

The energy dependence of the lateral dose response functions of detectors with various densities in photon-beam dosimetry.

PubMed

Looe, Hui Khee; Harder, Dietrich; Poppe, Björn

2017-02-07

The lateral dose response function is a general characteristic of the volume effect of a detector used for photon dosimetry in a water phantom. It serves as the convolution kernel transforming the true absorbed dose to water profile, which would be produced within the undisturbed water phantom, into the detector-measured signal profile. The shape of the lateral dose response function characterizes (i) the volume averaging attributable to the detector's size and (ii) the disturbance of the secondary electron field associated with the deviation of the electron density of the detector material from the surrounding water. In previous work, the characteristic dependence of the shape of the lateral dose response function upon the electron density of the detector material was studied for 6 MV photons by Monte Carlo simulation of a wall-less voxel-sized detector (Looe et al 2015 Phys. Med. Biol. 60 6585-07). This study is here continued for 60 Co gamma rays and 15 MV photons in comparison with 6 MV photons. It is found (1) that throughout these photon spectra the shapes of the lateral dose response functions are retaining their characteristic dependence on the detector's electron density, and (2) that their energy-dependent changes are only moderate. This appears as a practical advantage because the lateral dose response function can then be treated as practically invariant across a clinical photon beam in spite of the known changes of the photon spectrum with increasing distance from the beam axis.

Gambling behavior in Parkinson's Disease: Impulsivity, reward mechanism and cortical brain oscillations.

PubMed

Balconi, Michela; Angioletti, Laura; Siri, Chiara; Meucci, Nicoletta; Pezzoli, Gianni

2018-03-20

Psychopathological components, such as reward sensitivity and impulsivity, and dopaminergic treatment are crucial characteristics related to the development of Pathological Gambling (PG) in Parkinson's Disease (PD). The aim of the present study is to investigate the differences in decision-making in PD patients with or without PG considering both neurophysiological and behavioral aspects. The IOWA Gambling Task (IGT) and electroencephalographic (EEG) activity were considered to elucidate the decision and post-feedback processes in PG. The sample included fifty-two PD patients, divided in three groups: 17 PD patients with active gambling behavior (PD Gamblers, PDG); 15 PD patients who remitted from PG (PD Non-Gamblers, PDNG); and a Control Group (CG) composed by 20 patients with PD only. EEG and IGT performance were recorded during decision and post-feedback phase. Results showed worse performance and an increase of the low frequency bands in the frontal area for the PDG group compared to the other two groups. In addition, higher BAS (Behavioral Activation System) and BIS-11 (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) personality components were correlated to groups' behavioral response. These results show an anomalous behavioral (IGT) and cortical response of PDG patients related to their inability to use adequate control mechanisms during a decision-making task where reward mechanisms (BAS) and impulsivity (BIS-11) are relevant. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neural Substrates of Inhibitory Control Deficits in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome†

PubMed Central

Montojo, C.A.; Jalbrzikowski, M.; Congdon, E.; Domicoli, S.; Chow, C.; Dawson, C.; Karlsgodt, K.H.; Bilder, R.M.; Bearden, C.E.

2015-01-01

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is associated with elevated levels of impulsivity, inattention, and distractibility, which may be related to underlying neurobiological dysfunction due to haploinsufficiency for genes involved in dopaminergic neurotransmission (i.e. catechol-O-methyltransferase). The Stop-signal task has been employed to probe the neural circuitry involved in response inhibition (RI); findings in healthy individuals indicate that a fronto-basal ganglia network underlies successful inhibition of a prepotent motor response. However, little is known about the neurobiological substrates of RI difficulties in 22q11DS. Here, we investigated this using functional magnetic resonance imaging while 45 adult participants (15 22q11DS patients, 30 matched controls) performed the Stop-signal task. Healthy controls showed significantly greater activation than 22q11DS patients within frontal cortical and basal ganglia regions during successful RI, whereas 22q11DS patients did not show increased neural activity relative to controls in any regions. Using the Barratt Impulsivity Scale, we also investigated whether neural dysfunction during RI was associated with cognitive impulsivity in 22q11DS patients. RI-related activity within left middle frontal gyrus and basal ganglia was associated with severity of self-reported cognitive impulsivity. These results suggest reduced engagement of RI-related brain regions in 22q11DS patients, which may be relevant to characteristic behavioral manifestations of the disorder. PMID:24177988

Endocannabinoids and striatal function: implications for addiction-related behaviours

PubMed Central

Moreira, Fabricio A.; Jupp, Bianca; Belin, David

2015-01-01

Since the identification and cloning of the major cannabinoid receptor expressed in the brain almost 25 years ago research has highlighted the potential of drugs that target the endocannabinoid system for treating addiction. The endocannabinoids, anandamide and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, are lipid-derived metabolites found in abundance in the basal ganglia and other brain areas innervated by the mesocorticolimbic dopamine systems. Cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonists/inverse agonists reduce reinstatement of responding for cocaine, alcohol and opiates in rodents. However, compounds acting on the endocannabinoid system may have broader application in treating drug addiction by ameliorating associated traits and symptoms such as impulsivity and anxiety that perpetuate drug use and interfere with rehabilitation. As a trait, impulsivity is known to predispose to addiction and facilitate the emergence of addiction to stimulant drugs. In contrast, anxiety and elevated stress responses accompany extended drug use and may underlie the persistence of drug intake in dependent individuals. In this article we integrate and discuss recent findings in rodents showing selective pharmacological modulation of impulsivity and anxiety by cannabinoid agents. We highlight the potential of selective inhibitors of endocannabinoid metabolism, directed at fatty acid amide hydrolase and monoacylglycerol lipase, to reduce anxiety and stress responses, and discuss novel mechanisms underlying the modulation of the endocannabinoid system, including the attenuation of impulsivity, anxiety, and drug reward by selective CB2 receptor agonists. PMID:25369747

Examining the Conditions Under Which Internalized Homophobia Is Associated with Substance Use and Condomless Sex in Young MSM: the Moderating Role of Impulsivity.

PubMed

Puckett, Jae A; Newcomb, Michael E; Garofalo, Robert; Mustanski, Brian

2017-08-01

Internalized homophobia (IH) is the internalization of homophobic attitudes by sexual minorities due to social bias. IH has been inconsistently related to substance use and condomless sex for young men who have sex with men (YMSM). We examined negative urgency (the tendency to act impulsively in response to negative emotional experiences), positive urgency (the tendency to act impulsively in response to positive emotional experiences), and sensation seeking as independent moderators of the association of IH with binge drinking, drug use, and condomless anal sex. Data were collected from 450 YMSM (mean age = 18.9) over the course of 18 months (baseline, 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-up). Hierarchical generalized linear modeling revealed that there was a significant moderation for binge drinking and receptive condomless anal sex, with the association between IH and these risk behaviors increased for those with higher levels of negative urgency and positive urgency. IH is important to the negative health outcomes of binge drinking and condomless anal sex for individuals high in negative and/or positive urgency, who may act impulsively to avoid subjective negative experiences or in the face of positive emotional experiences. Future research is needed to further establish additional conditions under which IH may be important to understanding risk behaviors in YMSM, which is essential to developing targeted prevention and intervention efforts.

