Sample records for focused considerable attention

  1. Letter to the editor concerning the article "Performance of gymnastics skill benefits from an external focus of attention" by Abdollahipour, Wulf, Psotta & Nieto (2015).

    PubMed

    Collins, Dave; Carson, Howie J; Toner, John

    2016-01-01

    Abdollahipour, Wulf, Psotta, and Nieto (2015) recently published data in the Journal of Sports Sciences to show that an external focus of attention promotes superior performance effects (gymnastics jump height and judged movement form score) when compared to internal or control foci during skill execution without an implement involved. While we do not contest the veracity of findings reported, nor others that have been used to support beneficial effects of an external focus of attention, in this Letter to the Editor we comment on considerable methodological limitations associated with this and previous studies that, we suggest, have resulted in serious theoretical oversights regarding the control of movement and, most crucially from our practitioner perspective, suboptimal recommendations for applied coaching practice. Specifically, we discuss the lack of consideration towards translational research in this area, the problematic nature of attentional focus cues employed, interpretation of findings in relation to other applied recommendations and coherence with mechanistic underpinning and, finally, the representative nature of task involved. In summary, while (laboratory) research evidence may appear to be conclusive, we suggest that the focus of attention effects are in need of more ecologically valid and rigorous testing as well as consideration of current coaching practices if it is to optimally serve the applied sporting domain that it purportedly aims to.

  2. Differences in children's thinking and learning during attentional focus instruction.

    PubMed

    Perreault, Melanie E; French, Karen E

    2016-02-01

    Considerable evidence supports the motor learning advantage associated with an external focus of attention; however, very few studies have investigated attentional focus effects with children despite individual functional constraints that have the potential to impact use of instructional content. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of attentional focus instruction on motor learning in children. Participants (n=42) aged 9-11years were randomly assigned to one of three gender-stratified groups: (1) control, (2) internal focus, or (3) external focus. Following initial instructions and task demonstration, participants performed 100 modified free throws over two days while receiving additional cues respective to their attentional focus condition and returned approximately 48h later to perform 20 additional free throws. Results revealed no significant learning differences between groups. However, responses to retrospective verbal reports suggest that the use of external focus content during practice may have contributed to some participants' superior performance in retention. Future research should continue to examine attentional focus effects across a variety of ages and incorporate retrospective verbal reports in order to examine children's thoughts during attentional focus instruction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. More attentional focusing through binaural beats: evidence from the global-local task.

    PubMed

    Colzato, Lorenza S; Barone, Hayley; Sellaro, Roberta; Hommel, Bernhard

    2017-01-01

    A recent study showed that binaural beats have an impact on the efficiency of allocating attention over time. We were interested to see whether this impact affects attentional focusing or, even further, the top-down control over irrelevant information. Healthy adults listened to gamma-frequency (40 Hz) binaural beats, which are assumed to increase attentional concentration, or a constant tone of 340 Hz (control condition) for 3 min before and during a global-local task. While the size of the congruency effect (indicating the failure to suppress task-irrelevant information) was unaffected by the binaural beats, the global-precedence effect (reflecting attentional focusing) was considerably smaller after gamma-frequency binaural beats than after the control condition. Our findings suggest that high-frequency binaural beats bias the individual attentional processing style towards a reduced spotlight of attention.

  4. Indications and Warning Analysis Management System IWAMS. A Design Study

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-03-01

    First, we must understand the process of warning analysis; we must develop an -;adequate functional model. In the present research we have divided ...and changeable). (In subsequent discussions, considerable attention will be focused on these issues.) -77-7-12Z ’m,77+-U 21 WARNING ANALYSIS MODEL...have charted limitations in man’s memory, attention span, reasoning capability and other cognitive functions. These limitations considerably affect man’s

  5. Validity in Qualitative Research: Application of Safeguards

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daytner, Katrina M.

    2006-01-01

    The construct of validity has received considerable attention in qualitative methods literature (Denzin, 1989; Erickson, 1986; Geertz, 1973; Goetz & LeCompte, 1984; Howe & Eisenhart, 1990; Maxwell, 1992; Smith & Glass, 1987). Much of the attention has been focused upon the issue of whether qualitative results and interpretations accurately reflect…

  6. A single bout of meditation biases cognitive control but not attentional focusing: Evidence from the global-local task.

    PubMed

    Colzato, Lorenza S; van der Wel, Pauline; Sellaro, Roberta; Hommel, Bernhard

    2016-01-01

    Recent studies show that a single bout of meditation can impact information processing. We were interested to see whether this impact extends to attentional focusing and the top-down control over irrelevant information. Healthy adults underwent brief single bouts of either focused attention meditation (FAM), which is assumed to increase top-down control, or open monitoring meditation (OMM), which is assumed to weaken top-down control, before performing a global-local task. While the size of the global-precedence effect (reflecting attentional focusing) was unaffected by type of meditation, the congruency effect (indicating the failure to suppress task-irrelevant information) was considerably larger after OMM than after FAM. Our findings suggest that engaging in particular kinds of meditation creates particular cognitive-control states that bias the individual processing style toward either goal-persistence or cognitive flexibility. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Applying Human Computation Methods to Information Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Christopher Glenn

    2013-01-01

    Human Computation methods such as crowdsourcing and games with a purpose (GWAP) have each recently drawn considerable attention for their ability to synergize the strengths of people and technology to accomplish tasks that are challenging for either to do well alone. Despite this increased attention, much of this transformation has been focused on…

  8. A Review of Mindfulness Research Related to Alleviating Math and Science Anxiety

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahmed, Khalique; Trager, Bradley; Rodwell, Megan; Foinding, Linda; Lopez, Cori

    2017-01-01

    Defined as nonjudgmentally paying attention to the present moment (Kabat-Zinn, 1994), modern-day mindfulness has gained considerable attention in various science fields. However, despite this growth, many uses of mindfulness remain unexplored. In this paper, we focus on the application of mindfulness programs in educational settings, specifically…

  9. Multimodal Evaluation in Academic Discussion Sessions: How Do Presenters Act and React?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Querol-Julian, Mercedes; Fortanet-Gomez, Inmaculada

    2012-01-01

    Evaluation in academic discourse has received considerable attention from researchers. Much of the work on evaluation has focused, however, on written genres, and less attention has been paid to how evaluation unfolds in spoken academic genres. In our present research, we are interested in disclosing how the interpersonal meaning of evaluation is…

  10. A spatial approach of magnitude-squared coherence applied to selective attention detection.

    PubMed

    Bonato Felix, Leonardo; de Souza Ranaudo, Fernando; D'affonseca Netto, Aluizio; Ferreira Leite Miranda de Sá, Antonio Mauricio

    2014-05-30

    Auditory selective attention is the human ability of actively focusing in a certain sound stimulus while avoiding all other ones. This ability can be used, for example, in behavioral studies and brain-machine interface. In this work we developed an objective method - called Spatial Coherence - to detect the side where a subject is focusing attention to. This method takes into consideration the Magnitude Squared Coherence and the topographic distribution of responses among electroencephalogram electrodes. The individuals were stimulated with amplitude-modulated tones binaurally and were oriented to focus attention to only one of the stimuli. The results indicate a contralateral modulation of ASSR in the attention condition and are in agreement with prior studies. Furthermore, the best combination of electrodes led to a hit rate of 82% for 5.03 commands per minute. Using a similar paradigm, in a recent work, a maximum hit rate of 84.33% was achieved, but with a greater a classification time (20s, i.e. 3 commands per minute). It seems that Spatial Coherence is a useful technique for detecting focus of auditory selective attention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Frequent external-focus feedback enhances motor learning.

    PubMed

    Wulf, Gabriele; Chiviacowsky, Suzete; Schiller, Eduardo; Avila, Luciana Toaldo Gentilini

    2010-01-01

    The present study examined the hypothesis that feedback inducing an external focus of attention enhances motor learning if it is provided frequently (i.e., 100%) rather than less frequently. Children (10- to 12-year-olds) practiced a soccer throw-in task and were provided feedback about movement form. The feedback statements, provided either after every (100%) or every third (33%) practice trial, were similar in content but induced either an internal focus (body-movement related) or external focus (movement-effect related). The results demonstrated that learning of the movement form was enhanced by external-focus feedback after every trial (100%) relative to external-focus feedback after every third trial (33%) or internal-focus feedback (100%, 33%), as demonstrated by immediate and delayed transfer tests without feedback. There was no difference between the two internal-focus feedback groups. These findings indicate that the attentional focus induced by feedback is an important factor in determining the effectiveness of different feedback frequencies. We argue that the informational properties of feedback cannot sufficiently account for these and related findings, and suggest that the attentional role of feedback be given greater consideration in future studies.

  12. Supporting Congregational Inclusion for Children and Youth with Disabilities and Their Families

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Erik W.; Boehm, Thomas L.; Annandale, Naomi H.; Taylor, Courtney E.

    2016-01-01

    Although considerable attention has focused on the inclusion of young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in school, work, and residential settings, less is known about their involvement in religious activities. This article focuses on supporting the presence and participation of people with disabilities and their families in…

  13. Safety Guidelines for Field Data Collection

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-02-01

    Safety concerns are always present when personnel are working near or adjacent to a highway. Safety considerations must include the workers as well as the motoring public. Construction safety has received extensive attention, but this research focuse...

  14. Individual differences in selective attention predict speech identification at a cocktail party.

    PubMed

    Oberfeld, Daniel; Klöckner-Nowotny, Felicitas

    2016-08-31

    Listeners with normal hearing show considerable individual differences in speech understanding when competing speakers are present, as in a crowded restaurant. Here, we show that one source of this variance are individual differences in the ability to focus selective attention on a target stimulus in the presence of distractors. In 50 young normal-hearing listeners, the performance in tasks measuring auditory and visual selective attention was associated with sentence identification in the presence of spatially separated competing speakers. Together, the measures of selective attention explained a similar proportion of variance as the binaural sensitivity for the acoustic temporal fine structure. Working memory span, age, and audiometric thresholds showed no significant association with speech understanding. These results suggest that a reduced ability to focus attention on a target is one reason why some listeners with normal hearing sensitivity have difficulty communicating in situations with background noise.

  15. Pathology of trauma attributed to restraint systems in crash impacts.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1969-02-01

    Considerable attention has been focused on the sophisticated restraint and ejection protection of rigidly selected occupants of military aircraft and manned space vehicles. However, the vast majority of occupants of military and both civil transport ...

  16. Asian student migration to Australia.

    PubMed

    Shu, J; Hawthorne, L

    1996-01-01

    "This paper presents an overview of Asian student migration to Australia, together with an analysis of political and educational aspects of the overseas student programme. It focuses on some significant consequences of this flow for Australia. The characteristics of key student groups are contrasted to provide some perspective of the diversity of historical and cultural backgrounds, with the source countries of Malaysia, Indonesia and PRC [China] selected as case studies. Since the issue of PRC students in Australia has attracted considerable public attention and policy consideration, particular focus is placed on their experience." (SUMMARY IN FRE AND SPA) excerpt

  17. Perceptions of Non-Native EFL Teachers' on L1 Use in L2 Classrooms: Implications for Language Program Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Debreli, Emre

    2016-01-01

    The study of L1 (first language) use in L2 (second language) classrooms has long received attention in the literature. Despite the considerable amount of research that has been conducted on the phenomenon, the focus has often been on the advantages and disadvantages. Considerably, less research has been conducted regarding the non-native L2…

  18. Individual differences in selective attention predict speech identification at a cocktail party

    PubMed Central

    Oberfeld, Daniel; Klöckner-Nowotny, Felicitas

    2016-01-01

    Listeners with normal hearing show considerable individual differences in speech understanding when competing speakers are present, as in a crowded restaurant. Here, we show that one source of this variance are individual differences in the ability to focus selective attention on a target stimulus in the presence of distractors. In 50 young normal-hearing listeners, the performance in tasks measuring auditory and visual selective attention was associated with sentence identification in the presence of spatially separated competing speakers. Together, the measures of selective attention explained a similar proportion of variance as the binaural sensitivity for the acoustic temporal fine structure. Working memory span, age, and audiometric thresholds showed no significant association with speech understanding. These results suggest that a reduced ability to focus attention on a target is one reason why some listeners with normal hearing sensitivity have difficulty communicating in situations with background noise. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.16747.001 PMID:27580272

  19. Everyday attention.

    PubMed

    Risko, Evan F; Kingstone, Alan

    2017-06-01

    Understanding the basic mechanisms underlying attentional function using naturalistic stimuli, tasks, and/or settings is the focus of everyday attention research. Interest in everyday approaches to attention research has increased recently-arguably riding a more general wave of support for such considerations in experimental psychology. This special issue of the Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology attempts to capture the emerging enthusiasm for studying everyday attention by bringing together work from a wide array of attentional domains (e.g., visual attention, dual tasking, search, mind wandering, social attention) that are representative of this general approach. The 14 contributions to the special issue highlight the breadth of topics addressed in this research, the methodological creativity required to carry it out, and the promise of everyday attention for understanding the basic mechanisms underlying attentional function. This introduction will summarise the everyday attention approach as represented in the contributions to the special issue. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  20. Environmental considerations influencing dietary choices: exploring consumer attitudes

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Introduction: With increasing focus on anthropogenic causes of climate change, more attention is on the contribution of food systems. Public discourse on sustainability leads consumers to consider how they may reduce environmental damage with personal dietary decisions. US-based studies evaluating p...

  1. Universal Design: Process, Principles, and Applications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burgstahler, Sheryl

    2009-01-01

    Designing any product or environment involves the consideration of many factors, including aesthetics, engineering options, environmental issues, safety concerns, industry standards, and cost. Typically, designers focus their attention on the average user. In contrast, universal design (UD), according to the Center for Universal Design," is…

  2. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ENTERIC VIRUSES AND WATERBORNE ILLNESS

    EPA Science Inventory

    With growing concern over drinking water safety, considerable attention has been directed towards microbial pathogens in source waters, and the adequacy of current methods used to detect, monitor and treat for these pathogens. The focus has been on bacterial and protozoan pathog...

  3. ESTROGENIC ACTIVITY OF OCTYLPHENOL, NONYLPHENOL, BISPHENOL A AND METHOXYCHLOR IN RATS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Considerable attention has recently been focused on environmental chemicals that disrupt the reproductive system by altering steroid receptor function. Although numerous in vitro and in vivo methods have been shown to be useful approaches for identifying chemicals that can disrup...

  4. Mathematics for Life: Sustainable Mathematics Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Renert, Moshe

    2011-01-01

    Ecological sustainability has not been a major focus of mathematics education research, even though it has attracted considerable attention in other areas of educational research in the past decade. The connections between mathematics education and ecological sustainability are not readily apparent. This paper explores how mathematics educators…

  5. School-Based Extracurricular Astronomy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stanger, Jeffrey J.

    2010-01-01

    The International Year of Astronomy in 2009 focused considerable public attention on Astronomy and generated valuable resources for educators. These activities are an effective vehicle for promoting Science to students and to the wider school community. The most engaging practical astronomy activities are best delivered with sustained support from…

  6. Reconsidering Formative Measurement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howell, Roy D.; Breivik, Einar; Wilcox, James B.

    2007-01-01

    The relationship between observable responses and the latent constructs they are purported to measure has received considerable attention recently, with particular focus on what has become known as formative measurement. This alternative to reflective measurement in the area of theory-testing research is examined in the context of the potential…

  7. International Large-Scale Assessments: What Uses, What Consequences?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johansson, Stefan

    2016-01-01

    Background: International large-scale assessments (ILSAs) are a much-debated phenomenon in education. Increasingly, their outcomes attract considerable media attention and influence educational policies in many jurisdictions worldwide. The relevance, uses and consequences of these assessments are often the focus of research scrutiny. Whilst some…

  8. A Focus on Implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in High Schools: Associations with Bullying and Other Indicators of School Disorder

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bradshaw, Catherine P.; Pas, Elise T.; Debnam, Katrina J.; Johnson, Sarah Lindstrom

    2015-01-01

    There is growing interest in the use of a multi-tiered system of supports framework to address issues related to school climate and bullying. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is one such model that has received considerable attention; however, nearly all of the extant literature has focused on elementary and middle schools,…

  9. Universal Design in Postsecondary Education: Process, Principles, and Applications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Burgstahler, Sheryl

    2009-01-01

    Designing any product or environment involves the consideration of many factors, including aesthetics, engineering options, environmental issues, safety concerns, industry standards, and cost. Typically, designers focus their attention on the average user. In contrast, universal design (UD), according to the Center for Universal Design, "is…

  10. Prevention and Treatment of Smoking in School Age Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spitzzeri, Alfred; Jason, Leonard A.

    1979-01-01

    Considerable erosion of gains have often been found during follow-up periods for behavioral treatment programs directed towards adult smokers. Focusing more attention on preventing smoking among youngsters currently not smoking or reducing smoking among those just beginning the habit might produce more favorable results. (Author)

  11. Predicting Digital Informal Learning: An Empirical Study among Chinese University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    He, Tao; Zhu, Chang; Questier, Frederik

    2018-01-01

    Although the adoption of digital technology has gained considerable attention in higher education, currently research mainly focuses on implementation in formal learning contexts. Investigating what factors influence students' digital informal learning is still unclear and limited. To understand better university students' digital informal…

  12. Genes, Environment, and Race: Quantitative Genetic Approaches

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitfield, Keith E.; McClearn, Gerald

    2005-01-01

    Understanding the origins of racial health disparities is currently a central focus of health-oriented funding agencies and the health policy community. In particular, the role of genetics in the origin of racial health disparities is receiving growing attention and has been susceptible to considerable misinterpretation. In this article, the…

  13. Measuring the Impact of Agile Coaching on Students' Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rodríguez, Guillermo; Soria, Álvaro; Campo, Marcelo

    2016-01-01

    Nowadays, considerable attention is paid to agile methods as a means to improve management of software development processes. The widespread use of such methods in professional contexts has encouraged their integration into software engineering training and undergraduate courses. Although several research efforts have focused on teaching Scrum…

  14. A subcontinental view of forest plant invasions

    Treesearch

    Christopher M. Oswalt; Songlin Fei; Qinfeng Guo; Basil V. Iannone III; Sonja N. Oswalt; Bryan C. Pijanowski; Kevin M. Potter

    2015-01-01

    Over the last few decades, considerable attention has focused on small-scale studies of invasive plants and invaded systems. Unfortunately, small scale studies rarely provide comprehensive insight into the complexities of biological invasions at macroscales. Systematic and repeated monitoring of biological invasions at broad scales are rare. In this report, we...

  15. Positive Aspects of International Student Transitions: A Qualitative Inquiry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moores, Lisa; Popadiuk, Natalee

    2011-01-01

    Despite the considerable growth of the international student population, positive aspects of their experience have received little attention. The current study combines a Critical Incident Technique methodology and a positive psychology lens to explore the cross-cultural transition of seven international students, focusing on facilitative factors,…

  16. Big Ideas in Primary Mathematics: Issues and Directions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Askew, Mike

    2013-01-01

    This article is located within the literature arguing for attention to Big Ideas in teaching and learning mathematics for understanding. The focus is on surveying the literature of Big Ideas and clarifying what might constitute Big Ideas in the primary Mathematics Curriculum based on both theoretical and pragmatic considerations. This is…

  17. Disseminating Evidence-Based Practice For Children & Adolescents: A Systems Approach to Enhancing Care

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American Psychological Association (APA), 2008

    2008-01-01

    This report focuses on psychological practice with children and adolescents, concurring with a previous task force report that integrating science and practice must be a priority. In addition, the report advocates that developmental considerations and cultural/contextual factors warrant specific, distinctive attention by researchers and…

  18. Ethical Decision-Making in Academic Administration: A Qualitative Study of College Deans' Ethical Frameworks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Catacutan, Maria Rosario G.; de Guzman, Allan B.

    2015-01-01

    Ethical decision-making in school administration has received considerable attention in educational leadership literature. However, most research has focused on principals working in secondary school settings while studies that explore ethical reasoning processes of academic deans have been significantly few. This qualitative study aims to…

  19. Foundations in Gerontological Education: Issues and Dilemmas for Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herriott, Martha; Prothero, Joyce

    Although considerable research has examined various issues regarding gerontological curriculum, little attention has been focused on the experience of students of gerontology and aging. The "Foundations in Gerontological Education" study was extended to students by comparing views of students (N=132) on essential components of core curriculum with…

  20. Didactic Considerations on Magnetic Circuits Excited by Permanent Magnets

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barmada, S.; Rizzo, R.; Sani, L.

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, the authors focus their attention on the way magnetic circuits and permanent magnets are usually treated in most textbooks and electrical engineering courses. This paper demonstrates how this important topic is too often presented simplistically. This simplistic treatment does not allow the students to develop a complete…

  1. Athletics Director Leadership: How Forces Affect Leadership and Organizational Change Agendas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christian, Marc E.

    2017-01-01

    Intercollegiate athletics have received considerable attention by scholars in higher education. Despite this wide treatment by scholars, there is little examination of the athletics director. Most of the published research on athletics directors disproportionately focuses on the responsibilities of the athletics director, the pressures of the…

  2. Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education in US Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeCapua, Andrea; Marshall, Helaine W.

    2010-01-01

    Considerable attention has focused on the challenges of English language learners without age-appropriate formal education and first language literacy. They are viewed here as students with high-context learning experiences and expectations (Hall in Beyond culture, Anchor, New York, 1976), and a collectivistic orientation, with a pragmatic, rather…

  3. High School Students' Attributions of Success in English Language Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bouchaib, Benzehaf; Ahmadou, Bouylmani; Abdelkader, Sabil

    2018-01-01

    Research into students' attributional causes for success in language acquisition is currently receiving considerable attention. Situated within Weiner's attribution theory (1992), the present study aims to research factors contributing to success in foreign language learning with specific focus on the role of perceived causal attributions. The…

  4. Establishing a research agenda for scientific and technical information (STI) - Focus on the user

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pinelli, Thomas E.

    1992-01-01

    This report addresses the relationship between library science and information science theory and practice, between the development of conceptual understanding, and the practical competence of information professionals. Consideration is given to the concept of research, linking theory with practice, and the reality of theory based practice. Attention is given to the need for research and research priorities, focus on the user and information-seeking behavior, and a user-oriented research agenda for STI.

  5. Establishing a research agenda for Scientific and Technical Information (STI): Focus on the user

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pinelli, Thomas E.

    1992-01-01

    This report addresses the relationship between library science and information science theory and practice, between the development of conceptual understanding, and the practical competence of information professionals. Consideration is given to the concept of research, linking theory with practice, and the reality of theory based practice. Attention is given to the need for research and research priorities, focus on the user and information-seeking behavior, and a user-oriented research agenda for STI.

  6. Relationships between High School Chemistry Students' Perceptions of a Constructivist Learning Environment and Their STEM Career Expectations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wild, Andrew

    2015-01-01

    Considerable attention has been devoted to factors affecting the persistence of women and historically underrepresented ethnic groups in their science education trajectories. The literature has focused more on structural factors that affect longitudinal outcomes rather than classroom experiences. This exploratory survey study described…

  7. A Narrative Analysis of the Process of Self-Authorship for Student Affairs Graduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schoper, Sarah E.

    2011-01-01

    Research on preparation programs for student affairs professionals has focused primarily on identifying competencies. Limited attention has been paid to the process of how meaning is made of preparation program experiences. Of the scholarship conducted, minimal consideration has been paid to the relationship between development and the…

  8. The College President Is Not Eugene C. Pulliam: Student Publications in a New Light.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trager, Robert

    In recent years, considerable attention has been focused on freedom of the press, censorship, and students' rights because of litigation involving the issue of ownership where high school and college newspapers are concerned. Those favoring protection of student publications under the First Amendment argue that the model of hierarchical…

  9. Economics and societal considerations of drought

    Treesearch

    Jeff Prestemon; Linda Kruger; Karen L. Abt; Michael Bowker; Consuelo Brandeis; Dave Calkin; Geoffrey H. Donovan; Charlotte Ham; Thomas P. Holmes; Jeffrey Kline; Travis Warziniack

    2016-01-01

    The economic and social effects of drought are diverse and related to physical characteristics of drought, including spatial extent, severity, duration, and frequency that combine to determine drought’s overall effects on society. Most of the attention given to economic and social impacts of drought focuses on adverse consequences, but technology, public...

  10. Graham Greene: The Films of His Fiction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phillips, Gene D.

    This book makes a comparative study of the prose fiction of Graham Greene and the films made from that fiction. Special attention is focused upon the "cinematic" style of Greene's prose, the effect of Greene's screenwriting on his novels, and the characteristics of Greene's filmscripts. The book is divided into considerations of Greene…

  11. Sexuality Education for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Critical Issues and Decision Making Guidelines

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Travers, Jason; Tincani, Matt

    2010-01-01

    Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) present unique needs regarding sexuality education. While the topic of sexuality has received increased attention in the fields of intellectual and developmental disabilities generally, less consideration has focused on the unique needs of individuals with ASD specifically. This paper presents one…

  12. Application of the Environmental Sensation Learning Vehicle Simulation Platform in Virtual Reality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsu, Kuei-Shu; Jiang, Jinn-Feng; Wei, Hung-Yuan; Lee, Tsung-Han

    2016-01-01

    The use of simulation technologies in learning has received considerable attention in recent years, but few studies to date have focused on vehicle driving simulation systems. In this study, a vehicle driving simulation system was developed to support novice drivers in practicing their skills. Specifically, the vehicle driving simulation system…

  13. Written Corrective Feedback: Practitioners' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Evans, Norman W.; Hartshorn, K. James; Tuioti, Emily Allen

    2010-01-01

    Considerable attention has been given to written corrective feedback (WCF) in second language writing (L2) over the past several decades. One of the central questions has focused on the appropriateness of its use in L2 writing. In these academic discussions, scholars frequently describe how WCF is utilized in the classroom. However, many of these…

  14. Congregational Participation of a National Sample of Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carter, Erik W.; Kleinert, Harold L.; LoBianco, Tony F.; Sheppard-­Jones, Kathleen; Butler, Laura N.; Tyree, Milton S.

    2015-01-01

    Supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to thrive requires careful consideration of multiple avenues of community involvement. Yet little attention has focused on the place of faith community participation in the lives of adults with IDD. We examined attendance at religious services using National Core Indicator…

  15. What Works in School-Based Alcohol Education: A Systematic Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Nicole K.; Cameron, Jacqui; Battams, Samantha; Roche, Ann

    2016-01-01

    Background: Considerable attention has been focused on the impact of young people's alcohol use. To address this, schools often implement alcohol and drug education and there are many potential programmes to choose from. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify evidence-based alcohol education programmes for schools. Methods: A systematic…

  16. Instant World; A Report on Telecommunications in Canada.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Information Canada, Ottawa (Ontario).

    Telecommission, the study of the present state and future prospects of telecommunications in Canada, began in 1969. This general report focuses attention on the main issues and problems disclosed by the 40 individual Telecommission studies and presents options for consideration. Part one of the report sets out the complex background of problems…

  17. Types and Timing of Oral Corrective Feedback in EFL Classrooms: Voices from Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ölmezer-Öztürk, Elçin; Öztürk, Gökhan

    2016-01-01

    Oral corrective feedback in language classrooms has received considerable attention for the last few decades. However, most of the studies focus on teachers' practices, and how learners perceive these practices still needs investigation. Based on this, the current study examined the perceptions and preferences of EFL learners regarding the types…

  18. Examining the Relationships among Classroom Climate, Self-Efficacy, and Achievement in Undergraduate Mathematics: A Multi-Level Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peters, Michelle L.

    2013-01-01

    For nearly 50 years, leaders in American industry, military, education, and politics have focused considerable attention on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. Given the increased societal demand for STEM careers, the relationships among classroom climate, self-efficacy, and achievement in undergraduate mathematics…

  19. The Campus Climate Revisited: Chilly for Women Faculty, Administrators, and Graduate Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sandler, Bernice R.; Hall, Roberta M.

    The professional climate often experienced by women faculty and administrators is reported, along with some consideration to the experiences of graduate and professional students. Attention is focused on subtle ways in which women are treated differently and common behaviors that create a chilly professional climate. The information was obtained…

  20. The Effectiveness of Knowledge Networks: An Investigation of Manufacturing SMEs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hughes, Tim; O'Regan, Nicholas; Sims, Martin A.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: Although considerable attention in the extant literature has been devoted to knowledge acquisition and transfer within firms, there is a dearth of research on the effectiveness of outside sources of knowledge for technology-based small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Furthermore, the majority of empirical studies in this area focus on…

  1. A Comparison of Syrian Migrant Students in Turkey and Germany: Entrepreneurial Tendencies and Career Expectations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baltaci, Ali

    2017-01-01

    Entrepreneurship has been an intriguing issue as an indicator of economic development and social welfare particularly being focused on last decades. Furthermore, the issue of immigration has attracted considerable attention in recent years. Nowadays, the quality of the workforce and it's training processes are not getting only progressively…

  2. Are "Digital Natives" Really Digitally Competent?--A Study on Chinese Teenagers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Yan; Ranieri, Maria

    2010-01-01

    Literature review has found that despite the considerable attention focused on "digital natives", few studies have carefully investigated the characteristics of this group. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the debate on digital natives by providing a "piece of evidence" on the digital competence status of a group…

  3. Meditation-induced states predict attentional control over time.

    PubMed

    Colzato, Lorenza S; Sellaro, Roberta; Samara, Iliana; Baas, Matthijs; Hommel, Bernhard

    2015-12-01

    Meditation is becoming an increasingly popular topic for scientific research and various effects of extensive meditation practice (ranging from weeks to several years) on cognitive processes have been demonstrated. Here we show that extensive practice may not be necessary to achieve those effects. Healthy adult non-meditators underwent a brief single session of either focused attention meditation (FAM), which is assumed to increase top-down control, or open monitoring meditation (OMM), which is assumed to weaken top-down control, before performing an Attentional Blink (AB) task - which assesses the efficiency of allocating attention over time. The size of the AB was considerably smaller after OMM than after FAM, which suggests that engaging in meditation immediately creates a cognitive-control state that has a specific impact on how people allocate their attention over time. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Metal-free organic dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells: from structure: property relationships to design rules.

    PubMed

    Mishra, Amaresh; Fischer, Markus K R; Bäuerle, Peter

    2009-01-01

    Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) have attracted considerable attention in recent years as they offer the possibility of low-cost conversion of photovoltaic energy. This Review focuses on recent advances in molecular design and technological aspects of metal-free organic dyes for applications in dye-sensitized solar cells. Special attention has been paid to the design principles of these dyes and on the effect of various electrolyte systems. Cosensitization, an emerging technique to extend the absorption range, is also discussed as a way to improve the performance of the device. In addition, we report on inverted dyes for photocathodes, which constitutes a relatively new approach for the production of tandem cells. Special consideration has been paid to the correlation between the molecular structure and physical properties to their performance in DSSCs.

  5. Some design considerations for a synthetic aperture optical telescope array

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scott, P. W.

    1984-01-01

    Several design considerations inherent in the configuration of phased array transmission of multiwavelength laser beams are discussed. Attention is focused on the U.S.A.F. phased array (PHASAR) demonstration project, where problems have been encountered in dividing the beam(s), controlling the optical path differences between subapertures, and expanding individual beams.A piston-driven path length adjustment mechanism has been selected, along with an active control system and proven components for stability maintenance. The necessity of developing broadband, high reflectivity low phase shift coatings for the system mirrors is stressed.

  6. Occupational Stress, Negative Affectivity and Physical Health in Special and General Education Teachers in Greece

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lazuras, Lambros

    2006-01-01

    Teacher stress has attracted considerable attention, yet few studies have focused on special education teachers. This article, by Lambros Lazuras of the South-East European Research Centre (SEERC) in Thessaloniki, reports research designed to explore differences in the stress levels of general and special educators in Greece and provides…

  7. e-Leadership in Higher Education: The Fifth "Age" of Educational Technology Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jameson, Jill

    2013-01-01

    A discussion of the relative lack of research into e-leadership in educational technology in education is followed by an outline of selected prior literature in the field. The paper proposes that, as part of a natural evolution of educational technology research, considerably more attention needs to be focused on research and development in…

  8. A Guide to the Process of Evaluating School Principals. Monograph No. 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Connecticut Principals' Academy, East Lyme.

    Although the initial focus of the reform movement was on teachers, considerable attention has been devoted to administrators--especially principals--since it has been recognized that the quality of a principal's leadership has a significant impact on the effectiveness of the educational programs in our schools. The purpose of this guide is to…

  9. An Economic View of Food Deserts in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bitler, Marianne; Haider, Steven J.

    2011-01-01

    Considerable policy and academic attention has been focused on the topic of food deserts. We consider this topic from an economic perspective. First, we consider how the components of a standard economic analysis apply to the study of food deserts. Second, using this economic lens, we revisit the empirical literature on food deserts to assess the…

  10. Conservation of avian diversity in the Sierra Nevada: Moving beyond a single-species management focus

    Treesearch

    Angela M. White; Elise F. Zipkin; Patricia N. Manley; Matthew D. Schlesinger

    2013-01-01

    Background: As a result of past practices, many of the dry coniferous forests of the western United States contain dense, even-aged stands with uncharacteristically high levels of litter and downed woody debris. These changes to the forest have received considerable attention as they elevate concerns regarding the outcome of wildland fire...

  11. Content Matters: Building Vocabulary and Conceptual Understanding in the Subject Areas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenwood, Scott

    2004-01-01

    This article focuses on traditional vocabulary instruction that has often had pernicious side effects: drill and kill that turned kids off to reading and word study. This trend can be reversed through careful attention to the needs and predilections of students as well as conspicuous consideration of the ramifications of time-cost. Here, the…

  12. In Support of Coaching Models of Management and Leadership: A Comparative Study of Empirically Derived Managerial Coaching/Facilitating Learning Behaviors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamlin, Bob; Ellinger, Andrea D.; Beattie, Rona S.

    2004-01-01

    The concept of managers assuming developmental roles such as coaches and learning facilitators has gained considerable attention in recent years as organizations seek to leverage learning by creating infrastructures that foster employee learning and development. Despite the increased focus on coaching, the literature base remains atheoretical.…

  13. Implementing a Student-Based Funding Policy: Considerations for School Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shambaugh, Larisa S.; Chambers, Jay G.

    2009-01-01

    As education budgets continue to tighten, increased attention is focused on how school districts can best distribute existing funds to schools and how schools can best use these funds. Student-based funding (SBF)--sometimes referred to as a weighted student formula--is one approach that school districts have taken during the past decade. SBF…

  14. Reimagining Education in Small Towns

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carr, Patrick J.; Kefalas, Maria J.

    2010-01-01

    Things are not going so well in small-town America. While the so-called "Great Recession" of the moment has focused considerable attention on the travails of Main Street and Middle America, the truth is that the troubles that plague such places have been a long time in the making. For the past 30 years, nonmetropolitan counties and the…

  15. Am I Just Not Good Enough? The Creation, Development and Questioning of a High Performance Coaching Identity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Purdy, L. G.; Potrac, P.

    2016-01-01

    While the career experiences and trajectories of various sports workers have received increased scholarly attention, those of professional coaches have, in comparison, received scant consideration. This paper focuses on the career experiences of Maeve (a pseudonym), a high performance coach, and the critical incidents related to the creation,…

  16. Essential considerations in developing attention control groups in behavioral research.

    PubMed

    Aycock, Dawn M; Hayat, Matthew J; Helvig, Ashley; Dunbar, Sandra B; Clark, Patricia C

    2018-06-01

    Attention control groups strengthen randomized controlled trials of behavioral interventions, but researchers need to give careful consideration to the attention control activities. A comparative effectiveness research framework provides an ideal opportunity for an attention control group as a supplement to standard care, so participants potentially receive benefit regardless of group assignment. The anticipated benefit of the control condition must be independent of the study outcome. Resources needed for attention control activities need to be carefully considered and ethical considerations carefully weighed. In this paper we address nine considerations for the design and implementation of attention control groups: (1) ensure attention control activities are not associated with the outcome; (2) avoid contamination of the intervention or control group; (3) design comparable control and intervention activities; (4) ensure researcher training to adequately administer both treatment arms; (5) design control activities to be interesting and acceptable to participants; (6) evaluate attention control activities; (7) consider additional resources needed to implement attention control activities; (8) quantifying the effects of attention control and intervention groups; and (9) ethical considerations with attention control groups. Examples from the literature and ongoing research are presented. Careful planning for the attention control group is as important as for the intervention group. Researchers can use the considerations presented here to assist in planning for the best attention control group for their study. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Leaders' mental health at work: Empirical, methodological, and policy directions.

    PubMed

    Barling, Julian; Cloutier, Anika

    2017-07-01

    While employees' mental health is the focus of considerable attention from researchers, the public, and policymakers, leaders' mental health has almost escaped attention. We start by considering several reasons for this, followed by discussions of the effects of leaders' mental health on their own leadership behaviors, the emotional toll of high-quality leadership, and interventions to enhance leaders' mental health. We offer 8 possible directions for future research on leaders' mental health. Finally, we discuss methodological obstacles encountered when investigating leaders' mental health, and policy dilemmas raised by leaders' mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  18. Endogenous attention modulates early selective attention in psychopathy: An ERP investigation.

    PubMed

    Krusemark, Elizabeth A; Kiehl, Kent A; Newman, Joseph P

    2016-10-01

    Psychopathic individuals are prone to act on urges without adequate consideration of future consequences or the rights of other individuals. One interpretation of this behavior is that it reflects abnormal selective attention (i.e., a failure to process information that is incongruent with their primary focus of attention; Hiatt, Schmitt, & Newman, Neuropsychology, 18, 50-59, 2004). Unfortunately, it is unclear whether this selective attention abnormality reflects top-down endogenous influences, such as the strength or specificity of attention focus (i.e., top-down set) apart from other, more exogenous (bottom-up), effects on attention. To explore this question, we used an early visual event-related potential (N2pc) in combination with a modified visual search task designed to assess the effect of early endogenous (i.e., top-down) attention on the processing of set-congruent information. The task was administered to a sample of 70 incarcerated adult males, who were assigned to high, intermediate, and low psychopathy groups using Hare's Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (Hare, 2003). Based on the assumption that their failure to process set-incongruent information reflects the exaggerated effects of endogenous attention, we predicted that participants with high psychopathy scores would show an exaggerated N2pc response to set-congruent information. The results supported the hypothesis and provide novel electrophysiological evidence that psychopathy is associated with exaggerated endogenous attention effects during early stages of processing. Further research is needed to examine the implications of this finding for the well-established failure of psychopathic individuals to process set-incongruent information and inhibit inappropriate responses.

  19. Attitudes about Second-Career Teachers: An Exploratory Q Study of School Administrators and Classroom Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coladonato, Joseph A.

    2013-01-01

    Although considerable attention has been directed at understanding second-career teachers (SCTs), few studies appear in the literature that have reported on opinions and viewpoints about SCTs. This study is an in-depth examination that explores the attitudes held about SCTs. The focus of this study is to apply an innovative methodology in…

  20. Understanding and Enabling Marketplace Literacy in Subsistence Contexts: The Development of a Consumer and Entrepreneurial Literacy Educational Program in South India

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Viswanathan, Madhubalan; Gajendiran, S.; Venkatesan, R.

    2008-01-01

    To function in the economic realm, two important resources that individuals need are finances and know-how. Whereas there has been considerable attention on microfinancing, we describe an educational program that focuses on enabling generic skills about the marketplace and complements these important efforts. We conducted research aimed at…

  1. A Case Study of the Diversity Culture of an American University Athletic Department: Perceptions of Senior Level Administrators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singer, John N.; Cunningham, George B.

    2012-01-01

    The topic of diversity has received considerable attention from scholars who study sport within the context of higher education in the USA. But despite this interest in the topic, an in-depth focus on how college and university athletic departments effectively manage diversity is missing from the literature. Therefore, we conducted an intrinsic…

  2. Reading the "International" through Postcolonial Theory: A Case Study of the Adoption of the International Baccalaureate at a School in Lebanon

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Azzi, Iman

    2018-01-01

    Considerable debate has revolved around the question of what constitutes an international school, focusing on attributes such as number of nations represented by the student body, stated curricular goals, and school culture or mission. Less attention has been paid to how "international" is lived within these schools. This article…

  3. The Economic Value of Breastfeeding (With Results from Research Conducted in Ghana and the Ivory Coast). Cornell International Nutrition Monograph Series Number 6.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greiner, Ted; And Others

    This monograph focuses attention on economic considerations related to infant feeding practices in developing countries. By enlarging on previous methodologies, this paper proposes to improve the accuracy of past estimates of the economic value of human milk, or more specifically, the practice of breastfeeding. The theoretical model employed…

  4. Understanding Decimal Proportions: Discrete Representations, Parallel Access, and Privileged Processing of Zero

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Varma, Sashank; Karl, Stacy R.

    2013-01-01

    Much of the research on mathematical cognition has focused on the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, with considerably less attention paid to more abstract number classes. The current research investigated how people understand decimal proportions--rational numbers between 0 and 1 expressed in the place-value symbol system. The results…

  5. Industrial Arts in Vocational Legislation: An Analysis of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act of 1984.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dyrenfurth, Michael J.

    The Vocational Education Act of 1984 offers considerable opportunity for industrial arts. Because modern industrial arts (and agricultural arts) are listed as being eligible for funding from the Basic State Grant, Part B, most attention will be focused on this goal. Other Part B uses of funds with potential for industrial arts involvement include…

  6. Education and the New Pluralism: A Preliminary Survey of Recent Progress in the 50 States.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seifer, Nancy

    The National Project on Ethnic America has been focusing considerable attention over the past few years on the multi-cultural dimensions of American education, and particularly those areas in need of revision, reform and innovation. We have designed an approach which extends beyond "ethnic studies," to a more comprehensive rubric that we call…

  7. Life Events and Depressive Symptoms in African American Adolescents: Do Ecological Domains and Timing of Life Events Matter?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanchez, Yadira M.; Lambert, Sharon F.; Ialongo, Nicholas S.

    2012-01-01

    Considerable research has documented associations between adverse life events and internalizing symptoms in adolescents, but much of this research has focused on the number of events experienced, with less attention to the ecological context or timing of events. This study examined life events in three ecological domains relevant to adolescents…

  8. Competitive Argumentation in Computational Theories of Cognition.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-12-01

    elements of number competence are present much earlier than strict Piagetian theory would predict (Gelman & Gallistel , 1978). A successful style of...caused considerable attention to be focused on counting. Observations by Gelman and Gallistell (1978), and others. provided evidence that significant...certain principles of counting. These premises formalized and extended a particular decomposition of counting competence proposed by Gelman and Gallistel

  9. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Lipid Bilayers and Tubules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hirst, Linda S.; Yuan, Jing; Pramudya, Yohannes; Nguyen, Lam T.

    2007-03-01

    Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are found in a variety of biological membranes and have been implicated with lipid raft formation and possible function, typical molecules include DHA (Docosahexanoic Acid) and AA (Alphalinoleic Acid) which have been the focus of considerable attention in recent years. We are interested in the phase behavior of these molecules in the lipid bilayer. The addition of lipid molecules with polyunsaturated chains has a clear effect on the fluidity and curvature of the membrane and we investigate the effects the addition of polyunsaturated lipids on bilayer structure and tubule formation. Self-assembled cylindrical lipid tubules have attracted considerable attention because of their interesting structures and potential technological applications. Using x-ray diffraction techniques, Atomic Force Microscopy and confocal fluorescence imaging, both symmetric and mixed chain lipids were incorporated into model membranes and the effects on bilayer structure and tubule formation investigated.

  10. Enhancing academic achievement for children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: evidence from school-based intervention research.

    PubMed

    Jitendra, Asha K; Dupaul, George J; Someki, Fumio; Tresco, Katy E

    2008-01-01

    Although children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) exhibit significant academic difficulties in school settings, considerably less attention is devoted to remediating their academic problems when compared to behavioral and social difficulties. The purpose of this article is to review empirically supported academic interventions for children with ADHD. Specific evidence-based academic interventions are described under the categories of reading and mathematics, with examples that illustrate teacher-mediated interventions focusing on basic skills (e.g., phonological awareness in reading, mathematics computation) and higher-level cognitive skills (e.g., collaborative strategic reading, CSR; schema-based instruction, SBI). Finally, implications for educational practice and directions for future research on school-based academic interventions for students with ADHD are discussed.

  11. Capture versus suppression of attention by salient singletons: electrophysiological evidence for an automatic attend-to-me signal.

    PubMed

    Sawaki, Risa; Luck, Steven J

    2010-08-01

    There is considerable controversy about whether salient singletons capture attention in a bottom-up fashion, irrespective of top-down control settings. One possibility is that salient singletons always generate an attention capture signal, but this signal can be actively suppressed to avoid capture. In the present study, we investigated this issue by using event-related potential recordings, focusing on N2pc (N2-posterior-contralateral; a measure of attentional deployment) and Pd (distractor positivity; a measure of attentional suppression). Participants searched for a specific letter within one of two regions, and irrelevant color singletons were sometimes present. We found that the irrelevant singletons did not elicit N2pc but instead elicited Pd; this occurred equally within the attended and unattended regions. These findings suggest that salient singletons may automatically produce an attend-to-me signal, irrespective of top-down control settings, but this signal can be overridden by an active suppression process to prevent the actual capture of attention.

  12. Salience in Second Language Acquisition: Physical Form, Learner Attention, and Instructional Focus

    PubMed Central

    Cintrón-Valentín, Myrna C.; Ellis, Nick C.

    2016-01-01

    We consider the role of physical form, prior experience, and form focused instruction (FFI) in adult language learning. (1) When presented with competing cues to interpretation, learners are more likely to attend to physically more salient cues in the input. (2) Learned attention is an associative learning phenomenon where prior-learned cues block those that are experienced later. (3) The low salience of morphosyntactic cues can be overcome by FFI, which leads learners to attend cues which might otherwise be ignored. Experiment 1 used eye-tracking to investigate how language background influences learners’ attention to morphological cues, as well as the attentional processes whereby different types of FFI overcome low cue salience, learned attention and blocking. Chinese native speakers (no L1 verb-tense morphology) viewed Latin utterances combining lexical and morphological cues to temporality under control conditions (CCs) and three types of explicit FFI: verb grammar instruction (VG), verb salience with textual enhancement (VS), and verb pretraining (VP), and their use of these cues was assessed in a subsequent comprehension test. CC participants were significantly more sensitive to the adverbs than verb morphology. Instructed participants showed greater sensitivity to the verbs. These results reveal attentional processes whereby learners’ prior linguistic experience can shape their attention toward cues in the input, and whereby FFI helps learners overcome the long-term blocking of verb-tense morphology. Experiment 2 examined the role of modality of input presentation – aural or visual – in L1 English learners’ attentional focus on morphological cues and the effectiveness of different FFI manipulations. CC participants showed greater sensitivity toward the adverb cue. FFI was effective in increasing attention to verb-tense morphology, however, the processing of morphological cues was considerably more difficult under aural presentation. From visual exposure, the FFI conditions were broadly equivalent at tuning attention to the morphology, although VP resulted in balanced attention to both cues. The effectiveness of morphological salience-raising varied across modality: VS was effective under visual exposure, but not under aural exposure. From aural exposure, only VG was effective. These results demonstrate how salience in physical form, learner attention, and instructional focus all variously affect the success of L2 acquisition. PMID:27621715

  13. Development of Structural Health Management Technology for Aerospace Vehicles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Prosser, W. H.

    2003-01-01

    As part of the overall goal of developing Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) systems for aerospace vehicles, NASA has focused considerable resources on the development of technologies for Structural Health Management (SHM). The motivations for these efforts are to increase the safety and reliability of aerospace structural systems, while at the same time decreasing operating and maintenance costs. Research and development of SHM technologies has been supported under a variety of programs for both aircraft and spacecraft including the Space Launch Initiative, X-33, Next Generation Launch Technology, and Aviation Safety Program. The major focus of much of the research to date has been on the development and testing of sensor technologies. A wide range of sensor technologies are under consideration including fiber-optic sensors, active and passive acoustic sensors, electromagnetic sensors, wireless sensing systems, MEMS, and nanosensors. Because of their numerous advantages for aerospace applications, most notably being extremely light weight, fiber-optic sensors are one of the leading candidates and have received considerable attention.

  14. Truth in Advertising: Disclosure of Participant Payment in Research Recruitment Materials.

    PubMed

    Gelinas, Luke; Lynch, Holly Fernandez; Largent, Emily A; Shachar, Carmel; Cohen, I Glenn; Bierer, Barbara E

    2018-05-01

    The practice of paying research participants has received significant attention in the bioethics literature, but the focus has been almost exclusively on consideration of factors relevant to determining acceptable payment amounts. Surprisingly little attention has been paid to what happens once the payment amount is set. What are the ethical parameters around how offers of payment may be advertised to prospective participants? This article seeks to answer this question, focusing on the ethical and practical issues associated with disclosing information about payment, and payment amounts in particular, in recruitment materials. We argue that it is permissible-and indeed typically ethically desirable-for recruitment materials to disclose the amount that participants will be paid. Further, we seek to clarify the regulatory guidance on "emphasizing" payment in a way that can facilitate design and review of recruitment materials.

  15. Molecular engineering of sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cell applications.

    PubMed

    Giribabu, Lingamallu; Kanaparthi, Ravi Kumar; Velkannan, Veerapandian

    2012-06-01

    Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years as they offer the possibility of low-cost conversion of photovoltaic energy. This account focuses on recent advances in molecular design and technological aspects of sensitizers based on metal complexes, metal-free organics and tetrapyrrolic compounds which include porphyrins, phthalocyanines as well as corroles. Special attention has been paid to the design principles of these dyes, and co-sensitization, an emerging technique to extend the absorption range, is also discussed as a way to improve the performance of the device. This account also focuses on recent advances of efficient ruthenium sensitizers as well as other metal complexes and their applications in DSSCs. Recent developments in the area of metal-free organic and tetrapyrrolic sensitizers are also discussed. Copyright © 2012 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. African urbanization in metropolitan South Africa--differential urbanization perspectives.

    PubMed

    Geyer, H S

    1993-07-01

    "As a potentially important urban development policy consideration, attention is focused in this paper on differential urbanization trends in South Africa at the metropolitan level. Recent informal urban settlement patterns of the African population within the major metropolitan areas are contrasted against these differential urbanization trends to determine the implications of both for residential development in the metropolitan areas during the post-apartheid era." excerpt

  17. Drug Testing in Schools: Policies, Practices, and Association with Student Drug Use. YES Occasional Papers. Paper 2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yamaguchi, Ryoko; Johnston, Lloyd D.; O'Malley, Patrick M.

    2003-01-01

    Despite considerable recent public and judicial attention to the issue of drug testing, little empirical research has focused on the relationship between drug testing in schools and the actual use of illicit drugs by students. To explore this issue, we use school-level survey data about drug testing from the Youth, Education, and Society study and…

  18. Application of Faith Development Theory for Understanding Students' Transformational Learning as a Result of Bonfire at Texas A&M University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petersen, Brent Russell

    2012-01-01

    Considerable attention by scholars for the last two decades has focused on issues of spirituality and higher education. Literature in the field of college student affairs suggest that, in order promote the development of the whole student, practitioners in the field should consider adopting theories of faith and spiritual development. This study…

  19. Learning to use demonstratives in conversation: what do language specific strategies in Turkish reveal?

    PubMed

    Küntay, Aylin C; Ozyürek, Asli; Planck, Max

    2006-05-01

    Pragmatic development requires the ability to use linguistic forms, along with non-verbal cues, to focus an interlocutor's attention on a referent during conversation. We investigate the development of this ability by examining how the use of demonstratives is learned in Turkish, where a three-way demonstrative system (bu, su, o) obligatorily encodes both distance contrasts (i.e. proximal and distal) and absence or presence of the addressee's visual attention on the referent. A comparison of the demonstrative use by Turkish children (6 four- and 6 six-year-olds) and 6 adults during conversation shows that adultlike use of attention directing demonstrative, su, is not mastered even at the age of six, while the distance contrasts are learned earlier. This language specific development reveals that designing referential forms in consideration of recipient's attentional status during conversation is a pragmatic feat that takes more than six years to develop.

  20. Visual cognition during real social interaction

    PubMed Central

    Skarratt, Paul A.; Cole, Geoff G.; Kuhn, Gustav

    2012-01-01

    Laboratory studies of social visual cognition often simulate the critical aspects of joint attention by having participants interact with a computer-generated avatar. Recently, there has been a movement toward examining these processes during authentic social interaction. In this review, we will focus on attention to faces, attentional misdirection, and a phenomenon we have termed social inhibition of return (Social IOR), that have revealed aspects of social cognition that were hitherto unknown. We attribute these discoveries to the use of paradigms that allow for more realistic social interactions to take place. We also point to an area that has begun to attract a considerable amount of interest—that of Theory of Mind (ToM) and automatic perspective taking—and suggest that this too might benefit from adopting a similar approach. PMID:22754521

  1. Sulfidization Contemporaneous with Oxidation and Metamorphism in CK6 Chondrites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McCoy, T. J.; Corrigan, C. M.; Davidson, J.; Schrader, D. L.; Righter, K.

    2018-01-01

    As the most oxidized chondrites and a group of carbonaceous chondrites spanning the range of petrologic types, CK chondrites occupy an extreme in our understanding of the origin and evolution of chondritic parent bodies. With the proposed linkage of CV and CK chondrites and the suggestion that differentiation of a postulated CV-CK asteroid could have differentiated to form a core and established a magnetic dynamo, CK chondrites are receiving considerable attention. Most of this attention has focused on the similarities between CK3 and CV3 chondrites and the origin of each. We have previously argued that melting of an oxidized core could produce a magnetite-sulfide core, rather than the more conventional metal-sulfide core. In this work, we focus on CK6 chondrites to understand the origin of the most highly metamorphosed members of the group as representative of the material that might differentiate to form such an oxidized core.

  2. Attention networks in adolescent anorexia nervosa.

    PubMed

    Weinbach, Noam; Sher, Helene; Lock, James D; Henik, Avishai

    2018-03-01

    Anorexia nervosa (AN) usually develops during adolescence when considerable structural and functional brain changes are taking place. Neurocognitive inefficiencies have been consistently found in adults with enduring AN and were suggested to play a role in maintaining the disorder. However, such findings are inconsistent in children and adolescents with AN. The current study conducted a comprehensive assessment of attention networks in adolescents with AN who were not severely underweight during the study using an approach that permits disentangling independent components of attention. Twenty partially weight-restored adolescents with AN (AN-WR) and 24 healthy adolescents performed the Attention Network Test which assesses the efficiency of three main attention networks-executive control, orienting, and alerting. The results revealed abnormal function in the executive control network among adolescents with AN-WR. Specifically, adolescents with AN-WR demonstrated superior ability to suppress attention to task-irrelevant information while focusing on a central task. Moreover, the alerting network modulated this ability. No difference was found between the groups in the speed of orienting attention, but reorienting attention to a target resulted in higher error rates in the AN-WR group. The findings suggest that adolescents with AN have attentional abnormalities that cannot be explained by a state of starvation. These attentional dysregulations may underlie clinical phenotypes of the disorder such as increased attention of details.

  3. An evaluation of the pharmacokinetics of methylphenidate for the treatment of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder.

    PubMed

    Frölich, Jan; Banaschewski, Tobias; Döpfner, Manfred; Görtz-Dorten, Anja

    2014-08-01

    Methylphenidate (MPH) plays a principal role in the multimodal treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Controlled studies have demonstrated an effective reduction in the core symptoms of the disorder following MPH therapy, although long-term studies also demonstrate that the therapeutic benefits dissipate in the absence of combined psychosocial interventions. This review article focuses on the pharmacological characteristics of MPH, examining its effects on brain metabolism and the neurotransmitter system. Neuropsychological and clinical effects of different immediate and extended release MPH formulations are discussed to aid clinicians in choosing the appropriate formulation. The drug's addictive potency and abuse potential is also discussed. Data came from a literature search of relevant studies performed using the PubMed database up to June 2013. MPH is effective in the treatment of the core symptoms of ADHD. Considerable clinical expertise is required to identify an individually well-adapted dosage which will produce the optimal clinical effects with potential side effects minimized. Due to low adherence to medication, especially in adolescents, motivation to treatment and attentive clinical monitoring is mandatory, as is the consideration of risks of abuse or the presence of a comorbid addictive disorder.

  4. Pandemic Influenza and Pregnancy: An Opportunity to Reassess Maternal Bioethics

    PubMed Central

    Beigi, Richard H.

    2009-01-01

    Large-scale infectious epidemics present the medical community with numerous medical and ethical challenges. Recent attention has focused on the likelihood of an impending influenza pandemic caused by the H5N1 virus. Pregnant women in particular present policymakers with great challenges to planning for such a public health emergency. By recognizing the specific considerations needed for this population, we can preemptively address the issues presented by infectious disease outbreaks. We reviewed the important ethical challenges presented by pregnant women and highlighted the considerations for all vulnerable groups when planning for a pandemic at both the local and the national level. PMID:19461111

  5. Quantum-Mechanical Definition of Atoms and Chemical Bonds in Molecules

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-01-01

    properties into atomic and bonding contributions, continue to be a focus of considerable attention, dating from early studies of Slater [12], Van Vleck [13...theory employing (Eisenschitz-London) spectral products of atomic eigenstates, familiar from early combined studies of covalent and van der Waals...of atoms and bonds in molecules provided by the present study , rather than to report highly accurate potential curves for the H3 molecule obtained

  6. [Rational approach of leucocytosis in adults].

    PubMed

    Bron, D

    2013-09-01

    Several factors may influence the increased level of white blood cells (physical and/or emotional stimuli, infections, inflammations, drugs, toxins, etc.). The best approach to identify these disorders gets through a physical examination and a precise history. A particular attention should be focused on the onset of lymph nodes and/or splenomegaly. Among severe haematological disorders to take into consideration, we should exclude acute leukemias, chronic leukemias and myeloproliferative disorders.

  7. Succession planning and leadership development: critical business strategies for healthcare organizations.

    PubMed

    Collins, Sandra K; Collins, Kevin S

    2007-01-01

    As labor shortages intensify, succession planning and leadership development have become strategic initiatives requiring rigorous consideration. Traditional methods of replacing personnel will not accommodate the vacancies expected to plague healthcare organizations. Managers should focus on identifying potential gaps of key personnel and adapting programs to accommodate organizational need. Attention should be placed on capturing the intellectual capital existent in the organization and developing diverse groups of leadership candidates.

  8. Teacher or Coach? How Logics from the Field of Sports Contribute to the Construction of Knowledge in Physical Education Teacher Education Pedagogical Discourse through Educational Texts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Svendsen, Annemari Munk; Svendsen, Jesper Tinggaard

    2016-01-01

    The main purpose of this paper is to focus attention on educational texts as central conveyers of discourses of sport into physical education teacher education (PETE) and by extension into physical education (PE). A considerable volume of research suggests that sport and games continue to be dominant elements of curriculum and practice in…

  9. [Response to and further development of the Choosing wisely initiative].

    PubMed

    Fölsch, U R; Hallek, M; Raupach, T; Hasenfuß, G

    2017-06-01

    The Choosing wisely initiative of the German Society of Internal Medicine ("Deutschen Gesellschaft für Innere Medizin," DGIM) and its 12 core focus area specialist societies were brought into being in 2014. The German initiative differs from the American campaign in that it not only considers overuse of diagnostic and therapeutic healthcare services, but also addresses procedures which are frequently not performed although they would bring benefits for patients. Furthermore, the recommendations were approved by an interdisciplinary consensus commission under consideration of all key internal medicine aspects. Since 2014, the initiative has received widespread attention. The 115 recommendations approved by the consensus commission have meanwhile been published in 20 articles. An array of measures were subsequently adopted to further promote the Choosing wisely recommendations ("Klug-entscheiden-Empfehlungen," KEE). These include the systematic incorporation of KEE symposia into DGIM annual congresses and the congresses of the core focus area specialist societies, as well as consideration of the KEE during establishment of future guidelines. Particular attention was paid to the importance of initiating and promoting a research project aimed at familiarizing medical students with the principles and content of the Choosing wisely initiative. The decision for or against specific diagnostic and therapeutic procedures represents an essential medical competence, which should therefore be trained prior to qualification.

  10. Inferior parietal and right frontal contributions to trial-by-trial adaptations of attention to memory.

    PubMed

    Kizilirmak, Jasmin M; Rösler, Frank; Bien, Siegfried; Khader, Patrick H

    2015-07-21

    The attention to memory theory (AtoM) proposes that the same brain regions might be involved in selective processing of perceived stimuli (selective attention) and memory representations (selective retrieval). Although this idea is compelling, given consistently found neural overlap between perceiving and remembering stimuli, recent comparisons brought evidence for overlap as well as considerable differences. Here, we present a paradigm that enables the investigation of the AtoM hypothesis from a novel perspective to gain further insight into the neural resources involved in AtoM. Selective attention in perception is often investigated as a control process that shows lingering effects on immediately following trials. Here, we employed a paradigm capable of modulating selective retrieval in a similarly dynamic manner as in such selective-attention paradigms by inducing trial-to-trial shifts between relevant and irrelevant memory representations as well as changes of the width of the internal focus on memory. We found evidence for an involvement of bilateral inferior parietal lobe and right inferior frontal gyrus in reorienting the attentional focus on previously accessed memory representations. Moreover, we could dissociate the right inferior from the parietal activation in separate contrasts, suggesting that the right inferior frontal gyrus plays a role in facilitating attentional reorienting to memory representations when competing representations have been activated in the preceding trial, potentially by resolving this competition. Our results support the AtoM theory, i.e. that ventral frontal and parietal regions are involved in automatic attentional reorienting in memory, and highlight the importance of further investigations of the overlap and differences between regions involved in internal (memory) and external (perceptual) attentional selection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Focus drive mechanism for the IUE scientific instrument

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Devine, E. J.; Dennis, T. B., Jr.

    1977-01-01

    A compact, lightweight mechanism was developed for in-orbit adjustment of the position of the secondary mirror (focusing) of the International Ultraviolet Explored telescope. This device is a linear drive with small (.0004 in.) and highly repeatable step increments. Extremely close tolerances are also held in tilt and decentering. The unique mechanization is described with attention to the design details that contribute to positional accuracy. Lubrication, materials, thermal considerations, sealing, detenting against launch loads, and other features peculiar to flight hardware are discussed. The methods employed for mounting the low expansion quartz mirror with minimum distortion are also given.

  12. Forgiveness and Consideration of Future Consequences in Aggressive Driving

    PubMed Central

    Moore, Michael; Dahlen, Eric R.

    2008-01-01

    Most research on aggressive driving has focused on identifying aspects of driver personality which will exacerbate it (e.g., sensation seeking, impulsiveness, driving anger, etc.). The present study was designed to examine two theoretically relevant but previously unexplored personality factors predicted to reduce the risk of aggressive driving: trait forgiveness and consideration of future consequences. The utility of these variables in predicting aggressive driving and driving anger expression was evaluated among 316 college student volunteers. Hierarchical multiple regressions permitted an analysis of the incremental validity of these constructs beyond respondent gender, age, miles driven per week, and driving anger. Both forgiveness and consideration of future consequences contributed to the prediction of aggressive driving and driving anger expression, independent of driving anger. Research on aggressive driving may be enhanced by greater attention to adaptive, potentially risk-reducing traits. Moreover, forgiveness and consideration of future consequences may have implications for accident prevention. PMID:18760093

  13. Cryogenic piping material selection for the Component Test Facility (CTF)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    St. Cyr, William W.

    1991-01-01

    The anticipated high cost of the 8500 psi cryogenic and 15,000 psi gas piping systems used in the CTF at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center led to the consideration of high-strength materials for these piping systems. Based on years of satisfactory service using austenitic stainless steels in cryogenic applications, particularly for hydrogen service, consideration was limited to the austenitic stainless steels. Attention was focused on alternatives to the 304/304L grades of stainless steel traditionally used in these applications. This paper discusses the various considerations that resulted in the decision to continue using 304/304L for the cryogenic piping and the selection of the nitrogen-strengthened 21Cr-6Ni-9Mn alloy (UNS S21903) for the high-pressure gas systems at the CTF.

  14. Half a century of research on Garner interference and the separability-integrality distinction.

    PubMed

    Algom, Daniel; Fitousi, Daniel

    2016-12-01

    Research in the allied domains of selective attention and perceptual independence has made great advances over the past 5 decades ensuing from the foundational ideas and research conceived by Wendell R. Garner. In particular, Garner's speeded classification paradigm has received considerable attention in psychology. The paradigm is widely used to inform research and theory in various domains of cognitive science. It was Garner who provided the consensual definition of the separable-integral partition of stimulus dimensions, delineating a set of converging operations sustaining the distinction. This distinction is a pillar of today's cognitive science. We review the key ideas, definitions, and findings along 2 paths of the evolution of Garnerian research: selective attention, with a focus on Garner interference and its relation to the Stroop effect, and divided attention, with focus on perceptual independence gauged by multivariate models of perception. The review tracks developments in a roughly chronological order. Our review is also integrative as we follow the evolution of a set of nascent ideas into the vast multifaceted enterprise that they comprise today. Finally, the review is also critical as we highlight problems, inconsistencies, and deviations from original intent in the various studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. A Commentary on Parent-Child Cognitive Learning Interaction Research: What Have We Learned from Two Decades of Research?

    PubMed

    Harris, Yvette R; Almutairi, Seham

    2016-01-01

    The role of family influences on preschool and school age cognitive development has received considerable empirical attention from cognitive developmental psychology researchers in the last few decades. As a result of the interest, investigators have focused their attention on developing coding/observational systems to capture the interactions occurring between mothers and their young children. This paper reviews a select body of research on parent-child cognitive learning interactions with the goal of determining how the researchers have operationalized the behaviors that occur within learning interactions. The paper concludes with a discussion of the suggestions on next steps for conducting parent-child cognitive learning interaction research in the future.

  16. Top-Down Control of Visual Attention by the Prefrontal Cortex. Functional Specialization and Long-Range Interactions

    PubMed Central

    Paneri, Sofia; Gregoriou, Georgia G.

    2017-01-01

    The ability to select information that is relevant to current behavioral goals is the hallmark of voluntary attention and an essential part of our cognition. Attention tasks are a prime example to study at the neuronal level, how task related information can be selectively processed in the brain while irrelevant information is filtered out. Whereas, numerous studies have focused on elucidating the mechanisms of visual attention at the single neuron and population level in the visual cortices, considerably less work has been devoted to deciphering the distinct contribution of higher-order brain areas, which are known to be critical for the employment of attention. Among these areas, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) has long been considered a source of top-down signals that bias selection in early visual areas in favor of the attended features. Here, we review recent experimental data that support the role of PFC in attention. We examine the existing evidence for functional specialization within PFC and we discuss how long-range interactions between PFC subregions and posterior visual areas may be implemented in the brain and contribute to the attentional modulation of different measures of neural activity in visual cortices. PMID:29033784

  17. Top-Down Control of Visual Attention by the Prefrontal Cortex. Functional Specialization and Long-Range Interactions.

    PubMed

    Paneri, Sofia; Gregoriou, Georgia G

    2017-01-01

    The ability to select information that is relevant to current behavioral goals is the hallmark of voluntary attention and an essential part of our cognition. Attention tasks are a prime example to study at the neuronal level, how task related information can be selectively processed in the brain while irrelevant information is filtered out. Whereas, numerous studies have focused on elucidating the mechanisms of visual attention at the single neuron and population level in the visual cortices, considerably less work has been devoted to deciphering the distinct contribution of higher-order brain areas, which are known to be critical for the employment of attention. Among these areas, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) has long been considered a source of top-down signals that bias selection in early visual areas in favor of the attended features. Here, we review recent experimental data that support the role of PFC in attention. We examine the existing evidence for functional specialization within PFC and we discuss how long-range interactions between PFC subregions and posterior visual areas may be implemented in the brain and contribute to the attentional modulation of different measures of neural activity in visual cortices.

  18. Emotion, Cognition, and Behavior

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dolan, R. J.

    2002-11-01

    Emotion is central to the quality and range of everyday human experience. The neurobiological substrates of human emotion are now attracting increasing interest within the neurosciences motivated, to a considerable extent, by advances in functional neuroimaging techniques. An emerging theme is the question of how emotion interacts with and influences other domains of cognition, in particular attention, memory, and reasoning. The psychological consequences and mechanisms underlying the emotional modulation of cognition provide the focus of this article.

  19. Language Choice among Peers in Project-Based Learning: A Hong Kong Case Study of English Language Learners' Plurilingual Practices in Out-of-Class Computer-Mediated Communication

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hafner, Christoph A.; Li, David C. S.; Miller, Lindsay

    2015-01-01

    Recently there has been considerable interest in the role of first language use in second/foreign language learning, especially where students share a common first language. However, most research has focused on in-class interaction between teachers and learners. Much less attention has been given to students' out-of-class practices, for example,…

  20. Mini-conference on helicon plasma sources

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

    Scime, E. E.; Keesee, A. M.; Boswell, R. W.

    2008-05-15

    The first two sessions of this mini-conference focused attention on two areas of helicon source research: The conditions for optimal helicon source performance and the origins of energetic electrons and ions in helicon source plasmas. The final mini-conference session reviewed novel applications of helicon sources, such as mixed plasma source systems and toroidal helicon sources. The session format was designed to stimulate debate and discussion, with considerable time available for extended discussion.

  1. Automatic Mechanisms for Social Attention Are Culturally Penetrable.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Adam S; Sasaki, Joni Y; German, Tamsin C; Kim, Heejung S

    2017-01-01

    Are mechanisms for social attention influenced by culture? Evidence that social attention is triggered automatically by bottom-up gaze cues and is uninfluenced by top-down verbal instructions may suggest it operates in the same way everywhere. Yet considerations from evolutionary and cultural psychology suggest that specific aspects of one's cultural background may have consequence for the way mechanisms for social attention develop and operate. In more interdependent cultures, the scope of social attention may be broader, focusing on more individuals and relations between those individuals. We administered a multi-gaze cueing task requiring participants to fixate a foreground face flanked by background faces and measured shifts in attention using eye tracking. For European Americans, gaze cueing did not depend on the direction of background gaze cues, suggesting foreground gaze alone drives automatic attention shifting; for East Asians, cueing patterns differed depending on whether the foreground cue matched or mismatched background cues, suggesting foreground and background gaze information were integrated. These results demonstrate that cultural background influences the social attention system by shifting it into a narrow or broad mode of operation and, importantly, provides evidence challenging the assumption that mechanisms underlying automatic social attention are necessarily rigid and impenetrable to culture. Copyright © 2015 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

  2. Methylphenidate-induced improvements of various measures of attention in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

    PubMed

    Tucha, O; Mecklinger, L; Laufkötter, R; Klein, H E; Walitza, S; Lange, K W

    2006-10-01

    The present study examined the effect of the stimulant medication methylphenidate (MPH) on attentional functioning of adults with ADHD. Sixteen adults with a diagnosed ADHD without comorbidity were assessed twice, at baseline off MPH and following MPH treatment. The assessment battery consisted of reaction time tasks of low complexity, including measures of alertness--subdivided into tonic and phasic alertness, vigilance, divided attention, flexibility and such aspects of selective attention as including focused attention, inhibition and integration of sensory information. In addition, 16 healthy participants who were matched to adults with ADHD according to sex, age, education level and intellectual functions were also assessed twice using the same test battery. The results of the present study suggest that adults with ADHD off stimulant medication are seriously impaired in various components of attention including vigilance, divided attention, selective attention and flexibility. These impairments of attention were observed primarily in regard to reaction time and its variability. Treatment of adults with ADHD using individually tailored doses of MPH has a positive effect on measures of alertness, vigilance, selective attention, divided attention and flexibility. However, even on MPH adults with ADHD displayed considerable deficits in vigilance and integration of sensory information. The present findings indicate that adults with ADHD are not differentially impaired in attentional processes but may suffer from a more global deficit of attention. Although MPH treatment has been found to be effective in the treatment of the attention deficit of adults with ADHD, additional treatment appears to be necessary.

  3. Focus drive mechanism for the IUE scientific instrument

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Devine, E. J.; Dennis, T. B., Jr.

    1977-01-01

    A compact, lightweight mechanism was developed for in-orbit adjustment of the position of the secondary mirror (focusing) of the International Ultraviolet Explorer telescope. This device is a linear drive with small and highly repeatable step increments. Extremely close tolerances are also held in tilt and decentering. The unique mechanization is described with attention to the design details that contribute to positional accuracy. Lubrication, materials, thermal considerations, sealing, detenting against launch loads, and other features peculiar to flight hardware are discussed. The methods employed for mounting the low expansion quartz mirror with minimum distortion are also given. Results of qualification and acceptance testing, are included.

  4. Literature Review on Dynamic Cellular Manufacturing System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nouri Houshyar, A.; Leman, Z.; Pakzad Moghadam, H.; Ariffin, M. K. A. M.; Ismail, N.; Iranmanesh, H.

    2014-06-01

    In previous decades, manufacturers faced a lot of challenges because of globalization and high competition in markets. These problems arise from shortening product life cycle, rapid variation in demand of products, and also rapid changes in manufcaturing technologies. Nowadays most manufacturing companies expend considerable attention for improving flexibility and responsiveness in order to overcome these kinds of problems and also meet customer's needs. By considering the trend toward the shorter product life cycle, the manufacturing environment is towards manufacturing a wide variety of parts in small batches [1]. One of the major techniques which are applied for improving manufacturing competitiveness is Cellular Manufacturing System (CMS). CMS is type of manufacturing system which tries to combine flexibility of job shop and also productivity of flow shop. In addition, Dynamic cellular manufacturing system which considers different time periods for the manufacturing system becomes an important topic and attracts a lot of attention to itself. Therefore, this paper made attempt to have a brief review on this issue and focused on all published paper on this subject. Although, this topic gains a lot of attention to itself during these years, none of previous researchers focused on reviewing the literature of that which can be helpful and useful for other researchers who intend to do the research on this topic. Therefore, this paper is the first study which has focused and reviewed the literature of dynamic cellular manufacturing system.

  5. Climate Change: A Review of Its Health Impact and Percieved Awareness by the Young Citizens

    PubMed Central

    Rahman, Muhammad Sabbir; Mohamad, Osman Bin; Zarim, Zainal bin Abu

    2014-01-01

    In recent time climate change and its impact on human health and awareness constitute a set of complex and serious consequences to be tackled by an individual country. Climate change is not merely an environmental issue, but also it is a threat that goes beyond national borders. The purpose of this study is to identify the awareness and the impact of climate change, perceived by the young citizens in Malaysia by focusing on gender differences. Based on a survey of 200 respondents from different public and private University’s students in Malaysia, this research used descriptive statistics and T-test to look into the research objective. The results revealed media can play an important role in the awareness of climate change. Meanwhile the male respondents have shown considerable attention on the physical impact of climate change like heat related stress. On the other hand female respondents have shown considerable attention to the psychological impact by the climate change. From a pragmatic perspective, the findings from this research will assists the policy makers to understand more about the perceived awareness on the climate change issues of the young citizens which ultimately assist them to inaugurate new initiatives to confront the challenges of climate changes. This research is among the pioneer study on the issue of the perceived awareness in regards to climate change in Malaysia by focusing on gender differences. PMID:24999143

  6. Climate change: a review of its health impact and perceived awareness by the young citizens.

    PubMed

    Rahman, Muhammad Sabbir; Mohamad, Osman Bin; Zarim, Zainal bin Abu

    2014-04-16

    In recent time climate change and its impact on human health and awareness constitute a set of complex and serious consequences to be tackled by an individual country. Climate change is not merely an environmental issue, but also it is a threat that goes beyond national borders. The purpose of this study is to identify the awareness and the impact of climate change, perceived by the young citizens in Malaysia by focusing on gender differences. Based on a survey of 200 respondents from different public and private University's students in Malaysia, this research used descriptive statistics and T-test to look into the research objective. The results revealed media can play an important role in the awareness of climate change. Meanwhile the male respondents have shown considerable attention on the physical impact of climate change like heat related stress. On the other hand female respondents have shown considerable attention to the psychological impact by the climate change. From a pragmatic perspective, the findings from this research will assists the policy makers to understand more about the perceived awareness on the climate change issues of the young citizens which ultimately assist them to inaugurate new initiatives to confront the challenges of climate changes. This research is among the pioneer study on the issue of the perceived awareness in regards to climate change in Malaysia by focusing on gender differences.

  7. The challenge of gun control for mental health advocates.

    PubMed

    Pandya, Anand

    2013-09-01

    Mass shootings, such as the 2012 Newtown massacre, have repeatedly led to political discourse about limiting access to guns for individuals with serious mental illness. Although the political climate after such tragic events poses a considerable challenge to mental health advocates who wish to minimize unsympathetic portrayals of those with mental illness, such media attention may be a rare opportunity to focus attention on risks of victimization of those with serious mental illness and barriers to obtaining psychiatric care. Current federal gun control laws may discourage individuals from seeking psychiatric treatment and describe individuals with mental illness using anachronistic, imprecise, and gratuitously stigmatizing language. This article lays out potential talking points that may be useful after future gun violence.

  8. Spatial attention, feature-based attention and saccades: Three sides of one coin?

    PubMed Central

    Mazer, James A.

    2013-01-01

    The last three decades has seen a steady growth of neuroscience research aimed at understanding the functions and sources of top-down attentional modulation in the brain. This correlates with recognition that attention may be a necessary component of sensory systems to support natural behaviors in natural environments. Complexity and clutter are two of the most recognizable hallmarks of natural environments, which can simultaneously contain vitally important and completely irrelevant stimuli. Attention serves as an adaptive filter allowing each sensory modality preferential processing routes for important stimuli while suppressing responses to distracters, thus optimizing use of limited neural resources. In other words, “attention” is the family of mechanisms by which organisms are able to effectively and selectively allocate limited neural resources to achieve specific behavioral goals. This review provides some historical context for considering attentional frameworks and modern neurophysiological attention research, focusing on visual attention. A taxonomy of common attentional effects and neural mechanisms is provided, along with consideration of the specific relationship between attention and saccade planning. We examine the validity of premotor theories of attention, which posit that attention and saccade planning are one and the same. While there is strong evidence that attention and oculomotor planning are similar, with shared neural substrates, there is also evidence that these two functions are not synonymous. Finally, we examine neurophysiological explanations for dysfunction in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the hypothesis that social impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is partially attributable to perturbations of attentional control circuitry. PMID:21529782

  9. Media coverage of celebrity DUIs: teachable moments or problematic social modeling?

    PubMed

    Smith, Katherine Clegg; Twum, Denise; Gielen, Andrea Carlson

    2009-01-01

    Alcohol in the media influences norms around use, particularly for young people. A recent spate of celebrity arrests for drinking and driving (DUI) has received considerable media attention. We asked whether these newsworthy events serve as teachable moments or problematic social modeling for young women. Qualitative analysis of US media coverage of four female celebrities (Michelle Rodriguez, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie and Lindsay Lohan) was conducted over the year following their DUI arrest (December 2005 through June 2008). The media sample included five television and three print sources and resulted in 150 print and 16 television stories. Stories were brief, episodic and focused around glamorous celebrity images. They included routine discussion of the consequences of the DUI for the individual celebrities without much evidence of a consideration of the public health dimensions of drinking and driving or possible prevention measures. Our analysis found little material in the media coverage that dealt with preventing injury or promoting individual and collective responsibility for ensuring such protection. Media attention to such newsworthy events is a missed opportunity that can and should be addressed through media advocacy efforts.

  10. Beyond telecommuting

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

    Loken, S.C.; Niles, J.

    1996-05-01

    Although there has been considerable discussion about how telecommunications will affect the demand for transportation, most studies have focused on substituting telecommunications for transportation. For example, telephone and video conferencing can replace travel for meetings; electronic mail can replace postal service. More importantly, people can telecommute part-time or full- time using telecommunications instead of traveling to work. There are many other examples of reducing or eliminating travel by telecommunicating, but what may not be obvious is how telecommunications stimulates travel. As the volume of telecommunications traffic increases, travel has been stimulated in a number of important ways. Increased telecommunications hasmore » fostered economic growth that has, in turn, increased travel. With increased use of telecommunications, people move farther apart so economic and social trips become, on the average, longer. to ensure that society continues to benefit from this stimulation, the government will have to devote considerable attention to developing the telecommunications infrastructure and to supporting appropriate telecommunications policy. In particular, governments must learn to allocate resources and attention reasonably to ensure that systems support economic and social growth.« less

  11. [The relationship among self-focused attention, depression, and anxiety].

    PubMed

    Tanaka, Seiichi; Sato, Hiroshi; Sakai, Motohiro; Sakano, Yuji

    2007-10-01

    Self-focused attention is considered to be a cognitive characteristic of depression. However, some articles report that self-focused attention is also related to anxiety. This study examines the differential relationships of self-focused attention to depression and anxiety. The Preoccupation Scale, Self-rating Depression Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory T-Form were administered to 454 undergraduate students. The results showed a partial correlation between self-focused attention and anxiety that was significant while controlling for depression, but the partial correlation between self-focused attention and depression was not significant while controlling for anxiety. In addition, the results of an analysis of covariance structure revealed that self-focused attention was related to anxiety, and the relationship between self-focused attention and depression was due to the mediating effect of anxiety. Therefore, it was suggested that self-focused attention appears to be a significant component of cognitive operations for anxiety, but not for depression.

  12. Advance directives in the UK: legal, ethical, and practical considerations for doctors.

    PubMed

    Kessel, A S; Meran, J

    1998-05-01

    In the United Kingdom (UK), advance directives have recently received considerable attention from professional and voluntary organizations as well as medical journals and the media. However, despite such exposure, many doctors remain uncertain of the importance or relevance of advance directives with regard to their own clinical practice. This paper addresses these uncertainties by first explaining what advance directives are and then describing the current legal status of such directives in the UK. Examination of the cases underpinning this status reveals several key elements: competence, information, anticipation, applicability, and freedom from duress. Each is discussed. Although this paper focuses on legal issues, it is important that medical law does not dominate medical ethics. Accordingly, the paper also discusses some important philosophical and sociological considerations that have remained largely unexplored in the medical press. Finally, the paper deals with practical matters, including how the general practitioner might be involved.

  13. Event-related brain potentials as indices of mental workload and attentional allocation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kramer, Arthur F.; Donchin, Emanuel; Wickens, Christopher D.

    1988-01-01

    Over the past decade considerable strides were made in explicating the antecedant conditions necessary for the elicitation, and the modulation of the amplitude and latency, of a number of components of the event-related brain potential (ERP). The focus of this report is on P300. The degree to which the psychophysiological measures contribute to issues in two real-world domains (communication devices for the motor impaired and the assessment of mental workload of aircraft pilots) are examined.

  14. Cannabidiol: an overview of some pharmacological aspects.

    PubMed

    Mechoulam, Raphael; Parker, Linda A; Gallily, Ruth

    2002-11-01

    Over the past few years, considerable attention has focused on cannabidiol (CBD), a major nonpsychotropic constituent of cannabis. The authors present a review on the chemistry of CBD and discuss the anticonvulsive, antianxiety, antipsychotic, antinausea, and antirheumatoid arthritic properties of CBD. CBD does not bind to the known cannabinoid receptors, and its mechanism of action is yet unknown. It is possible that, in part at least, its effects are due to its recently discovered inhibition of anandamide uptake and hydrolysis and to its antioxidative effect.

  15. Carrageenan Based Bionanocomposites as Drug Delivery Tool with Special Emphasis on the Influence of Ferromagnetic Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Saba, Ain Us; Nawazish, Shamyla; Akhtar, Fahad; Rashid, Rehana; Mir, Sadullah; Nasir, Bushra; Afzal, Samina; Pervaiz, Fahad

    2017-01-01

    Over the past few years, considerable attention has been focused on carrageenan based bionanocomposites due to their multifaceted properties like biodegradability, biocompatibility, and nontoxicity. Moreover, these composites can be tailored according to the desired purpose by using different nanofillers. The role of ferromagnetic nanoparticles in drug delivery is also discussed here in detail. Moreover, this article also presents a short review of recent research on the different types of the carrageenan based bionanocomposites and applications. PMID:28303171

  16. Plasticity of visual attention in Isha yoga meditation practitioners before and after a 3-month retreat

    PubMed Central

    Braboszcz, Claire; Cahn, B. Rael; Balakrishnan, Bhavani; Maturi, Raj K.; Grandchamp, Romain; Delorme, Arnaud

    2013-01-01

    Meditation has lately received considerable interest from cognitive neuroscience. Studies suggest that daily meditation leads to long lasting attentional and neuronal plasticity. We present changes related to the attentional systems before and after a 3 month intensive meditation retreat. We used three behavioral psychophysical tests - a Stroop task, an attentional blink task, and a global-local letter task-to assess the effect of Isha yoga meditation on attentional resource allocation. 82 Isha yoga practitioners were tested at the beginning and at the end of the retreat. Our results showed an increase in correct responses specific to incongruent stimuli in the Stroop task. Congruently, a positive correlation between previous meditation experience and accuracy to incongruent Stroop stimuli was also observed at baseline. We also observed a reduction of the attentional blink. Unexpectedly, a negative correlation between previous meditation experience and attentional blink performance at baseline was observed. Regarding spatial attention orientation as assessed using the global-local letter task, participants showed a bias toward local processing. Only slight differences in performance were found pre- vs. post- meditation retreat. Biasing toward the local stimuli in the global-local task and negative correlation of previous meditation experience with attentional blink performance is consistent with Isha practices being focused-attention practices. Given the relatively small effect sizes and the absence of a control group, our results do not allow clear support nor rejection of the hypothesis of meditation-driven neuronal plasticity in the attentional system for Isha yoga practice. PMID:24376429

  17. Long-range consequences of interplanetary collisions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sagan, Carl; Ostro, Steven J.

    1994-01-01

    As Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 races toward its mid-July collision with the planet Jupiter, considerable public attention is focused on catastrophic impacts with the Earth -- in the past and in the future. In recent years calls have been made to develop technologies that could deflect any asteroid or comet on a collision course. Careful consideration must be given to the nature and time scale of the risk and to the cost-effectiveness and possible problems in the suggested solutions. Risk assessment, threat removal, and resources misuse are examined. The greatest concern is to have a poorly informed public -- exerting pressure for means to mitigate even non-existent threats. The only foreseeable solution is a combination of accurate orbit estimation, realistic threat assessment, and effective public education.

  18. Alignment theory of parallel-beam computed tomography image reconstruction for elastic-type objects using virtual focusing method.

    PubMed

    Jun, Kyungtaek; Kim, Dongwook

    2018-01-01

    X-ray computed tomography has been studied in various fields. Considerable effort has been focused on reconstructing the projection image set from a rigid-type specimen. However, reconstruction of images projected from an object showing elastic motion has received minimal attention. In this paper, a mathematical solution to reconstructing the projection image set obtained from an object with specific elastic motions-periodically, regularly, and elliptically expanded or contracted specimens-is proposed. To reconstruct the projection image set from expanded or contracted specimens, methods are presented for detection of the sample's motion modes, mathematical rescaling of pixel values, and conversion of the projection angle for a common layer.

  19. Comparative effectiveness research: what to do when experts disagree about risks.

    PubMed

    Lie, Reidar K; Chan, Francis K L; Grady, Christine; Ng, Vincent H; Wendler, David

    2017-06-19

    Ethical issues related to comparative effectiveness research, or research that compares existing standards of care, have recently received considerable attention. In this paper we focus on how Ethics Review Committees (ERCs) should evaluate the risks of comparative effectiveness research. We discuss what has been a prominent focus in the debate about comparative effectiveness research, namely that it is justified when "nothing is known" about the comparative effectiveness of the available alternatives. We argue that this focus may be misleading. Rather, we should focus on the fact that some experts believe that the evidence points in favor of one intervention, whereas other experts believe that the evidence favors the alternative(s). We will then introduce a case that illustrates this point, and based on that, discuss how ERCs should deal with such cases of expert disagreement. We argue that ERCs have a duty to assess the range of expert opinions and based on that assessment arrive at a risk judgment about the study under consideration. We also argue that assessment of expert disagreement is important for the assignment of risk level to a clinical trial: what is the basis for expert opinions, how strong is the evidence appealed to by various experts, and how can clinical trial monitoring affect the possible increased risk of clinical trial participation.

  20. Frequency-specific attentional modulation in human primary auditory cortex and midbrain.

    PubMed

    Riecke, Lars; Peters, Judith C; Valente, Giancarlo; Poser, Benedikt A; Kemper, Valentin G; Formisano, Elia; Sorger, Bettina

    2018-07-01

    Paying selective attention to an audio frequency selectively enhances activity within primary auditory cortex (PAC) at the tonotopic site (frequency channel) representing that frequency. Animal PAC neurons achieve this 'frequency-specific attentional spotlight' by adapting their frequency tuning, yet comparable evidence in humans is scarce. Moreover, whether the spotlight operates in human midbrain is unknown. To address these issues, we studied the spectral tuning of frequency channels in human PAC and inferior colliculus (IC), using 7-T functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) and frequency mapping, while participants focused on different frequency-specific sounds. We found that shifts in frequency-specific attention alter the response gain, but not tuning profile, of PAC frequency channels. The gain modulation was strongest in low-frequency channels and varied near-monotonically across the tonotopic axis, giving rise to the attentional spotlight. We observed less prominent, non-tonotopic spatial patterns of attentional modulation in IC. These results indicate that the frequency-specific attentional spotlight in human PAC as measured with FMRI arises primarily from tonotopic gain modulation, rather than adapted frequency tuning. Moreover, frequency-specific attentional modulation of afferent sound processing in human IC seems to be considerably weaker, suggesting that the spotlight diminishes toward this lower-order processing stage. Our study sheds light on how the human auditory pathway adapts to the different demands of selective hearing. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Focus-of-attention behavioral experiment: an examination of a therapeutic procedure to reduce social anxiety.

    PubMed

    Renner, Kerry A; Valentiner, David P; Holzman, Jacob B

    2017-01-01

    A clinical protocol based on contemporary cognitive behavioral treatment for social anxiety was developed and examined. Previously published instructions for conducting a focus-of-attention behavioral experiment targeting self-focused attention and safety behaviors during exposure were used to create a structured protocol. Individuals (n = 45) with high levels of social anxiety and public-speaking anxiety were randomly assigned to either a focus-of-attention behavioral experiment (FABE) or an Exposure-Only Control (EOC) condition. During four exposure trials, those in the FABE condition (n = 24) were alternately instructed to engage in self-focused attention vs. externally focused attention and to eliminate safety behaviors. Those in the EOC condition (n = 21) were not so instructed. At post-intervention, individuals in the FABE condition showed significantly less self-focused attention and anxiety, and better observed performance as rated by audience members. Focus-of-attention statistically mediated the effect of condition on anxiety. For those in the FABE condition, the degree of association between focus-of-attention and anxiety during the intervention predicted less self-focused attention post-intervention. The FABE appears to be a useful procedure for implementing part of the contemporary cognitive behavioral treatment model.

  2. Relating lab to life: Decrements in attention over time predict math productivity among children with ADHD.

    PubMed

    Fosco, Whitney D; Hawk, Larry W

    2017-02-01

    A child's ability to sustain attention over time (AOT) is critical in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yet no prior work has examined the extent to which a child's decrement in AOT on laboratory tasks relates to clinically-relevant behavior. The goal of this study is to provide initial evidence for the criterion validity of laboratory assessments of AOT. A total of 20 children with ADHD (7-12 years of age) who were enrolled in a summer treatment program completed two lab attention tasks (a continuous performance task and a self-paced choice discrimination task) and math seatwork. Analyses focused on relations between attention task parameters and math productivity. Individual differences in overall attention (OA) measures (averaged across time) accounted for 23% of the variance in math productivity, supporting the criterion validity of lab measures of attention. The criterion validity was enhanced by consideration of changes in AOT. Performance on all laboratory attention measures deteriorated as time-on-task increased, and individual differences in the decrement in AOT accounted for 40% of the variance in math productivity. The only variable to uniquely predict math productivity was from the self-paced choice discrimination task. This study suggests that attention tasks in the lab do predict a clinically-relevant target behavior in children with ADHD, supporting their use as a means to study attention processes in a controlled environment. Furthermore, this prediction is improved when attention is examined as a function of time-on-task and when the attentional demands are consistent between lab and life contexts.

  3. A review of uncertainty research in impact assessment

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

    Leung, Wanda, E-mail: wanda.leung@usask.ca; Noble, Bram, E-mail: b.noble@usask.ca; Gunn, Jill, E-mail: jill.gunn@usask.ca

    2015-01-15

    This paper examines uncertainty research in Impact Assessment (IA) and the focus of attention of the IA scholarly literature. We do so by first exploring ‘outside’ the IA literature, identifying three main themes of uncertainty research, and then apply these themes to examine the focus of scholarly research on uncertainty ‘inside’ IA. Based on a search of the database Scopus, we identified 134 journal papers published between 1970 and 2013 that address uncertainty in IA, 75% of which were published since 2005. We found that 90% of IA research addressing uncertainty focused on uncertainty in the practice of IA, includingmore » uncertainty in impact predictions, models and managing environmental impacts. Notwithstanding early guidance on uncertainty treatment in IA from the 1980s, we found no common, underlying conceptual framework that was guiding research on uncertainty in IA practice. Considerably less attention, only 9% of papers, focused on uncertainty communication, disclosure and decision-making under uncertain conditions, the majority of which focused on the need to disclose uncertainties as opposed to providing guidance on how to do so and effectively use that information to inform decisions. Finally, research focused on theory building for explaining human behavior with respect to uncertainty avoidance constituted only 1% of the IA published literature. We suggest the need for further conceptual framework development for researchers focused on identifying and addressing uncertainty in IA practice; the need for guidance on how best to communicate uncertainties in practice, versus criticizing practitioners for not doing so; research that explores how best to interpret and use disclosures about uncertainty when making decisions about project approvals, and the implications of doing so; and academic theory building and exploring the utility of existing theories to better understand and explain uncertainty avoidance behavior in IA. - Highlights: • We identified three main themes of uncertainty research in 134 papers from the scholarly literature. • The majority of research has focused on better methods for managing uncertainty in predictions. • Uncertainty disclosure is demanded of practitioners, but there is little guidance on how to do so. • There is limited theoretical explanation as to why uncertainty is avoided or not disclosed. • Conceptual, practical and theoretical guidance are required for IA uncertainty consideration.« less

  4. Comparison of attention training and cognitive therapy in the treatment of social phobia: a preliminary investigation.

    PubMed

    Donald, Juliet; Abbott, Maree J; Smith, Evelyn

    2014-01-01

    Prominent models of social phobia highlight the role played by attentional factors, such as self-focused attention, in the development and maintenance of social phobia. Elevated self-focused attention is associated with increases in self-rated anxiety. Treatments that aim to modify and change attentional processes, specifically self-focused attention, will have a direct effect on social phobia symptoms. Thus, Attention Training targets attentional focus. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Attention Training in comparison to an established treatment for social phobia, Cognitive Therapy. Participants (Intention-to-treat = 45; completers = 30) were allocated to either 6 weeks of Attention Training or Cognitive Therapy. It was hypothesized that both treatments would be effective in reducing social phobia symptoms, but that Attention Training would work primarily by reducing levels of self-focused attention. The results found an overall effectiveness of both treatment conditions in reducing social phobia symptoms. However, Attention Training significantly improved scores on the Self-Focused Attention questionnaire and the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation questionnaire compared to Cognitive Therapy. Attention Training seems to be a promising treatment for social phobia.

  5. Directing Attention Externally Enhances Agility Performance: A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of the Efficacy of Using Verbal Instructions to Focus Attention

    PubMed Central

    Porter, Jared M.; Nolan, Russell P.; Ostrowski, Erik J.; Wulf, Gabriele

    2010-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to investigate if focusing attention externally produced faster movement times compared to instructions that focused attention internally or a control set of instructions that did not explicitly focus attention when performing an agility task. A second purpose of the study was to measure participants’ focus of attention during practice by use of a questionnaire. Participants (N = 20) completed 15 trials of an agility “L” run following instructions designed to induce an external (EXT), internal (INT) attentional focus or a control (CON) set of instructions inducing no specific focus of attention. Analysis revealed when participants followed the EXT instructions they had significantly faster movement times compared to when they followed the INT and CON set of instructions; consistent with previous research the INT and CON movement times were not significantly different from each other. Qualitative data showed when participants were in the external condition they focused externally 67% of the time. When they were in the internal condition they focused internally 76% of the time, and when they were in the control condition they did not use an internal or external focus of attention 77% of the time. Qualitative data also revealed participants in the EXT, INT, and CON conditions switched their focus of attention at a frequency of 27, 35, and 51% respectively. PMID:21833271

  6. Effects of prenatal exposure to opioids on focused attention in toddlers during free play.

    PubMed

    Schneider, J W; Hans, S L

    1996-08-01

    The goals of this study were: (1) to determine if 24-month-old children exposed to opioids show decreased focused attention during free play compared with children of the same age who were not prenatally exposed; (2) to identify medical and social risk factors other than drug exposure that are related to focused attention; and (3) to determine if mothers' teaching ability had an effect on attention. Focused attention was rated during a 3-minute free play session for 30 toddlers who were methadone-exposed and for 44 comparison toddlers. The mother teaching the child to use a toy was also rated separately from the free play session. There was no difference in focused attention of 24 month olds during free play based only on prenatal exposure. Despite group differences in medical and social risk factors, only maternal IQ was significantly related to focused attention. Maternal instruction was strongly related to focused attention and mediated the effects of maternal IQ on attention.

  7. Adaptation of Reactive Saccades is Influenced by Unconscious Priming of the Attention Focus.

    PubMed

    Bock, Otmar; Grigorova, Valentina; Ilieva-Staneva, Milena

    2017-01-01

    The authors investigated whether the size of the attention focus can influence saccadic adaptation, and whether this influence changes in older age. Using the scrambled sentence task, young and older participants were either primed for a wide attention focus, or primed of a narrow attention focus, or were not primed for any specific attention focus. Subsequently, all participants underwent a double-step saccadic adaptation paradigm aimed at changing the direction of reflexive saccades. The authors found that compared to the nonprimed control group, priming for a wide attention focus enhanced saccadic adaptation in both age groups by a similar amount; the benefit persisted throughout the adaptation phase, but was absent during the deadaptation phase. In contrast, the authors found no effects of priming with a narrow attention focus on saccadic adaptation. From this the authors conclude that a wide attention focus is beneficial for workaround strategies but not for adaptive recalibration, and that those benefits are similar in young and older persons.

  8. Keeping your eyes on the prize: anger and visual attention to threats and rewards.

    PubMed

    Ford, Brett Q; Tamir, Maya; Brunyé, Tad T; Shirer, William R; Mahoney, Caroline R; Taylor, Holly A

    2010-08-01

    People's emotional states influence what they focus their attention on in their environment. For example, fear focuses people's attention on threats, whereas excitement may focus their attention on rewards. This study examined the effect of anger on overt visual attention to threats and rewards. Anger is an unpleasant emotion associated with approach motivation. If the effect of emotion on visual attention depends on valence, we would expect anger to focus people's attention on threats. If, however, the effect of emotion on visual attention depends on motivation, we would expect anger to focus people's attention on rewards. Using an eye tracker, we examined the effects of anger, fear, excitement, and a neutral emotional state on participants' overt visual attention to threatening, rewarding, and control images. We found that anger increased visual attention to rewarding information, but not to threatening information. These findings demonstrate that anger increases attention to potential rewards and suggest that the effects of emotions on visual attention are motivationally driven.

  9. Effect of attentional focus strategies on peak force and performance in the standing long jump.

    PubMed

    Wu, Will F W; Porter, Jared M; Brown, Lee E

    2012-05-01

    Significant benefits in standing long jump performance have been demonstrated when subjects were provided verbal instructions that promoted an external focus of attention compared with an internal focus of attention, suggesting differences in ground reaction forces. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate peak force and jump performance between internal and external focus of attention strategies. Untrained subjects were assigned to both experimental conditions in which verbal instructions were provided to promote either an external or internal focus of attention. All subjects completed a total number of 5 standing long jumps. The results of the study demonstrated that the external focus of attention condition elicited significantly greater jump distance (153.6 ± 38.6 cm) than the internal focus of attention condition (139.5 ± 46.7 cm). There were no significant differences observed between conditions in peak force (1429.8 ± 289.1 N and 1453.7 ± 299.7 N, respectively). The results add to the growing body of literature describing the training and learning benefits of an external focus of attention. Practitioners should create standardized verbal instructions using an external focus of attention to maximize standing long jump performance.