Traceable terahertz power measurement from 1 THz to 5 THz.

PubMed

Steiger, Andreas; Kehrt, Mathias; Monte, Christian; Müller, Ralf

2013-06-17

The metrology institute in Germany, the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), calibrates the spectral responsivity of THz detectors at 2.52 THz traceable to International System of Units. The Terahertz detector calibration facility is equipped with a standard detector calibrated against a cryogenic radiometer at this frequency. In order to extend this service to a broader spectral range in the THz region a new standard detector was developed. This detector is based on a commercial thermopile detector. Its absorber was modified and characterized by spectroscopic methods with respect to its absorptance and reflectance from 1 THz to 5 THz and at the wavelength of a helium-neon laser in the visible spectral range. This offers the possibility of tracing back the THz power responsivity scale to the more accurate responsivity scale in the visible spectral range and thereby to reduce the uncertainty of detector calibrations in the THz range significantly.

Stability of the Helical TomoTherapy Hi·Art II detector for treatment beam irradiations

PubMed Central

Schombourg, Karin; Bochud, François

2014-01-01

The Hi·Art II Helical TomoTherapy (HT) unit is equipped with a built‐in onboard MVCT detector used for patient imaging and beam monitoring. Our aim was to study the detector stability for treatment beam measurements. We studied the MVCT detector response with the 6 MV photon beam over time, throughout short‐term (during an irradiation) and long‐term (two times 50 days) periods. Our results show a coefficient of variation ≤1% for detector chambers inside the beam (excluding beam gradients) for short‐ and long‐term response of the MVCT detector. Larger variations were observed in beam gradients and an influence of the X‐ray target where degradation was found. The results assume that an ‘air scan’ procedure is performed daily to recalibrate the detector with the imaging beam. On short term, the detector response stability is comparable to other devices. Long‐term measurements during two 50‐day periods show a good reproducibility. PACS numbers: 87.55.ne, 87.55.Qr PMID:25493514

Assembly and evaluation of a pyroelectric detector bonded to vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes over thin silicon.

PubMed

Theocharous, E; Theocharous, S P; Lehman, J H

2013-11-20

A novel pyroelectric detector consisting of a vertically aligned nanotube array on thin silicon (VANTA/Si) bonded to a 60 μm thick crystal of LiTaO₃ has been fabricated. The performance of the VANTA/Si-coated pyroelectric detector was evaluated using National Physical Laboratory's (NPL's) detector-characterization facilities. The relative spectral responsivity of the detector was found to be spectrally flat in the 0.8-24 μm wavelength range, in agreement with directional-hemispherical reflectance measurements of witness samples of the VANTA. The spatial uniformity of response of the test detector exhibited good uniformity, although the nonuniformity increased with increasing modulation frequency. The nonuniformity may be assigned either to the dimensions of the VANTA or the continuity of the bond between the VANTA/Si coating and the pyroelectric crystal substrate. The test detector exhibited a small superlinear response, which is similar to that of pyroelectric detectors coated with good quality gold-black coatings.

Identification of Computational and Experimental Reduced-Order Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silva, Walter A.; Hong, Moeljo S.; Bartels, Robert E.; Piatak, David J.; Scott, Robert C.

2003-01-01

The identification of computational and experimental reduced-order models (ROMs) for the analysis of unsteady aerodynamic responses and for efficient aeroelastic analyses is presented. For the identification of a computational aeroelastic ROM, the CFL3Dv6.0 computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code is used. Flutter results for the AGARD 445.6 Wing and for a Rigid Semispan Model (RSM) computed using CFL3Dv6.0 are presented, including discussion of associated computational costs. Modal impulse responses of the unsteady aerodynamic system are computed using the CFL3Dv6.0 code and transformed into state-space form. The unsteady aerodynamic state-space ROM is then combined with a state-space model of the structure to create an aeroelastic simulation using the MATLAB/SIMULINK environment. The MATLAB/SIMULINK ROM is then used to rapidly compute aeroelastic transients, including flutter. The ROM shows excellent agreement with the aeroelastic analyses computed using the CFL3Dv6.0 code directly. For the identification of experimental unsteady pressure ROMs, results are presented for two configurations: the RSM and a Benchmark Supercritical Wing (BSCW). Both models were used to acquire unsteady pressure data due to pitching oscillations on the Oscillating Turntable (OTT) system at the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT). A deconvolution scheme involving a step input in pitch and the resultant step response in pressure, for several pressure transducers, is used to identify the unsteady pressure impulse responses. The identified impulse responses are then used to predict the pressure responses due to pitching oscillations at several frequencies. Comparisons with the experimental data are then presented.

Perception of differences in naturalistic dynamic scenes, and a V1-based model.

PubMed

To, Michelle P S; Gilchrist, Iain D; Tolhurst, David J

2015-01-16

We investigate whether a computational model of V1 can predict how observers rate perceptual differences between paired movie clips of natural scenes. Observers viewed 198 pairs of movies clips, rating how different the two clips appeared to them on a magnitude scale. Sixty-six of the movie pairs were naturalistic and those remaining were low-pass or high-pass spatially filtered versions of those originals. We examined three ways of comparing a movie pair. The Spatial Model compared corresponding frames between each movie pairwise, combining those differences using Minkowski summation. The Temporal Model compared successive frames within each movie, summed those differences for each movie, and then compared the overall differences between the paired movies. The Ordered-Temporal Model combined elements from both models, and yielded the single strongest predictions of observers' ratings. We modeled naturalistic sustained and transient impulse functions and compared frames directly with no temporal filtering. Overall, modeling naturalistic temporal filtering improved the models' performance; in particular, the predictions of the ratings for low-pass spatially filtered movies were much improved by employing a transient impulse function. The correlations between model predictions and observers' ratings rose from 0.507 without temporal filtering to 0.759 (p = 0.01%) when realistic impulses were included. The sustained impulse function and the Spatial Model carried more weight in ratings for normal and high-pass movies, whereas the transient impulse function with the Ordered-Temporal Model was most important for spatially low-pass movies. This is consistent with models in which high spatial frequency channels with sustained responses primarily code for spatial details in movies, while low spatial frequency channels with transient responses code for dynamic events. © 2015 ARVO.

Disparate cocaine-induced locomotion as a predictor of choice behavior in rats trained in a delay-discounting task

PubMed Central

Stanis, Jessica J.; Burns, Randi M.; Sherrill, Luke K.; Gulley, Joshua M.