  10. Reducing Fatal Opioid Overdose: Prevention, Treatment and Harm Reduction Strategies

    PubMed Central

    Hawk, Kathryn F.; Vaca, Federico E.; D’Onofrio, Gail

    2015-01-01

    The opioid overdose epidemic is a major threat to the public’s health, resulting in the development and implementation of a variety of strategies to reduce fatal overdose [1-3]. Many strategies are focused on primary prevention and increased access to effective treatment, although the past decade has seen an exponential increase in harm reduction initiatives. To maximize identification of opportunities for intervention, initiatives focusing on prevention, access to effective treatment, and harm reduction are examined independently, although considerable overlap exists. Particular attention is given to harm reduction approaches, as increased public and political will have facilitated widespread implementation of several initiatives, including increased distribution of naloxone and policy changes designed to increase bystander assistance during a witnessed overdose [4-7]. PMID:26339206

  11. The effect of self-focused attention and mood on appearance dissatisfaction after mirror-gazing: An experimental study.

    PubMed

    Veale, David; Miles, Sarah; Valiallah, Natasha; Butt, Saira; Anson, Martin; Eshkevari, Ertimiss; Gledhill, Lucinda J; Baldock, Emma

    2016-09-01

    Self-focused attention is hypothesized to be a maintenance factor in body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). The aim of this study was to use an experimental paradigm to test this hypothesis by studying the effect of self-focused attention during mirror-gazing on appearance dissatisfaction. An experimental group design was used, in which 173 women were randomly allocated to one of three conditions before mirror-gazing for 2 min: (a) external focus of attention, (b) self-focus of attention, and (c) self-focus of attention with a negative mood induction. After mirror-gazing, participants across all groups rated themselves as being more dissatisfied with their appearance. In both the self-focus conditions, there was an increase in sadness from pre to post mirror gazing, and there was a significant difference in focus of attention for participants in the self-focused, mood-induced group from pre to post manipulation, suggesting mood induction had more of an effect than focus of attention. (1) there was no condition involving an external focus with a negative mood induction, and (2) due to the level of information provided to patients on the nature of the task, we cannot rule out demand characteristics as an influencing factor on our results. Self-focused attention during mirror-gazing may act indirectly to increase appearance dissatisfaction via the effect of negative mood. Further studies are required to establish the relative contribution of self-focused attention and negative mood to increases in appearance dissatisfaction as a function of mirror-gazing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Predicting workplace aggression and violence.

    PubMed

    Barling, Julian; Dupré, Kathryne E; Kelloway, E Kevin

    2009-01-01

    Consistent with the relative recency of research on workplace aggression and the considerable media attention given to high-profile incidents, numerous myths about the nature of workplace aggression have emerged. In this review, we examine these myths from an evidence-based perspective, bringing greater clarity to our understanding of the predictors of workplace aggression. We conclude by pointing to the need for more research focusing on construct validity and prevention issues as well as for methodologies that minimize the likelihood of mono-method bias and that strengthen the ability to make causal inferences.

  13. Consideration of Dynamical Balances

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Errico, Ronald M.

    2015-01-01

    The quasi-balance of extra-tropical tropospheric dynamics is a fundamental aspect of nature. If an atmospheric analysis does not reflect such balance sufficiently well, the subsequent forecast will exhibit unrealistic behavior associated with spurious fast-propagating gravity waves. Even if these eventually damp, they can create poor background fields for a subsequent analysis or interact with moist physics to create spurious precipitation. The nature of this problem will be described along with the reasons for atmospheric balance and techniques for mitigating imbalances. Attention will be focused on fundamental issues rather than on recipes for various techniques.

  14. Starch synthesis and carbon partitioning in developing endosperm.

    PubMed

    Emes, M J; Bowsher, C G; Hedley, C; Burrell, M M; Scrase-Field, E S F; Tetlow, I J

    2003-01-01

    The biosynthesis of starch is the major determinant of yield in cereal grains. In this short review, attention is focused on the synthesis of the soluble substrate for starch synthesis, ADPglucose (ADPG). Consideration is given to the pathway of ADPG production, its subcellular compartmentation, and the role of metabolite transporters in mediating its delivery to the site of starch synthesis. As ADPG is an activated sugar, the dependence of its production on respiration, changes which occur during development, and the constraints which ATP production may place on carbon partitioning into different end-products are discussed.

  15. Biological challenges of true space settlement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mankins, John C.; Mankins, Willa M.; Walter, Helen

    2018-05-01

    "Space Settlements" - i.e., permanent human communities beyond Earth's biosphere - have been discussed within the space advocacy community since the 1970s. Now, with the end of the International Space Station (ISS) program fast approaching (planned for 2024-2025) and the advent of low cost Earth-to-orbit (ETO) transportation in the near future, the concept is coming once more into mainstream. Considerable attention has been focused on various issues associated with the engineering and human health considerations of space settlement such as artificial gravity and radiation shielding. However, relatively little attention has been given to the biological implications of a self-sufficient space settlement. Three fundamental questions are explored in this paper: (1) what are the biological "foundations" of truly self-sufficient space settlements in the foreseeable future, (2) what is the minimum scale for such self-sustaining human settlements, and (3) what are the integrated biologically-driven system requirements for such settlements? The paper examines briefly the implications of the answers to these questions in relevant potential settings (including free space, the Moon and Mars). Finally, this paper suggests relevant directions for future research and development in order for such space settlements to become viable in the future.

  16. External Versus Two Different Internal Foci of Attention in Long-Distance Throwing.

    PubMed

    Oki, Yuta; Kokubu, Masahiro; Nakagomi, Shiro

    2018-02-01

    The present study examined the influence of attentional focus on performance during a long-distance throwing task. Twelve participants executed three maximum-effort, long-distance baseball throwing attempts in three focus conditions: internal focus on wrist flexion (wrist internal focus), internal focus on the separation between pelvis and upper torso orientations (torso internal focus), and external focus on the ball path (external focus). Compared with the external focus and torso internal focus conditions, performance was poorer in the wrist internal focus condition. Performances were not different in the torso internal and external focus conditions. In addition, attentional focus affected the release angle of the ball but not its initial velocity. Our results reveal that the body part targeted for internal focus of attention and the forcefulness of the motor activity can be as important to motor performance as whether the attention is internal or external.

  17. Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Interaction, with Focus on the Role of Eicosanoids

    PubMed Central

    Fourie, Ruan; Ells, Ruan; Swart, Chantel W.; Sebolai, Olihile M.; Albertyn, Jacobus; Pohl, Carolina H.

    2016-01-01

    Candida albicans is commonly found in mixed infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, especially in the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Both of these opportunistic pathogens are able to form resistant biofilms and frequently infect immunocompromised individuals. The interaction between these two pathogens, which includes physical interaction as well as secreted factors, is mainly antagonistic. In addition, research suggests considerable interaction with their host, especially with immunomodulatory lipid mediators, termed eicosanoids. Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are both able to utilize arachidonic acid (AA), liberated from the host cells during infection, to form eicosanoids. The production of these eicosanoids, such as Prostaglandin E2, by the host and the pathogens may affect the dynamics of polymicrobial infection and the outcome of infections. It is of considerable importance to elucidate the role of host-produced, as well as pathogen-produced eicosanoids in polymicrobial infection. This review will focus on in vitro as well as in vivo interaction between C. albicans and P. aeruginosa, paying special attention to the role of eicosanoids in the cross-talk between host and the pathogens. PMID:26955357

  18. What Do Patients Want? Patient Preference in Wound Care

    PubMed Central

    Corbett, Lisa Q.; Ennis, William J.

    2014-01-01

    Patient preferences are statements made or actions taken by consumers that reflect their desirability of a range of health options. The concept occupies an increasingly prominent place at the center of healthcare reform, and is connected to all aspects of healthcare, including discovery, research, delivery, outcome, and payment. Patient preference research has focused on shared decisions, decisional aids, and clinical practice guideline development, with limited study in acute and chronic wound care populations. The wound care community has focused primarily on patient focused symptoms and quality of life measurement. With increasing recognition of wound care as a medical specialty and as a public health concern that consumes extensive resources, attention to the preferences of end-users with wounds is necessary. This article will provide an overview of related patient-centered concepts and begin to establish a framework for consideration of patient preference in wound care. PMID:25126474

  19. Implementation of psychiatric-focused lifestyle medicine programs in Asia.

    PubMed

    Sarris, Jerome; Nishi, Daisuke; Xiang, Yu-Tao; Su, Kuan-Pin; Bannatyne, Amy; Oliver, Georgina; Kua, Ee-Heok; Ng, Chee Hong

    2015-12-01

    Lifestyle-focused health programs are growing in interest throughout Western society, and a range of lifestyle factors are known to enhance both physical and mental health. However, it remains largely unknown as to whether this approach is salient for the Asian context. The major components of integrative lifestyle-focused health programs to enhance mental and physical health are considered to include the evidence-based adoption of physical activity and exercise, dietary modification, general psychoeducation, adequate relaxation/sleep and social interaction, use of mindfulness techniques, the reduction of substance use, attention of intersecting environmental factors, and the potential use of motivation and goal-setting techniques. This paper outlines an overview of the evidence underpinning these elements, and discusses potential barriers and challenges, and what logistical considerations may need to be addressed in the implementation of such programs within the context of Asian cultures. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  20. Bessel-Gauss beams as rigorous solutions of the Helmholtz equation.

    PubMed

    April, Alexandre

    2011-10-01

    The study of the nonparaxial propagation of optical beams has received considerable attention. In particular, the so-called complex-source/sink model can be used to describe strongly focused beams near the beam waist, but this method has not yet been applied to the Bessel-Gauss (BG) beam. In this paper, the complex-source/sink solution for the nonparaxial BG beam is expressed as a superposition of nonparaxial elegant Laguerre-Gaussian beams. This provides a direct way to write the explicit expression for a tightly focused BG beam that is an exact solution of the Helmholtz equation. It reduces correctly to the paraxial BG beam, the nonparaxial Gaussian beam, and the Bessel beam in the appropriate limits. The analytical expression can be used to calculate the field of a BG beam near its waist, and it may be useful in investigating the features of BG beams under tight focusing conditions.

  1. Internal and external attention and the default mode network.

    PubMed

    Scheibner, Hannah J; Bogler, Carsten; Gleich, Tobias; Haynes, John-Dylan; Bermpohl, Felix

    2017-03-01

    Focused attention meditations have been shown to improve psychological health and wellbeing and are nowadays an integral part of many psychotherapies. While research on the neural correlates of focused attention meditation is increasing, findings vary on whether meditations are associated with high or low activity in the default mode network (DMN). To clarify the relationship between focused attention meditation and the activity in DMN regions, it may be helpful to distinguish internal and external attention as well as different phases within one meditation: During focused attention meditation, the practitioner switches between mindful attention, mind-wandering and refocusing. Here, we employed a thought-probe paradigm to study the neural correlates of these different phases. Twenty healthy, meditation naïve participants were introduced to external (mindfulness of sound) and internal (mindfulness of breathing) attention meditation and then practiced the meditation at home for four consecutive days. They then performed the same focused attention meditations during fMRI scanning, in four runs alternating between internal and external attention. At pseudorandom intervals, participants were asked whether they had just been focused on the task (mindful attention) or had been distracted (mind-wandering). During mindful attention, brain regions typically associated with the DMN, such as the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex and left temporoparietal junction showed significantly less neural activation compared to mind-wandering phases. Reduced activity of the DMN was found during both external and internal attention, with stronger deactivation in the posterior cingulate cortex during internal attention compared to external attention. Moreover, refocusing after mind-wandering was associated with activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus. Our results support the theory that mindful attention is associated with reduced DMN activity compared to mind-wandering, independent of the practitioner's attention focus (i.e., internal vs. external). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. The Effect of Attentional Focus Cues on Object Control Performance in Elementary Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Palmer, Kara K.; Matsuyama, Abigail L.; Irwin, J. Megan; Porter, Jared M.; Robinson, Leah E.

    2017-01-01

    Background and purpose: Attentional focus cues have been shown to impact motor performance of adults and children. Specifically, an external focus of attention results in improved motor learning and performance as compared to adopting an internal focus of attention. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an internal and external…

  3. The European Market for Animal-Friendly Products in a Societal Context

    PubMed Central

    Ingenbleek, Paul T. M.; Harvey, David; Ilieski, Vlatko; Immink, Victor M.; de Roest, Kees; Schmid, Otto

    2013-01-01

    Simple Summary This article takes a future focus on the direction in which social forces develop the market for animal-friendly products in Europe. Although many stakeholders believe that the market is the most viable direction to improve farm animal welfare, economic productivity of the chain remains an issue that on a fundamental level conflicts with the objective to improve animal welfare. The European market for animal-friendly products is still largely fragmented and the differences between European countries are considerable. A more animal-friendly future that is achieved through the market will therefore need substantial policy attention from stakeholders in society. Abstract This article takes a future focus on the direction in which social forces develop the market for animal-friendly products in Europe. On the basis of qualitative data gathered in the context of the European EconWelfare project, the differences across eight European countries are studied. The findings suggest that, given international trade barriers that prevent an improvement of animal welfare through legislation, many stakeholders believe that the market is the most viable direction to improve farm animal welfare. Economic productivity of the chain remains, however, an issue that on a fundamental level conflicts with the objective to improve animal welfare. With the help of a deeper conceptual understanding of willingness to pay for animal welfare, the paper finds that the European market for animal-friendly products is still largely fragmented and that the differences between European countries are considerable. A more animal-friendly future that is achieved through the market will therefore need substantial policy attention from stakeholders in society. PMID:26479535

  4. The Occurrence of Veterinary Pharmaceuticals in the Environment: A Review

    PubMed Central

    Kaczala, Fabio; Blum, Shlomo E.

    2016-01-01

    It is well known that there is a widespread use of veterinary pharmaceuticals and consequent release into different ecosystems such as freshwater bodies and groundwater systems. Furthermore, the use of organic fertilizers produced from animal waste manure has been also responsible for the occurrence of veterinary pharmaceuticals in agricultural soils. This article is a review of different studies focused on the detection and quantification of such compounds in environmental compartments using different analytical techniques. Furthermore, this paper reports the main challenges regarding veterinary pharmaceuticals in terms of analytical methods, detection/quantification of parent compounds and metabolites, and risks/toxicity to human health and aquatic ecosystems. Based on the existing literature, it is clear that only limited data is available regarding veterinary compounds and there are still considerable gaps to be bridged in order to remediate existing problems and prevent future ones. In terms of analytical methods, there are still considerable challenges to overcome considering the large number of existing compounds and respective metabolites. A number of studies highlight the lack of attention given to the detection and quantification of transformation products and metabolites. Furthermore more attention needs to be given in relation to the toxic effects and potential risks that veterinary compounds pose to environmental and human health. To conclude, the more research investigations focused on these subjects take place in the near future, more rapidly we will get a better understanding about the behavior of these compounds and the real risks they pose to aquatic and terrestrial environments and how to properly tackle them. PMID:28579931

  5. Separation science is the key to successful biopharmaceuticals.

    PubMed

    Guiochon, Georges; Beaver, Lois Ann

    2011-12-09

    The impact of economic change, advances in science, therapy and production processes resulted in considerable growth in the area of biopharmaceuticals. Progress in selection of microorganisms and improvements in cell culture and bioreactors is evidenced by increased yields of the desired products in the complex fermentation mixture. At this stage the downstream process of extraction and purification of the desired biopharmaceutical requires considerable attention in the design and operation of the units used for preparative chromatography. Understanding of the process, optimization of column design and experimental conditions have become critical to the biopharmaceutical industry in order to minimize production costs while satisfying new regulatory requirements. Optimization of the purification of biopharmaceuticals by preparative liquid chromatography including an examination of column preparation and bed properties is the focus of this manuscript. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Nutritional Considerations for Performance in Young Athletes

    PubMed Central

    Smith, JohnEric W.; Holmes, Megan E.; McAllister, Matthew J.

    2015-01-01

    Nutrition is an integral component to any athletes training and performance program. In adults the balance between energy intake and energy demands is crucial in training, recovery, and performance. In young athletes the demands for training and performance remain but should be a secondary focus behind the demands associated with maintaining the proper growth and maturation. Research interventions imposing significant physiological loads and diet manipulation are limited in youth due to the ethical considerations related to potential negative impacts on the growth and maturation processes associated with younger individuals. This necessary limitation results in practitioners providing nutritional guidance to young athletes to rely on exercise nutrition recommendations intended for adults. While many of the recommendations can appropriately be repurposed for the younger athlete attention needs to be taken towards the differences in metabolic needs and physiological differences. PMID:26464898

  7. Emotional intimate partner violence experienced by men in same-sex relationships

    PubMed Central

    Woodyatt, Cory R.; Stephenson, Rob

    2016-01-01

    Intimate partner violence research has focused almost exclusively on physical and sexual intimate partner violence in opposite-sex relationships, paying little attention to the intimate partner violence experienced by men in same-sex relationships. Emerging research focusing on intimate partner violence among male-male couples has focused largely on physical and sexual violence, with little consideration of the unique forms of emotional violence experienced by gay men. Ten focus group discussions with gay and bisexual men (n=64) were conducted to examine perceived typologies, antecedents, and experiences of emotional violence that occur between male partners. Participants described emotional violence as the most threatening form of intimate partner violence, driven largely by factors including power differentials, gender roles, and internalised homophobia. Results indicate that gay and bisexual men perceive emotional intimate partner violence to be commonplace. A better understanding of emotional violence within male-male relationships is vital to inform intimate partner violence prevention efforts and the more accurate measurement of intimate partner violence for gay men. PMID:27109769

  8. Relationship between self-focused attention, mindfulness and distress in individuals with auditory verbal hallucinations.

    PubMed

    Úbeda-Gómez, J; León-Palacios, M G; Escudero-Pérez, S; Barros-Albarrán, M D; López-Jiménez, A M; Perona-Garcelán, S

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among self-focused attention, mindfulness and distress caused by the voices in psychiatric patients. Fifty-one individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis participated in this study. The Psychotic Symptom Rating Scale (PSYRATS) emotional factor was applied to measure the distress caused by the voices, the Self-Absorption Scale (SAS) was given for measuring the levels of self-focused attention, and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) was used to measure mindfulness. The results showed that distress caused by the voices correlated positively with self-focused attention (private and public) and negatively with mindfulness. A negative correlation was also found between mindfulness and self-focused attention (private and public). Finally, multiple linear regression analysis showed that public self-focus was the only factor predicting distress caused by the voices. Intervention directed at diminishing public self-focused attention and increasing mindfulness could improve distress caused by the voices.

  9. Trade-offs mathematical modelling of 3DCE in new product development: real three dimensions and directions for development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ilhami, M. A.; Subagyo; Masruroh, N. A.

    2018-04-01

    In the last two decades, coordinating product, process, and supply chain has become the main focus in recent years as a growing body of research, which mathematical modelling is leading technique used in the early phase design. In this paper, we aim to conduct a comprehensive literature review of published paper and propose directions for future research, especially in mathematical modelling. Our findings exhibit fact that evidently there are only a few papers coordinate “real three dimensions”. The other papers, in fact, show simply two dimensions. Finally, some suggestions are proposed such as paying more attention to “real three dimensions” research-based and more focus on minimizing time to market, product life cycle consideration, and product rollover.

  10. Attention to memory: orienting attention to sound object representations.

    PubMed

    Backer, Kristina C; Alain, Claude

    2014-01-01

    Despite a growing acceptance that attention and memory interact, and that attention can be focused on an active internal mental representation (i.e., reflective attention), there has been a paucity of work focusing on reflective attention to 'sound objects' (i.e., mental representations of actual sound sources in the environment). Further research on the dynamic interactions between auditory attention and memory, as well as its degree of neuroplasticity, is important for understanding how sound objects are represented, maintained, and accessed in the brain. This knowledge can then guide the development of training programs to help individuals with attention and memory problems. This review article focuses on attention to memory with an emphasis on behavioral and neuroimaging studies that have begun to explore the mechanisms that mediate reflective attentional orienting in vision and more recently, in audition. Reflective attention refers to situations in which attention is oriented toward internal representations rather than focused on external stimuli. We propose four general principles underlying attention to short-term memory. Furthermore, we suggest that mechanisms involved in orienting attention to visual object representations may also apply for orienting attention to sound object representations.

  11. Focused Attention, Heart Rate Deceleration, and Cognitive Development in Preterm and Full-Term Infants

    PubMed Central

    Petrie Thomas, Julianne H.; Whitfield, Michael F.; Oberlander, Tim F.; Synnes, Anne R.; Grunau, Ruth E.

    2012-01-01

    The majority of children who are born very preterm escape major impairment, yet more subtle cognitive and attention problems are very common in this population. Previous research has linked infant focused attention during exploratory play to later cognition in children born full-term and preterm. Infant focused attention can be indexed by sustained decreases in heart rate (HR). However there are no preterm studies that have jointly examined infant behavioral attention and concurrent HR response during exploratory play in relation to developing cognition. We recruited preterm infants free from neonatal conditions associated with major adverse outcomes, and further excluded infants with developmental delay (Bayley Mental Development Index [MDI < 70]) at 8 months corrected age (CA). During infant exploratory play at 8 months CA, focused attention and concurrent HR response were compared in 83 preterm infants (born 23–32 weeks gestational age [GA]) who escaped major impairment to 46 full-term infants. Focused attention and HR response were then examined in relation to Bayley MDI, after adjusting for neonatal risk. MDI did not differ by group, yet full-term infants displayed higher global focused attention ratings. Among the extremely preterm infants born <29 weeks, fewer days on mechanical ventilation, mean longest focus, and greater HR deceleration during focused attention episodes, accounted for 49% of adjusted variance in predicting concurrent MDI. There were no significant associations for later-born gestational age (29–32 weeks) or full-term infants. Among extremely preterm infants who escape major impairment, our findings suggest unique relationships between focused attention, HR deceleration, and developing cognition. PMID:22487941

  12. The Effects of Focused Attention on Inhibition and State Regulation in Children with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ketch, Karen M.; Brodeur, Darlene A.; McGee, Robin

    2009-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of response rate and attention focusing on performance of ADHD, clinical-control (CRNA) and non-clinical control children in response inhibition tasks. All children completed the "Go-NoGo" task, a computer-based task of attention and impulsivity. Focused attention on this task was manipulated using a priming…

  13. Fecal volatile organic compounds: a novel, cheaper method of diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease?

    PubMed

    Probert, Chris S J; Reade, Sophie; Ahmed, Iftikhar

    2014-09-01

    The investigation of a novel, cheaper method of diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an area of active research. Recently, investigations into the metabolomic profile of IBD patients and animal models of colitis compared to healthy controls has begun to receive considerable attention and correlations between the fecal volatile organic compound (VOC) metabolome and IBD is merging. Patients and clinicians have often reported a change in odor of feces during relapse of IBD. Therefore, this article will focus specifically on the fecal VOC metabolome and its potential role in identifying a novel diagnostic method for IBD.

  14. [Quality criteria and indicators of women's health care].

    PubMed

    Mandú, Edir Nei Teixeira

    2005-04-01

    In this article, quality criteria and indicators of the basic care of the woman's health are presented with emphasis on the sexual and reproductive health that can be used in the management of supervision practices. In its elaboration, formulations regarding the evaluating practice, the managerial work, the full care to the woman's health (sexual and reproductive) are taken into consideration, besides proposals of the Health Ministry for monitoring the attention to this specific group. It focuses mainly on care and vigilance actions as to the women's health and on organizational and managerial aspects of such care.

  15. New Assumptions to Guide SETI Research

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Colombano, S. P.

    2018-01-01

    The recent Kepler discoveries of Earth-like planets offer the opportunity to focus our attention on detecting signs of life and technology in specific planetary systems, but I feel we need to become more flexible in our assumptions. The reason is that, while it is still reasonable and conservative to assume that life is most likely to have originated in conditions similar to ours, the vast time differences in potential evolutions render the likelihood of "matching" technologies very slim. In light of these challenges I propose a more "aggressive"� approach to future SETI exploration in directions that until now have received little consideration.

  16. Construction and characterization of ultraviolet acousto-optic based femtosecond pulse shapers

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

    Mcgrane, Shawn D; Moore, David S; Greenfield, Margo T

    2008-01-01

    We present all the information necessary for construction and characterization of acousto optic pulse shapers, with a focus on ultraviolet wavelengths, Various radio-frequency drive configurations are presented to allow optimization via knowledgeable trade-off of design features. Detailed performance characteristics of a 267 nm acousto-optic modulator (AOM) based pulse shaper are presented, Practical considerations for AOM based pulse shaping of ultra-broad bandwidth (sub-10 fs) amplified femtosecond pulse shaping are described, with particular attention paid to the effects of the RF frequency bandwidth and optical frequency bandwidth on the spatial dispersion of the output laser pulses.

  17. Application of microplasma discharge in a spark gap for high repetitive switching

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

    Rahaman, Hasibur; Nam, Sang Hoon; Nam, Jong Woo

    2010-04-05

    The electrical breakdown in a spark gap for repetitive switching has been a long research interest. For this purpose, microplasma discharge is implemented in the spark gap which is further integrated inside a coaxial transmission line. This work addresses important physical properties and insights of the microplasma discharge, to be optimized, such as plasma generation in a spark channel, dielectric recovery process, and residual plasma in the postspark discharge period. Although understanding the microplasma discharge is the primary goal, considerable attention has been focused on an external circuit scheme to drive the discharge system at a high repetition rate.

  18. Attentional focus moderates the relationship between attention to threat bias and delusion-like experiences in healthy adults.

    PubMed

    Prochwicz, K; Kłosowska, J

    2017-01-01

    The role of cognitive biases in delusion and delusion-like experiences has been widely investigated in recent years. However, little is known about individual differences, which may influence association between cognitive biases and formation of delusional beliefs. The aim of this study was to examine the moderating effect of self-reported attentional control on the relationship between attention to threat bias (ATB) and delusion-like experiences (DLEs) in healthy adults. Participants (n=138) completed the Davos Assessment of the Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS), the Attentional Control Scale (ACS) and the Peters et al. Delusions Inventory (PDI). The moderation analysis was performed to check the influence of different components of attentional control (i.e. general ability to allocate attention, focusing, shifting and divide attention) on the interplay between ATB and DLEs. The results supported the moderation model. Specifically, we found that a higher level of ability to focus attention is associated with a stronger effect of attention to threat bias on the overall frequency of DLEs. Our results indicate that ATB contributes to the number of DLEs only in individuals with high and moderate capacity to focus attention, whereas in those who scored low on the ACS focusing attention subscale, the presence of attentional bias does not influence the frequency of DLEs. Our findings show that the individual difference variable, such as ability to voluntarily focus attention, may moderate the relationship between attention to threat bias and delusion-like experiences in healthy adults. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. [Platonic conception of a man as an element of the universe on the base of dialogue "Timajos"].

    PubMed

    Ziaja, Jacek

    2002-01-01

    Dialogue "Timajos" states Plato's lecture on a nature of the universe with special regard for position of a man. Presented in it ideas are based in a considerable degree on the knowledge of earlier thinkers, first of all Phytagoreans. They concern problems of primeval matter properties and world creation based on the rules of geometry. Afterwords the question of soul bestowal on the world and creation of living beings, connected directly with a problem of metempsychosis, are discussed. In the final part of the dialogue Plato focuses his attention on a corporal dimension of human structure. On the basis of triangle theory he describes creation of internal organs, skeleton, blood vessels and organs of senses, their function and the processes of growing old and death of the body. In the whole lecture an attention is brought to disclosure the effect of mind in the universe and purposefulness of creator activity.

  20. Bulk properties of solution-synthesized chevron-like graphene nanoribbons.

    PubMed

    Vo, Timothy H; Shekhirev, Mikhail; Lipatov, Alexey; Korlacki, Rafal A; Sinitskii, Alexander

    2014-01-01

    Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have received a great deal of attention due to their promise for electronic and optoelectronic applications. Several recent studies have focused on the synthesis of GNRs by the bottom-up approaches that could yield very narrow GNRs with atomically precise edges. One type of GNRs that has received a considerable attention is the chevron-like GNR with a very distinct periodic structure. Surface-assisted and solution-based synthetic approaches for the chevron-like GNRs have been developed, but their electronic properties have not been reported yet. In this work, we synthesized chevron-like GNRs in bulk by a solution-based method, characterized them by a number of spectroscopic techniques and measured their bulk conductivity. We demonstrate that solution-synthesized chevron-like GNRs are electrically conductive in bulk, which makes them a potentially promising material for applications in organic electronics and photovoltaics.

  1. Stimuli-Responsive NO Release for On-Demand Gas-Sensitized Synergistic Cancer Therapy.

    PubMed

    Fan, Wenpei; Yung, Bryant C; Chen, Xiaoyuan

    2018-03-08

    Featuring high biocompatibility, the emerging field of gas therapy has attracted extensive attention in the medical and scientific communities. Currently, considerable research has focused on the gasotransmitter nitric oxide (NO) owing to its unparalleled dual roles in directly killing cancer cells at high concentrations and cooperatively sensitizing cancer cells to other treatments for synergistic therapy. Of particular note, recent state-of-the-art studies have turned our attention to the chemical design of various endogenous/exogenous stimuli-responsive NO-releasing nanomedicines and their biomedical applications for on-demand NO-sensitized synergistic cancer therapy, which are discussed in this Minireview. Moreover, the potential challenges regarding NO gas therapy are also described, aiming to advance the development of NO nanomedicines as well as usher in new frontiers in this fertile research area. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. The flexible focus: whether spatial attention is unitary or divided depends on observer goals.

    PubMed

    Jefferies, Lisa N; Enns, James T; Di Lollo, Vincent

    2014-04-01

    The distribution of visual attention has been the topic of much investigation, and various theories have posited that attention is allocated either as a single unitary focus or as multiple independent foci. In the present experiment, we demonstrate that attention can be flexibly deployed as either a unitary or a divided focus in the same experimental task, depending on the observer's goals. To assess the distribution of attention, we used a dual-stream Attentional Blink (AB) paradigm and 2 target pairs. One component of the AB, Lag-1 sparing, occurs only if the second target pair appears within the focus of attention. By varying whether the first-target-pair could be expected in a predictable location (always in-stream) or not (unpredictably in-stream or between-streams), observers were encouraged to deploy a divided or a unitary focus, respectively. When the second-target-pair appeared between the streams, Lag-1 sparing occurred for the Unpredictable group (consistent with a unitary focus) but not for the Predictable group (consistent with a divided focus). Thus, diametrically different outcomes occurred for physically identical displays, depending on the expectations of the observer about where spatial attention would be required.

  3. Human body donation programs in Sri Lanka: Buddhist perspectives.

    PubMed

    Subasinghe, Sandeepani Kanchana; Jones, D Gareth

    2015-01-01

    Considerable attention is being given to the availability of bodies for anatomical education. This raises the question of the manner in which they are obtained, that is, whether they are unclaimed or donated. With increasing emphasis upon the ethical desirability of using body bequests, the spotlight tends to be focused on those countries with factors that militate against donations. However, little attention has been paid to cultures where donations are readily available. One such country is Sri Lanka where the majority of the Buddhist population follows Theravada Buddhism. Within this context, the expectation is that donations will be given selflessly without expecting anything in return. This is because donation of one's body has blessings for a better outcome now and in the afterlife. The ceremonies to honor donors are outlined, including details of the "Pirith Ceremony." The relevance for other cultures of these features of body donation is discussed paying especial attention to the meaning of altruism and consent, and justification for the anonymization of cadavers. The degree to which anatomy is integrated into the surrounding culture also emerges as significant. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

  4. Location versus task relevance: The impact of differing internal focus of attention instructions on motor performance.

    PubMed

    Pelleck, Valerie; Passmore, Steven R

    2017-05-01

    Impaired performance while executing a motor task is attributed to a disruption of normal automatic processes when an internal focus of attention is used. What remains unclear is whether the specificity of internally focused task instructions may impact task performance. The present study assessed the implications of changing the attentional focus of novice and skilled golfers by measuring behavioural, neurophysiological and kinematic changes during a golf putting task. Over six blocks of ten putting trials each, attention was directed either externally (towards the target) or internally in one of two ways: 1) proximal (keeping the elbows extended and the hands gripping the putter); or 2) distal (keeping the weight evenly distributed between both legs) to the critical elements of the task. Results provided evidence that when novice participants use an internal focus of attention more closely associated with task performance that their: 1) execution; 2) accuracy; 3) variability of surface electromyography (sEMG) activity; and 4) kinematics of the putter movement are all adversely affected. Skilled golfers are much more resilient to changes in attentional focus, while all participants interpret a distal internal focus of attention similar to an external focus. All participants produced decreased activity in the muscle (tibialis anterior) associated with the distal (less task relevant) focus of attention even when the "internal" focus was on the lower extremity. Our results provide evidence that the skill level of the participant and the distance of the internal focus of attention from the key elements of a motor skill directly impact the execution, muscle activity, and movement kinematics associated with skilled motor task performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Effect of internal versus external focus of attention on implicit motor learning in children with developmental coordination disorder.

    PubMed

    Jarus, Tal; Ghanouni, Parisa; Abel, Rachel L; Fomenoff, Shelby L; Lundberg, Jocelyn; Davidson, Stephanie; Caswell, Sarah; Bickerton, Laura; Zwicker, Jill G

    2015-02-01

    Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) struggle to learn new motor skills. It is unknown whether children with DCD learn motor skills more effectively with an external focus of attention (focusing on impact of movement on the environment) or an internal focus of attention (focusing on one's body movements) during implicit (unconscious) and explicit (conscious) motor learning. This paper aims to determine the trends of implicit motor learning in children with DCD, and how focus of attention influences motor learning in children with DCD in comparison with typically developing children. 25 children, aged 8-12, with (n=12) and without (n=13) DCD were randomly assigned to receive instructions that focused attention externally or internally while completing a computer tracking task during acquisition, retention, and transfer phases. The motor task involved tracking both repeated and random patterns, with the repeated pattern indicative of implicit learning. Children with DCD scored lower on the motor task in all three phases of the study, demonstrating poorer implicit learning. Furthermore, graphical data showed that for the children with DCD, there was no apparent difference between internal and external focus of attention during retention and transfer, while there was an advantage to the external focus of attention group for typically developing children. Children with DCD demonstrate less accuracy than typically developing children in learning a motor task. Also, the effect of focus of attention on motor performance is different in children with DCD versus their typically developing counterparts during the three phases of motor learning. Results may inform clinicians how to facilitate motor learning in children with DCD by incorporating explicit learning with either internal or external focus of attention within interventions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Focusing on ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

    MedlinePlus

    ... September 2014 Print this issue Focusing on ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder En español Send us your ... kid. But some kids have such trouble paying attention, staying focused, and finishing tasks that it interferes ...

  7. Defensive Practice as ‘Fear-Based’ Practice: Social Work's Open Secret?

    PubMed Central

    Whittaker, Andrew; Havard, Tirion

    2016-01-01

    Defensive practice has received attention through the Munro review of child protection, which has identified that current organisational cultures increase the likelihood of defensive practice. Whilst the wider socio-political climate that gives rise to defensive practice has been explored within the literature, little attention has been paid to the everyday realities of defensive practice. This paper reports the findings of a study into final year social work students' attitudes towards defensive practice within social work. Three focus groups were completed with a total of ninety final-year students that collected qualitative and quantitative data using interactive software. This paper examines how participants perceived defensive practice, both in general and when faced with real-life vignettes. Participants distinguished between pro-active behaviour (sins of commission) and passive behaviour (sins of omission), generally regarding the latter as less serious because it was less tangible and easier to attribute to more positive motives. Whilst the literature identifies defensive practice as deliberate behaviour, the focus group discussions suggest that it is a subtler and less conscious process. Whilst there was there was a general consensus about the nature of defensive practice, there was considerable disagreement about specific vignettes and several competing explanations are explored. PMID:27559220

  8. Restoration and the City: The Role of Public Urban Squares

    PubMed Central

    San Juan, César; Subiza-Pérez, Mikel; Vozmediano, Laura

    2017-01-01

    Over recent decades, the study of psychological restoration has attracted a considerable amount of interest within and without the boundaries of environmental psychology, with most of the work focused on analyzing restoration in natural contexts. However, little attention has been paid to the (possible) restorative potential of urban settings, as they have usually been expected not to be restorative and to present some elements that might imply negative health outcomes in the short and long term. In this field study, our aim was to evaluate restoration in urban squares. To this end, we measured participants' attentional and affective states both before and after spending half an hour in an urban square. A sample of 46 subjects contemplated and walked through one of the two selected squares that differed in restorative potential (PRS). Analyses revealed a statistically significant increase in cognitive performance and a decrease in negative affect in both squares. They also showed that participants reported greater stress recovery rates in one of the settings. These results support the idea that cities can be potentially restorative and justify the relevance of a research area focused on the urban designs, which may offer psychological benefits to urban citizens. PMID:29270139

  9. Focused and divided attention abilities in the acute phase of recovery from moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Robertson, Kayela; Schmitter-Edgecombe, Maureen

    2017-01-01

    Impairments in attention following traumatic brain injury (TBI) can significantly impact recovery and rehabilitation effectiveness. This study investigated the multi-faceted construct of selective attention following TBI, highlighting the differences on visual nonsearch (focused attention) and search (divided attention) tasks. Participants were 30 individuals with moderate to severe TBI who were tested acutely (i.e. following emergence from PTA) and 30 age- and education-matched controls. Participants were presented with visual displays that contained either two or eight items. In the focused attention, nonsearch condition, the location of the target (if present) was cued with a peripheral arrow prior to presentation of the visual displays. In the divided attention, search condition, no spatial cue was provided prior to presentation of the visual displays. The results revealed intact focused, nonsearch, attention abilities in the acute phase of TBI recovery. In contrast, when no spatial cue was provided (divided attention condition), participants with TBI demonstrated slower visual search compared to the control group. The results of this study suggest that capitalizing on intact focused attention abilities by allocating attention during cognitively demanding tasks may help to reduce mental workload and improve rehabilitation effectiveness.

  10. Organizational and Spatial Dynamics of Attentional Focusing in Hierarchically Structured Objects

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeari, Menahem; Goldsmith, Morris

    2011-01-01

    Is the focusing of visual attention object-based, space-based, both, or neither? Attentional focusing latencies in hierarchically structured compound-letter objects were examined, orthogonally manipulating global size (larger vs. smaller) and organizational complexity (two-level structure vs. three-level structure). In a dynamic focusing task,…

  11. Thinking about muscles: the neuromuscular effects of attentional focus on accuracy and fatigue.

    PubMed

    Lohse, Keith R; Sherwood, David E

    2012-07-01

    Although the effects of attention on movement execution are well documented behaviorally, much less research has been done on the neurophysiological changes that underlie attentional focus effects. This study presents two experiments exploring effects of attention during an isometric plantar-flexion task using surface electromyography (sEMG). Participants' attention was directed either externally (towards the force plate they were pushing against) or internally (towards their own leg, specifically the agonist muscle). Experiment 1 tested the effects of attention on accuracy and efficiency of force produced at three target forces (30, 60, and 100% of the maximum voluntary contraction; MVC). An internal focus of attention reduced the accuracy of force being produced and increased cocontraction of the antagonist muscle. Error on a given trial was positively correlated with the magnitude of cocontraction on that trial. Experiment 2 tested the effects of attention on muscular fatigue at 30, 60 and 100%MVC. An internal focus of attention led to less efficient intermuscular coordination, especially early in the contraction. These results suggest that an internal focus of attention disrupts efficient motor control in force production resulting in increased cocontraction, which potentially explains other neuromechanical findings (e.g. reduced functional variability with an internal focus). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Unwanted effects: Is there a negative side of meditation? A multicentre survey

    PubMed Central

    Demarzo, Marcelo; Martins, Patricia; Soler, Joaquim; Garcia-Campayo, Javier

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Despite the long-term use and evidence-based efficacy of meditation and mindfulness-based interventions, there is still a lack of data about the possible unwanted effects (UEs) of these practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of UEs among meditation practitioners, considering moderating factors such as the type, frequency, and lifetime duration of the meditation practices. Methods An online survey was developed and disseminated through several websites, such as Spanish-, English- and Portuguese-language scientific research portals related to mindfulness and meditation. After excluding people who did not answer the survey correctly or completely and those who had less than two months of meditation experience, a total of 342 people participated in the study. However, only 87 reported information about UEs. Results The majority of the practitioners were women from Spain who were married and had a University education level. Practices were more frequently informal, performed on a daily basis, and followed by focused attention (FA). Among the participants, 25.4% reported UEs, showing that severity varies considerably. The information requested indicated that most of the UEs were transitory and did not lead to discontinuing meditation practice or the need for medical assistance. They were more frequently reported in relation to individual practice, during focused attention meditation, and when practising for more than 20 minutes and alone. The practice of body awareness was associated with UEs to a lesser extent, whereas focused attention was associated more with UEs. Conclusions This is the first large-scale, multi-cultural study on the UEs of meditation. Despite its limitations, this study suggests that UEs are prevalent and transitory and should be further studied. We recommend the use of standardized questionnaires to assess the UEs of meditation practices. PMID:28873417

  13. Unwanted effects: Is there a negative side of meditation? A multicentre survey.

    PubMed

    Cebolla, Ausiàs; Demarzo, Marcelo; Martins, Patricia; Soler, Joaquim; Garcia-Campayo, Javier

    2017-01-01

    Despite the long-term use and evidence-based efficacy of meditation and mindfulness-based interventions, there is still a lack of data about the possible unwanted effects (UEs) of these practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of UEs among meditation practitioners, considering moderating factors such as the type, frequency, and lifetime duration of the meditation practices. An online survey was developed and disseminated through several websites, such as Spanish-, English- and Portuguese-language scientific research portals related to mindfulness and meditation. After excluding people who did not answer the survey correctly or completely and those who had less than two months of meditation experience, a total of 342 people participated in the study. However, only 87 reported information about UEs. The majority of the practitioners were women from Spain who were married and had a University education level. Practices were more frequently informal, performed on a daily basis, and followed by focused attention (FA). Among the participants, 25.4% reported UEs, showing that severity varies considerably. The information requested indicated that most of the UEs were transitory and did not lead to discontinuing meditation practice or the need for medical assistance. They were more frequently reported in relation to individual practice, during focused attention meditation, and when practising for more than 20 minutes and alone. The practice of body awareness was associated with UEs to a lesser extent, whereas focused attention was associated more with UEs. This is the first large-scale, multi-cultural study on the UEs of meditation. Despite its limitations, this study suggests that UEs are prevalent and transitory and should be further studied. We recommend the use of standardized questionnaires to assess the UEs of meditation practices.

  14. Does positive affect broaden and negative affect narrow attentional scope? A new answer to an old question.

    PubMed

    Huntsinger, Jeffrey R

    2012-11-01

    The current research challenges the common view that positive affect and negative affect generate a broadened or narrowed attentional focus, respectively. Contrary to this view, two studies found that the link between affect and attentional focus as measured by a traditional flanker task (Study 1) and a modified flanker task (Study 2) reflects whatever focus is momentarily dominant. Further, in these studies when neither focus was dominant, the link between affect and attentional focus vanished. These results demonstrate that, like reward, positive affect and negative affect are not dedicated to a particular broadened or narrowed attentional scope but rather provide embodied information about the value of currently accessible attentional orientations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

  15. Exploring attentional biases towards facial expressions of pain in men and women.

    PubMed

    Keogh, E; Cheng, F; Wang, S

    2018-05-14

    Interpersonal factors may help explain why men and women differ in their perception and expression of pain. Whilst the focus is often on the person in pain, how observers respond to those in pain is important. This study explored whether male-female differences exist in the way observers attend to expressions of pain in others. Fifty-three adults (26 females) completed a visual dot-probe task, to measure selective attentional biases to facial expressions of pain and fear. Expression pairs (e.g. pain/neutral) were displayed by either the same male or female actor, and in two different viewing duration conditions: 150 and 1250 ms. Dot-probes appeared in either a congruent or incongruent location to the target expression. No evidence was found for sex-related attentional biases towards pain or fear. However, when examining congruency and incongruency indexes separately, differences emerged. The congruency index analysis indicated that in the 150-ms presentation condition, both men and women were slower during congruent female pain/neutral trials when compared to neutral/neutral trials, and relatively faster at responding during congruent male pain/neutral trials. There is utility in exploring the attentional processes involved in the decoding of pain-related expressions to understand the influence of sex and gender differences in pain. Although male-female differences were found, this was most clearly related to the actor. Our results point to an early attentional mechanism that orients attention away from female expressions of pain. Future consideration of sex- and gender-related contextual factors in attentional processing is warranted. Sex-related factors seem to affect how observers view the pain of others. Our results point to an early attentional mechanism that orients the attention of observers away from female expressions of pain. © 2018 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

  16. Improving Schools, Improving School Health Education, Improving Public Health: The Role of SOPHE Members.

    PubMed

    Birch, David A

    2017-12-01

    The reciprocal relationship between health and education has garnered increased attention among public health professionals. The evidence is clear that the level of an individual's education is related to health outcomes in adulthood and that healthier children are more likely to be academically successful than those with health issues. Unpacking and examining various aspects of this relationship is the focus of my 2017 SOHE Presidential Address. The three specific purposes of the presentation are to (a) understand the reciprocal relationship between education and health, (b) understand the characteristics of quality schools and quality school health education, and (c) to review strategies designed to activate school improvement as a public health strategy. In order to examine the relationship, I will address the relationship of social determinants and social justice to the quality of education with special attention to the impact of poverty. In addition, I will present possible reasons behind the linkage of higher educational attainment to better health outcomes, and the impact of health challenges on academic success for school-age children and youth. Finally, I will present characteristics of quality schools including considerations related to quality school health education programs. I conclude the presentation by presenting 11 specific actions for school improvement for consideration by SOPHE members and other public health professionals.

  17. The blues broaden, but the nasty narrows: attentional consequences of negative affects low and high in motivational intensity.

    PubMed

    Gable, Philip; Harmon-Jones, Eddie

    2010-02-01

    Positive and negative affects high in motivational intensity cause a narrowing of attentional focus. In contrast, positive affects low in motivational intensity cause a broadening of attentional focus. The attentional consequences of negative affects low in motivational intensity have not been experimentally investigated. Experiment 1 compared the attentional consequences of negative affect low in motivational intensity (sadness) relative to a neutral affective state. Results indicated that low-motivation negative affect caused attentional broadening. Experiment 2 found that disgust, a high-motivation negative affect not previously investigated in attentional studies, narrowed attentional focus. These experiments support the conceptual model linking high-motivation affective states to narrowed attention and low-motivation affective states to broadened attention.

  18. Auditory and visual capture during focused visual attention.

    PubMed

    Koelewijn, Thomas; Bronkhorst, Adelbert; Theeuwes, Jan

    2009-10-01

    It is well known that auditory and visual onsets presented at a particular location can capture a person's visual attention. However, the question of whether such attentional capture disappears when attention is focused endogenously beforehand has not yet been answered. Moreover, previous studies have not differentiated between capture by onsets presented at a nontarget (invalid) location and possible performance benefits occurring when the target location is (validly) cued. In this study, the authors modulated the degree of attentional focus by presenting endogenous cues with varying reliability and by displaying placeholders indicating the precise areas where the target stimuli could occur. By using not only valid and invalid exogenous cues but also neutral cues that provide temporal but no spatial information, they found performance benefits as well as costs when attention is not strongly focused. The benefits disappear when the attentional focus is increased. These results indicate that there is bottom-up capture of visual attention by irrelevant auditory and visual stimuli that cannot be suppressed by top-down attentional control. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

  19. Space astronomical telescopes and instruments; Proceedings of the Meeting, Orlando, FL, Apr. 1-4, 1991

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bely, Pierre Y.; Breckinridge, James B.

    The present volume on space astronomical telescopes and instruments discusses lessons from the HST, telescopes on the moon, future space missions, and mirror fabrication and active control. Attention is given to the in-flight performance of the Goddard high-resolution spectrograph of the HST, the initial performance of the high-speed photometer, results from HST fine-guidance sensors, and reconstruction of the HST mirror figure from out-of-focus stellar images. Topics addressed include system concepts for a large UV/optical/IR telescope on the moon, optical design considerations for next-generation space and lunar telescopes, the implications of lunar dust for astronomical observatories, and lunar liquid-mirror telescopes. Also discussed are space design considerations for the Space Infrared Telescope Facility, the Hubble extrasolar planet interferometer, Si:Ga focal-plane arrays for satellite and ground-based telescopes, microchannel-plate detectors for space-based astronomy, and a method for making ultralight primary mirrors.

  20. Defining the Focus of Attention: Effects of Attention on Perceived Exertion and Fatigue

    PubMed Central

    Lohse, Keith R.; Sherwood, David E.

    2011-01-01

    This manuscript presents two experiments designed to explore the effects of attention on perceived exertion and time to failure in a fatiguing athletic task. There were two major motivating factors for these experiments. First, there are few studies evaluating attentional focus effects in endurance tasks and, second, there is a lack of integration between studies of attentional focus as external/internal (e.g., Wulf, 2007a) compared to associative/dissociative (e.g., Stevinson and Biddle, 1998). In Experiment 1, we used a fatiguing wall-sit posture (essentially a complex, isometric task) to compare two different types of external attention with an internal focus on the position of the legs. An external focus (regardless of type) increased the time taken to failure and reduced perceived exertion. In Experiment 2, we manipulated subjects’ expectancy of fatigue to test the interaction of attention and expectancy (both top-down factors) in this highly fatiguing task. Previous theories of attention during endurance tasks have suggested that as fatigue/pain increase, bottom-up factors begin to dominate subjects’ attention. While this may be true, Experiment 2 showed that even in a highly fatiguing task, attentional strategies, and expectancies affected the time to failure and perceived exertion. PMID:22102843

  1. Promising non-pharmacological therapies in PD: Targeting late stage disease and the role of computer based cognitive training.

    PubMed

    Van de Weijer, S C F; Hommel, A L A J; Bloem, B R; Nonnekes, J; De Vries, N M

    2018-01-01

    Non-pharmacological interventions are increasingly being acknowledged as valuable treatment options to overcome or reduce functional problems in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). There is a wide range of such non-pharmacological treatments for which the supportive evidence is emerging. Physiotherapy is one good example in this domain. However, there are also several promising non-pharmacological treatment strategies that have thus far received less research attention. Here, we describe two relatively new, but encouraging approaches. First, we focus on a hitherto largely overseen subgroup of PD, namely those with late-stage disease, a population that is often excluded from clinical studies. Importantly, the aims and therapeutic strategies in late-stage PD differ considerably from those in early-stage PD, and an emphasis on non-pharmacological management is particularly important for this vulnerable subgroup. Second, we focus on computer-based cognitive training, as an example of a relatively new intervention that includes innovative elements such as personalized training, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality. We review the latest evidence, practical considerations and future research perspectives, both for non-pharmacological approaches in late-stage PD and for computer-based cognitive training. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  2. Parental social cognitions: considerations in the acceptability of and engagement in behavioral parent training.