2008-01-01

Heightened impulsivity and differential sensitivity to a drug's behavioral effects are traits that, individually, have been associated with chronic drug use and dependence. Here, we used an animal model to test whether individual differences in cocaine-induced activity are predictive of impulsive choice behavior. Adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats were given cocaine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) and classified into low or high cocaine responders (LCRs and HCRs, respectively) based on their locomotor response in an open-field arena. Rats were then trained in a delay-discounting task that offers a choice between immediately delivered, but smaller reinforcements, or larger reinforcements that are delivered after a delay. We also examined the effects of amphetamine (AMPH; 0.3-1.0 mg/kg) and the 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT (0.3-1.0 mg/kg) on delay discounting. Lastly, all rats were retested in the open-field to determine if phenotypes were stable. We observed baseline differences in choice behavior between the groups, with HCRs behaving more impulsively (i.e., choosing the small reinforcement) compared to LCRs. AMPH decreased choice of the large reinforcement in LCRs, but did not alter choice in HCRs. Impulsive choice was increased in both phenotypes following 8-OH-DPAT, with LCRs exhibiting changes across a wider range of delays. When cocaine-induced open-field behavior was retested, responses in LCRs were similar whereas HCRs showed evidence of tolerance. Our results suggest that differential sensitivity to cocaine-induced locomotion is predictive of impulsivity and the potential neurobiological differences in LCRs and HCRs may provide insight into mechanisms contributing to vulnerability for chronic drug use and/or dependence. PMID:18539407

Infrasonic ambient noise interferometry from correlations of microbaroms

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haney, M.M.

2009-01-01

We show that microbaroms, continuous infrasound fluctuations resulting from the interaction of the ocean with the atmosphere, have long-range correlation properties that make it possible to estimate the impulse response between two microphones from passive recordings. The processing is analogous to methods employed in the emerging field of ambient noise seismology, where the random noise source is the ocean coupling with the solid Earth (microseisms) instead of the atmosphere (microbaroms). We find that time-dependent temperature fields and temperature inversions determine the character of infrasonic impulse responses at Fourpeaked Volcano in Alaska. Applications include imaging and monitoring the gross structure of the Earth's atmospheric boundary layer. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.

A useful approximation for the flat surface impulse response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Gary S.

1989-01-01

The flat surface impulse response (FSIR) is a very useful quantity in computing the mean return power for near-nadir-oriented short-pulse radar altimeters. However, for very small antenna beamwidths and relatively large pointing angles, previous analytical descriptions become very difficult to compute accurately. An asymptotic approximation is developed to overcome these computational problems. Since accuracy is of key importance, a condition is developed under which this solution is within 2 percent of the exact answer. The asymptotic solution is shown to be in functional agreement with a conventional clutter power result and gives a 1.25-dB correction to this formula to account properly for the antenna-pattern variation over the illuminated area.

Modeling and control of flexible space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wie, B.; Bryson, A. E., Jr.

1981-01-01

The effects of actuator and sensor locations on transfer function zeros are investigated, using uniform bars and beams as generic models of flexible space structures. It is shown how finite element codes may be used directly to calculate transfer function zeros. The impulse response predicted by finite-dimensional models is compared with the exact impulse response predicted by the infinite dimensional models. It is shown that some flexible structures behave as if there were a direct transmission between actuator and sensor (equal numbers of zeros and poles in the transfer function). Finally, natural damping models for a vibrating beam are investigated since natural damping has a strong influence on the appropriate active control logic for a flexible structure.

The pyroelectric properties of TGS for application in infrared detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kroes, R. L.; Reiss, D.

1981-01-01

The pyroelectric property of triglycine sulfate and its application in the detection of infrared radiation are described. The detectivities of pyroelectric detectors and other types of infrared detectors are compared. The thermal response of a pyroelectric detector element and the resulting electrical response are derived in terms of the material parameters. The noise sources which limit the sensitivity of pyroelectric detectors are described, and the noise equivalent power for each noise source is given as a function of frequency and detector area.

Heat Transfer Issues in Thin-Film Thermal Radiation Detectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barry, Mamadou Y.

1999-01-01

The Thermal Radiation Group at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has been working closely with scientists and engineers at NASA's Langley Research Center to develop accurate analytical and numerical models suitable for designing next generation thin-film thermal radiation detectors for earth radiation budget measurement applications. The current study provides an analytical model of the notional thermal radiation detector that takes into account thermal transport phenomena, such as the contact resistance between the layers of the detector, and is suitable for use in parameter estimation. It was found that the responsivity of the detector can increase significantly due to the presence of contact resistance between the layers of the detector. Also presented is the effect of doping the thermal impedance layer of the detector with conducting particles in order to electrically link the two junctions of the detector. It was found that the responsivity and the time response of the doped detector decrease significantly in this case. The corresponding decrease of the electrical resistance of the doped thermal impedance layer is not sufficient to significantly improve the electrical performance of the detector. Finally, the "roughness effect" is shown to be unable to explain the decrease in the thermal conductivity often reported for thin-film layers.

Broadband Structural Dynamics: Understanding the Impulse-Response of Structures Across Multiple Length and Time Scales

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-18

Spectral domain response calculated • Time domain response obtained through inverse transform Approach 4: WASABI Wavelet Analysis of Structural Anomalies...differences at unity scale! Time Function Transform Apply Spectral Domain Transfer Function Time Function Inverse Transform Transform Transform  mtP

Micromechanical potentiometric sensors

DOEpatents

Thundat, Thomas G.

2000-01-01

A microcantilever potentiometric sensor utilized for detecting and measuring physical and chemical parameters in a sample of media is described. The microcantilevered spring element includes at least one chemical coating on a coated region, that accumulates a surface charge in response to hydrogen ions, redox potential, or ion concentrations in a sample of the media being monitored. The accumulation of surface charge on one surface of the microcantilever, with a differing surface charge on an opposing surface, creates a mechanical stress and a deflection of the spring element. One of a multitude of deflection detection methods may include the use of a laser light source focused on the microcantilever, with a photo-sensitive detector receiving reflected laser impulses. The microcantilevered spring element is approximately 1 to 100 .mu.m long, approximately 1 to 50 .mu.m wide, and approximately 0.3 to 3.0 .mu.m thick. An accuracy of detection of deflections of the cantilever is provided in the range of 0.01 nanometers of deflection. The microcantilever apparatus and a method of detection of parameters require only microliters of a sample to be placed on, or near the spring element surface. The method is extremely sensitive to the detection of the parameters to be measured.

System for detecting special nuclear materials

DOEpatents

Jandel, Marian; Rusev, Gencho Yordanov; Taddeucci, Terry Nicholas

2015-07-14

The present disclosure includes a radiological material detector having a convertor material that emits one or more photons in response to a capture of a neutron emitted by a radiological material; a photon detector arranged around the convertor material and that produces an electrical signal in response to a receipt of a photon; and a processor connected to the photon detector, the processor configured to determine the presence of a radiological material in response to a predetermined signature of the electrical signal produced at the photon detector. One or more detectors described herein can be integrated into a detection system that is suited for use in port monitoring, treaty compliance, and radiological material management activities.