    PubMed

    Mah, Janet W T; Johnston, Charlotte

    2008-12-01

    Behavioral parent training (BPT) is a widely used, evidence-based treatment for externalizing child behaviors. However, the ability of BPT programs to be maximally effective remains limited by relatively low rates of acceptance, attendance, and adherence to treatment. Previous reviews have focused on a variety of demographic and mental health characteristics of parents and children that are predictive of poor outcomes in BPT. This paper focuses instead on consideration of parental social cognitions, and how incorporation of these cognitions may, or may not, be useful in advancing the effectiveness of BPT. We first review evidence suggesting limited incremental effects to incorporating parental cognitions within the context of BPT programs. Then, we examine the role of two particular types of parental social cognitions, attributions and parenting efficacy, in relation to the initial stages of accepting and engaging in BPT. We conclude by noting limitations in available research on the links between parental social cognitions and BPT, and we outline a number of potentially useful directions that may clarify whether or not parental social cognitions should be accorded greater attention either in the initial stages or throughout BPT programs.

  3. Attention focus and self-touch in toddlers: The moderating effect of attachment security.

    PubMed

    Ito-Jäger, Sachiyo; Howard, Amanda R; Purvis, Karyn B; Cross, David R

    2017-08-01

    The superior self-regulation and attention-regulation abilities of securely attached children have been repeatedly demonstrated. However, the mechanisms that allow securely attached children to exhibit higher levels of attention focus than insecurely attached (anxious-ambivalent and anxious-avoidant) children need to be explored. One possible mechanism that has been hypothesized to play a role in focusing attention is self-touch. Previous research has shown that 10-year-old children exhibit more bilateral self-touch (i.e., both hands are simultaneously moving onto each other or on the body, and both hands are in contact with each other or with the body), but not lateral self-touch (i.e., one hand is moving on the other hand or on the body, and the hand is in contact with the other hand or with the body), when they focus attention on a task. Because bilateral coordination is still developing during childhood, we expected that lateral self-touch, instead of bilateral self-touch, may be associated with attention focus for toddlers. The objectives of the present study were to examine whether securely attached toddlers exhibit more self-touch, particularly lateral self-touch, while they focus on a task than while they do not focus on a task. We expected to find that the association between lateral self-touch and attention focus is not as strong for insecurely attached toddlers. Data from forty-nine mother-child dyads were employed for analyses. The attachment classification of the children was determined using the Strange Situation. The duration of attention focus and self-touch behavior during a reading task were coded. An association between lateral self-touch and attention focus was found for children of all attachment classifications. This association was particularly strong for securely attached children. We discuss the possibility that securely attached toddlers may use lateral self-touch to regulate attention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Focused and shifting attention in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure.

    PubMed

    Mattson, Sarah N; Calarco, Katherine E; Lang, Aimée R

    2006-05-01

    Attention deficits are a hallmark of the teratogenic effects of alcohol. However, characterization of these deficits remains inconclusive. Children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and nonexposed controls were evaluated using a paradigm consisting of three conditions: visual focus, auditory focus, and auditory-visual shift of attention. For the focus conditions, participants responded manually to visual or auditory targets. For the shift condition, participants alternated responses between visual targets and auditory targets. For the visual focus condition, alcohol-exposed children had lower accuracy and slower reaction time for all intertarget intervals (ITIs), while on the auditory focus condition, alcohol-exposed children were less accurate but displayed slower reaction time only on the longest ITI. Finally, for the shift condition, the alcohol-exposed group was accurate but had slowed reaction times. These results indicate that children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure have pervasive deficits in visual focused attention and deficits in maintaining auditory attention over time. However, no deficits were noted in the ability to disengage and reengage attention when required to shift attention between visual and auditory stimuli, although reaction times to shift were slower. Copyright (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved.

  5. Managing hindering self-focused attention in counseling sessions.

    PubMed

    Wei, Meifen; Yi, Fei; Carrera, Stephanie G; Botello, Raquel; Sung, Duk-Hae

    2017-03-01

    This study examined the moderation effects of management strategies on the association between hindering self-focused attention and counseling self-efficacy. Participants were 160 counselor trainees. A hierarchical regression was used to analyze the data, and a simple effect analysis was used to explore the nature of the interaction. Results indicated that, for trainees who used more basic counseling techniques, counseling self-efficacy remained the same no matter their hindering self-focused attention experiences. However, for those who used less basic counseling techniques, their counseling self-efficacy dropped when they had more experiences of hindering self-focused attention. Similarly, for trainees who used more self-awareness to understand clients, these trainees reported a similar level of counseling self-efficacy no matter their hindering self-focused attention experiences. Conversely, for those who used less self-awareness as a tool to understand their clients during their sessions, their counseling self-efficacy decreased when they had more experiences of hindering self-focused attention. This is the first study that extends the literature on direct, linear relationships between hindering self-focused attention and counseling self-efficacy. Results suggested two strategies (i.e., use of basic counseling techniques and use of self-awareness to understand clients) significantly moderate the above association.

  6. Age, task complexity, and sex as potential moderators of attentional focus effects.

    PubMed

    Becker, Kevin; Smith, Peter J K

    2013-08-01

    The study tested whether age, sex, or task complexity moderate the effect of attentional focus on motor learning. Children (24 boys, 24 girls) and adults (24 men, 24 women) were assigned to an internal or external attentional focus, and were timed while riding either a Double Pedalo with handles (simple task) or without handles (complex task) over a distance of 7 meters. A Double Pedalo is a four-wheeled device that involves standing on two connected platforms, and alternately pushing them forward to make it move. Participants completed 20 acquisition trials, followed by a 24-hour retention test. For the simpler task, no time differences due to attentional focus emerged. With the complex task, an external focus resulted in faster times in retention than an internal focus, but only for males. These findings suggest that attentional focus affects children and adults similarly, but task complexity and sex moderate these effects.

  7. Competencies of Thai expertise teacher and PCK

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chantaranima, Tarntip; Yuenyong, Chokchai

    2018-01-01

    Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) was accepted by worldwide Educators that it is a ubiquitous word in the preparation of teachers in the past decade. This study uses Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) framework as a lens for classifying the guidelines and expectations for categorizing expertise teachers. Therefore, the paper tries to clarify the relationship between competencies of Thai expertise teacher and PCK elements. To promote skillful Thai teachers by offering them academic titles, the Office of the Teacher Civil Service and Education Personal Commission were developed to provide guidelines and expectations for categorizing expertise teachers (OTEPC, 2009). This article focuses on the guideline criteria which are three areas of consideration. The first area of consideration is teacher's disciplines including virtues and professional conducts. The second area of consideration is teacher's knowledge and teaching ability. The last area of consider is teacher's performance. It seemed that the OTEPC guideline pay too much attention on the first area. However, there are some issues of PCK appearing on the OTEPC teacher competency. The paper will discuss some suggestions of fill up PCK in the OTEPC guideline. The paper may have implication for Thailand teacher education.

  8. The size and shape of the attentional "spotlight" varies with differences in sports expertise.

    PubMed

    Hüttermann, Stefanie; Memmert, Daniel; Simons, Daniel J

    2014-06-01

    Focused attention enhances processing of some aspects of the world at the expense of unattended items. Although focused attention has been studied for decades, few studies have measured individual and group differences in how people distribute attention. In three studies, we explored differences in the breadth and distribution of attention as a function of athletic expertise. Study 1 found 25% greater attention breadth in expert athletes than in novices. Study 2 found that the distribution of focused attention for experts varied as a function of the type of athletic expertise: Experts in sports that demand greater horizontal distribution of attention (e.g., soccer) showed greater horizontal breadth of attention than did those whose sports demand more vertical attention (e.g., volleyball), and vice versa. Study 3 used a slightly modified design to replicate the results of Studies 1 and 2. Overall, the findings reveal a systematic association between the measured "shape" of focused attention in a laboratory task and expertise in a real-world skill. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  9. Gender and human rights dimensions of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Aniekwu, Nkoli I

    2002-12-01

    Until very recently, researchers paid little attention to sex or gender issues in HIV/AIDS. When differences between females and males on health matters were considered at all the focus was clearly on womens' reproductive lives and not on factors affecting the spread of the disease. There was hardly any consideration of the influence of inequalities on the spread of HIV/AIDS and on outcomes of infection between the sexes. Hitherto, health policies and programmes focused on biological aspects of diagnosis, treatment and prevention. In this paper, the author seeks to provide an understanding of the social factors as well as identification of the capacity of human rights to develop an effective response to the disease. It is a gender perspective on human rights with specific implications for women in the context of HIV/AIDS.

  10. Self-diffusion in periodic porous media: a comparison of numerical simulation and eigenvalue methods.

    PubMed

    Schwartz, L M; Bergman, D J; Dunn, K J; Mitra, P P

    1996-01-01

    Random walk computer simulations are an important tool in understanding magnetic resonance measurements in porous media. In this paper we focus on the description of pulsed field gradient spin echo (PGSE) experiments that measure the probability, P(R,t), that a diffusing water molecule will travel a distance R in a time t. Because PGSE simulations are often limited by statistical considerations, we will see that valuable insight can be gained by working with simple periodic geometries and comparing simulation data to the results of exact eigenvalue expansions. In this connection, our attention will be focused on (1) the wavevector, k, and time dependent magnetization, M(k, t); and (2) the normalized probability, Ps(delta R, t), that a diffusing particle will return to within delta R of the origin after time t.

  11. Chronobiology by moonlight.

    PubMed

    Kronfeld-Schor, Noga; Dominoni, Davide; de la Iglesia, Horacio; Levy, Oren; Herzog, Erik D; Dayan, Tamar; Helfrich-Forster, Charlotte

    2013-08-22

    Most studies in chronobiology focus on solar cycles (daily and annual). Moonlight and the lunar cycle received considerably less attention by chronobiologists. An exception are rhythms in intertidal species. Terrestrial ecologists long ago acknowledged the effects of moonlight on predation success, and consequently on predation risk, foraging behaviour and habitat use, while marine biologists have focused more on the behaviour and mainly on reproduction synchronization with relation to the Moon phase. Lately, several studies in different animal taxa addressed the role of moonlight in determining activity and studied the underlying mechanisms. In this paper, we review the ecological and behavioural evidence showing the effect of moonlight on activity, discuss the adaptive value of these changes, and describe possible mechanisms underlying this effect. We will also refer to other sources of night-time light ('light pollution') and highlight open questions that demand further studies.

  12. Chronobiology by moonlight

    PubMed Central

    Kronfeld-Schor, Noga; Dominoni, Davide; de la Iglesia, Horacio; Levy, Oren; Herzog, Erik D.; Dayan, Tamar; Helfrich-Forster, Charlotte

    2013-01-01

    Most studies in chronobiology focus on solar cycles (daily and annual). Moonlight and the lunar cycle received considerably less attention by chronobiologists. An exception are rhythms in intertidal species. Terrestrial ecologists long ago acknowledged the effects of moonlight on predation success, and consequently on predation risk, foraging behaviour and habitat use, while marine biologists have focused more on the behaviour and mainly on reproduction synchronization with relation to the Moon phase. Lately, several studies in different animal taxa addressed the role of moonlight in determining activity and studied the underlying mechanisms. In this paper, we review the ecological and behavioural evidence showing the effect of moonlight on activity, discuss the adaptive value of these changes, and describe possible mechanisms underlying this effect. We will also refer to other sources of night-time light (‘light pollution’) and highlight open questions that demand further studies. PMID:23825199

  13. Perspectives on Adolescent Alcohol Use and Consideration of Future Consequences: Results from a Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harvey, Séamus A.; McKay, Michael T.

    2017-01-01

    Consideration of future consequences (CFC) is described as the attention that individuals pay to the potential outcomes of their behaviour, and how their behaviour is affected as a result of attention to these outcomes. Greater CFC has been associated with less alcohol use, thus indicating its potential utility in health-promotion initiatives. A…

  14. Focused attention, open monitoring and automatic self-transcending: Categories to organize meditations from Vedic, Buddhist and Chinese traditions.

    PubMed

    Travis, Fred; Shear, Jonathan

    2010-12-01

    This paper proposes a third meditation-category--automatic self-transcending--to extend the dichotomy of focused attention and open monitoring proposed by Lutz. Automatic self-transcending includes techniques designed to transcend their own activity. This contrasts with focused attention, which keeps attention focused on an object; and open monitoring, which keeps attention involved in the monitoring process. Each category was assigned EEG bands, based on reported brain patterns during mental tasks, and meditations were categorized based on their reported EEG. Focused attention, characterized by beta/gamma activity, included meditations from Tibetan Buddhist, Buddhist, and Chinese traditions. Open monitoring, characterized by theta activity, included meditations from Buddhist, Chinese, and Vedic traditions. Automatic self-transcending, characterized by alpha1 activity, included meditations from Vedic and Chinese traditions. Between categories, the included meditations differed in focus, subject/object relation, and procedures. These findings shed light on the common mistake of averaging meditations together to determine mechanisms or clinical effects. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Adaptive Response Criteria in Road Hazard Detection Among Older Drivers

    PubMed Central

    Feng, Jing; Choi, HeeSun; Craik, Fergus I. M.; Levine, Brian; Moreno, Sylvain; Naglie, Gary; Zhu, Motao

    2018-01-01

    OBJECTIVES The majority of existing investigations on attention, aging, and driving have focused on the negative impacts of age-related declines in attention on hazard detection and driver performance. However, driving skills and behavioral compensation may accommodate the negative effects that age-related attentional decline places on driving performance. In this study, we examined an important question that had been largely neglected in the literature linking attention, aging, and driving: can top-down factors such as behavioral compensation, specifically adaptive response criteria, accommodate the negative impacts from age-related attention declines on hazard detection during driving? METHODS In the experiment, we used the Drive Aware Task, a task combining the driving context with well-controlled laboratory procedures measuring attention. We compared younger (n = 16, age 21 – 30) and older drivers (n = 21, age 65 – 79) on their attentional processing of hazards in driving scenes, indexed by percentage of correct and reaction time of hazard detection, as well as sensitivity and response criterion using the signal detection analysis. RESULTS Older drivers, in general, were less accurate and slower on the task than younger drivers. However, results from this experiment also revealed that older, but not younger, drivers adapted their response criteria when the traffic condition changed in the driving scenes. When there was more traffic in the driving scene, older drivers became more liberal in their responses, meaning that they were more likely to report that a driving hazard was detected. CONCLUSIONS Older drivers adopt compensatory strategies on hazard detection during driving . Our findings showed that, in the driving context, even at an old age our attentional functions are still adaptive according to environmental conditions. This leads to considerations on potential training methods to promote adaptive strategies which may help older drivers maintaining performance in road hazard detection. PMID:28898116

  16. An analysis of post-event processing in social anxiety disorder.

    PubMed

    Brozovich, Faith; Heimberg, Richard G

    2008-07-01

    Research has demonstrated that self-focused thoughts and negative affect have a reciprocal relationship [Mor, N., Winquist, J. (2002). Self-focused attention and negative affect: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 128, 638-662]. In the anxiety disorder literature, post-event processing has emerged as a specific construction of repetitive self-focused thoughts that pertain to social anxiety disorder. Post-event processing can be defined as an individual's repeated consideration and potential reconstruction of his performance following a social situation. Post-event processing can also occur when an individual anticipates a social or performance event and begins to brood about other, past social experiences. The present review examined the post-event processing literature in an attempt to organize and highlight the significant results. The methodologies employed to study post-event processing have included self-report measures, daily diaries, social or performance situations created in the laboratory, and experimental manipulations of post-event processing or anticipation of an upcoming event. Directions for future research on post-event processing are discussed.

  17. Behavioral decoding of working memory items inside and outside the focus of attention.

    PubMed

    Mallett, Remington; Lewis-Peacock, Jarrod A

    2018-03-31

    How we attend to our thoughts affects how we attend to our environment. Holding information in working memory can automatically bias visual attention toward matching information. By observing attentional biases on reaction times to visual search during a memory delay, it is possible to reconstruct the source of that bias using machine learning techniques and thereby behaviorally decode the content of working memory. Can this be done when more than one item is held in working memory? There is some evidence that multiple items can simultaneously bias attention, but the effects have been inconsistent. One explanation may be that items are stored in different states depending on the current task demands. Recent models propose functionally distinct states of representation for items inside versus outside the focus of attention. Here, we use behavioral decoding to evaluate whether multiple memory items-including temporarily irrelevant items outside the focus of attention-exert biases on visual attention. Only the single item in the focus of attention was decodable. The other item showed a brief attentional bias that dissipated until it returned to the focus of attention. These results support the idea of dynamic, flexible states of working memory across time and priority. © 2018 New York Academy of Sciences.

  18. Polymer nanoparticles for drug and small silencing RNA delivery to treat cancers of different phenotypes

    PubMed Central

    Devulapally, Rammohan; Paulmurugan, Ramasamy

    2013-01-01

    Advances in nanotechnology have provided powerful and efficient tools in development of cancer diagnosis and therapy. There are numerous nanocarriers that are currently approved for clinical use in cancer therapy. In recent years, biodegradable polymer nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted a considerable attention for their ability to function as a possible carrier for target-specific delivery of various drugs, genes, proteins, peptides, vaccines, and other biomolecules in humans without much toxicity. This review will specifically focus on the recent advances in polymer-based nanocarriers for various drugs and small silencing RNA’s loading and delivery to treat different types of cancer. PMID:23996830

  19. Natural pigments: carotenoids, anthocyanins, and betalains--characteristics, biosynthesis, processing, and stability.

    PubMed

    Delgado-Vargas, F; Jiménez, A R; Paredes-López, O

    2000-05-01

    Pigments are present in all living matter and provide attractive colors and play basic roles in the development of organisms. Human beings, like most animals, come in contact with their surroundings through color, and things can or cannot be acceptable based on their color characteristics. This review presents the basic information about pigments focusing attention on the natural ones; it emphasizes the principal plant pigments: carotenoids, anthocyanins, and betalains. Special considerations are given to their salient characteristics; to their biosynthesis, taking into account the biochemical and molecular biology information generated in their elucidation; and to the processing and stability properties of these compounds as food colorants.

  20. Gambling as an addictive disorder among athletes: clinical issues in sports medicine.

    PubMed

    Miller, T W; Adams, J M; Kraus, R F; Clayton, R; Miller, J M; Anderson, J; Ogilvie, B

    2001-01-01

    This article examines the role of gambling as an addictive disorder experienced by athletes, both college and professional. Gambling may often be seen as a comorbid factor with other addictions and with depression among athletes. The focus on addictions among athletes has gained considerable attention among sports medicine clinicians. Diagnostic indicators, risk and protective factors, and a stage model of addiction among athletes are addressed. An algorithm and pathway of care for athletes with an addictive disorder is offered as are recommendations that sports physicians, sports medicine specialists, coaches and counsellors need to address athletes who have an addictive disorder.

  1. Emotion-attention interactions in recognition memory for distractor faces.

    PubMed

    Srinivasan, Narayanan; Gupta, Rashmi

    2010-04-01

    Effective filtering of distractor information has been shown to be dependent on perceptual load. Given the salience of emotional information and the presence of emotion-attention interactions, we wanted to explore the recognition memory for emotional distractors especially as a function of focused attention and distributed attention by manipulating load and the spatial spread of attention. We performed two experiments to study emotion-attention interactions by measuring recognition memory performance for distractor neutral and emotional faces. Participants performed a color discrimination task (low-load) or letter identification task (high-load) with a letter string display in Experiment 1 and a high-load letter identification task with letters presented in a circular array in Experiment 2. The stimuli were presented against a distractor face background. The recognition memory results show that happy faces were recognized better than sad faces under conditions of less focused or distributed attention. When attention is more spatially focused, sad faces were recognized better than happy faces. The study provides evidence for emotion-attention interactions in which specific emotional information like sad or happy is associated with focused or distributed attention respectively. Distractor processing with emotional information also has implications for theories of attention. Copyright 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

  2. Minds "at attention": mindfulness training curbs attentional lapses in military cohorts.

    PubMed

    Jha, Amishi P; Morrison, Alexandra B; Dainer-Best, Justin; Parker, Suzanne; Rostrup, Nina; Stanley, Elizabeth A

    2015-01-01

    We investigated the impact of mindfulness training (MT) on attentional performance lapses associated with task-unrelated thought (i.e., mind wandering). Periods of persistent and intensive demands may compromise attention and increase off-task thinking. Here, we investigated if MT may mitigate these deleterious effects and promote cognitive resilience in military cohorts enduring a high-demand interval of predeployment training. To better understand which aspects of MT programs are most beneficial, three military cohorts were examined. Two of the three groups were provided MT. One group received an 8-hour, 8-week variant of Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT) emphasizing engagement in training exercises (training-focused MT, n = 40), a second group received a didactic-focused variant emphasizing content regarding stress and resilience (didactic-focused MT, n = 40), and the third group served as a no-training control (NTC, n = 24). Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) performance was indexed in all military groups and a no-training civilian group (CIV, n = 45) before (T1) and after (T2) the MT course period. Attentional performance (measured by A', a sensitivity index) was lower in NTC vs. CIV at T2, suggesting that performance suffers after enduring a high-demand predeployment interval relative to a similar time period of civilian life. Yet, there were significantly fewer performance lapses in the military cohorts receiving MT relative to NTC, with training-focused MT outperforming didactic-focused MT at T2. From T1 to T2, A' degraded in NTC and didactic-focused MT but remained stable in training-focused MT and CIV. In sum, while protracted periods of high-demand military training may increase attentional performance lapses, practice-focused MT programs akin to training-focused MT may bolster attentional performance more than didactic-focused programs. As such, training-focused MT programs should be further examined in cohorts experiencing protracted high-demand intervals.

  3. Exploring evidence-policy linkages in health research plans: A case study from six countries

    PubMed Central

    Syed, Shamsuzzoha B; Hyder, Adnan A; Bloom, Gerald; Sundaram, Sandhya; Bhuiya, Abbas; Zhenzhong, Zhang; Kanjilal, Barun; Oladepo, Oladimeji; Pariyo, George; Peters, David H

    2008-01-01

    The complex evidence-policy interface in low and middle income country settings is receiving increasing attention. Future Health Systems (FHS): Innovations for Equity, is a research consortium conducting health systems explorations in six Asian and African countries: Bangladesh, India, China, Afghanistan, Uganda, and Nigeria. The cross-country research consortium provides a unique opportunity to explore the research-policy interface. Three key activities were undertaken during the initial phase of this five-year project. First, key considerations in strengthening evidence-policy linkages in health system research were developed by FHS researchers through workshops and electronic communications. Four key considerations in strengthening evidence-policy linkages are postulated: development context; research characteristics; decision-making processes; and stakeholder engagement. Second, these four considerations were applied to research proposals in each of the six countries to highlight features in the research plans that potentially strengthen the research-policy interface and opportunities for improvement. Finally, the utility of the approach for setting research priorities in health policy and systems research was reflected upon. These three activities yielded interesting findings. First, developmental consideration with four dimensions – poverty, vulnerabilities, capabilities, and health shocks – provides an entry point in examining research-policy interfaces in the six settings. Second, research plans focused upon on the ground realities in specific countries strengthens the interface. Third, focusing on research prioritized by decision-makers, within a politicized health arena, enhances chances of research influencing action. Lastly, early and continued engagement of multiple stakeholders, from local to national levels, is conducive to enhanced communication at the interface. The approach described has four main utilities: first, systematic analyses of research proposals using key considerations ensure such issues are incorporated into research proposals; second, the exact meaning, significance, and inter-relatedness of these considerations can be explored within the research itself; third, cross-country learning can be enhanced; and finally, translation of evidence into action may be facilitated. Health systems research proposals in low and middle income countries should include reflection on transferring research findings into policy. Such deliberations may be informed by employing the four key considerations suggested in this paper in analyzing research proposals. PMID:18331651

  4. Ten years on: a follow-up review of ERP research in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

    PubMed

    Johnstone, Stuart J; Barry, Robert J; Clarke, Adam R

    2013-04-01

    This article reviews the event-related potential (ERP) literature in relation to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) over the years 2002-2012. ERP studies exploring various aspects of brain functioning in children and adolescents with AD/HD are reviewed, with a focus on group effects and interpretations in the domains of attention, inhibitory control, performance monitoring, non-pharmacological treatments, and ERP/energetics interactions. There has been a distinct shift in research intensity over the past 10 years, with a large increase in ERP studies conducted in the areas of inhibitory control and performance monitoring. Overall, the research has identified a substantial number of ERP correlates of AD/HD. Robust differences from healthy controls have been reported in early orienting, inhibitory control, and error-processing components. These data offer potential to improve our understanding of the specific brain dysfunction(s) which contribute to the disorder. The literature would benefit from a more rigorous approach to clinical group composition and consideration of age effects, as well as increased emphasis on replication and extension studies using exacting participant, task, and analysis parameters. Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Changes in the distribution of sustained attention alter the perceived structure of visual space.

    PubMed

    Fortenbaugh, Francesca C; Robertson, Lynn C; Esterman, Michael

    2017-02-01

    Visual spatial attention is a critical process that allows for the selection and enhanced processing of relevant objects and locations. While studies have shown attentional modulations of perceived location and the representation of distance information across multiple objects, there remains disagreement regarding what influence spatial attention has on the underlying structure of visual space. The present study utilized a method of magnitude estimation in which participants must judge the location of briefly presented targets within the boundaries of their individual visual fields in the absence of any other objects or boundaries. Spatial uncertainty of target locations was used to assess perceived locations across distributed and focused attention conditions without the use of external stimuli, such as visual cues. Across two experiments we tested locations along the cardinal and 45° oblique axes. We demonstrate that focusing attention within a region of space can expand the perceived size of visual space; even in cases where doing so makes performance less accurate. Moreover, the results of the present studies show that when fixation is actively maintained, focusing attention along a visual axis leads to an asymmetrical stretching of visual space that is predominantly focused across the central half of the visual field, consistent with an expansive gradient along the focus of voluntary attention. These results demonstrate that focusing sustained attention peripherally during active fixation leads to an asymmetrical expansion of visual space within the central visual field. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  6. Processing statistics: an examination of focused and distributed attention using event related potentials.

    PubMed

    Baijal, Shruti; Nakatani, Chie; van Leeuwen, Cees; Srinivasan, Narayanan

    2013-06-07

    Human observers show remarkable efficiency in statistical estimation; they are able, for instance, to estimate the mean size of visual objects, even if their number exceeds the capacity limits of focused attention. This ability has been understood as the result of a distinct mode of attention, i.e. distributed attention. Compared to the focused attention mode, working memory representations under distributed attention are proposed to be more compressed, leading to reduced working memory loads. An alternate proposal is that distributed attention uses less structured, feature-level representations. These would fill up working memory (WM) more, even when target set size is low. Using event-related potentials, we compared WM loading in a typical distributed attention task (mean size estimation) to that in a corresponding focused attention task (object recognition), using a measure called contralateral delay activity (CDA). Participants performed both tasks on 2, 4, or 8 different-sized target disks. In the recognition task, CDA amplitude increased with set size; notably, however, in the mean estimation task the CDA amplitude was high regardless of set size. In particular for set-size 2, the amplitude was higher in the mean estimation task than in the recognition task. The result showed that the task involves full WM loading even with a low target set size. This suggests that in the distributed attention mode, representations are not compressed, but rather less structured than under focused attention conditions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. A Longitudinal Analysis of Joint Attention and Language Development in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tek, Saime

    2010-01-01

    Joint attention (JA), which occurs when two individuals focus on the same object or event, plays a critical role in social and language development. Two major kinds of joint attention have been observed: response to joint attention (RJA), in which children follow the attentional focus of their social partners, and initiation of joint attention…

  8. Dealing with prospective memory demands while performing an ongoing task: Shared processing, increased on-task focus, or both?

    PubMed

    Rummel, Jan; Smeekens, Bridget A; Kane, Michael J

    2017-07-01

    Prospective memory (PM) is the cognitive ability to remember to fulfill intended action plans at the appropriate future moment. Current theories assume that PM fulfillment draws on attentional processes. Accordingly, pending PM intentions interfere with other ongoing tasks to the extent to which both tasks rely on the same processes. How do people manage the competition between PM and ongoing-task demands? Based on research relating mind wandering and attentional control (Kane & McVay, 2012), we argue that people may not only change the way they process ongoing-task stimuli when given a PM intention, but they may also engage in less off-task thinking than they otherwise would. That is, people focus more strongly on the tasks at hand and dedicate considerable conscious thought to the PM goal. We tested this hypothesis by asking subjects to periodically report on their thoughts during prototypical PM (and control) tasks. Task-unrelated thought rates dropped when participants performed an ongoing task while holding a PM intention versus performing the ongoing task alone (Experiment 1), even when PM demands were minimized (Experiment 2) and more so when PM execution was especially rewarded (Experiment 3). Our findings suggest that PM demands not only elicit a cost to ongoing-task processing, but they also induce a stronger on-task focus and promote conscious thoughts about the PM intention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  9. A comprehensive review of electrocoagulation for water treatment: Potentials and challenges.

    PubMed

    Moussa, Dina T; El-Naas, Muftah H; Nasser, Mustafa; Al-Marri, Mohammed J

    2017-01-15

    Electrocoagulation is an effective electrochemical approach for the treatment of different types of contaminated water and has received considerable attention in recent years due its high efficiency in dealing with numerous stubborn pollutants. It has been successful in dealing with organic and inorganic contaminants with negligible or almost no generation of by-product wastes. During the past decade, vast amount of research has been devoted to utilizing electrocoagulation for the treatment of several types of wastewater, ranging from polluted groundwater to highly contaminated refinery wastewater. This paper offers a comprehensive review of recent literature that has been dedicated to utilizing electrocoagulation for water treatment, focusing on current successes on specific applications in water and wastewater treatment, as well as potentials for future applications. The paper examines such aspects as theory, potential applications, current challenges, recent developments as well as economical concerns associated with the technology. Most of the recent EC research has been focusing on pollutant-specific evaluation without paying attention to cell design, process modeling or industrial applications. This review attempts to highlight the main achievements in the area and outlines the major shortcomings with recommendations for promising research options that can enhance the technology and broaden its range of applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Auditory and Visual Capture during Focused Visual Attention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koelewijn, Thomas; Bronkhorst, Adelbert; Theeuwes, Jan

    2009-01-01

    It is well known that auditory and visual onsets presented at a particular location can capture a person's visual attention. However, the question of whether such attentional capture disappears when attention is focused endogenously beforehand has not yet been answered. Moreover, previous studies have not differentiated between capture by onsets…

  11. Using Computer Based Intervention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aliee, Zeinab Shams; Jomhari, Nazean; Rezaei, Reza; Alias, Norlidah

    2013-01-01

    One of the most common problems in autistic children is split attention. Split attention prevents autism children from being able to focus attention on their learning, and tasks. As a result, it is important to identify how to make autistic individuals focus attention on learning. Considering autistic individuals have higher visual abilities in…

  12. Interventions Targeting Attention in Young Children with Autism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Patten, Elena; Watson, Linda R.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The ability to focus and sustain one's attention is critical for learning. Children with autism demonstrate unusual characteristics of attention from infancy. It is reasonable to assume that early anomalies in attention influence a child's developmental trajectories. Therapeutic interventions for autism often focus on core features of…

  13. Biological strategies for enhanced hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass during anaerobic digestion: Current status and future perspectives.

    PubMed

    Shrestha, Shilva; Fonoll, Xavier; Khanal, Samir Kumar; Raskin, Lutgarde

    2017-12-01

    Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant renewable bioresource on earth. In lignocellulosic biomass, the cellulose and hemicellulose are bound with lignin and other molecules to form a complex structure not easily accessible to microbial degradation. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of lignocellulosic biomass with a focus on improving hydrolysis, the rate limiting step in AD of lignocellulosic feedstocks, has received considerable attention. This review highlights challenges with AD of lignocellulosic biomass, factors contributing to its recalcitrance, and natural microbial ecosystems, such as the gastrointestinal tracts of herbivorous animals, capable of performing hydrolysis efficiently. Biological strategies that have been evaluated to enhance hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass include biological pretreatment, co-digestion, and inoculum selection. Strategies to further improve these approaches along with future research directions are outlined with a focus on linking studies of microbial communities involved in hydrolysis of lignocellulosics to process engineering. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Adapting Cognitive Interviewing for Early Adolescent Hispanic Girls and Sensitive Topics

    PubMed Central

    Norris, Anne E.; Torres-Thomas, Sylvia; Williams, Ellita T.

    2015-01-01

    Cognitive interviewing is a research technique commonly used in survey research to improve measurement validity. However, this technique is useful to researchers planning to use self-report measures in intervention research because invalidity of such measures jeopardizes detection of intervention effects. Little research currently exists regarding the use of cognitive interviewing techniques with adolescent populations, particularly those who are Hispanic. This article describes common challenges to conducting cognitive interviewing with early adolescent girls and how these challenges are impacted by Hispanic culture and sensitive topics. A focus group approach is recommended over the traditional one-on-one cognitive interview format, and experiences from actual focus groups, conducted in preparation for an intervention study are used to illustrate strategies for accomplishing the goals of cognitive interviewing. Creative and careful planning, attention to developmental considerations, and incorporation of cultural values are essential to the success of this approach. PMID:25239207

  15. Vitamin D and the skin: Focus on a complex relationship: A review

    PubMed Central

    Mostafa, Wedad Z.; Hegazy, Rehab A.

    2014-01-01

    The “sunshine” vitamin is a hot topic that attracted ample attention over the past decades, specially that a considerable proportion of the worldwide population are deficient in this essential nutrient. Vitamin D was primarily acknowledged for its importance in bone formation, however; increasing evidence point to its interference with the proper function of nearly every tissue in our bodies including brain, heart, muscles, immune system and skin. Thereby its deficiency has been incriminated in a long panel of diseases including cancers, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular and neurological disorders. Its involvement in the pathogenesis of different dermatological diseases is no exception and has been the subject of much research over the recent years. In the current review, we will throw light on this highly disputed vitamin that is creating a significant concern from a dermatological perspective. Furthermore, the consequences of its deficiency on the skin will be in focus. PMID:26644915

  16. A review of poly(lactic acid)-based materials for antimicrobial packaging.

    PubMed

    Tawakkal, Intan S M A; Cran, Marlene J; Miltz, Joseph; Bigger, Stephen W

    2014-08-01

    Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) can be synthesized from renewable bio-derived monomers and, as such, it is an alternative to conventional petroleum-based polymers. Since PLA is a relatively new polymer, much effort has been directed toward its development in order to make it an acceptable and effective option to the more traditional petroleum-based polymers. Commercially, PLA has received considerable attention in food packaging applications with a focus on films and coatings that are suitable for short shelf life and ready-to-eat food products. The potential for PLA to be used in active packaging has also been recognized by a number of researchers. This review focuses on the use of PLA in antimicrobial systems for food packaging applications and explores the engineering characteristics and antimicrobial activity of PLA films incorporated and/or coated with antimicrobial agents. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

  17. Graphene-based nanoprobes for molecular diagnostics.

    PubMed

    Chen, Shixing; Li, Fuwu; Fan, Chunhai; Song, Shiping

    2015-10-07

    In recent years, graphene has received widespread attention owing to its extraordinary electrical, chemical, optical, mechanical and structural properties. Lately, considerable interest has been focused on exploring the potential applications of graphene in life sciences, particularly in disease-related molecular diagnostics. In particular, the coupling of functional molecules with graphene as a nanoprobe offers an excellent platform to realize the detection of biomarkers, such as nucleic acids, proteins and other bioactive molecules, with high performance. This article reviews emerging graphene-based nanoprobes in electrical, optical and other assay methods and their application in various strategies of molecular diagnostics. In particular, this review focuses on the construction of graphene-based nanoprobes and their special advantages for the detection of various bioactive molecules. Properties of graphene-based materials and their functionalization are also comprehensively discussed in view of the development of nanoprobes. Finally, future challenges and perspectives of graphene-based nanoprobes are discussed.

  18. Prestige Asymmetry in American Physics: Aspirations, Applications, and the Purloined Letter Effect.

    PubMed

    Martin, Joseph D

    2017-12-01

    Argument Why do similar scientific enterprises garner unequal public approbation? High energy physics attracted considerable attention in the late-twentieth-century United States, whereas condensed matter physics - which occupied the greater proportion of US physicists - remained little known to the public, despite its relevance to ubiquitous consumer technologies. This paper supplements existing accounts of this much remarked-upon prestige asymmetry by showing that popular emphasis on the mundane technological offshoots of condensed matter physics and its focus on human-scale phenomena have rendered it more recondite than its better-known sibling field. News reports about high energy physics emphasize intellectual achievement; reporting on condensed matter physics focuses on technology. And whereas frontier-oriented rhetoric of high energy physics communicates ideals of human potential, discoveries that smack of the mundane highlight human limitations and fail to resonate with the widespread aspirational vision of science - a consequence I call "the purloined letter effect."

  19. The effect of divided attention on novices and experts in laparoscopic task performance.

    PubMed

    Ghazanfar, Mudassar Ali; Cook, Malcolm; Tang, Benjie; Tait, Iain; Alijani, Afshin

    2015-03-01

    Attention is important for the skilful execution of surgery. The surgeon's attention during surgery is divided between surgery and outside distractions. The effect of this divided attention has not been well studied previously. We aimed to compare the effect of dividing attention of novices and experts on a laparoscopic task performance. Following ethical approval, 25 novices and 9 expert surgeons performed a standardised peg transfer task in a laboratory setup under three randomly assigned conditions: silent as control condition and two standardised auditory distracting tasks requiring response (easy and difficult) as study conditions. Human reliability assessment was used for surgical task analysis. Primary outcome measures were correct auditory responses, task time, number of surgical errors and instrument movements. Secondary outcome measures included error rate, error probability and hand specific differences. Non-parametric statistics were used for data analysis. 21109 movements and 9036 total errors were analysed. Novices had increased mean task completion time (seconds) (171 ± 44SD vs. 149 ± 34, p < 0.05), number of total movements (227 ± 27 vs. 213 ± 26, p < 0.05) and number of errors (127 ± 51 vs. 96 ± 28, p < 0.05) during difficult study conditions compared to control. The correct responses to auditory stimuli were less frequent in experts (68 %) compared to novices (80 %). There was a positive correlation between error rate and error probability in novices (r (2) = 0.533, p < 0.05) but not in experts (r (2) = 0.346, p > 0.05). Divided attention conditions in theatre environment require careful consideration during surgical training as the junior surgeons are less able to focus their attention during these conditions.

  20. COMT and DRD2/ANKK-1 gene-gene interaction account for resetting of gamma neural oscillations to auditory stimulus-driven attention.

    PubMed

    Garcia-Garcia, Manuel; Via, Marc; Zarnowiec, Katarzyna; SanMiguel, Iria; Escera, Carles; Clemente, Immaculada C

    2017-01-01

    Attention capture by potentially relevant environmental stimuli is critical for human survival, yet it varies considerably among individuals. A large series of studies has suggested that attention capture may depend on the cognitive balance between maintenance and manipulation of mental representations and the flexible switch between goal-directed representations and potentially relevant stimuli outside the focus of attention; a balance that seems modulated by a prefrontostriatal dopamine pathway. Here, we examined inter-individual differences in the cognitive control of attention through studying the effects of two single nucleotide polymorphisms regulating dopamine at the prefrontal cortex and the striatum (i.e., COMTMet108/158Val and ANKK1/DRD2TaqIA) on stimulus-driven attention capture. Healthy adult participants (N = 40) were assigned to different groups according to the combination of the polymorphisms COMTMet108/158Val and ANKK1/DRD2TaqIA, and were instructed to perform on a well-established distraction protocol. Performance in individuals with a balance between prefrontal dopamine display and striatal receptor density was slowed down by the occurrence of unexpected distracting events, while those with a rather unbalanced dopamine activity were able maintain task performance with no time delay, yet at the expense of a slightly lower accuracy. This advantage, associated to their distinct genetic profiles, was paralleled by an electrophysiological mechanism of phase-resetting of gamma neural oscillation to the novel, distracting events. Taken together, the current results suggest that the epistatic interaction between COMTVal108/158Met and ANKK1/DRD2 TaqIa genetic polymorphisms lies at the basis of stimulus-driven attention capture.

  1. College Students' Attention Behaviors during Independent Study and Course Level Academic Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wagner, Linda G.

    2012-01-01

    Students in college make daily choices about how to use their independent study time, including choices about allocation of attention. Based on theoretical considerations and clinical studies, attention and the dividing of attention through multitasking is thought to have a relationship to performance levels. Research is only beginning to explore,…

  2. Multivariate analyses applied to fetal, neonatal and pediatric MRI of neurodevelopmental disorders

    PubMed Central

    Levman, Jacob; Takahashi, Emi

    2015-01-01

    Multivariate analysis (MVA) is a class of statistical and pattern recognition methods that involve the processing of data that contains multiple measurements per sample. MVA can be used to address a wide variety of medical neuroimaging-related challenges including identifying variables associated with a measure of clinical importance (i.e. patient outcome), creating diagnostic tests, assisting in characterizing developmental disorders, understanding disease etiology, development and progression, assisting in treatment monitoring and much more. Compared to adults, imaging of developing immature brains has attracted less attention from MVA researchers. However, remarkable MVA research growth has occurred in recent years. This paper presents the results of a systematic review of the literature focusing on MVA technologies applied to neurodevelopmental disorders in fetal, neonatal and pediatric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. The goal of this manuscript is to provide a concise review of the state of the scientific literature on studies employing brain MRI and MVA in a pre-adult population. Neurological developmental disorders addressed in the MVA research contained in this review include autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, epilepsy, schizophrenia and more. While the results of this review demonstrate considerable interest from the scientific community in applications of MVA technologies in pediatric/neonatal/fetal brain MRI, the field is still young and considerable research growth remains ahead of us. PMID:26640765

  3. Multivariate analyses applied to fetal, neonatal and pediatric MRI of neurodevelopmental disorders.

    PubMed

    Levman, Jacob; Takahashi, Emi

    2015-01-01

    Multivariate analysis (MVA) is a class of statistical and pattern recognition methods that involve the processing of data that contains multiple measurements per sample. MVA can be used to address a wide variety of medical neuroimaging-related challenges including identifying variables associated with a measure of clinical importance (i.e. patient outcome), creating diagnostic tests, assisting in characterizing developmental disorders, understanding disease etiology, development and progression, assisting in treatment monitoring and much more. Compared to adults, imaging of developing immature brains has attracted less attention from MVA researchers. However, remarkable MVA research growth has occurred in recent years. This paper presents the results of a systematic review of the literature focusing on MVA technologies applied to neurodevelopmental disorders in fetal, neonatal and pediatric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. The goal of this manuscript is to provide a concise review of the state of the scientific literature on studies employing brain MRI and MVA in a pre-adult population. Neurological developmental disorders addressed in the MVA research contained in this review include autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, epilepsy, schizophrenia and more. While the results of this review demonstrate considerable interest from the scientific community in applications of MVA technologies in pediatric/neonatal/fetal brain MRI, the field is still young and considerable research growth remains ahead of us.

  4. Perceptual and Cognitive Load Interact to Control the Spatial Focus of Attention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Linnell, Karina J.; Caparos, Serge

    2011-01-01

    Caparos and Linnell (2009, 2010) used a variable-separation flanker paradigm to show that (a) when cognitive load is low, increasing perceptual load causes spatial attention to focus and (b) when perceptual load is high, decreasing cognitive load causes spatial attention to focus. Here, we tested whether the effects of perceptual and cognitive…

  5. Attentional ability among survivors of leukaemia.

    PubMed

    Rodgers, J; Horrocks, J; Britton, P G; Kernahan, J

    1999-04-01

    Attentional ability in 19 survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and 19 sibling controls was assessed using a neuropsychological model of attention. Analysis revealed that children who had received treatment for leukaemia exhibited significantly poorer performance on measures of the "focus encode" and "focus execute" elements of attention and on measures of the ability to respond to external cues and feedback. No significant differences in performance were found for measures of sustained attention and the ability to shift attention. These results indicate that children who have received treatment for leukaemia may experience highly specific attentional deficits that could have an impact on academic performance, particularly mathematical and reading skills. It is suggested that this underlying attentional deficit might be the source of the neuropsychological sequelae associated with the disease. Future attempts at remediation should incorporate activities specifically designed to ameliorate focusing difficulties.

  6. Feature Integration in the Mapping of Multi-Attribute Visual Stimuli to Responses

    PubMed Central

    Ishizaki, Takuya; Morita, Hiromi; Morita, Masahiko

    2015-01-01

    In the human visual system, different attributes of an object, such as shape and color, are separately processed in different modules and then integrated to elicit a specific response. In this process, different attributes are thought to be temporarily “bound” together by focusing attention on the object; however, how such binding contributes to stimulus-response mapping remains unclear. Here we report that learning and performance of stimulus-response tasks was more difficult when three attributes of the stimulus determined the correct response than when two attributes did. We also found that spatially separated presentations of attributes considerably complicated the task, although they did not markedly affect target detection. These results are consistent with a paired-attribute model in which bound feature pairs, rather than object representations, are associated with responses by learning. This suggests that attention does not bind three or more attributes into a unitary object representation, and long-term learning is required for their integration. PMID:25762010

  7. Meditation-induced cognitive-control states regulate response-conflict adaptation: Evidence from trial-to-trial adjustments in the Simon task.

    PubMed

    Colzato, Lorenza S; Sellaro, Roberta; Samara, Iliana; Hommel, Bernhard

    2015-09-01

    Here we consider the possibility that meditation has an immediate impact on information processing. Moreover, we were interested to see whether this impact affects attentional input control, as previous observations suggest, or the handling of response conflict. Healthy adults underwent a brief single session of either focused attention meditation (FAM), which is assumed to increase top-down control, or open monitoring meditation (OMM), which is assumed to weaken top-down control, before performing a Simon task-which assesses conflict-resolution efficiency. While the size of the Simon effect (reflecting the efficiency of handling response conflict) was unaffected by type of meditation, the amount of dynamic behavioral adjustments (i.e., trial-to-trial variability of the Simon effect: the Gratton effect) was considerably smaller after OMM than after FAM. Our findings suggest that engaging in meditation instantly creates a cognitive-control state that has a specific impact on conflict-driven control adaptations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Attentional Focus in Classical Ballet: A Survey Of Professional Dancers.

    PubMed

    Guss-West, Clare; Wulf, Gabriele

    2016-03-01

    Focus of attention and its effects on skilled motor performance has become an important line of research in the motor learning domain. Numerous studies have demonstrated that an external focus of attention (i.e., on the movement effect) enhances motor performance and learning relative to an internal focus (i.e., on body movements). Thus, small differences in the wording of instructions or feedback given by teachers can have a significant impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of motor skill performance. In this paper, we review some of the attentional focus studies that are relevant to ballet performance. In addition, we report the findings of a survey among professional ballet dancers (N = 53) that we conducted to determine their typical attentional focus while performing certain movements. The results showed that the majority adopted internal foci, or combinations of internal and external foci, most of the time. This suggests that there is room for improvement for performance and teaching. We provide examples of how external foci can be promoted in ballet practice.

  9. [Gender differences in hemispheric interaction during distributed and directed attention].

    PubMed

    Razumnikova, O M; Vol'f, N V

    2006-01-01

    Gender differences in the functional hemispheric organization during memorization of dichotically presented verbal information in the situation of focused or non-focused attention were studied. Analysis of EEG coherence reactivity in six frequency bands (4-30 Hz) showed that the focused attention to stimuli presented to one ear as compared to divided attention between both ears was accompanied by an increase in the interhemispheric interaction in the thetal frequency band between the frontal cortical areas in men and between the parietoccipital areas in women. In the betal band, the focused attention was associated with a contralateral increase in the intrahemispheric coherence in men, whereas no significant difference in the intrahemispheric coherence was found in women. On the basis of coherence changes in the thetal and betal bands depending on the attention conditions together with the obtained correlation between coherence reactivity and word-recall scores, it may be suggested that verbal memorization in men is associated, predominantly, with the regulation from the anterior system of attention and from the posterior system in women.

  10. Food availability/convenience and obesity.

    PubMed

    Gordon-Larsen, Penny

    2014-11-01

    Neighborhood environments have received considerable attention in recent local, state, and national obesity prevention initiatives, with a particular focus on food deserts, or areas with poor access to healthy foods. Yet, there are inconsistencies in the evidence base, suggesting a nuanced association between neighborhood environment, food availability, diet behaviors, and obesity. There is heterogeneity in associations between environmental exposures and health outcomes across race/ethnicity, gender, region, and urbanicity, which results in complexity in the interpretation of findings. There are several limitations in the literature, including a predominance of cross-sectional studies, reliance on commercial business listings, lack of attention to the process by which diet resources are established and expanded within neighborhoods and the potential for individuals to selectively migrate to locate near such facilities, a predominant focus on residential neighborhoods, and lack of information about the decision-making process underlying purchasing patterns. More research is needed to address the complexity of individual-level residential decision making as well as the purposeful placement of food environment resources across social and geographic space using longitudinal data and complex statistical approaches. In addition, improvements in data quality and depth related to food access and availability are needed, including behavioral data on purchase patterns and interactions with the food environment, and greater attention to heterogeneity across subpopulations. As policy changes to the food environment move forward, it is critical that there is rigorous and scientific evaluation of environmental changes and their impact on individual-level diet choices and behaviors, and their further influence on body weight. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

  11. Focusing the Spotlight: Individual Differences in Visual Attention Control

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heitz, Richard P.; Engle, Randall W.

    2007-01-01

    A time-course analysis of visual attention focusing (attentional constraint) was conducted in groups of participants with high and low working memory spans, a dimension the authors have argued reflects the ability to control attention. In 4 experiments, participants performed the Eriksen flanker paradigm under increasing levels of speed stress.…

  12. Revisiting the relation between contingency awareness and attention: evaluative conditioning relies on a contingency focus.

    PubMed

    Kattner, Florian

    2012-01-01

    Although evaluative conditioning has occasionally been demonstrated in the absence of contingency awareness, many recent studies imply that its acquisition depends on the availability of attentional resources during conditioning. In previous experiments attention has typically been manipulated in a general way rather than looking at the particular focus of attention. The present study investigated the role of a focus on the CS-US contingency. Two separate distraction tasks were designed that either diverted attention from the stimuli or directed it to the stimuli while drawing attention away from the contingency between the stimuli. Both types of distraction were shown to eliminate evaluative conditioning. Significant evaluative conditioning was observed in a third group of participants who were required to attend the contingencies. A mediation analysis showed that the observed discrepancy in evaluative conditioning effects between groups was mediated by contingency awareness. The results imply that attention in terms of a stimulus focus is not sufficient for evaluative conditioning to occur. Rather, attention to the contingencies between stimuli appears to be crucial in evaluative conditioning, because it is supposed to foster the acquisition of contingency awareness.