Particle Detectors in the Theory of Quantum Fields on Curved Spacetimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cant, John Fraser

This work discusses aspects of a fundamental problem in the theory of quantum fields on curved spacetimes--that of giving physical meaning to the particle representations of the theory. In particular, the response of model particle detectors is analysed in detail. Unruh (1976) first introduced the idea of a model particle detector in order to give an operational definition to particles. He found that even in flat spacetime, the excitation of a particle detector does not necessarily correspond to the presence of an energy carrier--an accelerating detector will excite in response to the zero-energy state of the Minkowski vacuum. The central question I consider in this work is --where does the energy for the excitation of the accelerating detector come from? The accepted response has been that the accelerating force provides the energy. Evaluating the energy carried by the (conformally-invariant massless scalar) field after the interaction with the detector, however, I find that the detector excitation is compensated by an equal but opposite emission of negative energy. This result suggests that there may be states of lesser energy than that of the Minkowski vacuum. To resolve this paradox, I argue that the emission of a detector following a more realistic trajectory than that of constant acceleration--one that starts and finishes in inertial motion--will in total be positive, although during periods of constant acceleration the detector will still emit negative energy. The Minkowski vacuum retains its status as the field state of lowest energy. The second question I consider is the response of Unruh's detector in curved spacetime--is it possible to use such a detector to measure the energy carried by the field? In the particular case of a detector following a Killing trajectory, I find that there is a response to the energy of the field, but that there is also an inherent 'noise'. In a two dimensional model spacetime, I show that this 'noise' depends on the detector's acceleration and on the curvature of the spacetime, thereby encompassing previous results of Unruh (1976) and of Gibbons & Hawking (1977).

Response Monitoring and Adjustment: Differential Relations with Psychopathic Traits

PubMed Central

Bresin, Konrad; Finy, M. Sima; Sprague, Jenessa; Verona, Edelyn

2014-01-01

Studies on the relation between psychopathy and cognitive functioning often show mixed results, partially because different factors of psychopathy have not been considered fully. Based on previous research, we predicted divergent results based on a two-factor model of psychopathy (interpersonal-affective traits and impulsive-antisocial traits). Specifically, we predicted that the unique variance of interpersonal-affective traits would be related to increased monitoring (i.e., error-related negativity) and adjusting to errors (i.e., post-error slowing), whereas impulsive-antisocial traits would be related to reductions in these processes. Three studies using a diverse selection of assessment tools, samples, and methods are presented to identify response monitoring correlates of the two main factors of psychopathy. In Studies 1 (undergraduates), 2 (adolescents), and 3 (offenders), interpersonal-affective traits were related to increased adjustment following errors and, in Study 3, to enhanced monitoring of errors. Impulsive-antisocial traits were not consistently related to error adjustment across the studies, although these traits were related to a deficient monitoring of errors in Study 3. The results may help explain previous mixed findings and advance implications for etiological models of psychopathy. PMID:24933282

[Neurobiological aspects of reactive and proactive violence in antisocial personality disorder and "psychopathy"].

PubMed

Roth, Gerhard; Strüber, Daniel

2009-01-01

Impulsive-reactive violent offenders show increased autonomic activity in response to negative emotional and threatening stimuli. A volume reduction and/or activity decrease of frontal brain structures associated with impulse control and the regulation of fear and anger are likewise found in combination with a fear-related hyperactivity of the amygdala. In addition, impulsive aggression is facilitated by variants of gene polymorphisms influencing the serotonergic system. Conversely, proactive-instrumental violent offender with psychopathy, who are characterized by a lack of empathy and remorse, demonstrate an autonomic hypo-responsivity as well as dysfunctions of the amygdala and of cortical regions related to empathic and social behavior. Developmentally, aggressive children exhibit temperamental differences from early childhood on that are characteristic of a developmental pathway towards either reactive or proactive violence later in life. Exposure to negative environmental factors like ineffective parenting or childhood maltreatment has been related to a heightened risk for developing reactive violence. A developmental trajectory of proactive violence, however, has been related to a mostly genetically determined callous unemotional temperament of the child that disrupts the parental socialization efforts during childhood.

Fast Spatial Resolution Analysis of Quadratic Penalized Least-Squares Image Reconstruction With Separate Real and Imaginary Roughness Penalty: Application to fMRI.

PubMed

Olafsson, Valur T; Noll, Douglas C; Fessler, Jeffrey A

2018-02-01

Penalized least-squares iterative image reconstruction algorithms used for spatial resolution-limited imaging, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), commonly use a quadratic roughness penalty to regularize the reconstructed images. When used for complex-valued images, the conventional roughness penalty regularizes the real and imaginary parts equally. However, these imaging methods sometimes benefit from separate penalties for each part. The spatial smoothness from the roughness penalty on the reconstructed image is dictated by the regularization parameter(s). One method to set the parameter to a desired smoothness level is to evaluate the full width at half maximum of the reconstruction method's local impulse response. Previous work has shown that when using the conventional quadratic roughness penalty, one can approximate the local impulse response using an FFT-based calculation. However, that acceleration method cannot be applied directly for separate real and imaginary regularization. This paper proposes a fast and stable calculation for this case that also uses FFT-based calculations to approximate the local impulse responses of the real and imaginary parts. This approach is demonstrated with a quadratic image reconstruction of fMRI data that uses separate roughness penalties for the real and imaginary parts.

FIR signature verification system characterizing dynamics of handwriting features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thumwarin, Pitak; Pernwong, Jitawat; Matsuura, Takenobu

2013-12-01

This paper proposes an online signature verification method based on the finite impulse response (FIR) system characterizing time-frequency characteristics of dynamic handwriting features. First, the barycenter determined from both the center point of signature and two adjacent pen-point positions in the signing process, instead of one pen-point position, is used to reduce the fluctuation of handwriting motion. In this paper, among the available dynamic handwriting features, motion pressure and area pressure are employed to investigate handwriting behavior. Thus, the stable dynamic handwriting features can be described by the relation of the time-frequency characteristics of the dynamic handwriting features. In this study, the aforesaid relation can be represented by the FIR system with the wavelet coefficients of the dynamic handwriting features as both input and output of the system. The impulse response of the FIR system is used as the individual feature for a particular signature. In short, the signature can be verified by evaluating the difference between the impulse responses of the FIR systems for a reference signature and the signature to be verified. The signature verification experiments in this paper were conducted using the SUBCORPUS MCYT-100 signature database consisting of 5,000 signatures from 100 signers. The proposed method yielded equal error rate (EER) of 3.21% on skilled forgeries.

Implementation and extension of the impulse transfer function method for future application to the space shuttle project. Volume 1: Analysis and correlation studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mantus, M.; Pardo, H.

1973-01-01

Computer programming, data processing, and a correlation study that employed data collected in the first phase test were used to demonstrate that standard test procedures and equipment could be used to collect a significant number of transfer functions from tests of the Lunar Module test article LTA-11. The testing consisted of suspending the vehicle from the apex fittings of the outrigger trusses through a set of air springs to simulate the free-free state. Impulsive loadings were delivered, one at a time, at each of the landing gear's attachment points, in three mutually perpendicular directions; thus a total of 36 impulses were applied to the vehicle. Time histories of each pulse were recorded on magnetic tape along with 40 channels of strain gage response and 28 channels of accelerometer response. Since an automated data processing system was not available, oscillograph playbacks were made of all 2400 time histories as a check on the validity of the data taken. In addition, one channel of instrumentation was processed to determine its response to a set of forcing functions from a prior LTA-11 drop test. This prediction was compared with drop test results as a first measure of accuracy.

Metabolic and transcriptomic response of the wine yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain EC1118 after an oxygen impulse under carbon-sufficient, nitrogen-limited fermentative conditions.

PubMed

Orellana, Marcelo; Aceituno, Felipe F; Slater, Alex W; Almonacid, Leonardo I; Melo, Francisco; Agosin, Eduardo

2014-05-01

During alcoholic fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae is exposed to continuously changing environmental conditions, such as decreasing sugar and increasing ethanol concentrations. Oxygen, a critical nutrient to avoid stuck and sluggish fermentations, is only discretely available throughout the process after pump-over operation. In this work, we studied the physiological response of the wine yeast S. cerevisiae strain EC1118 to a sudden increase in dissolved oxygen, simulating pump-over operation. With this aim, an impulse of dissolved oxygen was added to carbon-sufficient, nitrogen-limited anaerobic continuous cultures. Results showed that genes related to mitochondrial respiration, ergosterol biosynthesis, and oxidative stress, among other metabolic pathways, were induced after the oxygen impulse. On the other hand, mannoprotein coding genes were repressed. The changes in the expression of these genes are coordinated responses that share common elements at the level of transcriptional regulation. Beneficial and detrimental effects of these physiological processes on wine quality highlight the dual role of oxygen in 'making or breaking wines'. These findings will facilitate the development of oxygen addition strategies to optimize yeast performance in industrial fermentations. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of the Energy-Dependent Angular Response of the ARES Detector System and Application to Aerial Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, Tenzing H. Y.; Quiter, Brian J.; Maltz, Jonathan S.; Bandstra, Mark S.; Haefner, Andrew; Eikmeier, Nicole; Wagner, Eric; Luke, Tanushree; Malchow, Russell; McCall, Karen

2017-07-01

The Airborne Radiological Enhanced-sensor System (ARES) includes a prototype helicopter-borne CsI(Na) detector array that has been developed as part of the DHS Domestic Nuclear Detection Office Advanced Technology Demonstration. The detector system geometry comprises two pairs of 23-detector arrays designed to function as active masks, providing additional angular resolution of measured gamma rays in the roll dimension. Experimental measurements, using five radioisotopes (137Cs, 60Co, 241Am, 131I, and 99mTc), were performed to map the detector response in both roll and pitch dimensions. This paper describes the acquisition and analysis of these characterization measurements, calculation of the angular response of the ARES system, and how this response function is used to improve aerial detection and localization of radiological and nuclear threat sources.

MODELING STREAM-AQUIFIER INTERACTIONS WITH LINEAR RESPONSE FUNCTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The problem of stream-aquifer interactions is pertinent to conjunctive-use management of water resources and riparian zone hydrology. Closed form solutions are derived for stream-aquifer interactions in rates and volumes expressed as convolution integrals of impulse response and ...

Knee joint kinetics in response to multiple three-dimensional printed, customised foot orthoses for the treatment of medial compartment knee osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Allan, Richard; Woodburn, James; Telfer, Scott; Abbott, Mandy; Steultjens, Martijn Pm

2017-06-01

The knee adduction moment is consistently used as a surrogate measure of medial compartment loading. Foot orthoses are designed to reduce knee adduction moment via lateral wedging. The 'dose' of wedging required to optimally unload the affected compartment is unknown and variable between individuals. This study explores a personalised approach via three-dimensional printed foot orthotics to assess the biomechanical response when two design variables are altered: orthotic length and lateral wedging. Foot orthoses were created for 10 individuals with symptomatic medial knee osteoarthritis and 10 controls. Computer-aided design software was used to design four full and four three-quarter-length foot orthoses per participant each with lateral posting of 0° 'neutral', 5° rearfoot, 10° rearfoot and 5° forefoot/10° rearfoot. Three-dimensional printers were used to manufacture all foot orthoses. Three-dimensional gait analyses were performed and selected knee kinetics were analysed: first peak knee adduction moment, second peak knee adduction moment, first knee flexion moment and knee adduction moment impulse. Full-length foot orthoses provided greater reductions in first peak knee adduction moment (p = 0.038), second peak knee adduction moment (p = 0.018) and knee adduction moment impulse (p = 0.022) compared to three-quarter-length foot orthoses. Dose effect of lateral wedging was found for first peak knee adduction moment (p < 0.001), second peak knee adduction moment (p < 0.001) and knee adduction moment impulse (p < 0.001) indicating greater unloading for higher wedging angles. Significant interaction effects were found for foot orthosis length and participant group in second peak knee adduction moment (p = 0.028) and knee adduction moment impulse (p = 0.036). Significant interaction effects were found between orthotic length and wedging condition for second peak knee adduction moment (p = 0.002). No significant changes in first knee flexion moment were found. Individual heterogeneous responses to foot orthosis conditions were observed for first peak knee adduction moment, second peak knee adduction moment and knee adduction moment impulse. Biomechanical response is highly variable with personalised foot orthoses. Findings indicate that the tailoring of a personalised intervention could provide an additional benefit over standard interventions and that a three-dimensional printing approach to foot orthosis manufacturing is a viable alternative to the standard methods.

Digital Image Deblurring by Nonlinear Homomorphic Filtering

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-08-01

Noise Film Grain Noise Impulse Noise Nois» and the ReVlection Scanner Page iv vii viii 1 1 2 4 5 7 8 11 11 12 IB 20 25...1. "^ bCx.y), n(x,y) Diagram 1 a(x,y) le the impulse response, or point-spread function, of the system, and la assumed to be unknown. All noise ... deblurring problem. This inadequacy results from the fact that the high frequency noise floor in the pouer spectrum of a blurred imaga U about 60 dbt

Dopamine D1 and D3 Receptors Modulate Heroin-Induced Cognitive Impairment through Opponent Actions in Mice.

PubMed

Zhu, Yongsheng; Wang, Yunpeng; Lai, Jianghua; Wei, Shuguang; Zhang, Hongbo; Yan, Peng; Li, Yunxiao; Qiao, Xiaomeng; Yin, Fangyuan

2017-03-01

Chronic abuse of heroin leads to long-lasting and complicated cognitive impairment. Dopamine receptors are critically involved in the impulsive drug-driven behavior and the altered attention, processing speed, and mental flexibility that are associated with higher relapse rates. However, the effects of the different dopamine receptors and their possible involvement in heroin-induced cognitive impairment remain unclear. The 5-choice serial reaction time task was used to investigate the profiles of heroin-induced cognitive impairment in mice. The expression levels of dopamine D1- and D2-like receptors in the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and caudate-putamen were determined. The effects of dopamine receptors on heroin-induced impulsivity in the 5-choice serial reaction time task were examined by agonist/antagonist treatment on D1 or D3 receptor mutant mice. Systemic heroin administration influences several variables in the 5-choice serial reaction time task, most notably premature responses, a measure of motor impulsivity. These behavioral impairments are associated with increased D1 receptor and decreased D3 receptor mRNA and protein levels in 3 observed brain areas. The heroin-evoked increase in premature responses is mimicked by a D1 agonist and prevented by a D1 antagonist or genetic ablation of the D1 receptor gene. In contrast, a D3 agonist decreases both basal and heroin-evoked premature responses, while genetic ablation of the D3 receptor gene results in increased basal and heroin-evoked premature responses. Heroin-induced impulsive behavior in the 5-choice serial reaction time task is oppositely modulated by D1 and D3 receptor activation. The D1 receptors in the cortical-mesolimbic region play an indispensable role in modulating such behaviors. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