  13. The modulation of perceptual selection by working memory is dependent on the focus of spatial attention.

    PubMed

    Pan, Yi; Soto, David

    2010-07-09

    Recent research suggests that visual selection can be automatically biased to those stimuli matching the contents of working memory (WM). However, a complete functional account of the interplay between WM and attention remains to be established. In particular, the boundary conditions of the WM effect on selection are unclear. Here, the authors investigate the influence of the focus of spatial attention (i.e., diffused vs. focused) by assessing the effect of spatial precues on attentional capture by WM. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that relative to a neutral condition without memory-matching stimuli, the presence of a memory distractor can trigger attentional capture despite being entirely irrelevant for the attention task but this happened only when the item was actively maintained in WM and not when it was merely repeated. Experiments 3a, 3b and 3c showed that attentional capture by WM can be modulated by endogenous spatial pre-cueing of the incoming target of selection. The authors conclude that WM-driven capture of visual selection is dependent on the focus of spatial attention. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. The influence of motivational and mood states on visual attention: A quantification of systematic differences and casual changes in subjects' focus of attention.

    PubMed

    Hüttermann, Stefanie; Memmert, Daniel

    2015-01-01

    A great number of studies have shown that different motivational and mood states can influence human attentional processes in a variety of ways. Yet, none of these studies have reliably quantified the exact changes of the attentional focus in order to be able to compare attentional performances based on different motivational and mood influences and, beyond that, to evaluate their effectivity. In two studies, we explored subjects' differences in the breadth and distribution of attention as a function of motivational and mood manipulations. In Study 1, motivational orientation was classified in terms of regulatory focus (promotion vs. prevention) and in Study 2, mood was classified in terms of valence (positive vs. negative). Study 1 found a 10% wider distribution of the visual attention in promotion-oriented subjects compared to prevention-oriented ones. The results in Study 2 reveal a widening of the subjects' visual attentional breadth when listening to happy music by 22% and a narrowing by 36% when listening to melancholic music. In total, the findings show that systematic differences and casual changes in the shape and scope of focused attention may be associated with different motivational and mood states.

  15. Local capacity for groundwater protection in Ontario.

    PubMed

    De Loë, Rob C; Di Giantomasso, Sandra E; Kreutzwiser, Reid D

    2002-02-01

    Preventing groundwater contamination is vastly cheaper than remediation. Recognizing this, attention in water and land management agencies in North America increasingly turn to groundwater protection. Local agencies, such as municipalities and watershed management districts, are vital to successful groundwater protection, but they face daunting challenges. In the United States, senior governments have recognized these challenges and provide considerable support for local agencies. In Ontario, Canada, local agencies are, to a much greater extent, on their own. The aims in this paper are to analyze factors that shape local capacity for groundwater protection, focusing on Ontario, and to recommend avenues for capacity building. Interrelationships among five dimensions of capacity (technical, financial, institutional, social, and political) are explored through an analysis of three smaller Ontario communities: City of Guelph (population 93,400), Town of Orangeville (population 22,188), and Town of Erin (population 11,000). Size clearly influences capacity for groundwater protection. However, other considerations unrelated to size appear to be as important. These other factors include the ability to form horizontal and vertical linkages with external agencies, political leadership and commitment, and citizen involvement. Thus, smaller communities in Ontario (and other jurisdictions with limited senior government support) would do well to focus on these areas at the same time as they develop their technical, financial, and institutional capacity.

  16. Are men well served by family planning programs?

    PubMed

    Hardee, Karen; Croce-Galis, Melanie; Gay, Jill

    2017-01-23

    Although the range of contraceptives includes methods for men, namely condoms, vasectomy and withdrawal that men use directly, and the Standard Days Method (SDM) that requires their participation, family planning programming has primarily focused on women. What is known about reaching men as contraceptive users? This paper draws from a review of 47 interventions that reached men and proposes 10 key considerations for strengthening programming for men as contraceptive users. A review of programming shows that men and boys are not particularly well served by programs. Most programs operate from the perspective that women are contraceptive users and that men should support their partners, with insufficient attention to reaching men as contraceptive users in their own right. The notion that family planning is women's business only is outdated. There is sufficient evidence demonstrating men's desire for information and services, as well as men's positive response to existing programming to warrant further programming for men as FP users. The key considerations focus on getting information and services where men and boys need it; addressing gender norms that affect men's attitudes and use while respecting women's autonomy; reaching adolescent boys; including men as users in policies and guidelines; scaling up successful programming; filling gaps with implementation research and monitoring & evaluation; and creating more contraceptive options for men.

  17. Continuous cognitive task promotes greater postural stability than an internal or external focus of attention.

    PubMed

    Polskaia, Nadia; Richer, Natalie; Dionne, Eliane; Lajoie, Yves

    2015-02-01

    Research has demonstrated clear advantages of using an external focus of attention in postural control tasks, presumably since it allows a more automatic control of posture to emerge. However, the influence of cognitive tasks on postural stability has produced discordant results. This study aimed to compare the effects of an internal focus of attention, an external focus of attention and a continuous cognitive task on postural control. Twenty healthy participants (21.4±2.6 years) were recruited for this study. They were asked to stand quietly on a force platform with their feet together in three different attentional focus conditions: an internal focus condition (minimizing movements of the hips), an external focus condition (minimizing movements of markers placed on the hips) and a cognitive task condition (silently counting the total number of times a single digit was verbalized in a 3-digit sequence comprised of 30 numbers). Results demonstrated improved stability while performing the cognitive task as opposed to the internal and external focus conditions, as evidenced by a reduction in sway area, sway variability in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions, and mean velocity (ML only). Results suggest that the use of a continuous cognitive task permits attention to be withdrawn from the postural task, thereby facilitating a more automatic control of posture. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. The Structure of the Relationship between Attention and Intelligence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schweizer, Karl; Moosbrugger, Helfried; Goldhammer, Frank

    2005-01-01

    The relationship between attention and general intelligence was investigated considering the different types of attention: alertness, sustained attention, focused attention, attentional switching, divided attention, attention according to the supervisory attentional system, attention as inhibition, spatial attention, attention as planning,…

  19. The division of attention and the human auditory evoked potential

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hink, R. F.; Van Voorhis, S. T.; Hillyard, S. A.; Smith, T. S.

    1977-01-01

    The sensitivity of the scalp-recorded, auditory evoked potential to selective attention was examined while subjects responded to stimuli presented to one ear (focused attention) and to both ears (divided attention). The amplitude of the N1 component was found to be largest to stimuli in the ear upon which attention was to be focused, smallest to stimuli in the ear to be ignored, and intermediate to stimuli in both ears when attention was divided. The results are interpreted as supporting a capacity model of attention.

  20. First unitary, then divided: the temporal dynamics of dividing attention.

    PubMed

    Jefferies, Lisa N; Witt, Joseph B

    2018-04-24

    Whether focused visual attention can be divided has been the topic of much investigation, and there is a compelling body of evidence showing that, at least under certain conditions, attention can be divided and deployed as two independent foci. Three experiments were conducted to examine whether attention can be deployed in divided form from the outset, or whether it is first deployed as a unitary focus before being divided. To test this, we adapted the methodology of Jefferies, Enns, and Di Lollo (Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance 40: 465, 2014), who used a dual-stream Attentional Blink paradigm and two letter-pair targets. One aspect of the AB, Lag-1 sparing, has been shown to occur only if the second target pair appears within the focus of attention. By presenting the second target pair at various spatial locations and assessing the magnitude of Lag-1 sparing, we probed the spatial distribution of attention. By systematically manipulating the stimulus-onset-asynchrony between the targets, we also tracked changes to the spatial distribution of attention over time. The results showed that even under conditions which encourage the division of attention, the attentional focus is first deployed in unitary form before being divided. It is then maintained in divided form only briefly before settling on a single location.

  1. Increases in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and decreases the rostral prefrontal cortex activation after-8 weeks of focused attention based mindfulness meditation.

    PubMed

    Tomasino, Barbara; Fabbro, Franco

    2016-02-01

    Mindfulness meditation is a form of attention control training. The training exercises the ability to repeatedly focus attention. We addressed the activation changes related to an 8-weeks mindfulness-oriented focused attention meditation training on an initially naïve subject cohort. Before and after training participants underwent an fMRI experiment, thus, although not strictly a cross over design, they served as their internal own control. During fMRI they exercised focused attention on breathing and body scan as compared to resting. We found increased and decreased activation in different parts of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) by comparing pre- vs. post-mindfulness training (MT) during breathing and body scan meditation exercises that were compared against their own resting state. In the post-MT (vs. pre-MT) meditation increased activation in the right dorsolateral PFC and in the left caudate/anterior insula and decreased activation in the rostral PFC and right parietal area 3b. Thus a brief mindfulness training caused increased activation in areas involved in sustaining and monitoring the focus of attention (dorsolateral PFC), consistent with the aim of mindfulness that is exercising focused attention mechanisms, and in the left caudate/anterior insula involved in attention and corporeal awareness and decreased activation in areas part of the "default mode" network and is involved in mentalizing (rostral PFC), consistent with the ability trained by mindfulness of reducing spontaneous mind wandering. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. NORMAL HUMAN VARIATION: REFOCUSSING THE ENHANCEMENT DEBATE

    PubMed Central

    Kahane, Guy; Savulescu, Julian

    2015-01-01

    This article draws attention to several common mistakes in thinking about biomedical enhancement, mistakes that are made even by some supporters of enhancement. We illustrate these mistakes by examining objections that John Harris has recently raised against the use of pharmacological interventions to directly modulate moral decision-making. We then apply these lessons to other influential figures in the debate about enhancement. One upshot of our argument is that many considerations presented as powerful objections to enhancement are really strong considerations in favour of biomedical enhancement, just in a different direction. Another upshot is that it is unfortunate that much of the current debate focuses on interventions that will radically transform normal human capacities. Such interventions are unlikely to be available in the near future, and may not even be feasible. But our argument shows that the enhancement project can still have a radical impact on human life even if biomedical enhancement operated entirely within the normal human range. PMID:23906367

  3. The multiple roles of TDP-43 in pre-mRNA processing and gene expression regulation.

    PubMed

    Buratti, Emanuele; Baralle, Francisco Ernesto

    2010-01-01

    Heterogeneous ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) are multifunctional RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) involved in many cellular processes. They participate in most gene expression pathways, from DNA replication and repair to mRNA translation. Among this class of proteins, TDP-43 (and more recently FUS/TLS) have received considerable attention due to their involvement in several neurodegenerative diseases. This finding has prompted many research groups to focus on the gene expression pathways that are regulated by these proteins. The results have uncovered a considerable complexity of TDP-43 and FUS/TLS functions due to the many independent mechanisms by which they may act to influence various cellular processes (such as DNA transcription, pre-mRNA splicing, mRNA export/import). The aim of this chapter will be to review especially some of the novel functions that have been uncovered, such as role in miRNA synthesis, regulation of transcript levels, and potential autoregulatory mechanisms in order to provide the basis for further investigations.

  4. Ethics of Social Media Research: Common Concerns and Practical Considerations

    PubMed Central

    Goniu, Natalie; Moreno, Peter S.; Diekema, Douglas

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Social media Websites (SMWs) are increasingly popular research tools. These sites provide new opportunities for researchers, but raise new challenges for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review these research protocols. As of yet, there is little-to-no guidance regarding how an IRB should review the studies involving SMWs. The purpose of this article was to review the common risks inherent in social media research and consider how researchers can consider these risks when writing research protocols. We focused this article on three common research approaches: observational research, interactive research, and survey/interview research. Concomitant with these research approaches, we gave particular attention to the issues pertinent to SMW research, including privacy, consent, and confidentiality. After considering these challenges, we outlined key considerations for both researchers and reviewers when creating or reviewing SMW IRB protocols. Our goal in this article was to provide a detailed examination of relevant ethics and regulatory issues for both researchers and those who review their protocols. PMID:23679571

  5. Ethics of social media research: common concerns and practical considerations.

    PubMed

    Moreno, Megan A; Goniu, Natalie; Moreno, Peter S; Diekema, Douglas

    2013-09-01

    Social media Websites (SMWs) are increasingly popular research tools. These sites provide new opportunities for researchers, but raise new challenges for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review these research protocols. As of yet, there is little-to-no guidance regarding how an IRB should review the studies involving SMWs. The purpose of this article was to review the common risks inherent in social media research and consider how researchers can consider these risks when writing research protocols. We focused this article on three common research approaches: observational research, interactive research, and survey/interview research. Concomitant with these research approaches, we gave particular attention to the issues pertinent to SMW research, including privacy, consent, and confidentiality. After considering these challenges, we outlined key considerations for both researchers and reviewers when creating or reviewing SMW IRB protocols. Our goal in this article was to provide a detailed examination of relevant ethics and regulatory issues for both researchers and those who review their protocols.

  6. Observers' focus of attention in the simulation of self-perception.

    PubMed

    Wegner, D M; Finstuen, K

    1977-01-01

    This research was designed to assess the effects of a manipulation of observers' focus of attention--from a focus on the actor to a focus on the actor's situation--upon observers' attributions of attitude to an actor in a simulation of a forced-compliance cognitive dissonance experiment. Observers induced through empathy instructions to focus attention on the actor's situation inferred less actor attitude positivity than did observers given no specific observational set. In addition, situation-focused observers inferred that the actor's attitude was directly related to reward magnitude, whereas actor-focused observers inferred that the actor's attitude was inversely related to reward magnitude. An extension of self-perception theory, offered as an interpretation of these and other results, suggested that motivation attribution made by actors and observers in dissonance and simulation studies are dependent on focus of attention. The attributions made by actor-focused observers simulate those of objectively self-aware actors and are based upon perceived intrinsic motivation; the attributions of situation-focused observers simulate those of subjectively self-aware actors and are based upon perceived extrinsic motivation.

  7. Feature bindings are maintained in visual short-term memory without sustained focused attention.

    PubMed

    Delvenne, Jean-François; Cleeremans, Axel; Laloyaux, Cédric

    2010-01-01

    Does the maintenance of feature bindings in visual short-term memory (VSTM) require sustained focused attention? This issue was investigated in three experiments, in which memory for single features (i.e., colors or shapes) was compared with memory for feature bindings (i.e., the link between the color and shape of an object). Attention was manipulated during the memory retention interval with a retro-cue, which allows attention to be directed and focused on a subset of memory items. The retro-cue was presented 700 ms after the offset of the memory display and 700 ms before the onset of the test display. If the maintenance of feature bindings - but not of individual features - in memory requires sustained focused attention, the retro-cue should not affect memory performance. Contrary to this prediction, we found that both memory for feature bindings and memory for individual features were equally improved by the retro-cue. Therefore, this finding does not support the view that the sustained focused attention is needed to properly maintain feature bindings in VSTM.

  8. Searching for serial refreshing in working memory: Using response times to track the content of the focus of attention over time.

    PubMed

    Vergauwe, Evie; Hardman, Kyle O; Rouder, Jeffrey N; Roemer, Emily; McAllaster, Sara; Cowan, Nelson

    2016-12-01

    One popular idea is that, to support the maintenance of a set of elements over brief periods of time, the focus of attention rotates among the different elements, thereby serially refreshing the content of working memory (WM). In the research reported here, probe letters were presented between to-be-remembered letters, and response times to these probes were used to infer the status of the different items in WM. If the focus of attention cycles from one item to the next, its content should be different at different points in time, and this should be reflected in a change in the response time patterns over time. Across a set of four experiments, we demonstrated a striking pattern of invariance in the response time patterns over time, suggesting either that the content of the focus of attention did not change over time or that response times cannot be used to infer the content of the focus of attention. We discuss how this pattern constrains models of WM, attention, and human information processing.

  9. Minds “At Attention”: Mindfulness Training Curbs Attentional Lapses in Military Cohorts

    PubMed Central

    Jha, Amishi P.; Morrison, Alexandra B.; Dainer-Best, Justin; Parker, Suzanne; Rostrup, Nina; Stanley, Elizabeth A.

    2015-01-01

    We investigated the impact of mindfulness training (MT) on attentional performance lapses associated with task-unrelated thought (i.e., mind wandering). Periods of persistent and intensive demands may compromise attention and increase off-task thinking. Here, we investigated if MT may mitigate these deleterious effects and promote cognitive resilience in military cohorts enduring a high-demand interval of predeployment training. To better understand which aspects of MT programs are most beneficial, three military cohorts were examined. Two of the three groups were provided MT. One group received an 8-hour, 8-week variant of Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT) emphasizing engagement in training exercises (training-focused MT, n = 40), a second group received a didactic-focused variant emphasizing content regarding stress and resilience (didactic-focused MT, n = 40), and the third group served as a no-training control (NTC, n = 24). Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) performance was indexed in all military groups and a no-training civilian group (CIV, n = 45) before (T1) and after (T2) the MT course period. Attentional performance (measured by A’, a sensitivity index) was lower in NTC vs. CIV at T2, suggesting that performance suffers after enduring a high-demand predeployment interval relative to a similar time period of civilian life. Yet, there were significantly fewer performance lapses in the military cohorts receiving MT relative to NTC, with training-focused MT outperforming didactic-focused MT at T2. From T1 to T2, A’ degraded in NTC and didactic-focused MT but remained stable in training-focused MT and CIV. In sum, while protracted periods of high-demand military training may increase attentional performance lapses, practice-focused MT programs akin to training-focused MT may bolster attentional performance more than didactic-focused programs. As such, training-focused MT programs should be further examined in cohorts experiencing protracted high-demand intervals. PMID:25671579

  10. Preserved Discrimination Performance and Neural Processing during Crossmodal Attention in Aging

    PubMed Central

    Mishra, Jyoti; Gazzaley, Adam

    2013-01-01

    In a recent study in younger adults (19-29 year olds) we showed evidence that distributed audiovisual attention resulted in improved discrimination performance for audiovisual stimuli compared to focused visual attention. Here, we extend our findings to healthy older adults (60-90 year olds), showing that performance benefits of distributed audiovisual attention in this population match those of younger adults. Specifically, improved performance was revealed in faster response times for semantically congruent audiovisual stimuli during distributed relative to focused visual attention, without any differences in accuracy. For semantically incongruent stimuli, discrimination accuracy was significantly improved during distributed relative to focused attention. Furthermore, event-related neural processing showed intact crossmodal integration in higher performing older adults similar to younger adults. Thus, there was insufficient evidence to support an age-related deficit in crossmodal attention. PMID:24278464

  11. Analysis of aircraft longitudinal handling qualities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hess, R. A.

    1981-01-01

    The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion for determining the susceptibility of an aircraft to pilot induced oscillations (PIO) is formulated. Finally, a model-based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

  12. Prediction of aircraft handling qualities using analytical models of the human pilot

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hess, R. A.

    1982-01-01

    The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion for determining the susceptibility of an aircraft to pilot-induced oscillations (PIO) is formulated. Finally, a model-based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

  13. Prediction of aircraft handling qualities using analytical models of the human pilot

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hess, R. A.

    1982-01-01

    The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion for determining the susceptibility of an aircraft to pilot induced oscillations is formulated. Finally, a model based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

  14. Building an intellectual infrastructure for space commerce

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stone, Barbara A.; Struthers, Jeffrey L.

    1992-01-01

    Competition in commerce requires an 'intellectual infrastructure', that is, a work force with extensive scientific and technical knowledge and a thorough understanding of the business world. This paper focuses on the development of such intellectual infrastructure for space commerce. Special consideration is given to the contributions to this development by the 17 Centers for the Commercial Development of Space Program conducting commercially oriented research in eight specialized areas: automation and robotics, remote sensing, life sciences, materials processing in space, space power, space propulsion, space structures and materials, and advanced satellite communications. Attention is also given to the Space Business Development Center concept aimed at addressing a variety of barriers common to the development of space commerce.

  15. An analytical approach for predicting pilot induced oscillations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hess, R. A.

    1981-01-01

    The optimal control model (OCM) of the human pilot is applied to the study of aircraft handling qualities. Attention is focused primarily on longitudinal tasks. The modeling technique differs from previous applications of the OCM in that considerable effort is expended in simplifying the pilot/vehicle analysis. After briefly reviewing the OCM, a technique for modeling the pilot controlling higher order systems is introduced. Following this, a simple criterion or determining the susceptability of an aircraft to pilot induced oscillations (PIO) is formulated. Finally, a model-based metric for pilot rating prediction is discussed. The resulting modeling procedure provides a relatively simple, yet unified approach to the study of a variety of handling qualities problems.

  16. Workarounds in the Workplace: A Second Look.

    PubMed

    Seaman, Jennifer B; Erlen, Judith A

    2015-01-01

    Nursing workarounds have garnered increased attention over the past 15 years, corresponding with an increased focus on patient safety and evidence-based practice and a rise in the use of health information technologies (HITs). Workarounds have typically been viewed as deviations from best practice that put patients at risk for poor outcomes. However, this narrow view fails to take into consideration the multifactorial origins of workarounds. The authors explore the ways in which evidence-based protocols and HIT, designed to improve patient safety and quality, can have an unintended consequence of increasing the likelihood of nurses engaging in workarounds. The article also examines workarounds considering the ethical obligations of both nurses and administrative leaders to optimize patient safety and quality.

  17. Investigation of Cloud Properties and Atmospheric Profiles with MODIS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Menzel, Paul; Ackerman, Steve; Moeller, Chris; Gumley, Liam; Strabala, Kathy; Frey, Richard; Prins, Elaine; LaPorte, Dan; Wolf, Walter

    1997-01-01

    The WINter Cloud Experiment (WINCE) was directed and supported by personnel from the University of Wisconsin in January and February. Data sets of good quality were collected by the MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS) and other instruments on the NASA ER2; they will be used to develop and validate cloud detection and cloud property retrievals over winter scenes (especially over snow). Software development focused on utilities needed for all of the UW product executables; preparations for Version 2 software deliveries were almost completed. A significant effort was made, in cooperation with SBRS and MCST, in characterizing and understanding MODIS PFM thermal infrared performance; crosstalk in the longwave infrared channels continues to get considerable attention.

  18. Electromagnetic field of a bunch intersecting a dielectric plate in a waveguide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alekhina, Tatiana Yu; Tyukhtin, Andrey V.

    2014-05-01

    The electromagnetic field (EMF) of a bunch moving uniformly and traversing a dielectric plate located in a waveguide is investigated. The main attention is focused on the case when Cherenkov radiation is generated in the plate. Analysis of the field components of the mode is performed with methods of the complex variable function theory. An algorithm of computation using the exact expressions for the EMF is also presented. Consideration of the EMF structure for different time moments is given. It is shown that Cherenkov-transition radiation (CTR) is generated in the vacuum area after the plate under certain conditions. Results obtained might be of interest for development of new methods of generation of electromagnetic radiation.

  19. A Brief Review on Multivalent Intercalation Batteries with Aqueous Electrolytes.

    PubMed

    Guduru, Ramesh K; Icaza, Juan C

    2016-02-26

    Rapidly growing global demand for high energy density rechargeable batteries has driven the research toward developing new chemistries and battery systems beyond Li-ion batteries. Due to the advantages of delivering more than one electron and giving more charge capacity, the multivalent systems have gained considerable attention. At the same time, affordability, ease of fabrication and safety aspects have also directed researchers to focus on aqueous electrolyte based multivalent intercalation batteries. There have been a decent number of publications disclosing capabilities and challenges of several multivalent battery systems in aqueous electrolytes, and while considering an increasing interest in this area, here, we present a brief overview of their recent progress, including electrode chemistries, functionalities and challenges.

  20. Silicon Nanowire-Based Devices for Gas-Phase Sensing

    PubMed Central

    Cao, Anping; Sudhölter, Ernst J.R.; de Smet, Louis C.P.M.

    2014-01-01

    Since their introduction in 2001, SiNW-based sensor devices have attracted considerable interest as a general platform for ultra-sensitive, electrical detection of biological and chemical species. Most studies focus on detecting, sensing and monitoring analytes in aqueous solution, but the number of studies on sensing gases and vapors using SiNW-based devices is increasing. This review gives an overview of selected research papers related to the application of electrical SiNW-based devices in the gas phase that have been reported over the past 10 years. Special attention is given to surface modification strategies and the sensing principles involved. In addition, future steps and technological challenges in this field are addressed. PMID:24368699

  1. Atomoxetine pharmacogenetics: associations with pharmacokinetics, treatment response and tolerability.

    PubMed

    Brown, Jacob T; Bishop, Jeffrey R

    2015-01-01

    Atomoxetine is indicated for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and is predominantly metabolized by the CYP2D6 enzyme. Differences in pharmacokinetic parameters as well as clinical treatment outcomes across CYP2D6 genotype groups have resulted in dosing recommendations within the product label, but clinical studies supporting the use of genotype guided dosing are currently lacking. Furthermore, pharmacokinetic and clinical studies have primarily focused on extensive as compared with poor metabolizers, with little information known about other metabolizer categories as well as genes involved in the pharmacodynamics of atomoxetine. This review describes the pharmacogenetic associations with atomoxetine pharmacokinetics, treatment response and tolerability with considerations for the clinical utility of this information.

  2. Hypochondriacal Concerns: Management Through Understanding

    PubMed Central

    Holder-Perkins, Vicenzio; Wise, Thomas N.; Williams, Darren E.

    2000-01-01

    The medically unexplained complaint is often a symptom of hypochondriacal concerns. Patients with hypochondriasis may be managed with either naive realism or consideration of morbid categorization or via dimensional assessment of illness beliefs and behaviors. Naive realism will foster focus somatization and promote regression as well as lead to needless tests and treatments. Attention to categorical entities such a major depression or anxiety disorders will alert the clinician to comorbid psychiatric disorders that respond to traditional psychiatric treatments. Finally, by assessing the domains of illness behaviors such as disease conviction, beliefs in organic versus psychological causes, and denial, the clinician can document and then confront abnormal cognitive schema that revolve around somatic concerns that are a proxy for psychosocial difficulties. PMID:15014644

  3. Cleansing and surface modifying agents on implants: fixation and related aspects of aesthetics.

    PubMed

    Ling, B C; Gillings, B R

    1995-01-01

    With the prognosis of dental implant replacement of missing teeth becoming better each year, practitioners are focusing their attention on the aesthetic aspects of implantology. However, improvement in aesthetics is only possible with the improvement in implant technology, surgical techniques and prosthodontic procedures. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of various physical and chemical agents on the implant surface; with the view of obtaining increased surface area and biocompatibility. The study found that the treatment of air-aluminum oxide blasted implants using a mixture of 30% HNO3-5% HF acids produced a surface which meets the consideration of aesthetics for implants placed in the anterior maxillary region.

  4. Publicly financed healthcare and income inequality in Canada.

    PubMed

    Corscadden, Lisa; Allin, Sara; Wolfson, Michael; Grignon, Michel

    2014-01-01

    Income inequality is currently the focus of considerable public and policy attention. Public services such as healthcare and education play a role in reducing income inequality in the population. This study looks at how healthcare affects the distribution of income across five income groups. Specifically, it estimates the tax contributions and the value of benefits received from physician services, drugs and hospital services over a person's lifetime. We found that benefits received from publicly funded healthcare in Canada reduce the income gap between the highest- and lowest-income groups by 16%. This analysis provides a starting point for future research to explore the distributional effects of different options for financing healthcare. Copyright © 2014 Longwoods Publishing.

  5. Nanoscale materials for hyperthermal theranostics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Bennett E.; Roder, Paden B.; Zhou, Xuezhe; Pauzauskie, Peter J.

    2015-04-01

    Recently, the use of nanoscale materials has attracted considerable attention with the aim of designing personalized therapeutic approaches that can enhance both spatial and temporal control over drug release, permeability, and uptake. Potential benefits to patients include the reduction of overall drug dosages, enabling the parallel delivery of different pharmaceuticals, and the possibility of enabling additional functionalities such as hyperthermia or deep-tissue imaging (LIF, PET, etc.) that complement and extend the efficacy of traditional chemotherapy and surgery. This mini-review is focused on an emerging class of nanometer-scale materials that can be used both to heat malignant tissue to reduce angiogenesis and DNA-repair while simultaneously offering complementary imaging capabilities based on radioemission, optical fluorescence, magnetic resonance, and photoacoustic methods.

  6. Students' and teachers' focus of attention in classroom interaction — subtle sources for the reproduction of social disparities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vogler, Anna-Marietha; Prediger, Susanne; Quasthoff, Uta; Heller, Vivien

    2018-01-01

    Mathematics classroom interaction has often been described as an important context for involving all students. However, this article shows that teacher-student-interaction is still not really in the focus of teachers' attention. Based on classroom video studies, some authors hypothesize that the implicitness of establishing norms and practices is, among others, an obstacle for students with low socio-economic status. The article intends to put this hypothesis into perspective by investigating teachers' and students' focus of attention on classroom interaction in video-stimulated group discussions (six discussions with 5-6 students, four discussions with 5-9 teachers). The data analysis used inductive procedures of category development, frequency analysis, and deeper qualitative analysis of the transcripts. For students' focus of attention, differential patterns could be extrapolated: Whereas students of high socio-economic status seem to be more attentive to teacher's contextual expectations, the students of low socio-economic status seem to be more focused on general norms without taking into account contextual expectations. For the teachers, the analysis shows that interactive mechanisms of teacher-student exchanges in classrooms are usually not in the teachers' focus of attention. Additionally, the teachers address, but rarely problematize the implicitness by which norms and practices are established. Together with the differential findings on students' attention, these findings are discussed with respect to equity concerns and consequences for professional development of teachers.

  7. Characteristics of attention-related body sensations. Temporal stability and associations with measures of body focus, affect, sustained attention, and heart rate variability.

    PubMed

    Tihanyi, Benedek T; Ferentzi, Eszter; Köteles, Ferenc

    2017-09-01

    This study investigated the temporal stability and correlates of attention-related body sensations that emerge without external stimulation during rest and due to focused attention on a body part. To assess attention-related body sensations, participants were asked to focus on a freely chosen body area with closed eyes, and had to report whether the sensation of that area had changed. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess various aspects of body focus (body awareness, body responsiveness, somatosensory amplification, subjective somatic symptoms), and positive and negative affectivity. Previous experiences in body-mind therapies were also measured. PEBL Continuous Performance Test was used to assess sustained attention. Heart rate variability scores were based on a 3-minute long resting heart rate measurement. Fifty-eight university students (22.3 ± 3.95 years; 34 females) participated in the study. The stability of attention-related body sensations was measured 8 weeks later on a randomly chosen sub-group (n = 28). Attention-related body sensations showed a mediocre temporal stability (r ρ  = 0.47, p = 0.012). People reporting attention-related body sensations showed significantly higher body awareness, somatosensory amplification, and resting heart rate; and marginally higher somatic symptoms. No relation was found with body-mind practice, body responsiveness, positive and negative affect, the vagal component of heart rate variability, and performance in the sustained attention task. Attention-related sensations are relatively stable over time. They are connected to some, but not to all of the aspects of body focus. Further studies are needed to elaborate the influencing stable and situational factors.

  8. The effects of state and trait self-focused attention on sexual arousal in sexually functional and dysfunctional women

    PubMed Central

    Meston, Cindy M.

    2010-01-01

    This study examined the effects of state self-focused attention on sexual arousal and trait self-consciousness on sexual arousal and function in sexually functional (n = 16) and dysfunctional (n = 16) women. Self-focused attention was induced using a 50% reflectant television screen in one of two counterbalanced sessions during which self-report and physiological sexual responses to erotic films were measured. Self-focused attention significantly decreased vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA) responses among sexually functional but not dysfunctional women, and substantially decreased correlations between self-report and VPA measures of sexual arousal. Self-focused attention did not significantly impact subjective sexual arousal in sexually functional or dysfunctional women. Trait private self-consciousness was positively related to sexual desire, orgasm, compatibility, contentment and sexual satisfaction. Public self-consciousness was correlated with sexual pain. The findings are discussed in terms of Masters and Johnson’s [Masters, W. H. & Johnson, V. E. (1970). Human sexual inadequacy. Boston: Little, Brown) concepts of “spectatoring” and “sensate focus.” PMID:15927143

  9. The Developmental Trajectories of Attention Focusing, Attentional and Behavioral Persistence, and Externalizing Problems during School-Age Years

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhou, Qing; Hofer, Claire; Eisenberg, Nancy; Reiser, Mark; Spinrad, Tracy L.; Fabes, Richard A.

    2007-01-01

    The developmental trajectories of attention focusing (by parents' and teachers' reports) and attentional and behavioral persistence (observed during a laboratory task)--2 indexes of effortful control--and externalizing problems from ages 5 to 10 years were examined for 356 children combined from a pair of 3-wave (2 years apart) longitudinal…

  10. Effects of Attentional Focus and Age on Suprapostural Task Performance and Postural Control

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNevin, Nancy; Weir, Patricia; Quinn, Tiffany

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: Suprapostural task performance (manual tracking) and postural control (sway and frequency) were examined as a function of attentional focus, age, and tracking difficulty. Given the performance benefits often found under external focus conditions, it was hypothesized that external focus instructions would promote superior tracking and…

  11. Self-esteem, Self-focused Attention, and the Mediating Role of Fear of Negative Evaluation in College Students With and Without Asthma.

    PubMed

    Junghans-Rutelonis, Ashley N; Suorsa, Kristina I; Tackett, Alayna P; Burkley, Edward; Chaney, John M; Mullins, Larry L

    2015-01-01

    The current study investigated the mediating role of fear of negative evaluation on the relationship between self-focused attention and self-esteem among college students with and without asthma. Young adults with (n = 148) and without (n = 530) childhood-onset asthma were recruited from a college student population. Self-focused attention and fear of negative evaluation measures were completed. Participants also answered questions about inclusion in a social activity. Higher levels of self-focused attention and fear of negative evaluation were associated with lower self-esteem in both groups within the context of social activity participation. Fear of negative evaluation mediated the relationship between self-consciousness and self-esteem. No significant differences were found between groups. Findings indicate significant relationships among self-focused attention, fear of negative evaluation, and self-esteem in the context of social activity participation. Further examination of self-esteem regarding participation in social activities among college students appears warranted.

  12. Neural correlates of focused attention during a brief mindfulness induction.

    PubMed

    Dickenson, Janna; Berkman, Elliot T; Arch, Joanna; Lieberman, Matthew D

    2013-01-01

    Mindfulness meditation-the practice of attending to present moment experience and allowing emotions and thoughts to pass without judgment-has shown to be beneficial in clinical populations across diverse outcomes. However, the basic neural mechanisms by which mindfulness operates and relates to everyday outcomes in novices remain unexplored. Focused attention is a common mindfulness induction where practitioners focus on specific physical sensations, typically the breath. The present study explores the neural mechanisms of this common mindfulness induction among novice practitioners. Healthy novice participants completed a brief task with both mindful attention [focused breathing (FB)] and control (unfocused attention) conditions during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Relative to the control condition, FB recruited an attention network including parietal and prefrontal structures and trait-level mindfulness during this comparison also correlated with parietal activation. Results suggest that the neural mechanisms of a brief mindfulness induction are related to attention processes in novices and that trait mindfulness positively moderates this activation.

  13. Focusing and alignment of erythrocytes in a viscoelastic medium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Go, Taesik; Byeon, Hyeokjun; Lee, Sang Joon

    2017-01-01

    Viscoelastic fluid flow-induced cross-streamline migration has recently received considerable attention because this process provides simple focusing and alignment over a wide range of flow rates. The lateral migration of particles depends on the channel geometry and physicochemical properties of particles. In this study, digital in-line holographic microscopy (DIHM) is employed to investigate the lateral migration of human erythrocytes induced by viscoelastic fluid flow in a rectangular microchannel. DIHM provides 3D spatial distributions of particles and information on particle orientation in the microchannel. The elastic forces generated in the pressure-driven flows of a viscoelastic fluid push suspended particles away from the walls and enforce erythrocytes to have a fixed orientation. Blood cell deformability influences the lateral focusing and fixed orientation in the microchannel. Different from rigid spheres and hardened erythrocytes, deformable normal erythrocytes disperse from the channel center plane, as the flow rate increases. Furthermore, normal erythrocytes have a higher angle of inclination than hardened erythrocytes in the region near the side-walls of the channel. These results may guide the label-free diagnosis of hematological diseases caused by abnormal erythrocyte deformability.

  14. The Psychometric Properties of Attentional Control Scale and Its Relationship with Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression: A Study on Iranian Population

    PubMed Central

    Abasi, Imaneh; Mohammadkhani, Parvaneh; Pourshahbaz, Abbas; Dolatshahi, Behrouz

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: The attentional control scale is a self- report questionnaire that assesses individual differences in attentional control. Despite its extensive use, the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the ACS are not well understood. Thus, the present study aimed at investigating the psychometric properties of the attentional control scale and its relationship with symptoms of anxiety and depression in Iranian population. Method: Using quota sampling, we asked a community sample of 524 to respond to Attentional Control Scale, mindfulness, emotion regulation, social anxiety, depression, generalized anxiety, worry, and rumination. SPSS (Version 23) was used for data analysis. Results: Exploratory factor analysis yielded 2 factors of focusing and shifting, which accounted for 30.93% of the total variance. The results of convergent validity revealed that reappraisal, as an emotion regulation strategy and mindfulness facets, had a positive relationship with focusing, shifting, and the total score of the attentional control scale. Furthermore, worry, rumination, depression, generalized anxiety, and social anxiety symptoms all had negative relationships with focusing, rumination, and the total score of the attentional control scale. In addition, the results of incremental validity revealed that focusing, not shifting, uniquely predicted depression and generalized anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, both focusing and shifting uniquely predicted social anxiety symptoms. Test- retest reliability of focusing and shifting was 0.80 and 0. 76, respectively. Conclusion: Attentional control scale has been demonstrated to have acceptable validity and reliability in Iranian population. However, further studies are needed to evaluate other aspects of the ACS like CFA. PMID:28659983

  15. How Can We Second-Guess Attention in the Classroom; A Physiological Answer.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fletcher, James E.

    In preparing instructional materials, consideration must be given to the students' attention. Carl Hagfors has conducted a number of experiments measuring the electrodermal response simultaneously from a number of subjects viewing the same materials. When most subjects were attentive there was a large discursion of the recorder pen. When some were…

  16. Enhancing Academic Achievement for Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Evidence from School-Based Intervention Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jitendra, Asha K.; DuPaul, George J.; Someki, Fumio; Tresco, Katy E.

    2008-01-01

    Although children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) exhibit significant academic difficulties in school settings, considerably less attention is devoted to remediating their academic problems when compared to behavioral and social difficulties. The purpose of this article is to review empirically supported academic interventions…

  17. Attention distributed across sensory modalities enhances perceptual performance

    PubMed Central

    Mishra, Jyoti; Gazzaley, Adam

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the interaction between top-down attentional control and multisensory processing in humans. Using semantically congruent and incongruent audiovisual stimulus streams, we found target detection to be consistently improved in the setting of distributed audiovisual attention versus focused visual attention. This performance benefit was manifested as faster reaction times for congruent audiovisual stimuli, and as accuracy improvements for incongruent stimuli, resulting in a resolution of stimulus interference. Electrophysiological recordings revealed that these behavioral enhancements were associated with reduced neural processing of both auditory and visual components of the audiovisual stimuli under distributed vs. focused visual attention. These neural changes were observed at early processing latencies, within 100–300 ms post-stimulus onset, and localized to auditory, visual, and polysensory temporal cortices. These results highlight a novel neural mechanism for top-down driven performance benefits via enhanced efficacy of sensory neural processing during distributed audiovisual attention relative to focused visual attention. PMID:22933811

  18. Effects of Attention and Levels of Processing on Explicit and Implicit Memory Function with Interesting and Uninteresting Tasks in University Students

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mahdavian, Alireza; Kormi-Nouri, Reza

    This study aims to investigate the effect of attention and levels of processing on memory function and recalling words in two situations when students are interested in the subject and when they are not. This is an experimental study of 160 students conducted individually using a computer software. Results reveal focused attention, interest in the subject and deep processing caused the explicit memory to be at its highest level of functionality. On the contrary, shallow processing, divided attention and lack of interest in the subject plunged memory function into its lowest levels. Variables have different effects on attention, explicit and implicit memory. That is, interesting tasks with focused attention and deep processing have the highest effect on explicit memory in order. Also, interesting tasks, focused attention, respectively affect implicit memory. But level of processing does not affect implicit memory significantly.

  19. Managing TIAA-CREF Contracts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bastable, C. W.; Brady, Gerald P.

    1976-01-01

    Complexities in managing TIAA-CREF contracts are reviewed. Attention is directed toward participation, period considerations, selection of retirement age, retirement income transition, estate considerations and beneficiaries, voluntary additional contributions, and supplemental retirement annuity contracts. (LBH)

  20. Methodology for evaluation of railroad technology research projects

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1981-04-01

    This Project memorandum presents a methodology for evaluating railroad research projects. The methodology includes consideration of industry and societal benefits, with special attention given to technical risks, implementation considerations, and po...

  1. Sustained Attention and Age Predict Inhibitory Control during Early Childhood

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reck, Sarah G.; Hund, Alycia M.

    2011-01-01

    Executive functioning skills develop rapidly during early childhood. Recent research has focused on specifying this development, particularly predictors of executive functioning skills. Here we focus on sustained attention as a predictor of inhibitory control, one key executive functioning component. Although sustained attention and inhibitory…

  2. Self-Control under Self-Focus Conditions for Students with AD/HD.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zentall, S. S.; And Others

    This study examined the hypothesis that focusing attention away from external stimulation and on the self might improve the task performance of students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Forty-three middle school students, (12 with hyperactivity, 4 without hyperactivity but inattention, and 27 without either attention deficit disorder…

  3. Do I Have My Attention? Speed of Processing Advantages for the Self-Face Are Not Driven by Automatic Attention Capture

    PubMed Central

    Keyes, Helen; Dlugokencka, Aleksandra

    2014-01-01

    We respond more quickly to our own face than to other faces, but there is debate over whether this is connected to attention-grabbing properties of the self-face. In two experiments, we investigate whether the self-face selectively captures attention, and the attentional conditions under which this might occur. In both experiments, we examined whether different types of face (self, friend, stranger) provide differential levels of distraction when processing self, friend and stranger names. In Experiment 1, an image of a distractor face appeared centrally – inside the focus of attention – behind a target name, with the faces either upright or inverted. In Experiment 2, distractor faces appeared peripherally – outside the focus of attention – in the left or right visual field, or bilaterally. In both experiments, self-name recognition was faster than other name recognition, suggesting a self-referential processing advantage. The presence of the self-face did not cause more distraction in the naming task compared to other types of face, either when presented inside (Experiment 1) or outside (Experiment 2) the focus of attention. Distractor faces had different effects across the two experiments: when presented inside the focus of attention (Experiment 1), self and friend images facilitated self and friend naming, respectively. This was not true for stranger stimuli, suggesting that faces must be robustly represented to facilitate name recognition. When presented outside the focus of attention (Experiment 2), no facilitation occurred. Instead, we report an interesting distraction effect caused by friend faces when processing strangers’ names. We interpret this as a “social importance” effect, whereby we may be tuned to pick out and pay attention to familiar friend faces in a crowd. We conclude that any speed of processing advantages observed in the self-face processing literature are not driven by automatic attention capture. PMID:25338170

  4. Do I have my attention? Speed of processing advantages for the self-face are not driven by automatic attention capture.

    PubMed

    Keyes, Helen; Dlugokencka, Aleksandra

    2014-01-01

    We respond more quickly to our own face than to other faces, but there is debate over whether this is connected to attention-grabbing properties of the self-face. In two experiments, we investigate whether the self-face selectively captures attention, and the attentional conditions under which this might occur. In both experiments, we examined whether different types of face (self, friend, stranger) provide differential levels of distraction when processing self, friend and stranger names. In Experiment 1, an image of a distractor face appeared centrally - inside the focus of attention - behind a target name, with the faces either upright or inverted. In Experiment 2, distractor faces appeared peripherally - outside the focus of attention - in the left or right visual field, or bilaterally. In both experiments, self-name recognition was faster than other name recognition, suggesting a self-referential processing advantage. The presence of the self-face did not cause more distraction in the naming task compared to other types of face, either when presented inside (Experiment 1) or outside (Experiment 2) the focus of attention. Distractor faces had different effects across the two experiments: when presented inside the focus of attention (Experiment 1), self and friend images facilitated self and friend naming, respectively. This was not true for stranger stimuli, suggesting that faces must be robustly represented to facilitate name recognition. When presented outside the focus of attention (Experiment 2), no facilitation occurred. Instead, we report an interesting distraction effect caused by friend faces when processing strangers' names. We interpret this as a "social importance" effect, whereby we may be tuned to pick out and pay attention to familiar friend faces in a crowd. We conclude that any speed of processing advantages observed in the self-face processing literature are not driven by automatic attention capture.

  5. Fixing our focus: Training attention to regulate emotion

    PubMed Central

    Wadlinger, Heather A.; Isaacowitz, Derek M.

    2010-01-01

    Empirical studies have frequently linked negative attentional biases with attentional dysfunction and negative moods; however, far less research has focused on how attentional deployment can be an adaptive strategy that regulates emotional experience. We argue that attention may be an invaluable tool for promoting emotion regulation. Accordingly, we present evidence that selective attention to positive information reflects emotion regulation, and that regulating attention is a critical component of the emotion regulatory process. Furthermore, attentional regulation can be successfully trained through repeated practice. We ultimately propose a model of attention training methodologies integrating attention-dependent emotion regulation strategies with attention networks. While additional interdisciplinary research is needed to bolster these nascent findings, meditative practices appear to be among the most effective training methodologies in enhancing emotional well-being. Further exploration of the positive and therapeutic qualities of attention warrants the empirical attention of social and personality psychologists. PMID:20435804

  6. The fourth dimension: A motoric perspective on the anxiety-performance relationship.

    PubMed

    Carson, Howie J; Collins, Dave

    2016-01-01

    This article focuses on raising concern that anxiety-performance relationship theory has insufficiently catered for motoric issues during, primarily, closed and self-paced skill execution (e.g., long jump and javelin throw). Following a review of current theory, we address the under-consideration of motoric issues by extending the three-dimensional model put forward by Cheng, Hardy, and Markland (2009) ('Toward a three-dimensional conceptualization of performance anxiety: Rationale and initial measurement development, Psychology of Sport and Exercise , 10 , 271-278). This fourth dimension, termed skill establishment , comprises the level and consistency of movement automaticity together with a performer's confidence in this specific process, as providing a degree of robustness against negative anxiety effects. To exemplify this motoric influence, we then offer insight regarding current theories' misrepresentation that a self-focus of attention toward an already well-learned skill always leads to a negative performance effect. In doing so, we draw upon applied literature to distinguish between positive and negative self-foci and suggest that on what and how a performer directs their attention is crucial to the interaction with skill establishment and, therefore, performance. Finally, implications for skill acquisition research are provided. Accordingly, we suggest a positive potential flow from applied/translational to fundamental/theory-generating research in sport which can serve to freshen and usefully redirect investigation into this long-considered but still insufficiently understood concept.

  7. The fourth dimension: A motoric perspective on the anxiety–performance relationship

    PubMed Central

    Carson, Howie J.; Collins, Dave

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT This article focuses on raising concern that anxiety–performance relationship theory has insufficiently catered for motoric issues during, primarily, closed and self-paced skill execution (e.g., long jump and javelin throw). Following a review of current theory, we address the under-consideration of motoric issues by extending the three-dimensional model put forward by Cheng, Hardy, and Markland (2009) (‘Toward a three-dimensional conceptualization of performance anxiety: Rationale and initial measurement development, Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10, 271–278). This fourth dimension, termed skill establishment, comprises the level and consistency of movement automaticity together with a performer's confidence in this specific process, as providing a degree of robustness against negative anxiety effects. To exemplify this motoric influence, we then offer insight regarding current theories’ misrepresentation that a self-focus of attention toward an already well-learned skill always leads to a negative performance effect. In doing so, we draw upon applied literature to distinguish between positive and negative self-foci and suggest that on what and how a performer directs their attention is crucial to the interaction with skill establishment and, therefore, performance. Finally, implications for skill acquisition research are provided. Accordingly, we suggest a positive potential flow from applied/translational to fundamental/theory-generating research in sport which can serve to freshen and usefully redirect investigation into this long-considered but still insufficiently understood concept. PMID:26692896

  8. Attentional modulation of desensitization to odor.

    PubMed

    Fallon, Nicholas; Giesbrecht, Timo; Stancak, Andrej

    2018-05-22

    Subjective and behavioral responsiveness to odor diminishes during prolonged exposure. The precise mechanisms underlying olfactory desensitization are not fully understood, but previous studies indicate that the phenomenon may be modulated by central-cognitive processes. The present study investigated the effect of attention on perceived intensity during exposure to a pleasant odor. A within-subjects design was utilized with 19 participants attending 2 sessions. During each session, participants continuously rated their perceived intensity of a 10-minute exposure to a pleasant fragrance administered using an olfactometer. An auditory oddball task was implemented to manipulate the focus of attention in each session. Participants were instructed to either direct their attention toward the sounds, but still to rate odor, or to focus entirely on rating the odor. Analysis revealed three 50-second time windows with significantly lower mean intensity ratings during the distraction condition. Curve fitting of the data disclosed a linear function of desensitization in the focused attention condition compared with an exponential decay function during distraction condition, indicating an increased rate of initial desensitization when attention is distracted away from the odor. In the focused-attention condition, perceived intensity demonstrated a regular pattern of odor sensitivity occurring at approximately 1-2 minutes intervals following initial desensitization. Spectral analysis of low-frequency oscillations confirmed the presence of augmented spectral power in this frequency range during focused relative to distracted conditions. The findings demonstrate for the first time modulation of odor desensitization specifically by attentional factors, exemplifying the relevance of top-down control for ongoing perception of odor.