Fast response pyroelectric detector-preamplifier assembled device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, PiJi; Tai, Yunjian; Liu, Huiping

2008-03-01

The pyroelectric detector is wide used for its simple structure and high performance to price ratio. It has been used in thermal detecting, infrared spectrum and laser testing. When the pyroelectric detector was applied in practice, fast reponse speed is need. For improving the response speed of the pyroelectric detector some specific technology has been used in the preamplifier schematic. High sense and fast response character of the pyroelectric detector-preamplifier assembled device had been achieved. When the device is applied in acute concussion condition, it must survive from the acute concussion condition testing. For it reliability some specific technology was used in the device fabricating procedure. At last the performance parameter testing result and simulation application condition result given in this paper show the performance of the pyroelectric detector-preamplifier assembled device had achieved the advance goal.

Development of a multi-element microdosimetric detector based on a thick gas electron multiplier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anjomani, Z.; Hanu, A. R.; Prestwich, W. V.; Byun, S. H.

2017-03-01

A prototype multi-element gaseous microdosimetric detector was developed using the Thick Gas Electron Multiplier (THGEM) technique. The detector aims at measuring neutron and gamma-ray dose rates for weak neutron-gamma radiation fields. The multi-element design was employed to increase the neutron detection efficiency. The prototype THGEM multi-element detector consists of three layers of tissue equivalent plastic hexagons and each layer houses a hexagonal array of seven cylindrical gas cavity elements with equal heights and diameters of 17 mm. The final detector structure incorporates 21 gaseous volumes. Owing to the absence of wire electrodes, the THGEM multi-element detector offers flexible and convenient fabrication. The detector responses to neutron and gamma-ray were investigated using the McMaster Tandetron 7Li(p,n) neutron source. The dosimetric performance of the detector is presented in contrast to the response of a commercial tissue equivalent proportional counter. Compared to the standard TEPC response, the detector gave a consistent microdosimetric response with an average discrepancy of 8 % in measured neutron absorbed dose. An improvement of a factor of 3.0 in neutron detection efficiency has been accomplished with only a small degradation in energy resolution. However, its low energy cut off is about 6 keV/μm, which is not sufficient to measure the gamma-ray dose. This problem will be addressed by increasing the electron multiplication gain using double THGEM layers.

Spectral response model for a multibin photon-counting spectral computed tomography detector and its applications.

PubMed

Liu, Xuejin; Persson, Mats; Bornefalk, Hans; Karlsson, Staffan; Xu, Cheng; Danielsson, Mats; Huber, Ben

2015-07-01

Variations among detector channels in computed tomography can lead to ring artifacts in the reconstructed images and biased estimates in projection-based material decomposition. Typically, the ring artifacts are corrected by compensation methods based on flat fielding, where transmission measurements are required for a number of material-thickness combinations. Phantoms used in these methods can be rather complex and require an extensive number of transmission measurements. Moreover, material decomposition needs knowledge of the individual response of each detector channel to account for the detector inhomogeneities. For this purpose, we have developed a spectral response model that binwise predicts the response of a multibin photon-counting detector individually for each detector channel. The spectral response model is performed in two steps. The first step employs a forward model to predict the expected numbers of photon counts, taking into account parameters such as the incident x-ray spectrum, absorption efficiency, and energy response of the detector. The second step utilizes a limited number of transmission measurements with a set of flat slabs of two absorber materials to fine-tune the model predictions, resulting in a good correspondence with the physical measurements. To verify the response model, we apply the model in two cases. First, the model is used in combination with a compensation method which requires an extensive number of transmission measurements to determine the necessary parameters. Our spectral response model successfully replaces these measurements by simulations, saving a significant amount of measurement time. Second, the spectral response model is used as the basis of the maximum likelihood approach for projection-based material decomposition. The reconstructed basis images show a good separation between the calcium-like material and the contrast agents, iodine and gadolinium. The contrast agent concentrations are reconstructed with more than 94% accuracy.

Spectral response model for a multibin photon-counting spectral computed tomography detector and its applications

PubMed Central

Liu, Xuejin; Persson, Mats; Bornefalk, Hans; Karlsson, Staffan; Xu, Cheng; Danielsson, Mats; Huber, Ben

2015-01-01

Abstract. Variations among detector channels in computed tomography can lead to ring artifacts in the reconstructed images and biased estimates in projection-based material decomposition. Typically, the ring artifacts are corrected by compensation methods based on flat fielding, where transmission measurements are required for a number of material-thickness combinations. Phantoms used in these methods can be rather complex and require an extensive number of transmission measurements. Moreover, material decomposition needs knowledge of the individual response of each detector channel to account for the detector inhomogeneities. For this purpose, we have developed a spectral response model that binwise predicts the response of a multibin photon-counting detector individually for each detector channel. The spectral response model is performed in two steps. The first step employs a forward model to predict the expected numbers of photon counts, taking into account parameters such as the incident x-ray spectrum, absorption efficiency, and energy response of the detector. The second step utilizes a limited number of transmission measurements with a set of flat slabs of two absorber materials to fine-tune the model predictions, resulting in a good correspondence with the physical measurements. To verify the response model, we apply the model in two cases. First, the model is used in combination with a compensation method which requires an extensive number of transmission measurements to determine the necessary parameters. Our spectral response model successfully replaces these measurements by simulations, saving a significant amount of measurement time. Second, the spectral response model is used as the basis of the maximum likelihood approach for projection-based material decomposition. The reconstructed basis images show a good separation between the calcium-like material and the contrast agents, iodine and gadolinium. The contrast agent concentrations are reconstructed with more than 94% accuracy. PMID:26839904

Role of muscle pulleys in producing eye position-dependence in the angular vestibuloocular reflex: a model-based study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thurtell, M. J.; Kunin, M.; Raphan, T.; Wall, C. C. (Principal Investigator)

2000-01-01

It is well established that the head and eye velocity axes do not always align during compensatory vestibular slow phases. It has been shown that the eye velocity axis systematically tilts away from the head velocity axis in a manner that is dependent on eye-in-head position. The mechanisms responsible for producing these axis tilts are unclear. In this model-based study, we aimed to determine whether muscle pulleys could be involved in bringing about these phenomena. The model presented incorporates semicircular canals, central vestibular pathways, and an ocular motor plant with pulleys. The pulleys were modeled so that they brought about a rotation of the torque axes of the extraocular muscles that was a fraction of the angle of eye deviation from primary position. The degree to which the pulleys rotated the torque axes was altered by means of a pulley coefficient. Model input was head velocity and initial eye position data from passive and active yaw head impulses with fixation at 0 degrees, 20 degrees up and 20 degrees down, obtained from a previous experiment. The optimal pulley coefficient required to fit the data was determined by calculating the mean square error between data and model predictions of torsional eye velocity. For active head impulses, the optimal pulley coefficient varied considerably between subjects. The median optimal pulley coefficient was found to be 0.5, the pulley coefficient required for producing saccades that perfectly obey Listing's law when using a two-dimensional saccadic pulse signal. The model predicted the direction of the axis tilts observed in response to passive head impulses from 50 ms after onset. During passive head impulses, the median optimal pulley coefficient was found to be 0.21, when roll gain was fixed at 0.7. The model did not accurately predict the alignment of the eye and head velocity axes that was observed early in the response to passive head impulses. We found that this alignment could be well predicted if the roll gain of the angular vestibuloocular reflex was modified during the initial period of the response, while pulley coefficient was maintained at 0.5. Hence a roll gain modification allows stabilization of the retinal image without requiring a change in the pulley effect. Our results therefore indicate that the eye position-dependent velocity axis tilts could arise due to the effects of the pulleys and that a roll gain modification in the central vestibular structures may be responsible for countering the pulley effect.

Mechanical vibration of viscoelastic liquid droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharp, James; Harrold, Victoria

2014-03-01

The resonant vibrations of viscoelastic sessile droplets supported on different substrates were monitored using a simple laser light scattering technique. In these experiments, laser light was reflected from the surfaces of droplets of high Mw poly acrylamide-co-acrylic acid (PAA) dissolved in water. The scattered light was allowed to fall on the surface of a photodiode detector and a mechanical impulse was applied to the drops using a vibration motor mounted beneath the substrates. The mechanical impulse caused the droplets to vibrate and the scattered light moved across the surface of the photodiode. The resulting time dependent photodiode signal was then Fourier transformed to obtain the mechanical vibrational spectra of the droplets. The frequencies and widths of the resonant peaks were extracted for droplets containing different concentrations of PAA and with a range of sizes. This was repeated for PAA loaded water drops on surfaces which displayed different values of the three phase contact angle. The results were compared to a simple model of droplet vibration which considers the formation of standing wave states on the surface of a viscoelastic droplet. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Leverhulme trust under grant number RPG-2012-702.

On phaser-based processing of impulse radio UWB over fiber systems employing SOA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taki, H.; Azou, S.; Hamie, A.; Al Housseini, A.; Alaeddine, A.; Sharaiha, A.

2017-07-01

In this study, we adopt a phaser-based processing to enhance the performance of impulse radio over fiber system utilizing SOA. The amplifier has been placed at a distance in the optical link, so as to extend the coverage area of proposed transceiver. Operating in the linear or saturation region for SOA, adds ASE noise or strong nonlinearities acting on the propagated pulses, respectively. Both lead to a degradation in the power efficiency and bit error rate performance. By applying up and down analog chirping technique, we have reduced the ASE power and nonlinearity simultaneously. Based on the 5th Gaussian pulse and Abraha's combination of doublets, a significant improvement has been achieved at extremely low and high input powers entering the amplifier (<-15 dBm and 0 dBm), recording a very good bit error rate performance and power efficiency. Better signal quality was observed after photo-detector, due to the fact that waveforms with lower frequency components are less affected by SOA nonlinearity. Our scheme has proved to be effective for 1 Gbps OOK and 0.5 Gbps PPM transmissions, while reaching a distance of 160 km in the optical fiber.

Robustness analysis of elastoplastic structure subjected to double impulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanno, Yoshihiro; Takewaki, Izuru

2016-11-01

The double impulse has extensively been used to evaluate the critical response of an elastoplastic structure against a pulse-type input, including near-fault earthquake ground motions. In this paper, we propose a robustness assessment method for elastoplastic single-degree-of-freedom structures subjected to the double impulse input. Uncertainties in the initial velocity of the input, as well as the natural frequency and the strength of the structure, are considered. As fundamental properties of the structural robustness, we show monotonicity of the robustness measure with respect to the natural frequency. In contrast, we show that robustness is not necessarily improved even if the structural strength is increased. Moreover, the robustness preference between two structures with different values of structural strength can possibly reverse when the performance requirement is changed.

MTS-6 detectors calibration by using ²³⁹Pu-Be neutron source.

PubMed

Wrzesień, Małgorzata; Albiniak, Łukasz; Al-Hameed, Hiba

2017-10-17

Thermoluminescent detectors, type MTS-6, containing isotope ⁶Li (lithium) are sensitive in the range of thermal neutron energy; the ²³⁹Pu-Be (plutonium-and-beryllium) source emits neutrons in the energy range from 1 to 11 MeV. These seemingly contradictory elements may be combined by using the paraffin moderator, a determined density of thermal neutrons in the paraffin block and a conversion coefficient neutron flux to kerma, not forgetting the simultaneous registration of the photon radiation inseparable from the companion neutron radiation. The main aim of this work is to present the idea of calibration of thermoluminescent detectors that consist of a ⁶Li isotope, by using ²³⁹Pu-Be neutron radiation source. In this work, MTS-6 and MTS-7 thermoluminescent detectors and a plutonium-and-beryllium (²³⁹Pu-Be) neutron source were used. Paraffin wax fills the block, acting as a moderator. The calibration idea was based on the determination of dose equivalent rate based on the average kerma rate calculated taking into account the empirically determined function describing the density of thermal neutron flux in the paraffin block and a conversion coefficient neutron flux to kerma. The calculated value of the thermal neutron flux density was 1817.5 neutrons/cm²/s and the average value of kerma rate determined on this basis amounted to 244 μGy/h, and the dose equivalent rate 610 μSv/h. The calculated value allowed for the assessment of the length of time of exposure of the detectors directly in the paraffin block. The calibration coefficient for the used batch of detectors is (6.80±0.42)×10^-7 Sv/impulse. Med Pr 2017;68(6):705-710. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Impulsivity Moderates the Effects of Movie Alcohol Portrayals on Adolescents’ Willingness to Drink

PubMed Central

Gibbons, Frederick X.; Kingsbury, John H.; Wills, Thomas A.; Finneran, Stephanie D.; Cin, Sonya Dal; Gerrard, Meg

2016-01-01

This study examined impulsivity as a moderator of adolescents’ reactions to positive vs. negative portrayals of drinking in American movie clips. Impulsivity, along with willingness and intentions to drink in the future, were assessed in a pretest session. In the experimental sessions, adolescents viewed a series of clips that showed drinking associated with either positive outcomes (e.g., social facilitation) or negative outcomes (fights, arguments). A third group viewed clips with similar positive or negative outcomes, but no alcohol consumption. All participants then responded to an implicit measure of attentional bias regarding alcohol (a dot probe), followed by explicit alcohol measures (self-reports of willingness and intentions to drink). Hypotheses, based on dual-processing theories, were: a) high-impulsive adolescents would respond more favorably than low-impulsive adolescents to the positive clips, but not the negative clips; and b) this difference in reactions to the positive clips would be larger on the willingness than the intention measures. Results supported the hypotheses: Adolescents high in impulsivity reported the highest willingness to drink in the positive-clip condition, but were slightly less willing than others in the negative-clip condition. In addition, results on the dot probe task indicated that reaction times to alcohol words were negatively correlated with changes in alcohol willingness, but not intention; i.e., the faster their response to the alcohol words, the more their willingness increased. The results highlight the utility of a dual-processing perspective on media influence. PMID:27099959