  9. The role of minimum supply and social vulnerability assessment for governing critical infrastructure failure: current gaps and future agenda

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Garschagen, Matthias; Sandholz, Simone

    2018-04-01

    Increased attention has lately been given to the resilience of critical infrastructure in the context of natural hazards and disasters. The major focus therein is on the sensitivity of critical infrastructure technologies and their management contingencies. However, strikingly little attention has been given to assessing and mitigating social vulnerabilities towards the failure of critical infrastructure and to the development, design and implementation of minimum supply standards in situations of major infrastructure failure. Addressing this gap and contributing to a more integrative perspective on critical infrastructure resilience is the objective of this paper. It asks which role social vulnerability assessments and minimum supply considerations can, should and do - or do not - play for the management and governance of critical infrastructure failure. In its first part, the paper provides a structured review on achievements and remaining gaps in the management of critical infrastructure and the understanding of social vulnerabilities towards disaster-related infrastructure failures. Special attention is given to the current state of minimum supply concepts with a regional focus on policies in Germany and the EU. In its second part, the paper then responds to the identified gaps by developing a heuristic model on the linkages of critical infrastructure management, social vulnerability and minimum supply. This framework helps to inform a vision of a future research agenda, which is presented in the paper's third part. Overall, the analysis suggests that the assessment of socially differentiated vulnerabilities towards critical infrastructure failure needs to be undertaken more stringently to inform the scientifically and politically difficult debate about minimum supply standards and the shared responsibilities for securing them.

  10. The making and breaking of relationships: organizational and clinical questions in providing services for looked after children?

    PubMed

    Simmonds, John

    2010-10-01

    The mental health of children in public care has received considerable attention in recent years. There are significant differences in the prevalence rates compared to children living at home and not in public care and these are added to by other adverse lifestyle issues. Considerable attention has been focused on the importance of stable and secure placements supported by access to a range of services including education, health and mental health. Identifying and classifying mental health needs proves to be challenging as the child's genetic inheritance, pre- and post-birth experiences, including maltreatment, interact with the uncertainty and delays commonly associated with child protection processes, action in the legal system and the difficulty in establishing secure and permanent placements. Clinical need is also related to the age of the child and the reasons they came into care and the length of time they remain. A case illustrating many of these issues, publicly reported in the court's judgement, is used as the basis for exploring the complexity for the identified child in understanding and making sense of their experiences as placement plans are made for them. These are used to explore the difficulties in establishing clinical protocols such as those recently published in the USA. Particular emphasis is given to the issues faced by children and their carers in establishing new family relationships which address the child's inheritance from their family of origin especially where these are traumatic and conflicted in origin.

  11. Spherically-symmetric solutions in general relativity using a tetrad-based approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Do Young; Lasenby, Anthony N.; Hobson, Michael P.

    2018-03-01

    We present a tetrad-based method for solving the Einstein field equations for spherically-symmetric systems and compare it with the widely-used Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi (LTB) model. In particular, we focus on the issues of gauge ambiguity and the use of comoving versus `physical' coordinate systems. We also clarify the correspondences between the two approaches, and illustrate their differences by applying them to the classic examples of the Schwarzschild and Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker spacetimes. We demonstrate that the tetrad-based method does not suffer from the gauge freedoms inherent to the LTB model, naturally accommodates non-uniform pressure and has a more transparent physical interpretation. We further apply our tetrad-based method to a generalised form of `Swiss cheese' model, which consists of an interior spherical region surrounded by a spherical shell of vacuum that is embedded in an exterior background universe. In general, we allow the fluid in the interior and exterior regions to support pressure, and do not demand that the interior region be compensated. We pay particular attention to the form of the solution in the intervening vacuum region and illustrate the validity of Birkhoff's theorem at both the metric and tetrad level. We then reconsider critically the original theoretical arguments underlying the so-called Rh = ct cosmological model, which has recently received considerable attention. These considerations in turn illustrate the interesting behaviour of a number of `horizons' in general cosmological models.

  12. ADHD in school-aged youth: Management and special treatment considerations in the primary care setting.

    PubMed

    Weed, Elizabeth D

    Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is considered one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. Primary care providers are in the unique position of providing comprehensive care-routine care, well child visits, immunizations, and other healthcare needs-to a majority of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. As such, primary care providers are pivotal in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of this population. This article will address special treatment considerations to aid in the management of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the primary care setting, including substance use disorders and diversion, cardiac issues and stimulant medication, medication holidays and follow-up monitoring. The database of PubMed was searched using keywords that included attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, children, prevalence, medication holidays, safety, cardiovascular, cardiac, blood pressure, substance use, diversion, adverse drug reactions; inclusion dates were January 1, 2011 to September 30, 2015. © The Author(s) 2016.

  13. Exogenous and endogenous control of attention: the effect of visual onsets and offsets.

    PubMed

    Theeuwes, J

    1991-01-01

    Two experiments were carried out to investigate the relation between exogenous and endogenous control of visual attention. Subjects searched for a target letter among three nontarget letters that were positioned on an imaginary circle around a fixation point. At different cue-display intervals, a centrally located arrowhead cue reliably indicated the location of the target letter. At different SOAs, a peripheral line segment near one of the letters was either abruptly switched on (Experiment 1) or abruptly switched off (Experiment 2). Presenting the central arrowhead after display onset prevents attention from being focused in advance on the critical location. In this unfocused attentional state, both onset and offset transients attracted attention. When the central arrowhead was available in advance, the focusing of attention prior to display onset precluded attention attraction to the location of the onset or offset transient. Contrary to an offset transient, an onset transient presented at the attended location disrupted performance, indicating that an onset within the spotlight of attention attracts attention. The results are reconciled by means of the zoom-lens theory of attention, suggesting that outside the focus of attention, abrupt transients are not capable of attracting attention. Since the size of the zoom lens is under voluntary control, it can be argued that transients do not fulfill the intentionality criterion of automaticity.

  14. Quantifying external focus of attention in sailing by means of action sport cameras.

    PubMed

    Pluijms, Joost P; Cañal-Bruland, Rouwen; Hoozemans, Marco J M; Van Beek, Morris W; Böcker, Kaj; Savelsbergh, Geert J P

    2016-08-01

    The aim of the current study was twofold: (1) to validate the use of action sport cameras for quantifying focus of visual attention in sailing and (2) to apply this method to examine whether an external focus of attention is associated with better performance in upwind sailing. To test the validity of this novel quantification method, we first calculated the agreement between gaze location measures and head orientation measures in 13 sailors sailing upwind during training regattas using a head mounted eye tracker. The results confirmed that for measuring visual focus of attention in upwind sailing, the agreement for the two measures was high (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.97) and the 95% limits of agreement were acceptable (between -8.0% and 14.6%). In a next step, we quantified the focus of visual attention in sailing upwind as fast as possible by means of an action sport camera. We captured sailing performance, operationalised as boat speed in the direction of the wind, and environmental conditions using a GPS, compass and wind meter. Four trials, each lasting 1 min, were analysed for 15 sailors each, resulting in a total of 30 upwind speed trials on port tack and 30 upwind speed trials on starboard tack. The results revealed that in sailing - within constantly changing environments - the focus of attention is not a significant predictor for better upwind sailing performances. This implicates that neither external nor internal foci of attention was per se correlated with better performances. Rather, relatively large interindividual differences seem to indicate that different visual attention strategies can lead to similar performance outcomes.

  15. On the advantage of an external focus of attention: a benefit to learning or performance?

    PubMed

    Lohse, Keith R; Sherwood, David E; Healy, Alice F

    2014-02-01

    Although there is general agreement in the sport science community that the focus of attention (FOA) has significant effects on performance, there is some debate about whether or not the FOA adopted during training affects learning. A large number of studies on the focus of attention have shown that subjects who train with an external FOA perform better on subsequent retention and transfer tests. However, the FOA in these studies was not experimentally controlled during testing. Therefore, the current study used a dart-throwing paradigm in which the FOA was experimentally manipulated at both acquisition and testing over very short and long training times. Performance at test, in terms of accuracy and precision, was improved by adopting an external focus at test regardless of the focus instructed during acquisition, in both Experiment 1 and 2. Although an effect of acquisition focus during testing in Experiment 2 provides some evidence that FOA affects learning, the current data demonstrate a much stronger effect for performance than learning, and stronger effects of attention on precision than accuracy. Theoretical implications of these results are discussed, but in general these data provide a more nuanced understanding of how attentional focus instructions influence motor learning and performance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. The Focus of Attention in Visual Working Memory: Protection of Focused Representations and Its Individual Variation.

    PubMed

    Heuer, Anna; Schubö, Anna

    2016-01-01

    Visual working memory can be modulated according to changes in the cued task relevance of maintained items. Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying this modulation. In particular, we studied the consequences of attentional selection for selected and unselected items, and the role of individual differences in the efficiency with which attention is deployed. To this end, performance in a visual working memory task as well as the CDA/SPCN and the N2pc, ERP components associated with visual working memory and attentional processes, were analysed. Selection during the maintenance stage was manipulated by means of two successively presented retrocues providing spatial information as to which items were most likely to be tested. Results show that attentional selection serves to robustly protect relevant representations in the focus of attention while unselected representations which may become relevant again still remain available. Individuals with larger retrocueing benefits showed higher efficiency of attentional selection, as indicated by the N2pc, and showed stronger maintenance-associated activity (CDA/SPCN). The findings add to converging evidence that focused representations are protected, and highlight the flexibility of visual working memory, in which information can be weighted according its relevance.

  17. Aerobic Exercise Reduces Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    PubMed

    Fetzner, Mathew G; Asmundson, Gordon J G

    2015-01-01

    Evidence suggests aerobic exercise has anxiolytic effects; yet, the treatment potential for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and responsible anxiolytic mechanisms have received little attention. Emerging evidence indicates that attentional focus during exercise may dictate the extent of therapeutic benefit. Whether benefits are a function of attentional focus toward or away from somatic arousal during exercise remains untested. Thirty-three PTSD-affected participants completed two weeks of stationary biking aerobic exercise (six sessions). To assess the effect of attentional focus, participants were randomized into three exercise groups: group 1 (attention to somatic arousal) received prompts directing their attention to the interoceptive effects of exercise, group 2 (distraction from somatic arousal) watched a nature documentary, and group 3 exercised with no distractions or interoceptive prompts. Hierarchal linear modeling showed all groups reported reduced PTSD and anxiety sensitivity (AS; i.e., fear of arousal-related somatic sensations) during treatment. Interaction effects between group and time were found for PTSD hyperarousal and AS physical and social scores, wherein group 1, receiving interoceptive prompts, experienced significantly less symptom reduction than other groups. Most participants (89%) reported clinically significant reductions in PTSD severity after the two-week intervention. Findings suggest, regardless of attentional focus, aerobic exercise reduces PTSD symptoms.

  18. Focus of Attention in Children's Motor Learning: Examining the Role of Age and Working Memory.

    PubMed

    Brocken, J E A; Kal, E C; van der Kamp, J

    2016-01-01

    The authors investigated the relative effectiveness of different attentional focus instructions on motor learning in primary school children. In addition, we explored whether the effect of attentional focus on motor learning was influenced by children's age and verbal working memory capacity. Novice 8-9-year old children (n = 30) and 11-12-year-old children (n = 30) practiced a golf putting task. For each age group, half the participants received instructions to focus (internally) on the swing of their arm, while the other half was instructed to focus (externally) on the swing of the club. Children's verbal working memory capacity was assessed with the Automated Working Memory Assessment. Consistent with many reports on adult's motor learning, children in the external groups demonstrated greater improvements in putting accuracy than children who practiced with an internal focus. This effect was similar across age groups. Verbal working memory capacity was not found to be predictive of motor learning, neither for children in the internal focus groups nor for children in the external focus groups. In conclusion, primary school children's motor learning is enhanced by external focus instructions compared to internal focus instructions. The purported modulatory roles of children's working memory, attentional capacity, or focus preferences require further investigation.

  19. Focused and divided attention in a simulated cocktail-party situation: ERP evidence from younger and older adults.

    PubMed

    Getzmann, Stephan; Golob, Edward J; Wascher, Edmund

    2016-05-01

    Speech perception under complex listening conditions usually decreases in aging. This is especially true for listening conditions requiring divided attention among 2 and more relevant speakers. Using a speech perception task and event-related potential measures, we studied the ability of younger and older adults to attend to speech information from a single-target speaker (focused attention) or from 2 different (alternative) target speakers (divided attention). The focused and divided attention conditions were presented either in silence or in the presence of 3 concurrent speakers. In the presence of concurrent speakers, older participants showed worse performance with divided versus focused attention. In contrast, there was no effect of attention condition for the younger adults. Relative to the young, event-related potential analysis in older subjects indicated a decline in preparatory activity for the critical speech information (a delayed and smaller contingent negative variation), and delayed attentional control (indicated by a longer P2 latency). Standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography revealed that the age-related decline in preparatory activity was associated with reduced activation of medial and superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus. The results suggest that age-related differences in these prefrontal brain areas reflect declines in preparatory attention and gating of subsequent task-related speech information, especially under conditions of divided attention. These findings may reflect mechanisms relating to impaired speech perception by older people in "cocktail-party" listening situations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Anxious mood narrows attention in feature space.

    PubMed

    Wegbreit, Ezra; Franconeri, Steven; Beeman, Mark

    2015-01-01

    Spatial attention can operate like a spotlight whose scope can vary depending on task demands. Emotional states contribute to the spatial extent of attentional selection, with the spotlight focused more narrowly during anxious moods and more broadly during happy moods. In addition to visual space, attention can also operate over features, and we show here that mood states may also influence attentional scope in feature space. After anxious or happy mood inductions, participants focused their attention to identify a central target while ignoring flanking items. Flankers were sometimes coloured differently than targets, so focusing attention on target colour should lead to relatively less interference. Compared to happy and neutral moods, when anxious, participants showed reduced interference when colour isolated targets from flankers, but showed more interference when flankers and targets were the same colour. This pattern reveals that the anxious mood caused these individuals to attend to the irrelevant feature in both cases, regardless of its benefit or detriment. In contrast, participants showed no effect of colour on interference when happy, suggesting that positive mood did not influence attention in feature space. These mood effects on feature-based attention provide a theoretical bridge between previous findings concerning spatial and conceptual attention.

  1. Behavioral interventions as a treatment for epilepsy: A multicenter randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Haut, Sheryl R; Lipton, Richard B; Cornes, Susannah; Dwivedi, Alok K; Wasson, Rachel; Cotton, Sian; Strawn, Jeffrey R; Privitera, Michael

    2018-03-13

    To evaluate the effect of a stress-reduction intervention in participants with medication-resistant epilepsy. Adults with medication-resistant focal epilepsy (n = 66) were recruited from 3 centers and randomized to 1 of 2 interventions: (1) progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) with diaphragmatic breathing, or (2) control focused-attention activity with extremity movements. Following an 8-week baseline period, participants began 12 weeks of double-blind treatment. Daily self-reported mood and stress ratings plus seizure counts were completed by participants using an electronic diary, and no medication adjustments were permitted. The primary outcome was percent reduction in seizure frequency per 28 days comparing baseline and treatment; secondary outcomes included stress reduction and stress-seizure interaction. In the 66 participants in the intention-to-treat analysis, seizure frequency was reduced from baseline in both treatment groups (PMR: 29%, p < 0.05; focused attention: 25%, p < 0.05). PMR and focused attention did not differ in seizure reduction ( p = 0.38), although PMR was associated with stress reduction relative to focused attention ( p < 0.05). Daily stress was not a predictor of seizures. Both PMR and the focused-attention groups showed reduced seizure frequency compared to baseline in participants with medication-resistant focal seizures, although the 2 treatments did not differ. PMR was more effective than focused attention in reducing self-reported stress. NCT01444183. © 2018 American Academy of Neurology.

  2. A Comparison of Input Enhancement and Explicit Instruction of Mitigators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fukuya, Yoshinori J.; Clark, Martyn K.

    2001-01-01

    As the instructional shortcomings of Focus on FormS and Focus on Meaning have surfaced, Focus on Form (i.e., drawing brief attention to linguistic forms while learners engage primarily in meaning) has slowly but steadily gained the attention of researchers and teachers. The research question underlying this study was whether Focus on Form could be…

  3. The Cognitive Challenges of Flying a Remotely Piloted Aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hobbs, Alan; Cardoza, Colleen; Null, Cynthia

    2016-01-01

    A large variety of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) designs are currently in production or in development. These aircraft range from small electric quadcopters that are flown close to the ground within visual range of the operator, to larger systems capable of extended flight in airspace shared with conventional aircraft. Before RPA can operate routinely and safely in civilian airspace, we need to understand the unique human factors associated with these aircraft. The task of flying an RPA in civilian airspace involves challenges common to the operation of other highly-automated systems, but also introduces new considerations for pilot perception, decision-making, and action execution. RPA pilots participated in focus groups where they were asked to recall critical incidents that either presented a threat to safety, or highlighted a case where the pilot contributed to system resilience or mission success. Ninety incidents were gathered from focus-groups. Human factor issues included the impact of reduced sensory cues, traffic separation in the absence of an out-the-window view, control latencies, vigilance during monotonous and ultra-long endurance flights, control station design considerations, transfer of control between control stations, the management of lost link procedures, and decision-making during emergencies. Some of these concerns have received significant attention in the literature, or are analogous to human factors of manned aircraft. The presentation will focus on issues that are poorly understood, and have not yet been the subject of extensive human factors study. Although many of the reported incidents were related to pilot error, the participants also provided examples of the positive contribution that humans make to the operation of highly-automated systems.

  4. Shifting Attention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingram, Jenni

    2014-01-01

    This article examines the shifts in attention and focus as one teacher introduces and explains an image that represents the processes involved in a numeric problem that his students have been working on. This paper takes a micro-analytic approach to examine how the focus of attention shifts through what the teacher and students do and say in the…

  5. Sustained and Focused Attention Deficits in Adult ADHD

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marchetta, Natalie D. J.; Hurks, Petra P. M.; De Sonneville, Leo M. J.; Krabbendam, Lydia; Jolles, Jelle

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To examine the specificity of deficits in focused attention and sustained attention in adults with ADHD and to evaluate the effect of comorbidity. Method: Twenty-eight adults with ADHD without comorbidity were compared with 28 ADHD outpatients with comorbidity. Two control groups were used: 68 adults referred for ADHD but with another…

  6. Neural evidence for a distinction between short-term memory and the focus of attention.

    PubMed

    Lewis-Peacock, Jarrod A; Drysdale, Andrew T; Oberauer, Klaus; Postle, Bradley R

    2012-01-01

    It is widely assumed that the short-term retention of information is accomplished via maintenance of an active neural trace. However, we demonstrate that memory can be preserved across a brief delay despite the apparent loss of sustained representations. Delay period activity may, in fact, reflect the focus of attention, rather than STM. We unconfounded attention and memory by causing external and internal shifts of attention away from items that were being actively retained. Multivariate pattern analysis of fMRI indicated that only items within the focus of attention elicited an active neural trace. Activity corresponding to representations of items outside the focus quickly dropped to baseline. Nevertheless, this information was remembered after a brief delay. Our data also show that refocusing attention toward a previously unattended memory item can reactivate its neural signature. The loss of sustained activity has long been thought to indicate a disruption of STM, but our results suggest that, even for small memory loads not exceeding the capacity limits of STM, the active maintenance of a stimulus representation may not be necessary for its short-term retention.

  7. Increased Attentional Focus Modulates Eye Movements in a Mixed Antisaccade Task for Younger and Older Adults

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Jingxin; Tian, Jing; Wang, Rong; Benson, Valerie

    2013-01-01

    We examined performance in the antisaccade task for younger and older adults by comparing latencies and errors in what we defined as high attentional focus (mixed antisaccades and prosaccades in the same block) and low attentional focus (antisaccades and prosaccades in separate blocks) conditions. Shorter saccade latencies for correctly executed eye movements were observed for both groups in mixed, compared to blocked, antisaccade tasks, but antisaccade error rates were higher for older participants across both conditions. The results are discussed in relation to the inhibitory hypothesis, the goal neglect theory and attentional control theory. PMID:23620767

  8. [Children of mentally ill parents. Research perspectives exemplified by children of depressed parents].

    PubMed

    Mattejat, F; Wüthrich, C; Remschmidt, H

    2000-03-01

    Children of psychiatrically ill parents represent a risk group that has received growing attention during the last years. The risk for this group to develop a psychiatric illness is markedly increased due to genetic and psychosocial factors. The development of effective preventive concepts requires a thorough knowledge of the psychosocial factors. In this paper, deficits and problems of research in psychosocial transmission mechanism are discussed taking the example of children of depressive parents. Conclusions from this exemplary considerations may serve as guidelines for future research. The authors suggest that the focus be rather placed on coping strategies and developmental psychopathology. Further, research criteria are formulated that refer to theoretical models as well as to study design.

  9. Adapting to the Effects of Climate Change on Inuit Health

    PubMed Central

    Ford, James D.; Willox, Ashlee Cunsolo; Chatwood, Susan; Furgal, Christopher; Harper, Sherilee; Mauro, Ian; Pearce, Tristan

    2014-01-01

    Climate change will have far-reaching implications for Inuit health. Focusing on adaptation offers a proactive approach for managing climate-related health risks—one that views Inuit populations as active agents in planning and responding at household, community, and regional levels. Adaptation can direct attention to the root causes of climate vulnerability and emphasize the importance of traditional knowledge regarding environmental change and adaptive strategies. An evidence base on adaptation options and processes for Inuit regions is currently lacking, however, thus constraining climate policy development. In this article, we tackled this deficit, drawing upon our understanding of the determinants of health vulnerability to climate change in Canada to propose key considerations for adaptation decision-making in an Inuit context. PMID:24754615

  10. Considerations for Passenger Transport by Advanced Spaceplanes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scott-Scott, J. L.; Harrison, M.; Woodrow, A. D.

    One of the strongest incentives to space industry development in the 21st century is likely to be space tourism. At present the greatest handicaps to the exploitation of this opportunity are the prohibitive cost of access to space (few tourists could afford the ticket) and safety (astronautics remains an inherently dangerous occupation). This paper addresses both of these issues. First, the characteristics required of a vehicle suitable for carrying passengers into space are discussed in the context of the SKYLON spaceplane concept. Attention is focused on the design of the cabin module. Then the needs of the passengers are considered both from the perspectives of safety (the unique environmental hazards), health, and comfort. The paper concludes with a review of the key issues.

  11. Mindfulness Interventions.

    PubMed

    Creswell, J David

    2017-01-03

    Mindfulness interventions aim to foster greater attention to and awareness of present moment experience. There has been a dramatic increase in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mindfulness interventions over the past two decades. This article evaluates the growing evidence of mindfulness intervention RCTs by reviewing and discussing (a) the effects of mindfulness interventions on health, cognitive, affective, and interpersonal outcomes; (b) evidence-based applications of mindfulness interventions to new settings and populations (e.g., the workplace, military, schools); (c) psychological and neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness interventions; (d) mindfulness intervention dosing considerations; and (e) potential risks of mindfulness interventions. Methodologically rigorous RCTs have demonstrated that mindfulness interventions improve outcomes in multiple domains (e.g., chronic pain, depression relapse, addiction). Discussion focuses on opportunities and challenges for mindfulness intervention research and on community applications.

  12. Laser diagnostics for combustion temperature and species

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

    Eckbreth, A.C.

    1987-01-01

    Laser approaches to combustion diagnostics are of considerable interest due to their remote, nonintrusive and in-situ character, unlimited temperature capability and potential for simultaneous temporal and spatial resolution, This book aims to make these powerful and important new tools in combustion research understandable. The focus of this text is on spectroscopically-based, spatially-precise laser techniques for temperature and chemical composition measurements in reacting and nonreacting flows. After introductory chapters providing a fundamental theoretical and experimental background, attention is directed to diagnostics based upon spontaneous Raman and Rayleigh scattering, coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) and laser-induced fluorescence (LIFS). The book concludes withmore » a treatment of techniques which permit spatially-resolved measurements over an entire two-dimensional field simultaneously.« less

  13. Adapting to the effects of climate change on Inuit health.

    PubMed

    Ford, James D; Willox, Ashlee Cunsolo; Chatwood, Susan; Furgal, Christopher; Harper, Sherilee; Mauro, Ian; Pearce, Tristan

    2014-06-01

    Climate change will have far-reaching implications for Inuit health. Focusing on adaptation offers a proactive approach for managing climate-related health risks-one that views Inuit populations as active agents in planning and responding at household, community, and regional levels. Adaptation can direct attention to the root causes of climate vulnerability and emphasize the importance of traditional knowledge regarding environmental change and adaptive strategies. An evidence base on adaptation options and processes for Inuit regions is currently lacking, however, thus constraining climate policy development. In this article, we tackled this deficit, drawing upon our understanding of the determinants of health vulnerability to climate change in Canada to propose key considerations for adaptation decision-making in an Inuit context.

  14. Advancing an ethical framework for long-term care.

    PubMed

    Carter, Mary Whelan

    2002-02-01

    This article represents an effort to formulate an ethical framework for long-term care with the explicit purpose of providing a catalyst to promote further discourse and expand consideration of what an ethic of long-term care might entail. Grounding the discussion, an introduction to traditional ethical philosophy is presented, focusing mainly on the fundamentals of deontological and teleological ethical theories. Attention then shifts to a review of the more frequently cited principles found in the long-term care ethics literature, followed by a critique of the current reliance upon principlism to resolve ethical dilemmas in long-term care. In response to this criticism, an agent-driven ethical framework stressing dignity and respect for personhood, drawn from the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, is advanced.

  15. A review of human physiological and performance changes associated with desynchronosis of biological rhythms

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Winget, C. M.; Deroshia, C. W.; Markley, C. L.; Holley, D. C.

    1984-01-01

    This review discusses the effects, in the aerospace environment, of alterations in approximately 24-h periodicities (circadian rhythms) upon physiological and psychological functions and possible therapies for desynchronosis induced by such alterations. The consequences of circadian rhythm alteration resulting from shift work, transmeridian flight, or altered day lengths are known as desynchronosis, dysrhythmia, dyschrony, jet lag, or jet syndrome. Considerable attention is focused on the ability to operate jet aircraft and manned space vehicles. The importance of environmental cues, such as light-dark cycles, which influence physiological and psychological rhythms is discussed. A section on mathematical models is presented to enable selection and verification of appropriate preventive and corrective measures and to better understand the problem of dysrhythmia.

  16. A Brief Review on Multivalent Intercalation Batteries with Aqueous Electrolytes

    PubMed Central

    Guduru, Ramesh K.; Icaza, Juan C.

    2016-01-01

    Rapidly growing global demand for high energy density rechargeable batteries has driven the research toward developing new chemistries and battery systems beyond Li-ion batteries. Due to the advantages of delivering more than one electron and giving more charge capacity, the multivalent systems have gained considerable attention. At the same time, affordability, ease of fabrication and safety aspects have also directed researchers to focus on aqueous electrolyte based multivalent intercalation batteries. There have been a decent number of publications disclosing capabilities and challenges of several multivalent battery systems in aqueous electrolytes, and while considering an increasing interest in this area, here, we present a brief overview of their recent progress, including electrode chemistries, functionalities and challenges. PMID:28344298

  17. Nanoscale materials for hyperthermal theranostics

    DOE PAGES

    Smith, Bennett E.; Roder, Paden B.; Zhou, Xuezhe; ...

    2015-03-18

    Recently, the use of nanoscale materials has attracted considerable attention with the aim of designing personalized therapeutic approaches that can enhance both spatial and temporal control over drug release, permeability, and uptake. Potential benefits to patients include the reduction of overall drug dosages, enabling the parallel delivery of different pharmaceuticals, and the possibility of enabling additional functionalities such as hyperthermia or deep-tissue imaging (LIF, PET, etc.) that complement and extend the efficacy of traditional chemotherapy and surgery. Our mini review is focused on an emerging class of nanometer-scale materials that can be used both to heat malignant tissue to reducemore » angiogenesis and DNA-repair while simultaneously offering complementary imaging capabilities based on radioemission, optical fluorescence, magnetic resonance, and photoacoustic methods.« less

  18. Pain and Surgery in England, circa 1620–circa 1740

    PubMed Central

    Walker, Katherine A.

    2015-01-01

    The scholarship on the discussion and role of pain in early modern English surgery is limited. Scholars have given little consideration to how surgeons described and comprehended pain in their patients’ bodies in early modern England, including how these understandings connected to notions of the humours, nerves and sex difference. This article focuses on the attention that surgeons paid to pain in their published and manuscript casebooks and manuals available in English, circa 1620–circa 1740. Pain was an important component of surgery in early modern England, influencing diagnosis, treatment and technique. Surgeons portrayed a complex and multi-dimensional understanding of their patients’ bodies in pain, which was further connected to their portrayals of their professional ability. PMID:25766543

  19. Cannabidiol: an overview of some chemical and pharmacological aspects. Part I: chemical aspects.

    PubMed

    Mechoulam, Raphael; Hanus, Lumír

    2002-12-31

    Over the last few years considerable attention has focused on cannabidiol (CBD), a major non-psychotropic constituent of Cannabis. In Part I of this review we present a condensed survey of the chemistry of CBD; in Part II, to be published later, we shall discuss the anti-convulsive, anti-anxiety, anti-psychotic, anti-nausea and anti-rheumatoid arthritic properties of CBD. CBD does not bind to the known cannabinoid receptors and its mechanism of action is yet unknown. In Part II we shall also present evidence that it is conceivable that, in part at least, its effects are due to its recently discovered inhibition of anandamide uptake and hydrolysis and to its anti-oxidative effect.

  20. International migration, 1995: some reflections on an exceptional year.

    PubMed

    Bedford, R

    1996-10-01

    "This paper examines the 1995 international migration statistics in the context of New Zealand's immigration policy, and with reference to the impact of migration on population change in 1995. Particular attention is focused on trying to unravel and interpret the statistics relating to net migration. Considerable confusion has arisen in the public debate about immigration because of uniformed and, at times, quite misleading use of information supplied by Statistics New Zealand and the Department of Labour.... This is a reprinted version of an article originally published in the New Zealand Journal of Geography in April 1996. The article has been reprinted because a number of tables in the earlier version were incorrectly reproduced. Any inconvenience caused by this problem is regretted." excerpt

  1. Plasticity models of material variability based on uncertainty quantification techniques

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

    Jones, Reese E.; Rizzi, Francesco; Boyce, Brad

    The advent of fabrication techniques like additive manufacturing has focused attention on the considerable variability of material response due to defects and other micro-structural aspects. This variability motivates the development of an enhanced design methodology that incorporates inherent material variability to provide robust predictions of performance. In this work, we develop plasticity models capable of representing the distribution of mechanical responses observed in experiments using traditional plasticity models of the mean response and recently developed uncertainty quantification (UQ) techniques. Lastly, we demonstrate that the new method provides predictive realizations that are superior to more traditional ones, and how these UQmore » techniques can be used in model selection and assessing the quality of calibrated physical parameters.« less

  2. Relationships between High School Chemistry Students' Perceptions of a Constructivist Learning Environment and their STEM Career Expectations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wild, Andrew

    2015-09-01

    Considerable attention has been devoted to factors affecting the persistence of women and historically underrepresented ethnic groups in their science education trajectories. The literature has focused more on structural factors that affect longitudinal outcomes rather than classroom experiences. This exploratory survey study described relationships among high school chemistry students' perceptions of a constructivist learning environment (CLE) and STEM career expectations. The sample included 693 students from 7 public high schools within the San Francisco Bay Area. Students' perceptions of a CLE predicted their expectations of entering a science career, but not engineering, computer, health, or mathematics-related careers. When all groups of students perceived the learning environment as more constructivist, they were more likely to expect science careers.

  3. Mindfulness in PTSD treatment.

    PubMed

    Lang, Ariel J

    2017-04-01

    In recent years, the field has witnessed considerable enthusiasm for the ancient practice of mindfulness. The skills derived from this experience, including focused attention, nonjudgmental acceptance of internal experiences and reduced autonomic reactivity, may be helpful in counteracting pathological responses to trauma. Several types of interventions that incorporate principles of mindfulness have been examined for treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This nascent literature is inconsistent and methodologically limited but does suggest that mindfulness is a potentially important tool for creating psychological change. The interventions described herein generally would not yet be considered first-line treatments for PTSD. Nonetheless, evidence is building, and mindfulness may provide an impetus for better understanding how to personalize psychological interventions and to evaluate their outcomes. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. Interventional cardiology live case presentations: regulatory considerations.

    PubMed

    Farb, Andrew; Brown, Sheila A; Wolf, Deborah A; Zuckerman, Bram

    2010-10-01

    Live case presentations are increasingly common at interventional cardiology conferences. Taking advantage of significant advances in communication technology, broadcasts of procedures can be viewed as an extension of traditional medical education targeted to large groups of practitioners. However, there are important ethical, commercial, and patient safety issues associated with live cases that deserve attention. Use of investigational devices in live case demonstrations is subject to review and approval by FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), and the outcomes of patients participating in live cases are considered in the overall clinical study results. This article discusses CDRH's regulatory view of live case presentations with a focus on patient safety, clinical trial integrity, and concerns regarding improper medical device promotion. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  5. Interventional cardiology live case presentations regulatory considerations.

    PubMed

    Farb, Andrew; Brown, Sheila A; Wolf, Deborah A; Zuckerman, Bram

    2010-10-01

    Live case presentations are increasingly common at interventional cardiology conferences. Taking advantage of significant advances in communication technology, broadcasts of procedures can be viewed as an extension of traditional medical education targeted to large groups of practitioners. However, there are important ethical, commercial, and patient safety issues associated with live cases that deserve attention. Use of investigational devices in live case demonstrations is subject to review and approval by FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), and the outcomes of patients participating in live cases are considered in the overall clinical study results. This article discusses CDRH's regulatory view of live case presentations with a focus on patient safety, clinical trial integrity, and concerns regarding improper medical device promotion. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  6. On the importance of listening comprehension

    PubMed Central

    Hogan, Tiffany P.; Adlof, Suzanne M.; Alonzo, Crystle

    2015-01-01

    The simple view of reading highlights the importance of two primary components which account for individual differences in reading comprehension across development: word recognition (i.e., decoding) and listening comprehension. While assessments and interventions for decoding have been the focus of pedagogy in the past several decades, the importance of listening comprehension has received less attention. This paper reviews evidence showing that listening comprehension becomes the dominating influence on reading comprehension starting even in the elementary grades. It also highlights a growing number of children who fail to develop adequate reading comprehension skills, primarily due to deficient listening comprehension skills: poor comprehenders. Finally it discusses key language influences on listening comprehension for consideration during assessment and treatment of reading disabilities. PMID:24833426

  7. On the importance of listening comprehension.

    PubMed

    Hogan, Tiffany P; Adlof, Suzanne M; Alonzo, Crystle N

    2014-06-01

    The simple view of reading highlights the importance of two primary components which account for individual differences in reading comprehension across development: word recognition (i.e., decoding) and listening comprehension. While assessments and interventions for decoding have been the focus of pedagogy in the past several decades, the importance of listening comprehension has received less attention. This paper reviews evidence showing that listening comprehension becomes the dominating influence on reading comprehension starting even in the elementary grades. It also highlights a growing number of children who fail to develop adequate reading comprehension skills, primarily due to deficient listening comprehension skills (i.e., poor comprehenders). Finally we discuss key language influences on listening comprehension for consideration during assessment and treatment of reading disabilities.

  8. How physical therapists instruct patients with stroke: an observational study on attentional focus during gait rehabilitation after stroke.

    PubMed

    Kal, Elmar; van den Brink, Henrieke; Houdijk, Han; van der Kamp, John; Goossens, Paulien Helena; van Bennekom, Coen; Scherder, Erik

    2018-05-01

    People without neurological impairments show superior motor learning when they focus on movement effects (external focus) rather than on movement execution itself (internal focus). Despite its potential for neurorehabilitation, it remains unclear to what extent external focus strategies are currently incorporated in rehabilitation post-stroke. Therefore, we observed how physical therapists use attentional focus when treating gait of rehabilitating patients with stroke. Twenty physical therapist-patient couples from six rehabilitation centers participated. Per couple, one regular gait-training session was video-recorded. Therapists' statements were classified using a standardized scoring method to determine the relative proportion of internally and externally focused instructions/feedback. Also, we explored associations between therapists' use of external/internal focus strategies and patients' focus preference, length of stay, mobility, and cognition. Therapists' instructions were generally more external while feedback was more internal. Therapists used relatively more externally focused statements for patients with a longer length of stay (B = -0.239, p = 0.013) and for patients who had a stronger internal focus preference (B = -0.930, p = 0.035). Physical therapists used more external focus instructions, but more internally focused feedback. Also, they seem to adapt their attentional focus use to patients' focus preference and rehabilitation phase. Future research may determine how these factors influence the effectiveness of different attentional foci for motor learning post-stroke. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Physical therapists use a balanced mix of internal focus and external focus instructions and feedback when treating gait of stroke patients. Therapists predominantly used an external focus for patients in later rehabilitation phases, and for patients with stronger internal focus preferences, possibly in an attempt to stimulate more automatic control of movement in these patients. Future research should further explore how a patients' focus preference and rehabilitation phase influence the effectiveness of different focus strategies. Awaiting further research, we recommend that therapists use both attentional focus strategies, and explore per patient which focus works best on a trial-and-error basis.

  9. Novice Readers: The Role of Focused, Selective, Distributed and Alternating Attention at the First Year of the Academic Curriculum

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    The ability to read depends on different cognitive skills. This study investigated the role of the main components of attention (selective attention, focused attention, distributed attention, and alternating attention) on the different dimensions of reading skills in novice readers. Participants were 288 Italian children, who attended the first year of primary school. Attention and reading skills (reading “comprehension,” “accuracy,” and “speed”) were measured. Different components of attention influence each dimension of reading. Moreover, both the correctness and rapidity at which attention operates play a pivotal role in learning to read. Interestingly, selective attention is involved in all dimensions of reading. These findings may have educational and practical relevance. The early assessment of attention might favor the development of new strategies of intervention in dyslexic children and in children at risk of developing learning difficulties. PMID:28835811

  10. Novice Readers: The Role of Focused, Selective, Distributed and Alternating Attention at the First Year of the Academic Curriculum.

    PubMed

    Commodari, Elena

    2017-01-01

    The ability to read depends on different cognitive skills. This study investigated the role of the main components of attention (selective attention, focused attention, distributed attention, and alternating attention) on the different dimensions of reading skills in novice readers. Participants were 288 Italian children, who attended the first year of primary school. Attention and reading skills (reading "comprehension," "accuracy," and "speed") were measured. Different components of attention influence each dimension of reading. Moreover, both the correctness and rapidity at which attention operates play a pivotal role in learning to read. Interestingly, selective attention is involved in all dimensions of reading. These findings may have educational and practical relevance. The early assessment of attention might favor the development of new strategies of intervention in dyslexic children and in children at risk of developing learning difficulties.

  11. Evolution of diffusion and dissemination theory.

    PubMed

    Dearing, James W

    2008-01-01

    The article provides a review and considers how the diffusion of innovations Research paradigm has changed, and offers suggestions for the further development of this theory of social change. Main emphases of diffusion Research studies are compared over time, with special attention to applications of diffusion theory-based concepts as types of dissemination science. A considerable degree of paradigmatic evolution is observed. The classical diffusion model focused on adopter innovativeness, individuals as the locus of decision, communication channels, and adoption as the primary outcome measures in post hoc observational study designs. The diffusion systems in question were centralized, with fidelity of implementation often assumed. Current dissemination Research and practice is better characterized by tests of interventions that operationalize one or more diffusion theory-based concepts and concepts from other change approaches, involve complex organizations as the units of adoption, and focus on implementation issues. Foment characterizes dissemination and implementation Research, Reflecting both its interdisciplinary Roots and the imperative of spreading evidence-based innovations as a basis for a new paradigm of translational studies of dissemination science.

  12. Evidence for underuse of effective medical services around the world.

    PubMed

    Glasziou, Paul; Straus, Sharon; Brownlee, Shannon; Trevena, Lyndal; Dans, Leonila; Guyatt, Gordon; Elshaug, Adam G; Janett, Robert; Saini, Vikas

    2017-07-08

    Underuse-the failure to use effective and affordable medical interventions-is common and responsible for substantial suffering, disability, and loss of life worldwide. Underuse occurs at every point along the treatment continuum, from populations lacking access to health care to inadequate supply of medical resources and labour, slow or partial uptake of innovations, and patients not accessing or declining them. The extent of underuse for different interventions varies by country, and is documented in countries of high, middle, and low-income, and across different types of health-care systems, payment models, and health services. Most research into underuse has focused on measuring solutions to the problem, with considerably less attention paid to its global prevalence or its consequences for patients and populations. Although focused effort and resources can overcome specific underuse problems, comparatively little is spent on work to better understand and overcome the barriers to improved uptake of effective interventions, and methods to make them affordable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Generation of UV light by intense ultrashort laser pulses in air

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alexeev, Ilya; Ting, Antonio; Gordon, Daniel; Briscoe, Eldridge; Penano, Joe; Sprangle, Phillip

    2004-11-01

    The propagation of collimated high-peak-power ultrashort laser pulses in air has attracted considerable attention, which may have a variety of important applications including remote sensing and chemical-biological aerosols standoff detection. Sub-millimeter diameter laser filaments can develop without any focusing optics and instead solely from laser self-focusing and plasma formation in air. These filaments can produce ultraviolet radiations in the form of the 3rd harmonic of the fundamental frequency and also through spectral broadening due to self-phase modulation of the laser pulse. Using femtosecond laser pulses produced by a high power Ti:Sapphire laser (0.8 TW, 50 fs, 800 nm) we observed generation of the third harmonic radiation light in air (centered around 267 nm) by the laser filaments. Characterization of the 3rd harmonic generation with respect to the major gas components of the air will be reported. Supported by the ONR and RDECOM. I. Alexeev is NRC/NRL Post-Doc.

  14. How have health promotion frameworks considered gender?

    PubMed

    Gelb, Karen; Pederson, Ann; Greaves, Lorraine

    2012-12-01

    This paper provides an overview of five key internationally recognized health promotion frameworks and assesses their consideration of gender. This analysis was conducted as part of the Promoting Health in Women project, a Canadian initiative focused on generating a framework for effective health promotion for women. To date, no review of health promotion frameworks has specifically focused on assessing the treatment of gender. This analysis draws on a comprehensive literature review that covered available literature on gender and health promotion frameworks published internationally between 1974 and 2010. Analysis of five key health promotion frameworks revealed that although gender was at times mentioned as a determinant of health, gender was never identified and integrated as a factor critical to successful health promotion. This superficial attention to the role of gender in health promotion is problematic as it limits our capacity to understand how gender influences health, health contexts and health promotion, as well as our ability to integrate gender into future comprehensive health promotion strategies.

  15. Approaches to assessment in time-limited Mentalization-Based Therapy for Children (MBT-C)

    PubMed Central

    Muller, Nicole; Midgley, Nick

    2015-01-01

    In this article we describe our clinical approach to assessment, formulation and the identification of a therapeutic focus in the context of time-limited Mentalization-Based Treatment for Children (MBT-C) aged between 6 and 12. Rather than seeing the capacity to mentalize as a global construct, we set out an approach to assessing the developmental ‘building blocks’ of the capacity to mentalize the self and others, including the capacity for attention regulation, emotion regulation, and explicit mentalization. Assessing the child’s strengths and vulnerabilities in each of these domains provides a more nuanced picture of the child’s mentalizing capacities and difficulties, and can provide a useful approach to case formulation. The article sets out an approach to assessment that includes a consideration of mentalizing strengths and difficulties in both the child and the parents, and shows how this can be used to help develop a mutually agreed treatment focus. A clinical vignette illustrates the approach taken to assessment and connects it to routine clinical practice. PMID:26283994

  16. Management of change in health care organisations and human resource role.

    PubMed

    Carignani, V

    2000-01-01

    The paper is focused on the analysis of the most relevant factors necessary to manage change in health care organisations. The approach suggested is the Stakeholder one. According to this approach, the hospital's managers seem to be successful if they are able to satisfy people (internal and external stakeholders) that have a stake in the health care institution. The attention of the author is mainly focused on the internal forces that make the health care sector competitive and successful. In order to motivate internal human resources to accept change and to achieve the organisational targets two main methods can be suggested. The former is based on tangible variables and in particular on a fair reward system; the latter is built on intangible elements e.g. communication, negotiation, contracting, and organisational values sharing. Moreover, in order to cope with change it is important to develop the information technology management and to reengineer delivery processes, taking into consideration both the costs and benefits of these kinds of innovations.

  17. Identity Management and Mental Health Discourse in Social Media

    PubMed Central

    Pavalanathan, Umashanthi; De Choudhury, Munmun

    2015-01-01

    Social media is increasingly being adopted in health discourse. We examine the role played by identity in supporting discourse on socially stigmatized conditions. Specifically, we focus on mental health communities on reddit. We investigate the characteristics of mental health discourse manifested through reddit's characteristic ‘throwaway’ accounts, which are used as proxies of anonymity. For the purpose, we propose affective, cognitive, social, and linguistic style measures, drawing from literature in psychology. We observe that mental health discourse from throwaways is considerably disinhibiting and exhibits increased negativity, cognitive bias and self-attentional focus, and lowered self-esteem. Throwaways also seem to be six times more prevalent as an identity choice on mental health forums, compared to other reddit communities. We discuss the implications of our work in guiding mental health interventions, and in the design of online communities that can better cater to the needs of vulnerable populations. We conclude with thoughts on the role of identity manifestation on social media in behavioral therapy. PMID:27376158

  18. Identity Management and Mental Health Discourse in Social Media.

    PubMed

    Pavalanathan, Umashanthi; De Choudhury, Munmun

    2015-05-01

    Social media is increasingly being adopted in health discourse. We examine the role played by identity in supporting discourse on socially stigmatized conditions. Specifically, we focus on mental health communities on reddit. We investigate the characteristics of mental health discourse manifested through reddit's characteristic 'throwaway' accounts, which are used as proxies of anonymity. For the purpose, we propose affective, cognitive, social, and linguistic style measures, drawing from literature in psychology. We observe that mental health discourse from throwaways is considerably disinhibiting and exhibits increased negativity, cognitive bias and self-attentional focus, and lowered self-esteem. Throwaways also seem to be six times more prevalent as an identity choice on mental health forums, compared to other reddit communities. We discuss the implications of our work in guiding mental health interventions, and in the design of online communities that can better cater to the needs of vulnerable populations. We conclude with thoughts on the role of identity manifestation on social media in behavioral therapy.

  19. Process tracing in political science: What's the story?

    PubMed

    Crasnow, Sharon

    2017-04-01

    Methodologists in political science have advocated for causal process tracing as a way of providing evidence for causal mechanisms. Recent analyses of the method have sought to provide more rigorous accounts of how it provides such evidence. These accounts have focused on the role of process tracing for causal inference and specifically on the way it can be used with case studies for testing hypotheses. While the analyses do provide an account of such testing, they pay little attention to the narrative elements of case studies. I argue that the role of narrative in case studies is not merely incidental. Narrative does cognitive work by both facilitating the consideration of alternative hypotheses and clarifying the relationship between evidence and explanation. I consider the use of process tracing in a particular case (the Fashoda Incident) in order to illustrate the role of narrative. I argue that process tracing contributes to knowledge production in ways that the current focus on inference tends to obscure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Syria: effects of conflict and sanctions on public health.

    PubMed

    Sen, Kasturi; Al-Faisal, Waleed; AlSaleh, Yaser

    2013-06-01

    The past 18 months have witnessed considerable turmoil in countries of the MENA region. The Syrian Arab Republic (SAR) is one such country, currently in the midst of a civil war. This report draws attention to some of the recent achievements of its health services, where, despite a dearth of published materials, the country achieved remarkable declines in maternal mortality and infant mortality rates. Its health sector now faces destruction from on-going violence compounded by economic sanctions that has affected access to health care, to medicines and to basic essentials as well as the destruction of infrastructure. This paper draws attention to the achievements of the country's health services and explores some of the consequences of conflict and of sanctions on population health. Readers need to be mindful that the situation on the ground in a civil war can alter on a daily basis. This is the case for Syria with much destruction of health facilities and increasing numbers of people killed and injured. We retain however our focus on the core theme of this paper which is on conflict and on sanctions.

  1. Individual differences: Case studies of rodent and primate intelligence.

    PubMed

    Matzel, Louis D; Sauce, Bruno

    2017-10-01

    Early in the 20th century, individual differences were a central focus of psychologists. By the end of that century, studies of individual differences had become far less common, and attention to these differences played little role in the development of contemporary theory. To illustrate the important role of individual differences, here we consider variations in intelligence as a compelling example. General intelligence (g) has now been demonstrated in at least 2 distinct genera: primates (including humans, chimpanzees, bonobos, and tamarins) and rodents (mice and rats). The expression of general intelligence varies widely across individuals within a species; these variations have tremendous functional consequence, and are attributable to interactions of genes and environment. Here we provide evidence for these assertions, describe the processes that contribute to variations in general intelligence, as well as the methods that underlie the analysis of individual differences. We conclude by describing why consideration of individual differences is critical to our understanding of learning, cognition, and behavior, and illustrate how attention to individual differences can contribute to more effective administration of therapeutic strategies for psychological disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Evolution of trends in risk management.

    PubMed

    Aziz, Farah; Khalil, Alizan; Hall, John C

    2005-07-01

    In the past, the detection and response to adverse clinical events were viewed as an inherent part of professionalism; and, if perceived problems were not sorted out at that level, the ultimate expression of dissatisfaction was litigation. There are now demands for the adoption of more transparent and effective processes for risk management. Reviews of surgical practice have highlighted the presence of unacceptable levels of avoidable adverse events. This is being resolved in two ways. First, attention is being directed to the extent that training and experience have on outcomes after surgery, and both appear to be important. Second, a greater appreciation of human factors engineering has promoted a greater involvement of surgeons in processes involving teamwork and non-technical skills. The community wants surgeons who are competent and health-care systems that minimize risk. In recent times attention has been focused on the turmoil associated with change; but, when events are viewed over a period of several decades, there has been considerable progress towards these ideals. Further advancement would be aided by removing the adversarial nature of malpractice systems that have failed to maintain standards.

  3. The Application of Fluorescent Quantum Dots to Confocal, Multiphoton, and Electron Microscopic Imaging

    PubMed Central

    Deerinck, Thomas J.