Effects of Marijuana Use on Impulsivity and Hostility in Daily Life

PubMed Central

Ansell, Emily B.; Laws, Holly B.; Roche, Michael J.; Sinha, Rajita

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Marijuana use is increasingly prevalent among young adults. While research has found adverse effects associated with marijuana use within experimentally controlled laboratory settings, it is unclear how recreational marijuana use affects day-to-day experiences in users. The present study sought to examine the effects of marijuana use on within-person changes in impulsivity and interpersonal hostility in daily life using smartphone administered assessments. METHODS Forty-three participants with no substance dependence reported on their alcohol consumption, tobacco use, recreational marijuana use, impulsivity, and interpersonal hostility over the course of 14 days. Responses were analyzed using multilevel modeling. RESULTS Marijuana use was associated with increased impulsivity on the same day and the following day relative to days when marijuana was not used, independent of alcohol use. Marijuana was also associated with increased hostile behaviors and perceptions of hostility in others on the same day when compared to days when marijuana was not used. These effects were independent of frequency of marijuana use or alcohol use. There were no significant effects of alcohol consumption on impulsivity or interpersonal hostility. CONCLUSIONS Marijuana use is associated with changes in impulse control and hostility in daily life. This may be one route by which deleterious effects of marijuana are observed for mental health and psychosocial functioning. Given the increasing prevalence of recreational marijuana use and the potential legalization in some states, further research on the potential consequences of marijuana use in young adults’ day-to-day life is warranted. PMID:25595054

Impaired Decision Making and Loss of Inhibitory-Control in a Rat Model of Huntington Disease

PubMed Central

El Massioui, Nicole; Lamirault, Charlotte; Yagüe, Sara; Adjeroud, Najia; Garces, Daniel; Maillard, Alexis; Tallot, Lucille; Yu-Taeger, Libo; Riess, Olaf; Allain, Philippe; Nguyen, Huu Phuc; von Hörsten, Stephan; Doyère, Valérie

2016-01-01

Cognitive deficits associated with Huntington disease (HD) are generally dominated by executive function disorders often associated with disinhibition and impulsivity/compulsivity. Few studies have directly examined symptoms and consequences of behavioral disinhibition in HD and its relation with decision-making. To assess the different forms of impulsivity in a transgenic model of HD (tgHD rats), two tasks assessing cognitive/choice impulsivity were used: risky decision-making with a rat gambling task (RGT) and intertemporal choices with a delay discounting task (DD). To assess waiting or action impulsivity the differential reinforcement of low rate of responding task (DRL) was used. In parallel, the volume as well as cellular activity of the amygdala was analyzed. In contrast to WT rats, 15 months old tgHD rats exhibited a poor efficiency in the RGT task with difficulties to choose advantageous options, a steep DD curve as delays increased in the DD task and a high rate of premature and bursts responses in the DRL task. tgHD rats also demonstrated a concomitant and correlated presence of both action and cognitive/choice impulsivity in contrast to wild type (WT) animals. Moreover, a reduced volume associated with an increased basal cellular activity of the central nucleus of amygdala indicated a dysfunctional amygdala in tgHD rats, which could underlie inhibitory dyscontrol. In conclusion, tgHD rats are a good model for impulsivity disorder that could be used more widely to identify potential pharmacotherapies to treat these invasive symptoms in HD. PMID:27833538

Relationships between Reward Sensitivity, Risk-Taking and Family History of Alcoholism during an Interactive Competitive fMRI Task

PubMed Central

Yarosh, Haley L.; Hyatt, Christopher J.; Meda, Shashwath A.; Jiantonio-Kelly, Rachel; Potenza, Marc N.; Assaf, Michal; D.Pearlson, Godfrey

2014-01-01

Background Individuals with a positive family history for alcoholism (FHP) have shown differences from family-history-negative (FHN) individuals in the neural correlates of reward processing. FHP, compared to FHN individuals, demonstrate relatively diminished ventral striatal activation during anticipation of monetary rewards, and the degree of ventral striatal activation shows an inverse correlation with specific impulsivity measures in alcohol-dependent individuals. Rewards in socially interactive contexts relate importantly to addictive propensities, yet have not been examined with respect to how their neural underpinnings relate to impulsivity-related measures. Here we describe impulsivity measures in FHN and FHP individuals as they relate to a socially interactive functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task. Methods Forty FHP and 29 FHN subjects without histories of Axis-I disorders completed a socially interactive Domino task during functional magnetic resonance imaging and completed self-report and behavioral impulsivity-related assessments. Results FHP compared to FHN individuals showed higher scores (p = .004) on one impulsivity-related factor relating to both compulsivity (Padua Inventory) and reward/punishment sensitivity (Sensitivity to Punishment/Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire). Multiple regression analysis within a reward-related network revealed a correlation between risk-taking (involving another impulsivity-related factor, the Balloon Analog Risk Task (BART)) and right ventral striatum activation under reward >punishment contrast (p<0.05 FWE corrected) in the social task. Conclusions Behavioral risk-taking scores may be more closely associated with neural correlates of reward responsiveness in socially interactive contexts than are FH status or impulsivity-related self-report measures. These findings suggest that risk-taking assessments be examined further in socially interactive settings relevant to addictive behaviors. PMID:24505424

Impulsiveness, overactivity, and poorer sustained attention improve by chronic treatment with low doses of l-amphetamine in an animal model of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background ADHD is currently defined as a cognitive/behavioral developmental disorder where all clinical criteria are behavioral. Overactivity, impulsiveness, and inattentiveness are presently regarded as the main clinical symptoms. There is no biological marker, but there is considerable evidence to suggest that ADHD behavior is associated with poor dopaminergic and noradrenergic modulation of neuronal circuits that involve the frontal lobes. The best validated animal model of ADHD, the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR), shows pronounced overactivity, impulsiveness, and deficient sustained attention. The primary objective of the present research was to investigate behavioral effects of a range of doses of chronic l-amphetamine on ADHD-like symptoms in the SHR. Methods The present study tested the behavioral effects of 0.75 and 2.2 mg l-amphetamine base/kg i.p. in male SHRs and their controls, the Wistar Kyoto rat (WKY). ADHD-like behavior was tested with a visual discrimination task measuring overactivity, impulsiveness and inattentiveness. Results The striking impulsiveness, overactivity, and poorer sustained attention seen during baseline conditions in the SHR were improved by chronic treatment with l-amphetamine. The dose-response curves were, however, different for the different behaviors. Most significantly, the 0.75 mg/kg dose of l-amphetamine improved sustained attention without reducing overactivity and impulsiveness. The 2.2 mg/kg dose improved sustained attention as well as reduced SHR overactivity and impulsiveness. Discussion The effects of l-amphetamine to reduce the behavioral symptoms of ADHD in the SHR were maintained over the 14 days of daily dosing with no evidence of tolerance developing. PMID:21450079