    2009-01-01

    Fluorescent quantum dots are emerging as an important tool for imaging cells and tissues, and their unique optical and physical properties have captured the attention of the research community. The most common types of commercially available quantum dots consist of a nanocrystalline semiconductor core composed of cadmium selenide with a zinc sulfide capping layer and an outer polymer layer to facilitate conjugation to targeting biomolecules such as immunoglobulins. They exhibit high fluorescent quantum yields and have large absorption cross-sections, possess excellent photostability, and can be synthesized so that their narrow-band fluorescence emission can occur in a wide spectrum of colors. These properties make them excellent candidates for serving as multiplexing molecular beacons using a variety of imaging modalities including highly correlated microscopies. Whereas much attention has been focused on quantum-dot applications for live-cell imaging, we have sought to characterize and exploit their utility for enabling simultaneous multiprotein immunolabeling in fixed cells and tissues. Considerations for their application to immunolabeling for correlated light and electron microscopic analysis are discussed. PMID:18337229

  4. Turning the tide or surfing the wave? Responsible Research and Innovation, fundamental rights and neoliberal virtues.

    PubMed

    Arnaldi, Simone; Gorgoni, Guido

    2016-12-01

    The notion of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) has increasingly attracted attention in the academic literature. Up until now, however, the literature has focused on clarifying the principles for which research and innovation are responsible and on examining the conditions that account for managing them responsibly. Little attention has been reserved to exploring the political-economic context in which the notion of RRI has become progressively more prominent. This article tries to address this aspect and suggests some preliminary considerations on the connections between the specific understanding of responsibility in RRI and the framing of responsibility in what has been synthetically defined as 'neoliberalism'. To do so, we try to illustrate how the idea of responsibility has evolved over time so that the specific characteristics of RRI can be better highlighted. These characteristics will then be discussed against the features of neoliberalism and its understanding of responsibility. Eventually, we reaffirm a view of RRI centred on fundamental rights as a possible point of departure between these two perspectives on responsibility.

  5. Considerations on Geospatial Big Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    LIU, Zhen; GUO, Huadong; WANG, Changlin

    2016-11-01

    Geospatial data, as a significant portion of big data, has recently gained the full attention of researchers. However, few researchers focus on the evolution of geospatial data and its scientific research methodologies. When entering into the big data era, fully understanding the changing research paradigm associated with geospatial data will definitely benefit future research on big data. In this paper, we look deep into these issues by examining the components and features of geospatial big data, reviewing relevant scientific research methodologies, and examining the evolving pattern of geospatial data in the scope of the four ‘science paradigms’. This paper proposes that geospatial big data has significantly shifted the scientific research methodology from ‘hypothesis to data’ to ‘data to questions’ and it is important to explore the generality of growing geospatial data ‘from bottom to top’. Particularly, four research areas that mostly reflect data-driven geospatial research are proposed: spatial correlation, spatial analytics, spatial visualization, and scientific knowledge discovery. It is also pointed out that privacy and quality issues of geospatial data may require more attention in the future. Also, some challenges and thoughts are raised for future discussion.

  6. Stone circles: form and soil kinematics.

    PubMed

    Hallet, Bernard

    2013-12-13

    Distinct surface patterns are ubiquitous and diverse in soils of polar and alpine regions, where the ground temperature oscillates about 0 degrees C. They constitute some of the most striking examples of clearly visible, abiotic self-organization in nature. This paper outlines the interplay of frost-related physical processes that produce these patterns spontaneously and presents unique data documenting subsurface soil rotational motion and surface displacement spanning 20 years in well-developed circles of soil outlined by gravel ridges. These sorted circles are particularly attractive research targets for a number of reasons that provide focus for this paper: (i) their exceptional geometric regularity captures the attention of any observer; (ii) they are currently forming and evolving, hence the underlying processes can be monitored readily, especially because they are localized near the ground surface on a scale of metres, which facilitates comprehensive characterization; and (iii) a recent, highly successful numerical model of sorted circle development helps to draw attention to particular field observations that can be used to assess the model, its assumptions and parameter choices, and to the considerable potential for synergetic field and modelling studies.

  7. Stone circles: form and soil kinematics.

    PubMed

    Hallet, Bernard

    2013-01-01

    Distinct surface patterns are ubiquitous and diverse in soils of polar and alpine regions, where the ground temperature oscillates about 0°C. They constitute some of the most striking examples of clearly visible, abiotic self-organization in nature. This paper outlines the interplay of frost-related physical processes that produce these patterns spontaneously and presents unique data documenting subsurface soil rotational motion and surface displacement spanning 20 years in well-developed circles of soil outlined by gravel ridges. These sorted circles are particularly attractive research targets for a number of reasons that provide focus for this paper: (i) their exceptional geometric regularity captures the attention of any observer; (ii) they are currently forming and evolving, hence the underlying processes can be monitored readily, especially because they are localized near the ground surface on a scale of metres, which facilitates comprehensive characterization; and (iii) a recent, highly successful numerical model of sorted circle development helps to draw attention to particular field observations that can be used to assess the model, its assumptions and parameter choices, and to the considerable potential for synergetic field and modelling studies.

  8. A Bibliometric Analysis of Research on Supported Ionic Liquid Membranes during the 1995–2015 Period: Study of the Main Applications and Trending Topics

    PubMed Central

    Abejón, Ricardo; Pérez-Acebo, Heriberto; Garea, Aurora

    2017-01-01

    A bibliometric analysis based on Scopus database was performed to identify the global research trends related to Supported Ionic Liquid Membranes (SILMs) during the time period from 1995 to 2015. This work tries to improve the understanding of the most relevant research topics and applications. The results from the analysis reveal that only after 2005 the research efforts focused on SILMs became significant, since the references found before that year are scarce. The most important research works on the four main application groups for SILMs defined in this work (carbon dioxide separation, other gas phase separations, pervaporation and liquid phase separations) were summarized in this paper. Carbon dioxide separation appeared as the application that has received by far the most attention according to the research trends during the analysed period. Comments about other significant applications that are gaining attention, such as the employment of SILMs in analytical tasks or their consideration for the production of fuel cells, have been included. PMID:29112172

  9. Fostering incidental experiences of nature through green infrastructure planning.

    PubMed

    Beery, Thomas H; Raymond, Christopher M; Kyttä, Marketta; Olafsson, Anton Stahl; Plieninger, Tobias; Sandberg, Mattias; Stenseke, Marie; Tengö, Maria; Jönsson, K Ingemar

    2017-11-01

    Concern for a diminished human experience of nature and subsequent decreased human well-being is addressed via a consideration of green infrastructure's potential to facilitate unplanned or incidental nature experience. Incidental nature experience is conceptualized and illustrated in order to consider this seldom addressed aspect of human interaction with nature in green infrastructure planning. Special attention has been paid to the ability of incidental nature experience to redirect attention from a primary activity toward an unplanned focus (in this case, nature phenomena). The value of such experience for human well-being is considered. The role of green infrastructure to provide the opportunity for incidental nature experience may serve as a nudge or guide toward meaningful interaction. These ideas are explored using examples of green infrastructure design in two Nordic municipalities: Kristianstad, Sweden, and Copenhagen, Denmark. The outcome of the case study analysis coupled with the review of literature is a set of sample recommendations for how green infrastructure can be designed to support a range of incidental nature experiences with the potential to support human well-being.

  10. Attention deficits in children with epilepsy: Preliminary findings.

    PubMed

    Gascoigne, Michael B; Smith, Mary Lou; Barton, Belinda; Webster, Richard; Gill, Deepak; Lah, Suncica

    2017-02-01

    Attention difficulties are a common clinical complaint among children with epilepsy. We aimed to compare a range of attentional abilities between groups of children with two common epilepsy syndromes, Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) and Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy (IGE), and to healthy controls. We also investigated whether epilepsy factors (laterality of seizure focus, epilepsy onset, duration, and severity) were related to attentional abilities. Multiple dimensions of attention (selective, sustained, and divided attention and attentional control) were assessed directly with standardized neuropsychological measures in 101 children aged 6-16years (23 children with TLE, 20 with IGE and 58 healthy controls). Attention was also assessed indirectly, via a parent-report measure. Children with TLE performed worse than children with IGE (p=0.013) and healthy controls (p<0.001) on a test of attentional control, but no between-group differences were apparent on tests of other attentional abilities. Compared to healthy controls, greater attention problems were reported by parents of children with TLE (p=0.006) and IGE (p=0.012). Left-hemisphere seizure focus and greater epilepsy severity were associated with poorer attentional control and sustained-divided attention, respectively, but no other epilepsy factors were associated with attentional abilities. These findings suggest that children with localization-related epilepsy, but not generalized epilepsy, may be at risk of deficits in attentional control. Interventions aimed at improving attentional control may be targeted at children with localization-related epilepsy, particularly those with a left-hemisphere seizure focus, who appear to be particularly susceptible to this type of attentional deficit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Continuous Cognitive Task Promotes Greater Postural Stability than an Internal or External Focus of Attention in Older Adults.

    PubMed

    Richer, Natalie; Polskaia, Nadia; Lajoie, Yves

    2017-01-01

    Background/Study Context: Recent evidence suggests that removing attention from postural control using either an external focus or a cognitive task will improve stability in healthy young adults. Due to increases in attentional requirements of upright stance in older adults, it is unclear if similar benefits would be observed in this population. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of attentional focus and of a continuous cognitive task on postural control in older adults. Sixteen healthy older adults (71.9 ± 4.32 years) were asked to stand quietly on a force platform with feet together in three different conditions: internal focus (minimizing movement of the hips), external focus (minimizing movement of markers placed on the hips), and cognitive task (silently counting the occurrence of a single digit in a 3-digit number sequence). A one-way analysis of variance with repeated measures on condition was performed for each postural control measure. Hypotheses were partially supported because the cognitive task led to greater stability than both focus conditions, as evidenced by a smaller sway area (p < .01, η p 2 = .41), reduced sway variability (anterior-posterior: p = .001, η p 2 = .37; medial-lateral: p < .0001, η p 2 = .49), and higher mean power frequency in the anterior-posterior direction (p = .01, η p 2 = .78). However, no difference was observed between internal and external focus conditions. A continuous, attention-demanding cognitive task significantly improved stability in older adults compared with an internal or external focus of attention. This suggests that older adults were able to effectively allocate their attention away from postural control, allowing a more automatic type of control to operate. Future studies should investigate a variety of cognitive tasks to determine the degree of postural improvement that can be observed in older adults.

  12. Does Varying Attentional Focus Affect Skill Acquisition in Children? A Comparison of Internal and External Focus Instructions and Feedback

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agar, Charles; Humphries, Charlotte A.; Naquin, Millie; Hebert, Edward; Wood, Ralph

    2016-01-01

    Recently, researchers have concluded that motor skill performance is enhanced when learners adopt an external attentional focus, compared to adopting an internal focus. We extended the line of inquiry to children and examined if skill learning in children was differentially affected by providing instructions and feedback that direct attentional…

  13. Pedagogical Effectiveness and Feasibility of Focus on Form vs. Focus on Meaning in a Reading Class: Compatibility of Teacher-Learner's Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abbasian, Gholam-Reza; Pooshaneh, Leila

    2015-01-01

    Many empirical investigations have demonstrated that explicit Focus on Form (FOF) methods are more effective than implicit Focus on Meaning (FOM) methods (Norris & Ortega, 2000), because in FOF instruction learners' attention is drawn to linguistic form while FOM instruction requires learners' attention to communicate (Ellis, 2001). However,…

  14. Attentional Focus Effects in Balance Acrobats

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wulf, Gabriele

    2008-01-01

    Performing and learning motor skills has been shown to be enhanced if the performer adopts an external relative to internal focus (or no focus) of attention (Wulf, 2007). The present study examined the generalizability of this effect to top-level performers (balance acrobats). Participants performed a balance task (standing on an inflated rubber…

  15. Attention Deficit Disorder: Diagnosis, Etiology and Treatment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barabasz, Marianne; Barabasz, Arreed

    1996-01-01

    Provides most recent information on attention deficit disorder including: (1) diagnostic considerations according to the latest behavioral criteria and breakthroughs using neurometric EEG assessment; (2) prevalence; (3) etiologies; (4) neurological basis; and (5) treatments. Evaluates alternatives to medication, behavior modification, cognitive…

  16. Feature Migration in Time: Reflection of Selective Attention on Speech Errors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nozari, Nazbanou; Dell, Gary S.

    2012-01-01

    This article describes an initial study of the effect of focused attention on phonological speech errors. In 3 experiments, participants recited 4-word tongue twisters and focused attention on 1 (or none) of the words. The attended word was singled out differently in each experiment; participants were under instructions to avoid errors on the…

  17. Exploring the Interface: Explicit Focus-on-Form Instruction and Learned Attentional Biases in L2 Latin

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cintrón-Valentín, Myrna; Ellis, Nick C.

    2015-01-01

    Eye-tracking was used to investigate the attentional processes whereby different types of focus on form (FonF) instruction assist learners in overcoming learned attention and blocking effects in their online processing of second language input. English native speakers viewed Latin utterances combining lexical and morphological cues to temporality…

  18. Antimicrobial use in food and companion animals.

    PubMed

    Prescott, John F

    2008-12-01

    The vast literature on antimicrobial drug use in animals has expanded considerably recently as the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis in human medicine leads to questions about all usage of antimicrobial drugs, including long-term usage in intensively managed food animals for growth promotion and disease prevention. Attention is also increasingly focusing on antimicrobial use and on bacterial resistance in companion animals, which are in intimate contact with the human population. They may share resistant bacteria with their owners, amplify resistant bacteria acquired from their owners, and act as a reservoir for human infection. Considerable effort is being made to describe the basis of AMR in bacterial pathogens of animals. Documentation of many aspects of use of antimicrobials in animals is, however, generally less developed and only a few countries can describe quantities of drugs used in animals to kg levels annually. In recent years, many national veterinary associations have produced 'prudent use guidelines' to try to improve antimicrobial drug use and decrease resistance, but the impact of guidelines is unknown. Within the evolving global movement for 'antimicrobial stewardship', there is considerable scope to improve many aspects of antimicrobial use in animals, including infection control and reduction of use, with a view to reducing resistance and its spread, and to preserving antimicrobial drugs for the future.

  19. Determinants of Global Color-Based Selection in Human Visual Cortex.

    PubMed

    Bartsch, Mandy V; Boehler, Carsten N; Stoppel, Christian M; Merkel, Christian; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Schoenfeld, Mircea A; Hopf, Jens-Max

    2015-09-01

    Feature attention operates in a spatially global way, with attended feature values being prioritized for selection outside the focus of attention. Accounts of global feature attention have emphasized feature competition as a determining factor. Here, we use magnetoencephalographic recordings in humans to test whether competition is critical for global feature selection to arise. Subjects performed a color/shape discrimination task in one visual field (VF), while irrelevant color probes were presented in the other unattended VF. Global effects of color attention were assessed by analyzing the response to the probe as a function of whether or not the probe's color was a target-defining color. We find that global color selection involves a sequence of modulations in extrastriate cortex, with an initial phase in higher tier areas (lateral occipital complex) followed by a later phase in lower tier retinotopic areas (V3/V4). Importantly, these modulations appeared with and without color competition in the focus of attention. Moreover, early parts of the modulation emerged for a task-relevant color not even present in the focus of attention. All modulations, however, were eliminated during simple onset-detection of the colored target. These results indicate that global color-based attention depends on target discrimination independent of feature competition in the focus of attention. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. Set-specific capture can be reduced by preemptively occupying a limited-capacity focus of attention.

    PubMed

    Moore, Katherine Sledge; Weissman, Daniel H

    2011-01-01

    Recent work has shown that contingent attentional capture effects can be especially large when multiple attentional sets for color guide visual search (Moore & Weissman, 2010). In particular, this research suggests that detecting a target-colored (e.g., orange) distractor leads the corresponding attentional set (e.g., identify orange letters) to enter a limited-capacity focus of attention in working memory, where it remains briefly while the distractor is being attended. Consequently, the ability to identify a differently-colored (e.g., green) target 100-300 ms later is impaired because the appropriate set (e.g., identify green letters) cannot also enter the focus of attention. In two experiments, we investigated whether such set-specific capture can be reduced by preemptively occupying the focus of attention. As predicted, a target-colored central distractor presented 233 ms before a target-colored peripheral distractor eliminated set-specific capture arising from the peripheral distractor. Moreover, this effect was observed only when the central distractor's color (e.g., orange) (a) matched a different set than the upcoming peripheral distractor's color (e.g., green) and (b) matched the same set as the upcoming central target's color (e.g., orange). We conclude that the same working memory limitations that give rise to set-specific capture can be preemptively exploited to reduce it.

  1. Attention and amygdala activity: an fMRI study with spider pictures in spider phobia.

    PubMed

    Alpers, Georg W; Gerdes, Antje B M; Lagarie, Bernadette; Tabbert, Katharina; Vaitl, Dieter; Stark, Rudolf

    2009-06-01

    Facilitated detection of threatening visual cues is thought to be adaptive. In theory, detection of threat cues should activate the amygdala independently from allocation of attention. However, previous studies using emotional facial expressions as well as phobic cues yielded contradictory results. We used fMRI to examine whether the allocation of attention to components of superimposed spider and bird displays modulates amygdala activation. Nineteen spider-phobic women were instructed to identify either a moving or a stationary animal in briefly presented double-exposure displays. Amygdala activation followed a dose-response relationship: Compared to congruent neutral displays (two birds), amygdala activation was most pronounced in response to congruent phobic displays (two spiders) and less but still significant in response to mixed displays (spider and bird) when attention was focused on the phobic component. When attention was focused on the neutral component, mixed displays did not result in significant amygdala activation. This was confirmed in a significant parametric graduation of the amygdala activation in the order of congruent phobic displays, mixed displays with attention focus on the spider, mixed displays with focus on the bird and congruent neutral displays. These results challenge the notion that amygdala activation in response to briefly presented phobic cues is independent from attention.

  2. Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on Emotion Regulation in Social Anxiety Disorder

    PubMed Central

    Goldin, Philippe R.; Gross, James J.

    2014-01-01

    Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an established program shown to reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. MBSR is believed to alter emotional responding by modifying cognitive–affective processes. Given that social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by emotional and attentional biases as well as distorted negative self-beliefs, we examined MBSR-related changes in the brain-behavior indices of emotional reactivity and regulation of negative self-beliefs in patients with SAD. Sixteen patients underwent functional MRI while reacting to negative self-beliefs and while regulating negative emotions using 2 types of attention deployment emotion regulation—breath-focused attention and distraction-focused attention. Post-MBSR, 14 patients completed neuroimaging assessments. Compared with baseline, MBSR completers showed improvement in anxiety and depression symptoms and self-esteem. During the breath-focused attention task (but not the distraction-focused attention task), they also showed (a) decreased negative emotion experience, (b) reduced amygdala activity, and (c) increased activity in brain regions implicated in attentional deployment. MBSR training in patients with SAD may reduce emotional reactivity while enhancing emotion regulation. These changes might facilitate reduction in SAD-related avoidance behaviors, clinical symptoms, and automatic emotional reactivity to negative self-beliefs in adults with SAD. PMID:20141305

  3. Can the Focus of Attention Accommodate Multiple, Separate Items?

    PubMed Central

    Gilchrist, Amanda L.; Cowan, Nelson

    2011-01-01

    Researchers of working memory currently debate capacity limits of the focus of attention, the proposed mental faculty in which items are most easily accessed. Cowan (1999) suggested that its capacity is about 4 chunks, whereas others have suggested that its capacity is only 1 chunk. Recently, Oberauer and Bialkova (2009) found evidence that 2 items could reside in the focus of attention, but only because they were combined into a single chunk. We modified their experimental procedure, which depends on a pattern of switch costs, to obtain a situation in which chunking was not likely to occur (i.e., each item remained a separate chunk), and still obtained results consistent with a capacity of at least 2 items. Therefore, either the focus of attention can hold multiple chunks, or the switch cost logic must be reconsidered. PMID:21767065

  4. Effect of Virtual Reality Exposure and Aural Stimuli on Eye Contact, Directional Focus, and Focus of Attention of Novice Wind Band Conductors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Orman, Evelyn K.

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the effects of virtual reality immersion with audio on eye contact, directional focus and focus of attention for novice wind band conductors. Participants (N = 34) included a control group (n = 12) and two virtual reality groups with (n = 10) and without (n = 12) head tracking. Participants completed conducting/score study…

  5. Different patterns of contingent stimulation differentially affect attention span in prelinguistic infants.

    PubMed

    Miller, Jennifer L; Ables, Erin M; King, Andrew P; West, Meredith J

    2009-06-01

    The ability to sustain attention influences different domains including cognitive, motor, and communicative behavior. Previous research has demonstrated how an infant's parent can influence sustained attention. The purpose of our study was to expose infants systematically to both sensitive and redirective patterns of behavior to examine how unfamiliar individuals could influence attention. Results revealed infants changed their patterns of looking with the unfamiliar individuals. Infants had longer durations of sustained attention when interacting with a sensitive unfamiliar individual who followed into their attentional focus as opposed to an intrusive person who led their attentional focus. This study demonstrates that infants discriminate patterns of contingency to persons seen for only a short period of time broadening the range of potential mentors for learning.

  6. Detecting event-based prospective memory cues occurring within and outside the focus of attention.

    PubMed

    Hicks, Jason L; Cook, Gabriel I; Marsh, Richard L

    2005-01-01

    Event-based prospective memory cues are environmental stimuli that are associated with a previously established intention to perform an activity. Such cues traditionally have been placed in materials that receive focal attention during an ongoing activity. This article reports a direct comparison of event-based cues that occurred either within the focus of attention or at the periphery of such attention. When the cue occurred outside focal attention, manipulating that cue changed event-based prospective memory. The identical manipulation had no effect on event-based responding if the cue occurred within focal attention. These results suggest that cue characteristics can compensate for attention being directed away from an aspect of an ongoing task that contains event-based prospective memory.

  7. A motivational determinant of facial emotion recognition: regulatory focus affects recognition of emotions in faces.

    PubMed

    Sassenrath, Claudia; Sassenberg, Kai; Ray, Devin G; Scheiter, Katharina; Jarodzka, Halszka

    2014-01-01

    Two studies examined an unexplored motivational determinant of facial emotion recognition: observer regulatory focus. It was predicted that a promotion focus would enhance facial emotion recognition relative to a prevention focus because the attentional strategies associated with promotion focus enhance performance on well-learned or innate tasks - such as facial emotion recognition. In Study 1, a promotion or a prevention focus was experimentally induced and better facial emotion recognition was observed in a promotion focus compared to a prevention focus. In Study 2, individual differences in chronic regulatory focus were assessed and attention allocation was measured using eye tracking during the facial emotion recognition task. Results indicated that the positive relation between a promotion focus and facial emotion recognition is mediated by shorter fixation duration on the face which reflects a pattern of attention allocation matched to the eager strategy in a promotion focus (i.e., striving to make hits). A prevention focus did not have an impact neither on perceptual processing nor on facial emotion recognition. Taken together, these findings demonstrate important mechanisms and consequences of observer motivational orientation for facial emotion recognition.

  8. Involuntary transfer of a top-down attentional set into the focus of attention: evidence from a contingent attentional capture paradigm.

    PubMed

    Moore, Katherine Sledge; Weissman, Daniel H

    2010-08-01

    In the present study, we investigated whether involuntarily directing attention to a target-colored distractor causes the corresponding attentional set to enter a limited-capacity focus of attention, thereby facilitating the identification of a subsequent target whose color matches the same attentional set. As predicted, in Experiment 1, contingent attentional capture effects from a target-colored distractor were only one half to one third as large when subsequent target identification relied on the same (vs. a different) attentional set. In Experiment 2, this effect was eliminated when all of the target colors matched the same attentional set, arguing against bottom-up perceptual priming of the distractor's color as an alternative account of our findings. In Experiment 3, this effect was reversed when a target-colored distractor appeared after the target, ruling out a feature-based interference account of our findings. We conclude that capacity limitations in working memory strongly influence contingent attentional capture when multiple attentional sets guide selection.

  9. An exploration of jealousy in nursing: a Kleinian analysis.

    PubMed

    Evans, Alicia M; Traynor, Michael; Glass, Nel

    2014-06-01

    It is well established that nursing practice produces considerable anxiety, and it can also give rise to envy and jealousy. While envy in nursing was identified in the literature more than 50 years ago, there remains a paucity of articles addressing either envy or jealousy for nurses. In a recent research study on current experiences of clinical practice, we analysed a fragment of nurses' speech via Klein's theory of jealousy. The results revealed that the nurses expressed jealousy at the privilege afforded to doctors. We argue that it is important to acknowledge jealousy in nursing practice because it has the potential for 'spoiling' effective care delivery and as such, can have detrimental ramifications in the health system. Also, jealousy may keep the nurse from fully focusing on their nursing practice in that it divides the nurse's attention and so limits the nurse's treatment of the patient. Nurses' jealousy of doctors is a taboo topic in nursing, and yet it warrants serious consideration due to the potential deleterious consequences that can arise when this dynamic is present. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Altruism, egoism, or neither: A cognitive-efficiency-based evolutionary biological perspective on helping behavior.

    PubMed

    Schulz, Armin W

    2016-04-01

    I argue for differences in the cognitive efficiency of different psychologies underlying helping behavior, and present an account of the adaptive pressures that result from these differences. Specifically, I argue that organisms often face pressure to move away from only being egoistically motivated to help: non-egoistic organisms are often able to determine how to help other organisms more quickly and with less recourse to costly cognitive resources like concentration and attention. Furthermore, I also argue that, while these pressures away from pure egoism can lead to the evolution of altruists, they can also lead to the evolution of reciprocation-focused behaviorist helpers or even of reflex-driven helpers (who are neither altruists nor egoists). In this way, I seek to broaden the set of considerations typically taken into account when assessing the evolution of the psychology of helping behavior-which tend to be restricted to matters of reliability-and also try to make clearer the role of evolutionary biological considerations in the discussion of this apparently straightforwardly psychological phenomenon. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Relationships between objective acoustic indices and acoustic comfort evaluation in nonacoustic spaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, Jian

    2004-05-01

    Much attention has been paid to acoustic spaces such as concert halls and recording studios, whereas research on nonacoustic buildings/spaces has been rather limited, especially from the viewpoint of acoustic comfort. In this research a series of case studies has been carried out on this topic, considering various spaces including shopping mall atrium spaces, library reading rooms, football stadia, swimming spaces, churches, dining spaces, as well as urban open public spaces. The studies focus on the relationships between objective acoustic indices such as sound pressure level and reverberation time and perceptions of acoustic comfort. The results show that the acoustic atmosphere is an important consideration in such spaces and the evaluation of acoustic comfort may vary considerably even if the objective acoustic indices are the same. It is suggested that current guidelines and technical regulations are insufficient in terms of acoustic design of these spaces, and the relationships established from the case studies between objective and subjective aspects would be useful for developing further design guidelines. [Work supported partly by the British Academy.

  12. A Hierarchical Multiple-Level Approach to the Assessment of Interpersonal Relatedness and Self-Definition: Implications for Research, Clinical Practice, and DSM Planning.

    PubMed

    Luyten, Patrick; Blatt, Sidney J

    2016-01-01

    Extant research suggests there is considerable overlap between so-called 2-polarities models of personality development; that is, models that propose that personality development evolves through a dialectic synergistic interaction between 2 key developmental tasks across the life span-the development of self-definition on the one hand and of relatedness on the other. These models have attracted considerable research attention and play a central role in DSM planning. This article provides a researcher- and clinician-friendly guide to the assessment of these personality theories. We argue that current theoretical models focus on issues of relatedness and self-definition at different hierarchically organized levels of analysis; that is (a) at the level of broad personality features, (b) at the motivational level (i.e., the motivational processes underlying the development of these dimensions), and (c) at the level of underlying internal working models or cognitive affective schemas, and the specific interpersonal features and problems in which they are expressed. Implications for further research and DSM planning are outlined.

  13. Tiered analytics for purity assessment of macrocyclic peptides in drug discovery: Analytical consideration and method development.

    PubMed

    Qian Cutrone, Jingfang Jenny; Huang, Xiaohua Stella; Kozlowski, Edward S; Bao, Ye; Wang, Yingzi; Poronsky, Christopher S; Drexler, Dieter M; Tymiak, Adrienne A

    2017-05-10

    Synthetic macrocyclic peptides with natural and unnatural amino acids have gained considerable attention from a number of pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical companies in recent years as a promising approach to drug discovery, particularly for targets involving protein-protein or protein-peptide interactions. Analytical scientists charged with characterizing these leads face multiple challenges including dealing with a class of complex molecules with the potential for multiple isomers and variable charge states and no established standards for acceptable analytical characterization of materials used in drug discovery. In addition, due to the lack of intermediate purification during solid phase peptide synthesis, the final products usually contain a complex profile of impurities. In this paper, practical analytical strategies and methodologies were developed to address these challenges, including a tiered approach to assessing the purity of macrocyclic peptides at different stages of drug discovery. Our results also showed that successful progression and characterization of a new drug discovery modality benefited from active analytical engagement, focusing on fit-for-purpose analyses and leveraging a broad palette of analytical technologies and resources. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. A regional perspective on the diversity and conservation of tropical Andean fishes.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Elizabeth P; Maldonado-Ocampo, Javier A

    2011-02-01

    The tropical Andes harbor an extraordinarily varied concentration of species in a landscape under increasing pressure from human activities. Conservation of the region's native plants and animals has received considerable international attention, but the focus has been on terrestrial biota. The conservation of freshwater fauna, particularly the conservation of fishes, has not been emphasized. Tropical Andean fishes are among the most understudied vertebrates in the world. We estimate that between 400 and 600 fish species inhabit the diverse aquatic environments in the region. Nearly 40% of these species are endemic. Tropical Andean fishes are vulnerable to ongoing environmental changes related to deforestation, water withdrawals, water pollution, species introductions, and hydropower development. Additionally, their distributions and population dynamics may be affected by hydrologic alterations and warmer water temperatures associated with projected climate change. Presently, at least three species are considered extinct, some populations are endangered, and some species are likely to decline or disappear. The long-term persistence of tropical Andean fishes will depend on greater consideration of freshwater systems in regional conservation initiatives. ©2010 Society for Conservation Biology.

  15. The influence of cueing on attentional focus in perceptual decision making.

    PubMed

    Yang, Cheng-Ta; Little, Daniel R; Hsu, Ching-Chun

    2014-11-01

    Selective attention has been known to play an important role in decision making. In the present study, we combined a cueing paradigm with a redundant-target detection task to examine how attention affects the decision process when detecting the redundant targets. Cue validity was manipulated in two experiments. The results showed that when the cue was 50 % valid in one experiment, the participants adopted a parallel self-terminating processing strategy, indicative of a diffuse attentional focus on both target locations. When the cue was 100 % valid in the second experiment, all of the participants switched to a serial self-terminating processing strategy, which in our study indicated focused attention to a single target location. This study demonstrates the flexibility of the decision mechanism and highlights the importance of top-down control in selecting a decision strategy.

  16. Out of mind, out of heart: attention affects duration of emotional experience.

    PubMed

    Freund, Alexandra M; Keil, Andreas

    2013-01-01

    It has been suggested that the extent to which a person maintains attention to pleasant versus unpleasant aspects of a given stimulus has an effect on the self-reported affective state. This assumption was empirically tested in two experiments. In Study 1, participants received the instruction either to focus on a positive emotion-eliciting event (winning a tournament chess game) or to focus their attention on an affectively neutral distraction task (describing drawings). Study 2 used negative performance feedback in a cognitive task to induce unpleasant affect and included three experimental groups (waiting condition, continuing with the same cognitive task, distraction by a different cognitive task). Results converged to show that distracting attention away from the emotion-eliciting event leads to a shorter duration of the emotional experience. These findings support the attention-focus hypothesis.

  17. Internal and External Focus of Attention in a Novice Form Sport

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawrence, Gavin P.; Gottwald, Vicky M.; Hardy, James; Khan, Michael A.

    2011-01-01

    In the current experiment, we examined optimal focus for novices during a movement sequence in which performance was measured on accurate movement form/technique. A novel gymnastics routine was practiced under either an internal skill-relevant, internal skill-irrelevant, external, or no attention focus. Retention and transfer tests were then…

  18. Cognitive therapy for social anxiety disorder: the impact of the "self-focused attention and safety behaviours experiment" on the course of treatment.

    PubMed

    Schreiber, Franziska; Heimlich, Christiane; Schweitzer, Clea; Stangier, Ulrich

    2015-03-01

    Several studies have shown that cognitive therapy is an effective treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD). However, it remains unclear which of the complex interventions are associated with an anxiety reduction during the course of treatment. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of the intervention referred to as the "self-focused attention and safety behaviours experiment" on treatment outcome. This study was part of a randomized controlled trial including 16 sessions of either individual cognitive therapy (CT) or interpersonal therapy (IPT) for SAD. Of particular importance, a concomitant time-series analysis was used to investigate the impact of the self-focused attention and safety behaviours experiment on subsequent social anxiety (1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the intervention) in 32 patients with SAD, who are receiving cognitive treatment. The results revealed a significant reduction of social anxiety after the self-focused attention and safety behaviours experiment during the subsequent month of treatment. The findings of the current study confirm current cognitive theories of SAD and demonstrate the importance of interventions that target self-focused attention and safety behaviour in cognitive therapy for SAD.

  19. Strategic Design for Delivery with Linked Transportation Assets : Trucks and Drones

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2018-01-01

    Home delivery by drones as an alternative or complement to traditional delivery by trucks is attracting considerable attention from major retailers and services, as well as startups. While drone delivery may offer considerable economic savings, the f...

  20. Overweight and obesity in young adult women: A matter of health or appearance? The Tromsø study: Fit futures.

    PubMed

    Sand, Anne-Sofie; Emaus, Nina; Lian, Olaug

    2015-01-01

    With the increasing number of overweight and obese people, there is a growing public health concern and focus on body size and lifestyle issues, especially in the media. Young adult women comprise a vulnerable group regarding issues of weight balance and appearance. The aim of the study was to examine the experiences of young women on how this focus influences their attitudes concerning weight changes, appearance, and health. We conducted 12 interviews with young women from two different weight groups about the attention on overweight issues. The results from the in-depth interviews were scrutinized through content analyses. The main findings indicate that young women experience a considerable focus on overweight issues with a trend towards appearance rather than health. Overweight and obesity are sensitive topics, and participants expressed strong views on the cultural definitions of normal body size and appearance. The squeeze between cultural norms and young women's perceptions of their own body and health was described as a possible negative factor influencing well-being as well as motivation for lifestyle changes. A more relaxed focus on overweight issues and especially on appearance is necessary when addressing weight-balance issues and lifestyle changes in young adult women.

  1. Does Positive Affect Broaden and Negative Affect Narrow Attentional Scope? A New Answer to an Old Question

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Huntsinger, Jeffrey R.

    2012-01-01

    The current research challenges the common view that positive affect and negative affect generate a broadened or narrowed attentional focus, respectively. Contrary to this view, two studies found that the link between affect and attentional focus as measured by a traditional flanker task (Study 1) and a modified flanker task (Study 2) reflects…

  2. Neural Evidence for a Distinction Between Short-Term Memory and the Focus of Attention

    PubMed Central

    Lewis-Peacock, Jarrod A.; Drysdale, Andrew T.; Oberauer, Klaus; Postle, Bradley R.

    2011-01-01

    It is widely assumed that the short-term retention of information is accomplished via maintenance of an active neural trace. However, we demonstrate that memory can be preserved across a brief delay despite the apparent loss of sustained representations. Delay-period activity may in fact reflect the focus of attention, rather than short-term memory. We unconfounded attention and memory by causing external and internal shifts of attention away from items that were being actively retained. Multivariate pattern analysis of fMRI indicated that only items within the focus of attention elicited an active neural trace. Activity corresponding to representations of items outside the focus quickly dropped to baseline. Nevertheless, this information was remembered after a brief delay. Our data also show that refocusing attention towards a previously unattended memory item can reactivate its neural signature. The loss of sustained activity has long been thought to indicate a disruption of short-term memory, but our results suggest that, even for small memory loads not exceeding the capacity limits of short-term memory, the active maintenance of a stimulus representation may not be necessary for its short-term retention. PMID:21955164

  3. Neural basis of processing threatening voices in a crowded auditory world

    PubMed Central

    Mothes-Lasch, Martin; Becker, Michael P. I.; Miltner, Wolfgang H. R.

    2016-01-01

    In real world situations, we typically listen to voice prosody against a background crowded with auditory stimuli. Voices and background can both contain behaviorally relevant features and both can be selectively in the focus of attention. Adequate responses to threat-related voices under such conditions require that the brain unmixes reciprocally masked features depending on variable cognitive resources. It is unknown which brain systems instantiate the extraction of behaviorally relevant prosodic features under varying combinations of prosody valence, auditory background complexity and attentional focus. Here, we used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the effects of high background sound complexity and attentional focus on brain activation to angry and neutral prosody in humans. Results show that prosody effects in mid superior temporal cortex were gated by background complexity but not attention, while prosody effects in the amygdala and anterior superior temporal cortex were gated by attention but not background complexity, suggesting distinct emotional prosody processing limitations in different regions. Crucially, if attention was focused on the highly complex background, the differential processing of emotional prosody was prevented in all brain regions, suggesting that in a distracting, complex auditory world even threatening voices may go unnoticed. PMID:26884543

  4. The relationship of otitis media in early childhood to attention dimensions during the early elementary school years.

    PubMed

    Hooper, Stephen R; Ashley, Timothy A; Roberts, Joanne E; Zeisel, Susan A; Poe, Michele D

    2006-08-01

    This study examined the impact of otitis media with effusion (OME) and associated hearing loss between 6 and 48 months of age on attention dimensions (i.e., selective/focus, sustained) during the elementary school years. A prospective cohort design in which 74 African American infants were recruited between ages 6 and 12 months. Ear examinations were done repeatedly using both otoscopy and tympanometry, and hearing was assessed using standard audiometric procedures between 6 and 48 months. Multiple measures of attention (i.e., direct assessment, behavioral observations, parent/teacher ratings) were administered from kindergarten through second grade to assess two theoretical dimensions of attention: selective/focused and sustained. The home environment was assessed annually. Results indicated that neither early childhood OME nor hearing loss showed significant correlations with any of the longitudinal or cross-sectional measures of selective/focused attention and sustained attention. In contrast, children with mothers who had fewer years of education and who lived in less responsive and supportive home environments scored higher on both parent and teacher ratings of sustained attention (i.e., hyperactivity) through the second grade of elementary school. For NEPSY Auditory Attention in second grade, a significant interaction between the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment and hearing loss was uncovered. This interaction showed that children with hearing loss from poor home environments experienced greater difficulties on the NEPSY Auditory Attention task than those with hearing loss from good home environments. These findings do not support a direct linkage of a history of OME and associated hearing loss to difficulties in selective/focused attention or sustained attention in early elementary school children. Relationships between sociodemographic variables and attention-related functions appear stronger and should be considered as mediators in any examination of the linkages between early OME and subsequent attention functions.

  5. Points of attention in designing tools for regional brownfield prioritization.

    PubMed

    Limasset, Elsa; Pizzol, Lisa; Merly, Corinne; Gatchett, Annette M; Le Guern, Cécile; Martinát, Stanislav; Klusáček, Petr; Bartke, Stephan

    2018-05-01

    The regeneration of brownfields has been increasingly recognized as a key instrument in sustainable land management, since free developable land (or so called "greenfields") has become a scare and more expensive resource, especially in densely populated areas. However, the complexity of these sites requires considerable efforts to successfully complete their revitalization projects, thus requiring the development and application of appropriate tools to support decision makers in the selection of promising sites where efficiently allocate the limited financial resources. The design of effective prioritization tools is a complex process, which requires the analysis and consideration of critical points of attention (PoAs) which has been identified considering the state of the art in literature, and lessons learned from previous developments of regional brownfield (BF) prioritization processes, frameworks and tools. Accordingly, we identified 5 PoAs, namely 1) Assessing end user needs and orientation discussions, 2) Availability and quality of the data needed for the BF prioritization tool, 3) Communication and stakeholder engagement 4) Drivers of regeneration success, and 5) Financing and application costs. To deepen and collate the most recent knowledge on the topics from scientists and practitioners, we organized a focus group discussion within a special session at the AquaConSoil (ACS) conference 2017, where participants were asked to add their experience and thoughts to the discussion in order to identify the most significant and urgent points of attention in BF prioritization tool design. The result of this assessment is a comprehensive table (Table 2), which can support problem owners, investors, service providers, regulators, public and private land managers, decision makers etc. in the identification of the main aspects (sub-topics) to be considered and their relative influences and in the comprehension of the general patterns and challenges to be faced when dealing with the development of BF prioritization tools. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Object selection costs in visual working memory: A diffusion model analysis of the focus of attention.

    PubMed

    Sewell, David K; Lilburn, Simon D; Smith, Philip L

    2016-11-01

    A central question in working memory research concerns the degree to which information in working memory is accessible to other cognitive processes (e.g., decision-making). Theories assuming that the focus of attention can only store a single object at a time require the focus to orient to a target representation before further processing can occur. The need to orient the focus of attention implies that single-object accounts typically predict response time costs associated with object selection even when working memory is not full (i.e., memory load is less than 4 items). For other theories that assume storage of multiple items in the focus of attention, predictions depend on specific assumptions about the way resources are allocated among items held in the focus, and how this affects the time course of retrieval of items from the focus. These broad theoretical accounts have been difficult to distinguish because conventional analyses fail to separate components of empirical response times related to decision-making from components related to selection and retrieval processes associated with accessing information in working memory. To better distinguish these response time components from one another, we analyze data from a probed visual working memory task using extensions of the diffusion decision model. Analysis of model parameters revealed that increases in memory load resulted in (a) reductions in the quality of the underlying stimulus representations in a manner consistent with a sample size model of visual working memory capacity and (b) systematic increases in the time needed to selectively access a probed representation in memory. The results are consistent with single-object theories of the focus of attention. The results are also consistent with a subset of theories that assume a multiobject focus of attention in which resource allocation diminishes both the quality and accessibility of the underlying representations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  7. [A test of the focusing hypothesis for category judgment: an explanation using the mental-box model].

    PubMed

    Hatori, Tsuyoshi; Takemura, Kazuhisa; Fujii, Satoshi; Ideno, Takashi

    2011-06-01

    This paper presents a new model of category judgment. The model hypothesizes that, when more attention is focused on a category, the psychological range of the category gets narrower (category-focusing hypothesis). We explain this hypothesis by using the metaphor of a "mental-box" model: the more attention that is focused on a mental box (i.e., a category set), the smaller the size of the box becomes (i.e., a cardinal number of the category set). The hypothesis was tested in an experiment (N = 40), where the focus of attention on prescribed verbal categories was manipulated. The obtained data gave support to the hypothesis: category-focusing effects were found in three experimental tasks (regarding the category of "food", "height", and "income"). The validity of the hypothesis was discussed based on the results.

  8. Carrier rockets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aleksandrov, V. A.; Vladimirov, V. V.; Dmitriev, R. D.; Osipov, S. O.

    This book takes into consideration domestic and foreign developments related to launch vehicles. General information concerning launch vehicle systems is presented, taking into account details of rocket structure, basic design considerations, and a number of specific Soviet and American launch vehicles. The basic theory of reaction propulsion is discussed, giving attention to physical foundations, the various types of forces acting on a rocket in flight, basic parameters characterizing rocket motion, the effectiveness of various approaches to obtain the desired velocity, and rocket propellants. Basic questions concerning the classification of launch vehicles are considered along with construction and design considerations, aspects of vehicle control, reliability, construction technology, and details of structural design. Attention is also given to details of rocket motor design, the basic systems of the carrier rocket, and questions of carrier rocket development.

  9. Performance data for a terrestrial solar photovoltaic/water electrolysis experiment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Costogue, E. N.; Yasui, R. K.

    1977-01-01

    A description is presented of the equipment used in the experiment, taking into account the surplus solar panel from the Mariner 4 spacecraft which was used as a solar array source and an electrolytic hydrogen generator. Attention is also given to operational considerations and performance data, system considerations and aspects of optimization, and large-scale hydrogen production considerations.

  10. A Mathematical Diet Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toumasis, Charalampos

    2004-01-01

    Emphasis on problem solving and mathematical modeling has gained considerable attention in the last few years. Connecting mathematics to other subjects and to the real world outside the classroom has received increased attention in mathematics programs. This article describes an application of simple differential equations in the field of…

  11. Out of focus - brain attention control deficits in adult ADHD.

    PubMed

    Salmi, Juha; Salmela, Viljami; Salo, Emma; Mikkola, Katri; Leppämäki, Sami; Tani, Pekka; Hokkanen, Laura; Laasonen, Marja; Numminen, Jussi; Alho, Kimmo

    2018-04-24

    Modern environments are full of information, and place high demands on the attention control mechanisms that allow the selection of information from one (focused attention) or multiple (divided attention) sources, react to changes in a given situation (stimulus-driven attention), and allocate effort according to demands (task-positive and task-negative activity). We aimed to reveal how attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects the brain functions associated with these attention control processes in constantly demanding tasks. Sixteen adults with ADHD and 17 controls performed adaptive visual and auditory discrimination tasks during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Overlapping brain activity in frontoparietal saliency and default-mode networks, as well as in the somato-motor, cerebellar, and striatal areas were observed in all participants. In the ADHD participants, we observed exclusive activity enhancement in the brain areas typically considered to be primarily involved in other attention control functions: During auditory-focused attention, we observed higher activation in the sensory cortical areas of irrelevant modality and the default-mode network (DMN). DMN activity also increased during divided attention in the ADHD group, in turn decreasing during a simple button-press task. Adding irrelevant stimulation resulted in enhanced activity in the salience network. Finally, the irrelevant distractors that capture attention in a stimulus-driven manner activated dorsal attention networks and the cerebellum. Our findings suggest that attention control deficits involve the activation of irrelevant sensory modality, problems in regulating the level of attention on demand, and may encumber top-down processing in cases of irrelevant information. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Using frequency tagging to quantify attentional deployment in a visual divided attention task.

    PubMed

    Toffanin, Paolo; de Jong, Ritske; Johnson, Addie; Martens, Sander

    2009-06-01

    Frequency tagging is an EEG method based on the quantification of the steady state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) elicited from stimuli which flicker with a distinctive frequency. Because the amplitude of the SSVEP is modulated by attention such that attended stimuli elicit higher SSVEP amplitudes than do ignored stimuli, the method has been used to investigate the neural mechanisms of spatial attention. However, up to now it has not been shown whether the amplitude of the SSVEP is sensitive to gradations of attention and there has been debate about whether attention effects on the SSVEP are dependent on the tagging frequency used. We thus compared attention effects on SSVEP across three attention conditions-focused, divided, and ignored-with six different tagging frequencies. Participants performed a visual detection task (respond to the digit 5 embedded in a stream of characters). Two stimulus streams, one to the left and one to the right of fixation, were displayed simultaneously, each with a background grey square whose hue was sine-modulated with one of the six tagging frequencies. At the beginning of each trial a cue indicated whether targets on the left, right, or both sides should be responded to. Accuracy was higher in the focused- than in the divided-attention condition. SSVEP amplitudes were greatest in the focused-attention condition, intermediate in the divided-attention condition, and smallest in the ignored-attention condition. The effect of attention on SSVEP amplitude did not depend on the tagging frequency used. Frequency tagging appears to be a flexible technique for studying attention.

  13. Effect of Bench Press Load Knowledge on Repetitions, Rating of Perceived Exertion, and Attentional Focus.

    PubMed

    Beaudoin, Christina M; Cox, Zachary; Dundore, Tyler; Thomas, Tayler; Kim, Johnathon; Pillivant, Daniel

    2018-02-01

    Beaudoin, CM, Cox, Z, Dundore, T, Thomas, T, Kim, J, and Pillivant, D. Effect of bench press load knowledge on repetitions, rating of perceived exertion, and attentional focus. J Strength Cond Res 32(2): 514-519, 2018-Few studies have examined the role of the teleoanticipation during resistance training. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of bench press (BP) load knowledge on repetitions completed, ratings of perceived exertion (RPEs), and attentional focus (% associative). Thirty-six recreationally active resistance-trained men (n = 25) and women (n = 11) participated in this study (age = 20.97 ± 1.87 years; ht = 174.12 ± 9.41 cm; and mass = 80.14 ± 14.03 kg). All subjects completed 3 testing sessions: (a) 1 repetition maximum (1RM) BP determination; (b) submaximal BP repetitions to fatigue known load (KL); and (c) submaximal BP repetitions to fatigue unknown load (UL). Known load and UL sessions were randomized and counterbalanced and both completed at 70% 1RM. An estimated weight ratio was computed using the subject's estimate of the UL weight relative to the KL weight. An independent samples t-test revealed no significant testing order difference for the estimated weight ratio. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variances revealed no significant differences in the number of repetitions (p = 0.63), RPE (p = 0.18), or attentional focus (% associative) (p = 0.93) between the KL and UL conditions. Pearson correlations found a moderate positive association between KL repetitions completed and % associative focus when the UL was completed before the KL. Load knowledge did not influence the number of repetitions, RPE, or attentional focus while completing the BP. Further research examining the use of pacing strategies, RPE, and attentional focus during KL and UL conditions are warranted.

  14. Effects of Psychological Attention on Pronoun Comprehension

    PubMed Central

    Arnold, Jennifer E.; Lao, Shin-Yi C.

    2015-01-01

    Pronoun comprehension is facilitated for referents that are focused in the discourse context. Discourse focus has been described as a function of attention, especially shared attention, but few studies have explicitly tested this idea. Two experiments used an exogenous capture cue paradigm to demonstrate that listeners’ visual attention at the onset of a story influences their preferences during pronoun resolution later in the story. In both experiments trial-initial attention modulated listeners’ transitory biases while considering referents for the pronoun, whether it was in response to the capture cue or not. These biases even had a small influence on listeners’ final interpretation of the pronoun. These results provide independently-motivated evidence that the listener’s attention influences the on-line processes of pronoun comprehension. Trial-initial attentional shifts were made on the basis of non-shared, private information, demonstrating that attentional effects on pronoun comprehension are not restricted to shared attention among interlocutors. PMID:26191533

  15. Associations Among Family Environment, Sustained Attention, and School Readiness for Low-Income Children

    PubMed Central

    Razza, Rachel A.; Martin, Anne; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

    2011-01-01

    In this study, we examined the developmental pathways from children’s family environment to school readiness within a low-income sample (N = 1,046), with a specific focus on the role of sustained attention. Six distinct factors of the family environment representing maternal parenting behaviors, the physical home environment, and maternal mental health at 3 years of age were explored as independent predictors of children’s observed sustained attention as well as cognitive and behavioral outcomes at 5 years of age. Children were grouped by poverty status (poor vs. near-poor). Results suggest specificity in the associations among attention (focused attention and lack of impulsivity) and its correlates, with different patterns emerging by poverty status group. Overall, the family environment was largely unrelated to children’s sustained attention. For both groups, focused attention was associated with receptive vocabulary; however, it partially mediated the association between maternal lack of hostility and receptive vocabulary only among the near-poor. In addition, lack of impulsivity was associated with both receptive vocabulary and externalizing behaviors but only for the poor group. Findings indicate sustained attention as a potential target for efforts aimed at enhancing school readiness among predominantly poor children. PMID:20677860

  16. Goal specificity and knowledge acquisition in statistics problem solving: evidence for attentional focus.

    PubMed

    Trumpower, David L; Goldsmith, Timothy E; Guynn, Melissa J

    2004-12-01

    Solving training problems with nonspecific goals (NG; i.e., solving for all possible unknown values) often results in better transfer than solving training problems with standard goals (SG; i.e., solving for one particular unknown value). In this study, we evaluated an attentional focus explanation of the goal specificity effect. According to the attentional focus view, solving NG problems causes attention to be directed to local relations among successive problem states, whereas solving SG problems causes attention to be directed to relations between the various problem states and the goal state. Attention to the former is thought to enhance structural knowledge about the problem domain and thus promote transfer. Results supported this view because structurally different transfer problems were solved faster following NG training than following SG training. Moreover, structural knowledge representations revealed more links depicting local relations following NG training and more links to the training goal following SG training. As predicted, these effects were obtained only by domain novices.

  17. The clinical significance of loneliness: a literature review.

    PubMed

    Heinrich, Liesl M; Gullone, Eleonora

    2006-10-01

    Satisfying social relationships are vital for good mental and physical health. Accordingly, we recommend that the alleviation and prevention of social relationship deficits be a key focus of clinicians. In this review, we focus on loneliness as a crucial marker of social relationship deficits and contend that loneliness should command clinicians' attention in its own right--not just as an adjunct to the treatment of other problems such as depression. With a particular focus on the adolescent developmental period, this review is organized into five sections: Drawing on developmental and evolutionary psychology theories, the nature of social relationships and the function they serve is first discussed. In the second section, loneliness is introduced as an exemplar of social relationship deficits. Here a definition of loneliness is provided, as well as an explanation of why it may pose a situation of concern. This is followed by a review of the prototypic features of loneliness through examination of its affective, cognitive, and behavioral correlates. The fourth section includes a review of theories related to the antecedent and maintenance factors involved in loneliness. Finally, methodological and theoretical considerations are addressed, and conclusions and proposals for future research directions are put forth.

  18. In search of the focus of attention in working memory: 13 years of the retro-cue effect.

    PubMed

    Souza, Alessandra S; Oberauer, Klaus

    2016-10-01

    The concept of attention has a prominent place in cognitive psychology. Attention can be directed not only to perceptual information, but also to information in working memory (WM). Evidence for an internal focus of attention has come from the retro-cue effect: Performance in tests of visual WM is improved when attention is guided to the test-relevant contents of WM ahead of testing them. The retro-cue paradigm has served as a test bed to empirically investigate the functions and limits of the focus of attention in WM. In this article, we review the growing body of (behavioral) studies on the retro-cue effect. We evaluate the degrees of experimental support for six hypotheses about what causes the retro-cue effect: (1) Attention protects representations from decay, (2) attention prioritizes the selected WM contents for comparison with a probe display, (3) attended representations are strengthened in WM, (4) not-attended representations are removed from WM, (5) a retro-cue to the retrieval target provides a head start for its retrieval before decision making, and (6) attention protects the selected representation from perceptual interference. The extant evidence provides support for the last four of these hypotheses.

  19. Focus of Attention Affects Performance of Motor Skills in Music

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duke, Robert A.; Cash, Carla Davis; Allen, Sarah E.

    2011-01-01

    To test the extent to which learners performing a simple keyboard passage would be affected by directing their focus of attention to different aspects of their movements, 16 music majors performed a brief keyboard passage under each of four focus conditions arranged in a counterbalanced design--a total of 64 experimental sessions. As they…

  20. Effects of Focus of Attention on Tone Production in Trained Singers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atkins, Rebecca L.

    2017-01-01

    Motor performance in familiar tasks is often advantaged when performers focus on the effects of their movements rather than on the movements themselves. But, this phenomenon has yet to be studied systematically in the context of vocal production. I evaluated 20 trained singers' vocal tone as they varied their focus of attention. Each participant…

  1. Decreasing internal focus of attention improves postural control during quiet standing in young healthy adults.

    PubMed

    Nafati, Gilel; Vuillerme, Nicolas

    2011-12-01

    This experiment was designed to investigate whether and how decreasing the amount of attentional focus invested in postural control could affect bipedal postural control. Twelve participants were asked to stand upright as immobile as possible on a force platform in one control condition and one cognitive condition. In the latter condition, they performed a short-term digit-span memory task. Decreased center-of-gravity displacements and decreased center-of-foot-pressure displacements minus center-of-gravity displacements were observed in the cognitive condition relative to the control condition. These results suggest that shifting the attentional focus away from postural control by executing a concurrent attention-demanding task could increase postural performance and postural efficiency.

  2. Flexibility within working memory and the focus of attention for sequential verbal information does not depend on active maintenance.

    PubMed

    Sandry, Joshua; Schwark, Jeremy D; MacDonald, Justin

    2014-10-01

    The focus of attention seems to be a static element within working memory when verbal information is serially presented, unless additional time is available for processing or active maintenance. Experiment 1 manipulated the reward associated with early and medial list positions in a probe recognition paradigm and found evidence that these nonterminal list positions could be retrieved faster and more accurately if participants were appropriately motivated-without additional time for processing or active maintenance. Experiment 2 used articulatory suppression and demonstrated that the underlying maintenance mechanism cannot be attributed to rehearsal, leaving attentional refreshing as the more likely mechanism. These findings suggest that the focus of attention within working memory can flexibly maintain nonterminal early and medial list representations at the expense of other list representations even when there is not additional time for processing or active maintenance. Maintenance seems to be accomplished through an attentional refreshing mechanism.

  3. The Mechanisms Underlying Changes in Broad Dimensions of Psychopathology During Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder.

    PubMed

    Ogawa, Sei; Imai, Risa; Suzuki, Masako; Furukawa, Toshi A; Akechi, Tatsuo

    2017-12-01

    Social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients commonly have broad dimensions of psychopathology. This study investigated the relationship between a wide range of psychopathology and attention or cognitions during cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for SAD. We treated 96 SAD patients with group CBT. Using multiple regression analysis, we examined the associations between the changes in broad dimensions of psychopathology and the changes in self-focused attention or maladaptive cognitions in the course of CBT. The reduction in self-focused attention was related to the decreases in somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, phobic anxiety, and global severity index. The reduction in maladaptive cognitions was associated with decreases in interpersonal sensitivity, depression, and global severity index. The present study suggests that changes in self-focused attention and maladaptive cognitions may predict broad dimensions of psychopathology changes in SAD patients over the course of CBT. For the purpose of improving a wide range of psychiatric symptoms with SAD patients in CBT, it may be useful to decrease self-focus attention and maladaptive cognitions.

  4. Methodology and reporting quality of reporting guidelines: systematic review.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiaoqin; Chen, Yaolong; Yang, Nan; Deng, Wei; Wang, Qi; Li, Nan; Yao, Liang; Wei, Dang; Chen, Gen; Yang, Kehu

    2015-09-22

    With increasing attention put on the methodology of reporting guidelines, Moher et al. conducted a review of reporting guidelines up to December 2009. Information gaps appeared on many aspects. Therefore, in 2010, the Guidance for Developers of Health Research Reporting Guidelines was developed. With more than four years passed and a considerable investment was put into reporting guideline development, a large number of new, updated, and expanded reporting guidelines have become available since January 2010. We aimed to systematically review the reporting guidelines published since January 2010, and investigate the application of the Guidance. We systematically searched databases including the Cochrane Methodology Register, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, and retrieved EQUATOR and the website (if available) to find reporting guidelines as well as their accompanying documents. We screened the titles and abstracts resulting from searches and extracted data. We focused on the methodology and reporting of the included guidelines, and described information with a series of tables and narrative summaries. Data were summarized descriptively using frequencies, proportions, and medians as appropriate. Twenty-eight and 32 reporting guidelines were retrieved from databases and EQUATOR network, respectively. Reporting guidelines were designed for a broad spectrum of types of research. A considerable number of reporting guidelines were published and updated in recent years. Methods of initial items were given in 45 (75%) guidelines. Thirty-eight (63%) guidelines reported they have reached consensus, and 35 (58%) described their consensus methods. Only 9 (15%) guidelines followed the Guidance. Only few guidelines were developed complying with the Guidance. More attention should be paid to the quality of reporting guidelines.

  5. Epidemiologic studies of electric and magnetic fields and cancer: strategies for extending knowledge.

    PubMed Central

    Savitz, D A

    1993-01-01

    Epidemiologic research concerning electric and magnetic fields in relation to cancer has focused on the potential etiologic roles of residential exposure on childhood cancer and occupational exposure on adult leukemia and brain cancer. Future residential studies must concentrate on exposure assessment that is enhanced by developing models of historical exposure, assessment of the relation between magnetic fields and wire codes, and consideration of alternate exposure indices. Study design issues deserving attention include possible biases in random digit dialing control selection, consideration of the temporal course of exposure and disease, and acquisition of the necessary information to assess the potential value of ecologic studies. Highest priorities are comprehensive evaluation of exposure patterns and sources and examination of the sociology and geography of residential wire codes. Future occupational studies should also concentrate on improved exposure assessment with increased attention to nonutility worker populations and development of historical exposure indicators that are superior to job titles alone. Potential carcinogens in the workplace that could act as confounders need to be more carefully examined. The temporal relation between exposure and disease and possible effect modification by other workplace agents should be incorporated into future studies. The most pressing need is for measurement of exposure patterns in a variety of worker populations and performance of traditional epidemiologic evaluations of cancer occurrence. The principal source of bias toward the null is nondifferential misclassification of exposure with improvements expected to enhance any true etiologic association that is present. Biases away from the null might include biased control selection in residential studies and chemical carcinogens acting as confounders in occupational studies. PMID:8206046

  6. Interviewing to develop Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) measures for clinical research: eliciting patients’ experience

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures must provide evidence that their development followed a rigorous process for ensuring their content validity. To this end, the collection of data is performed through qualitative interviews that allow for the elicitation of in-depth spontaneous reports of the patients’ experiences with their condition and/or its treatment. This paper provides a review of qualitative research applied to PRO measure development. A clear definition of what is a qualitative research interview is given as well as information about the form and content of qualitative interviews required for developing PRO measures. Particular attention is paid to the description of interviewing approaches (e.g., semi-structured and in-depth interviews, individual vs. focus group interviews). Information about how to get prepared for a qualitative interview is provided with the description of how to develop discussion guides for exploratory or cognitive interviews. Interviewing patients to obtain knowledge regarding their illness experience requires interpersonal and communication skills to facilitate patients’ expression. Those skills are described in details, as well as the skills needed to facilitate focus groups and to interview children, adolescents and the elderly. Special attention is also given to quality assurance and interview training. The paper ends on ethical considerations since interviewing for the development of PROs is performed in a context of illness and vulnerability. Therefore, it is all the more important that, in addition to soliciting informed consent, respectful interactions be ensured throughout the interview process. PMID:24499454

  7. Incorporating intersectionality into psychology: An opportunity to promote social justice and equity.

    PubMed

    Rosenthal, Lisa

    2016-09-01

    Intersectionality is receiving increasing attention in many fields, including psychology. This theory or framework has its roots in the work of Black feminist scholar-activists, and it focuses on interlocking systems of oppression and the need to work toward structural-level changes to promote social justice and equity. Thus, the current interest in intersectionality in psychology presents an opportunity to draw psychologists' attention more to structural-level issues and to make social justice and equity more central agendas to the field. The large, ever-growing bodies of research demonstrating the wide-ranging adverse consequences of structural- and interpersonal-level oppression, inequality, and stigma for the health and well-being of many diverse groups of people support that these issues are central to the field of psychology. We as individual psychologists and the field as a whole can work to fully incorporate the insights of intersectionality and therefore contribute to making social justice and equity more central across the varied subfields and realms of our work. Specific ways that we can do this are to (a) engage and collaborate with communities, (b) address and critique societal structures, (c) work together/build coalitions, (d) attend to resistance in addition to resilience, and (e) teach social justice curricula. There are important examples both within and outside of psychology that can guide us in achieving these goals. These suggestions are meant to foster conversation and consideration by psychologists across all subfields and areas of focus. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  8. The mechanisms underlying the ASD advantage in visual search

    PubMed Central

    Kaldy, Zsuzsa; Giserman, Ivy; Carter, Alice S.; Blaser, Erik

    2013-01-01

    A number of studies have demonstrated that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are faster or more successful than typically developing control participants at various visual-attentional tasks (for reviews, see Dakin & Frith, 2005; Simmons, et al., 2009). This “ASD advantage” was first identified in the domain of visual search by Plaisted and colleagues (Plaisted, O’Riordan, & Baron-Cohen, 1998). Here we survey the findings of visual search studies from the past 15 years that contrasted the performance of individuals with and without ASD. Although there are some minor caveats, the overall consensus is that - across development and a broad range of symptom severity - individuals with ASD reliably outperform controls on visual search. The etiology of the ASD advantage has not been formally specified, but has been commonly attributed to ‘enhanced perceptual discrimination’, a superior ability to visually discriminate between targets and distractors in such tasks (e.g. O’Riordan, 2000). As well, there is considerable evidence for impairments of the attentional network in ASD (for a review, see Keehn, Muller, & Townsend, 2013). We discuss some recent results from our laboratory that support an attentional, rather than perceptual explanation for the ASD advantage in visual search. We speculate that this new conceptualization may offer a better understanding of some of the behavioral symptoms associated with ASD, such as over-focusing and restricted interests. PMID:24091470

  9. The perfuming of paper - technical and safety problems.

    PubMed

    Lawton, P D; Forbes, D M

    1980-12-01

    Synopsis This paper describes the rapid growth and diversity of consumer products based on cellulose fibres since the second world war, paying particular attention to soft tissue. The early use of perfumes as reodorants, based on traditional reodorisation knowledge, quickly gave way to the more sophisticated use of perfumes in their own right as a valuable and sometimes indispensable aid to the marketer of soft tissue. Special attention is devoted to the problem of selecting from the very wide range of perfumery ingredients available to perfumers, those which may be suitable for paper perfumery. The tests to evaluate their suitability are described and some of the results presented. The importance of the phenomena of fixation is examined in view of the nature of the product to be perfumed and its unusually long shelf life. The limitations of odour types available for paper products is discussed and a typical paper perfume formula studied. The paper concludes with an illustrated description of the general methods used today for the manufacture of soft tissue. An appraisal of the various methods that have been tried, and are used today to incorporate perfume into the products is also described. During this latter part of the presentation attention will be focused on the advantages and disadvantages of the methods selected with regard to their efficiency, installation, maintenance commitment and safety considerations.

  10. Set-specific capture can be reduced by preemptively occupying a limited-capacity focus of attention

    PubMed Central

    Moore, Katherine Sledge; Weissman, Daniel H.

    2011-01-01

    Recent work has shown that contingent attentional capture effects can be especially large when multiple attentional sets for color guide visual search (Moore & Weissman, 2010). In particular, this research suggests that detecting a target-colored (e.g., orange) distractor leads the corresponding attentional set (e.g., identify orange letters) to enter a limited-capacity focus of attention in working memory, where it remains briefly while the distractor is being attended. Consequently, the ability to identify a differently-colored (e.g., green) target 100–300 ms later is impaired because the appropriate set (e.g., identify green letters) cannot also enter the focus of attention. In two experiments, we investigated whether such set-specific capture can be reduced by preemptively occupying the focus of attention. As predicted, a target-colored central distractor presented 233 ms before a target-colored peripheral distractor eliminated set-specific capture arising from the peripheral distractor. Moreover, this effect was observed only when the central distractor’s color (e.g., orange) (a) matched a different set than the upcoming peripheral distractor’s color (e.g., green) and (b) matched the same set as the upcoming central target’s color (e.g., orange). We conclude that the same working memory limitations that give rise to set-specific capture can be preemptively exploited to reduce it. PMID:21779149

  11. Threat-Related Attentional Bias in Anxious Youth: A Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Puliafico, Anthony C.; Kendall, Philip C.

    2006-01-01

    The research literature suggests that children and adolescents suffering from anxiety disorders experience cognitive distortions that magnify their perceived level of threat in the environment. Of these distortions, an attentional bias toward threat-related information has received the most theoretical and empirical consideration. A large volume…

  12. The effects of sequential attention shifts within visual working memory.

    PubMed

    Li, Qi; Saiki, Jun

    2014-01-01

    Previous studies have shown conflicting data as to whether it is possible to sequentially shift spatial attention among visual working memory (VWM) representations. The present study investigated this issue by asynchronously presenting attentional cues during the retention interval of a change detection task. In particular, we focused on two types of sequential attention shifts: (1) orienting attention to one location, and then withdrawing attention from it, and (2) switching the focus of attention from one location to another. In Experiment 1, a withdrawal cue was presented after a spatial retro-cue to measure the effect of withdrawing attention. The withdrawal cue significantly reduced the cost of invalid spatial cues, but surprisingly, did not attenuate the benefit of valid spatial cues. This indicates that the withdrawal cue only triggered the activation of facilitative components but not inhibitory components of attention. In Experiment 2, two spatial retro-cues were presented successively to examine the effect of switching the focus of attention. We observed equivalent benefits of the first and second spatial cues, suggesting that participants were able to reorient attention from one location to another within VWM, and the reallocation of attention did not attenuate memory at the first-cued location. In Experiment 3, we found that reducing the validity of the preceding spatial cue did lead to a significant reduction in its benefit. However, performance was still better at first-cued locations than at uncued and neutral locations, indicating that the first cue benefit might have been preserved both partially under automatic control and partially under voluntary control. Our findings revealed new properties of dynamic attentional control in VWM maintenance.

  13. Dividing time: concurrent timing of auditory and visual events by young and elderly adults.

    PubMed

    McAuley, J Devin; Miller, Jonathan P; Wang, Mo; Pang, Kevin C H

    2010-07-01

    This article examines age differences in individual's ability to produce the durations of learned auditory and visual target events either in isolation (focused attention) or concurrently (divided attention). Young adults produced learned target durations equally well in focused and divided attention conditions. Older adults, in contrast, showed an age-related increase in timing variability in divided attention conditions that tended to be more pronounced for visual targets than for auditory targets. Age-related impairments were associated with a decrease in working memory span; moreover, the relationship between working memory and timing performance was largest for visual targets in divided attention conditions.

  14. Perception, consequences, communication, and strategies for handling fatigue in persons with rheumatoid arthritis of working age--a focus group study.

    PubMed

    Feldthusen, Caroline; Björk, Mathilda; Forsblad-d'Elia, Helena; Mannerkorpi, Kaisa

    2013-05-01

    The aim of this study was to describe how persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of working age experience and handle their fatigue in everyday life. Six focus group discussions were conducted focusing on experiences of fatigue in 25 persons with RA (19 women, 6 men), aged 20-60 years. The discussions were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed according to qualitative content analysis. The analyses resulted in four categories. (1) Perception of fatigue: Fatigue was experienced different from normal tiredness, unpredictable, and overwhelming. It was associated with negative emotions, changed self-image, and fears. Feelings of frustration and shame were central when the persons were forced to omit valued life activities. (2) Consequences due to fatigue: The fatigue caused changes in cognitive ability, ability to act, and overall activity pattern where the increased need for rest and sleep caused an imbalance in daily life. The participants struggled not to let the fatigue interfere with work. The fatigue also brought negative consequences for their significant others. (3) Communicating fatigue: Fatigue was difficult to gain understanding for, and the participants adjusted their communication accordingly; it was important to keep up appearances. During medical consultation, fatigue was perceived as a factor not given much consideration, and the participants expressed taking responsibility for managing their fatigue symptoms themselves. (4) Strategies to handle fatigue: Strategies comprised conscious self-care, mental strategies, planning, and prioritizing. Fatigue caused considerable health problems for persons with RA of working age: negative emotions, imbalance in daily life due to increased need for rest, and difficulties gaining understanding. This draws attention to the importance of developing new modes of care to address fatigue in RA. Person-centered care to improve balance in life may be one approach needing further investigations.

  15. Common office procedures and analgesia considerations.

    PubMed

    Baxter, Amy

    2013-10-01

    This article reviews common office procedures and analgesia considerations for pediatric outpatients. Layer times of onset of analgesics to coincide with procedures. Pediatric procedural distress is multimodal. Always address parent and child fear and attention, along with pain. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Strategy for the Eighties: High Technology Industrial Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kansas State Dept. of Economic Development, Topeka.

    The need for high technology development in Kansas is assessed, with attention to community considerations and the roles of universities and state government in fostering technology development and community considerations. After defining a high technology industry, technologically innovative industries are identified, and influences on the…

  17. A flexible framework for process-based hydraulic and water quality modeling of stormwater green infrastructure performance

    EPA Science Inventory

    Background Models that allow for design considerations of green infrastructure (GI) practices to control stormwater runoff and associated contaminants have received considerable attention in recent years. While popular, generally, the GI models are relatively simplistic. However,...

  18. Occurrence and biosynthesis of carotenoids in phytoplankton.

    PubMed

    Huang, Jim Junhui; Lin, Shaoling; Xu, Wenwen; Cheung, Peter Chi Keung

    2017-09-01

    Naturally occurring carotenoids are important sources of antioxidants, anti-cancer compounds and anti-inflammatory agents and there is thus considerable market demand for their pharmaceutical applications. Carotenoids are widely distributed in marine and freshwater organisms including microalgae, phytoplankton, crustaceans and fish, as well as in terrestrial plants and birds. Recently, phytoplankton-derived carotenoids have received much attention due to their abundance, rapid rate of biosynthesis and unique composition. The carotenoids that accumulate in particular phytoplankton phyla are synthesized by specific enzymes and play unique physiological roles. This review focuses on studies related to the occurrence of carotenoids in different phytoplankton phyla and the molecular aspects of their biosynthesis. Recent biotechnological advances in the isolation and characterization of some representative carotenoid synthases in phytoplankton are also discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Efficiency optimization of wireless power transmission systems for active capsule endoscopes.

    PubMed

    Zhiwei, Jia; Guozheng, Yan; Jiangpingping; Zhiwu, Wang; Hua, Liu

    2011-10-01

    Multipurpose active capsule endoscopes have drawn considerable attention in recent years, but these devices continue to suffer from energy limitations. A wireless power supply system is regarded as a practical way to overcome the power shortage problem in such devices. This paper focuses on the efficiency optimization of a wireless energy supply system with size and safety constraints. A mathematical programming model in which these constraints are considered is proposed for transmission efficiency, optimal frequency and current, and overall system effectiveness. To verify the feasibility of the proposed method, we use a wireless active capsule endoscope as an illustrative example. The achieved efficiency can be regarded as an index for evaluating the system, and the proposed approach can be used to direct the design of transmitting and receiving coils.

  20. Nucleic Acid Engineering: RNA Following the Trail of DNA.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyejin; Park, Yongkuk; Kim, Jieun; Jeong, Jaepil; Han, Sangwoo; Lee, Jae Sung; Lee, Jong Bum

    2016-02-08

    The self-assembly feature of the naturally occurring biopolymer, DNA, has fascinated researchers in the fields of materials science and bioengineering. With the improved understanding of the chemical and structural nature of DNA, DNA-based constructs have been designed and fabricated from two-dimensional arbitrary shapes to reconfigurable three-dimensional nanodevices. Although DNA has been used successfully as a building block in a finely organized and controlled manner, its applications need to be explored. Hence, with the myriad of biological functions, RNA has recently attracted considerable attention to further the application of nucleic acid-based structures. This Review categorizes different approaches of engineering nucleic acid-based structures and introduces the concepts, principles, and applications of each technique, focusing on how DNA engineering is applied as a guide to RNA engineering.

  1. Collision warning and avoidance considerations for the Space Shuttle and Space Station Freedom

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vilas, Faith; Collins, Michael F.; Kramer, Paul C.; Arndt, G. Dickey; Suddath, Jerry H.

    1990-01-01

    The increasing hazard of manmade debris in low earth orbit (LEO) has focused attention on the requirement for collision detection, warning and avoidance systems to be developed in order to protect manned (and unmanned) spacecraft. With the number of debris objects expected to be increasing with time, the impact hazard will also be increasing. The safety of the Space Shuttle and the Space Station Freedom from destructive or catastrophic collision resulting from the hypervelocity impact of a LEO object is of increasing concern to NASA. A number of approaches to this problem are in effect or under development. The collision avoidance procedures now in effect for the Shuttle are described, and detection and avoidance procedures presently being developed at the Johnson Space Center for the Space Station Freedom are discussed.

  2. Surface effects on the thermal conductivity of silicon nanowires

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Hai-Peng; Zhang, Rui-Qin

    2018-03-01

    Thermal transport in silicon nanowires (SiNWs) has recently attracted considerable attention due to their potential applications in energy harvesting and generation and thermal management. The adjustment of the thermal conductivity of SiNWs through surface effects is a topic worthy of focus. In this paper, we briefly review the recent progress made in this field through theoretical calculations and experiments. We come to the conclusion that surface engineering methods are feasible and effective methods for adjusting nanoscale thermal transport and may foster further advancements in this field. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation ofChina (Grant No. 11504418), China Scholarship Council (Grant No. 201706425053), Basic Research Program in Shenzhen, China (Grant No. JCYJ20160229165210666), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (Grant No. 2015XKMS075).

  3. Frustration across the periodic table: heterolytic cleavage of dihydrogen by metal complexes

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

    Bullock, R. Morris; Chambers, Geoffrey M.

    2017-07-24

    This Perspective examines the field of Frustrated Lewis Pairs (FLPs) in the context of transition metal mediated heterolytic cleavage of H2, with a particular emphasis on molecular complexes bearing an intramolecular Lewis base. FLPs have traditionally been associated with group compounds, yet many transition metal reactions support a broader classification of FLPs to include certain types of transition metal complexes with reactivity resembling main group based FLPs. This article surveys transition metal complexes that heterolytically cleave H2, which vary in the degree that the Lewis pairs within these systems interact. Particular attention is focused on complexes bearing a pendant aminemore » function as the base. Consideration of transition metal compounds in the context of FLPs can inspire new innovations and improvements in transition metal catalysis.« less

  4. Concurrent uptake and metabolism of dyestuffs through bio-assisted phytoremediation: a symbiotic approach.

    PubMed

    Tahir, Uruj; Sohail, Sana; Khan, Umair Hassan

    2017-10-01

    Manipulation of bio-technological processes in treatment of dyestuffs has attracted considerable attention, because a large proportion of these synthetic dyes enter into natural environment during synthesis and dyeing operations that contaminates different ecosystems. Moreover, these dyestuffs are toxic and difficult to degrade because of their synthetic origin, durability, and complex aromatic molecular structures. Hence, bio-assisted phytoremediation has recently emerged as an innovative cleanup approach in which microorganisms and plants work together to transform xenobiotic dyestuffs into nontoxic or less harmful products. This manuscript will focus on competence and potential of plant-microbe synergistic systems for treatment of dyestuffs, their mixtures and real textile effluents, and effects of symbiotic relationship on plant performances during remediation process and will highlight their metabolic activities during bio-assisted phytodegradation and detoxification.

  5. The Great Alliance Between Politics and Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grasso, Pietro

    2014-07-01

    Dear Friends, I accepted the invitation to take part in this important scientific appointment, which has remarkably reached its 46th edition this year, with great pleasure. First of all, I would like to warmly welcome and thank the scientists who have come from all over the world to give their contribution of intelligence and commitment to the future of our planet and of humanity. I would like to thank the World Federation of Scientists, the ICSC World Lab and the Ettore Majorana Foundation for their invitation and hospitality and I would like to express my personal consideration and respect for Professor Antonino Zichichi, for his competent and passionate dedication in keeping the attention of science, public opinion and politics focused on planetary emergencies for decades, combining scientific rigour and popularisation skill...

  6. Covalently bonded networks through surface-confined polymerization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El Garah, Mohamed; MacLeod, Jennifer M.; Rosei, Federico

    2013-07-01

    The prospect of synthesizing ordered, covalently bonded structures directly on a surface has recently attracted considerable attention due to its fundamental interest and for potential applications in electronics and photonics. This prospective article focuses on efforts to synthesize and characterize epitaxial one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D, respectively) polymeric networks on single crystal surfaces. Recent studies, mostly performed using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), demonstrate the ability to induce polymerization based on Ullmann coupling, thermal dehalogenation and dehydration reactions. The 2D polymer networks synthesized to date have exhibited structural limitations and have been shown to form only small domains on the surface. We discuss different approaches to control 1D and 2D polymerization, with particular emphasis on the surface phenomena that are critical to the formation of larger ordered domains.

  7. Investigation of syngas interaction in alcohol synthesis catalysts. Quarterly technical progress report, September 1, 1993--January 31, 1994

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

    Not Available

    1994-02-10

    The project establishes the necessary experiment and laboratory facilities at Xavier University. This phase of the work has taken a considerable amount of time, due to the limited laboratory space and the involved administrative policies and procedures in procuring the necessary chemicals, glassware and auxiliary supplies. Though there still remain some minor problems with space, the laboratory is now equipped for preparation of catalysts. During this period, the authors focused their attention toward analyzing the magnetic nature of extensively used trimetallic catalyst system Cu-Co-Cr for the production of higher alcohols. The authors decided to investigate the effect of method ofmore » preparation and intermetallic ratio on the magnetic behavior of the system.« less

  8. Using Vignettes to Tap Into Moral Reasoning in Public Health Policy: Practical Advice and Design Principles From a Study on Food Advertising to Children

    PubMed Central

    Taylor, Emily; Hoang, Sylvia; Cook, Brian

    2014-01-01

    In this article, we describe a process for designing and applying vignettes in public health policy research and practice. We developed this methodology for a study on moral reasoning underpinning policy debate on food advertising to children. Using vignettes prompted policy actors who were relatively entrenched in particular ways of speaking professionally about a controversial and ethically challenging issue to converse in a more authentic and reflective way. Vignettes hold benefits and complexities. They can focus attention on moral conflicts, draw out different types of evidence to support moral reasoning, and enable simultaneous consideration of real and ideal worlds. We suggest a process and recommendations on design features for crafting vignettes for public health policy. PMID:25121818

  9. A knitted glove sensing system with compression strain for finger movements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ryu, Hochung; Park, Sangki; Park, Jong-Jin; Bae, Jihyun

    2018-05-01

    Development of a fabric structure strain sensor has received considerable attention due to its broad application in healthcare monitoring and human–machine interfaces. In the knitted textile structure, it is critical to understand the surface structural deformation from a different body motion, inducing the electrical signal characteristics. Here, we report the electromechanical properties of the knitted glove sensing system focusing on the compressive strain behavior. Compared with the electrical response of the tensile strain, the compressive strain shows much higher sensitivity, stability, and linearity via different finger motions. Additionally, the sensor exhibits constant electrical properties after repeated cyclic tests and washing processes. The proposed knitted glove sensing system can be readily extended to a scalable and cost-effective production due to the use of a commercialized manufacturing system.

  10. A Highly Practical Copper(I)/TEMPO Catalyst System for Chemoselective Aerobic Oxidation of Primary Alcohols

    PubMed Central

    Hoover, Jessica M.; Stahl, Shannon S.

    2011-01-01

    Aerobic oxidation reactions have been the focus of considerable attention, but their use in mainstream organic chemistry has been constrained by limitations in their synthetic scope and by practical factors, such as the use of pure O2 as the oxidant or complex catalyst synthesis. Here, we report a new (bpy)CuI/TEMPO catalyst system that enables efficient and selective aerobic oxidation of a broad range of primary alcohols, including allylic, benzylic and aliphatic derivatives, to the corresponding aldehydes using readily available reagents, at room temperature with ambient air as the oxidant. The catalyst system is compatible with a wide range of functional groups and the high selectivity for 1° alcohols enables selective oxidation of diols that lack protecting groups. PMID:21861488

  11. Use of EEG to Diagnose ADHD

    PubMed Central

    Lenartowicz, Agatha; Loo, Sandra K.

    2015-01-01

    Electroencephalography (EEG) has, historically, played a focal role in the assessment of neural function in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We review here the most recent developments in the utility of EEG in the diagnosis of ADHD, with emphasis on the most commonly used and emerging EEG metrics and their reliability in diagnostic classification. Considering the clinical heterogeneity of ADHD and the complexity of information available from the EEG signals, we suggest that considerable benefits are to be gained from multivariate analyses and a focus towards understanding of the neural generators of EEG. We conclude that while EEG cannot currently be used as a diagnostic tool, vast developments in analytical and technological tools in its domain anticipate future progress in its utility in the clinical setting. PMID:25234074

  12. Using vignettes to tap into moral reasoning in public health policy: practical advice and design principles from a study on food advertising to children.

    PubMed

    Mah, Catherine L; Taylor, Emily; Hoang, Sylvia; Cook, Brian

    2014-10-01

    In this article, we describe a process for designing and applying vignettes in public health policy research and practice. We developed this methodology for a study on moral reasoning underpinning policy debate on food advertising to children. Using vignettes prompted policy actors who were relatively entrenched in particular ways of speaking professionally about a controversial and ethically challenging issue to converse in a more authentic and reflective way. Vignettes hold benefits and complexities. They can focus attention on moral conflicts, draw out different types of evidence to support moral reasoning, and enable simultaneous consideration of real and ideal worlds. We suggest a process and recommendations on design features for crafting vignettes for public health policy.

  13. A behavioral window on the mind of the market: an application of the response time paradigm.

    PubMed

    Mast, Fred W; Zaltman, Gerald

    2005-11-15

    This article focuses on the role of implicit knowledge consumers have about particular brands, products or names. The major findings of several studies, conducted at the Mind of the Market Laboratory at Harvard Business School, are presented with specific emphasis on studies in which response time measurements were the core method. The results revealed that implicit measures provide a rich understanding of the meaning conveyed by a product or brand. Moreover, there is also considerable evidence that implicit measures may be better than traditional explicit measures as predictors of consumer behavior. We discuss the implications for the study of consumer behavior and the importance of combining several methods including neuroimaging, which has received recent attention by marketers, economists and social scientists.

  14. Mammalian Metallothionein-2A and Oxidative Stress

    PubMed Central

    Ling, Xue-Bin; Wei, Hong-Wei; Wang, Jun; Kong, Yue-Qiong; Wu, Yu-You; Guo, Jun-Li; Li, Tian-Fa; Li, Ji-Ke

    2016-01-01

    Mammalian metallothionein-2A (MT2A) has received considerable attention in recent years due to its crucial pathophysiological role in anti-oxidant, anti-apoptosis, detoxification and anti-inflammation. For many years, most studies evaluating the effects of MT2A have focused on reactive oxygen species (ROS), as second messengers that lead to oxidative stress injury of cells and tissues. Recent studies have highlighted that oxidative stress could activate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and MT2A, as a mediator of MAPKs, to regulate the pathogenesis of various diseases. However, the molecule mechanism of MT2A remains elusive. A deeper understanding of the functional, biochemical and molecular characteristics of MT2A would be identified, in order to bring new opportunities for oxidative stress therapy. PMID:27608012

  15. Attentional consequences of pregoal and postgoal positive affects.

    PubMed

    Gable, Philip A; Harmon-Jones, Eddie

    2011-12-01

    Decades of research have suggested that all positive affective states broaden attention. Recent studies have found that positive affects high in approach motivation narrow attention, whereas positive affects low in approach motivation broaden attention. However, these studies were limited because they used only affective pictures to manipulate positive affect. The pictures, rather than the affective states created by them, may have caused individuals to focus on the emotional details of the picture, and this attentional focus may have caused the narrowing of attentional scope. Moreover, no experiment has yet to examine both low and high approach-motivated positive affect within the same individuals in the same study. The current experiments manipulated pregoal (high approach) and postgoal (low approach) positive states by giving participants the opportunity to win money on a game. Results revealed that pregoal positive affect caused a narrowing of attention, whereas postgoal positive affect caused a broadening of attention. (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

  16. An external focus of attention enhances balance learning in older adults.

    PubMed

    Chiviacowsky, Suzete; Wulf, Gabriele; Wally, Raquel

    2010-10-01

    Studies with young adults have shown that an external focus of attention (i.e., on the movement effect) results in more effective motor learning and greater automaticity than an internal focus (i.e., on one's own body movements). The present study examined whether instructions inducing an external versus internal attentional focus would differentially affect the learning of a balance task in 32 older adults (24 females and 8 males, mean age: 69.4 years), divided equally, by number and gender, into two groups. The task required participants to stand on a balance platform (stabilometer) tilting to the left and right, and to try to keep the platform as close to horizontal as possible during each 30-s trial. The external focus group was instructed to concentrate on keeping markers on the platform horizontal, while the internal focus group was instructed to concentrate on keeping their feet horizontal. The dependent variable was time in balance (i.e., platform movements within ± 5°). Participants performed 10 practice trials on day 1, with focus reminders given before each trial. Learning was assessed by a retention test, consisting of five trials without instructions, performed 1 day later. The external focus group outperformed the internal focus group in retention [F(4, 120)=3.46, p=.01]. The results demonstrate that the learning benefits of an external attentional focus are generalizable to older learners. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Inflexible Minds: Impaired Attention Switching in Recent-Onset Schizophrenia

    PubMed Central

    Smid, Henderikus G. O. M.; Martens, Sander; de Witte, Marc R.; Bruggeman, Richard

    2013-01-01

    Impairment of sustained attention is assumed to be a core cognitive abnormality in schizophrenia. However, this seems inconsistent with a recent hypothesis that in schizophrenia the implementation of selection (i.e., sustained attention) is intact but the control of selection (i.e., switching the focus of attention) is impaired. Mounting evidence supports this hypothesis, indicating that switching of attention is a bigger problem in schizophrenia than maintaining the focus of attention. To shed more light on this hypothesis, we tested whether schizophrenia patients are impaired relative to controls in sustaining attention, switching attention, or both. Fifteen patients with recent-onset schizophrenia and fifteen healthy volunteers, matched on age and intelligence, performed sustained attention and attention switching tasks, while performance and brain potential measures of selective attention were recorded. In the sustained attention task, patients did not differ from the controls on these measures. In the attention switching task, however, patients showed worse performance than the controls, and early selective attention related brain potentials were absent in the patients while clearly present in the controls. These findings support the hypothesis that schizophrenia is associated with an impairment of the mechanisms that control the direction of attention (attention switching), while the mechanisms that implement a direction of attention (sustained attention) are intact. PMID:24155980

  18. Using Virtual Reality to Distract Overweight Children from Bodily Sensations During Exercise.

    PubMed

    Baños, Rosa M; Escobar, Patricia; Cebolla, Ausias; Guixeres, Jaime; Alvarez Pitti, Julio; Lisón, Juan Francisco; Botella, Cristina

    2016-02-01

    This study analyzes the potential of virtual reality (VR) to enhance attentional distraction in overweight children as they experience bodily sensations during exercise. It has been suggested that one reason why obese children stop exercising is the perception of bodily sensations. In a counterbalanced design, a total of 109 children (33 overweight, 10-15 years old) were asked to walk twice for 6 minutes on a treadmill under one of two conditions: (a) traditional condition (TC)-focusing their attention on their physical feelings and sensations or (b) distraction condition (DC)-focusing their attention on a virtual environment. Attentional focus during exercise, bad-good feeling states (pre- and postexperimental), perceived exertion (3 minutes and post), heart rate, and enjoyment were assessed. Results indicated that overweight children focused on internal information under the TC, but they significantly shifted their attention to regard the external environment in the DC. This attentional distraction effect of VR was more intense in overweight than in normal-weight children. No differences between groups were found when examining changes in feeling states and perceived exertion. VR increased enjoyment during exercise, and children preferred exercise using virtual environments. VR is useful to promote distraction and may help overweight and obese children to enjoy exercise.

  19. Attention moderates the fearlessness of psychopathic offenders

    PubMed Central

    Newman, Joseph P.; Curtin, John J.; Bertsch, Jeremy D.; Baskin-Sommers, Arielle R.

    2009-01-01

    Background Psychopathic behavior is generally attributed to a fundamental, amygdala-mediated deficit in fearlessness that undermines social conformity. An alternative view is that psychopathy involves an attention-related deficit that undermines the processing of peripheral information including fear stimuli. Methods We evaluated these alternative hypotheses by measuring fear-potentiated startle (FPS) in a group of 125 prisoners under experimental conditions that (a) focused attention directly on fear-relevant information or (b) established an alternative attentional focus. Psychopathy was assessed using Hare’s (1) Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Results Psychopathic individuals displayed normal FPS under threat-focused conditions but manifested a significant deficit in FPS under alternative-focus conditions. Moreover, these findings were essentially unchanged when analyses employed the interpersonal-affective factor of the PCL-R instead of PCL-R total scores. Conclusions The results provide unprecedented evidence that higher-order cognitive processes moderate the fear deficits of psychopathic individuals. These findings suggest that psychopaths’ diminished reactivity to fear stimuli, and emotion-related cues more generally, reflect idiosyncrasies in attention that limit their processing of peripheral information. Although psychopathic individuals are commonly described as cold-blooded predators who are unmotivated to change, the attentional dysfunction identified in this study supports an alternative interpretation of their chronic disinhibition and insensitive interpersonal style. PMID:19793581

  20. Object Selection Costs in Visual Working Memory: A Diffusion Model Analysis of the Focus of Attention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sewell, David K.; Lilburn, Simon D.; Smith, Philip L.

    2016-01-01

    A central question in working memory research concerns the degree to which information in working memory is accessible to other cognitive processes (e.g., decision-making). Theories assuming that the focus of attention can only store a single object at a time require the focus to orient to a target representation before further processing can…

  1. Does Focus of Attention Improve Snatch Lift Kinematics?

    PubMed

    Schutts, Kyle S; Wu, Will F W; Vidal, Anthony D; Hiegel, Jamie; Becker, James

    2017-10-01

    Recent motor control literature has demonstrated that using verbal instructions to direct a performer's attention externally (i.e., toward the movement outcome) enhances motor skill performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate how an athlete's focus of attention impacts kinematic performance of the snatch. Using a counterbalanced within-participant design, 12 competitively trained athletes (8 male and 4 female athletes) performed 2 instructional blocks of 3 snatch repetitions at 80% of their most recent training 1 repetition maximum. Blocks of internal and external instructions were given to the athlete in a random fashion. Results showed that, when focusing internally, athletes significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased elbow velocity relative to focusing externally, whereas the external instructions significantly increased horizontal barbell velocity, relative to internal instructions. Additionally, an internal focus resulted in significantly larger barbell-cervical-hip angles at maximum height of the barbell compared with an external focus, indicating that the athletes squatted under the barbell too soon. This information adds to the literature suggesting small changes in coaching instructions can impact performance significantly. It is recommended that coaches use instructions that direct an athlete's attention externally, toward the movement outcome, rather than the action itself.

  2. The neural correlates of impaired attentional control in social anxiety: an ERP study of inhibition and shifting.

    PubMed

    Judah, Matt R; Grant, DeMond M; Mills, Adam C; Lechner, William V

    2013-12-01

    Cognitive models of social anxiety disorder posit that maladaptive thought processes play an etiological role in symptoms. The current study tested whether socially anxious individuals (HSAs) demonstrated impaired processing efficiency at the neural and behavioral level, and whether this was exacerbated by self-focused attention. Thirty-two (16 socially anxious, 16 nonanxious controls) subjects completed a mixed-antisaccade task with an oddball instructional cue. To manipulate self-focus, participants were told that the oddball cue indicated elevated heart rate. The HSA group demonstrated delayed saccade onset compared with controls, but made fewer errors. HSAs also had lower P3b amplitude compared with controls, suggesting reduced availability of resources for discriminating cues, and later P3b latency during self-focus trials, suggesting delayed cue categorization. Additionally, HSAs had greater CNV negativity compared with controls, suggesting greater effort in response preparation, and this negativity was reduced during self-focus trials, supporting the hypothesis that self-focused attention preoccupies executive resources. The current study supports and expands cognitive theories by documenting impaired neural and behavioral functioning in social anxiety and the role of self-focused attention in these deficits.

  3. Institutional Educational Technology Policy and Strategy Documents: An Inequality Gaze

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Czerniewicz, Laura; Rother, Kyle

    2018-01-01

    Issues of inequality in higher education have received considerable attention in recent decades, but the intersection of inequality and educational technology at an institutional level has received little attention. This study aims to provide a perspective on institutional educational technology policy informed by current understandings of…

  4. Task Engagement, Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity, and Diagnostic Monitoring for Sustained Attention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Matthews, Gerald; Warm, Joel S.; Reinerman-Jones, Lauren E.; Langheim, Lisa K.; Washburn, David A.; Tripp, Lloyd

    2010-01-01

    Loss of vigilance may lead to impaired performance in various applied settings including military operations, transportation, and industrial inspection. Individuals differ considerably in sustained attention, but individual differences in vigilance have proven to be hard to predict. The dependence of vigilance on workload factors is consistent…

  5. Quantifying ADHD Classroom Inattentiveness, Its Moderators, and Variability: A Meta-Analytic Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kofler, Michael J.; Rapport, Mark D.; Alderson, R. Matt

    2008-01-01

    Background: Most classroom observation studies have documented significant deficiencies in the classroom attention of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared to their typically developing peers. The magnitude of these differences, however, varies considerably and may be influenced by contextual, sampling, diagnostic,…

  6. Continuous Performance Tasks: Not Just about Sustaining Attention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roebuck, Hettie; Freigang, Claudia; Barry, Johanna G.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Continuous performance tasks (CPTs) are used to measure individual differences in sustained attention. Many different stimuli have been used as response targets without consideration of their impact on task performance. Here, we compared CPT performance in typically developing adults and children to assess the role of stimulus processing…

  7. Accommodating Faculty Members Who Have Disabilities. Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American Association of University Professors, 2012

    2012-01-01

    In recent years the rights and responsibilities of students who have disabilities have received considerable attention. Professors routinely accommodate students with a front-row seat in class or extended time on an examination. Faculty members who have disabilities have received far less attention. This report from a subcommittee of Committee A…

  8. Applying Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication into Course Design: Some Considerations and Practical Guides

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olaniran, Bolanle A.

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: The increased pressure to incorporate communication technologies into learning environments has intensified the attention given to the role of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in academic settings. However, the issue of how and why these technologies, especially synchronous CMC applications, has been given less attention in…

  9. Interfacial contributions in lignocellulosic firber-reinforced polyurethane composites

    Treesearch

    Timothy G. Rials; Michael P. Wolcott; John M. Nassar

    2001-01-01

    Whereas lignocellulosic fibers have received considerable attention as a reinforcing agent in thermoplastic composites, their applicability to reactive polymer systems remains of considerable interest. The hydroxyl-rich nature of natural lignocellulosic fibers suggests that they are particularly useful in thermsetting systems such as polyurethanes. To further this...

  10. Visual environment, attention allocation, and learning in young children: when too much of a good thing may be bad.

    PubMed

    Fisher, Anna V; Godwin, Karrie E; Seltman, Howard

    2014-07-01

    A large body of evidence supports the importance of focused attention for encoding and task performance. Yet young children with immature regulation of focused attention are often placed in elementary-school classrooms containing many displays that are not relevant to ongoing instruction. We investigated whether such displays can affect children's ability to maintain focused attention during instruction and to learn the lesson content. We placed kindergarten children in a laboratory classroom for six introductory science lessons, and we experimentally manipulated the visual environment in the classroom. Children were more distracted by the visual environment, spent more time off task, and demonstrated smaller learning gains when the walls were highly decorated than when the decorations were removed. © The Author(s) 2014.

  11. A Distance Measure for Attention Focusing and Anomaly Detection in Systems Monitoring

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Doyle, R.

    1994-01-01

    Any attempt to introduce automation into the monitoring of complex physical systems must start from a robust anomaly detection capability. This task is far from straightforward, for a single definition of what constitutes an anomaly is difficult to come by. In addition, to make the monitoring process efficient, and to avoid the potential for information overload on human operators, attention focusing must also be addressed. When an anomaly occurs, more often than not several sensors are affected, and the partially redundant information they provide can be confusing, particularly in a crisis situation where a response is needed quickly. Previous results on extending traditional anomaly detection techniques are summarized. The focus of this paper is a new technique for attention focusing.

  12. Focused and Sustained Attention Is Modified by a Goal-Based Rehabilitation in Parkinsonian Patients.

    PubMed

    Ferrazzoli, Davide; Ortelli, Paola; Maestri, Roberto; Bera, Rossana; Gargantini, Roberto; Palamara, Grazia; Zarucchi, Marianna; Giladi, Nir; Frazzitta, Giuseppe

    2017-01-01

    Rehabilitation for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is based on cognitive strategies that exploit attention. Parkinsonians exhibit impairments in divided attention and interference control. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of specific rehabilitation treatments based on attention suggests that other attentional functions are preserved. Data about attention are conflicting in PD, and it is not clear whether rehabilitative treatments that entail attentional strategies affect attention itself. Reaction times (RTs) represent an instrument to explore attention and investigate whether changes in attentional performances parallel rehabilitation induced-gains. RTs of 103 parkinsonian patients in "on" state, without cognitive deficits, were compared with those of a population of 34 healthy controls. We studied those attentional networks that subtend the use of cognitive strategies in motor rehabilitation: alertness and focused and sustained attention, which is a component of the executive system. We used visual and auditory RTs to evaluate alertness and multiple choices RTs (MC RTs) to explore focused and sustained attention. Parkinsonian patients underwent these tasks before and after a 4-week multidisciplinary, intensive and goal-based rehabilitation treatment (MIRT). Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) III and Timed Up and Go test (TUG) were assessed at the enrollment and at the end of MIRT to evaluate the motor-functional effectiveness of treatment. We did not find differences in RTs between parkinsonian patients and controls. Further, we found that improvements in motor-functional outcome measures after MIRT ( p < 0.0001) paralleled a reduction in MC RTs ( p = 0.014). No changes were found for visual and auditory RTs. Correlation analysis revealed no association between changes in MC RTs and improvements in UPDRS-III and TUG. These findings indicate that alertness, as well as focused and sustained attention, are preserved in "on" state. This explains why Parkinsonians benefit from a goal-based rehabilitation that entails the use of attention. The reduction in MC RTs suggests a positive effect of MIRT on the executive component of attention and indicates that this type of rehabilitation provides benefits by exploiting executive functions. This ensues from different training approaches aimed at bypassing the dysfunctional basal ganglia circuit, allowing the voluntary execution of the defective movements. These data suggest that the effectiveness of a motor rehabilitation tailored for PD lies on cognitive engagement.

  13. Attention and material-specific memory in children with lateralized epilepsy.

    PubMed

    Engle, Jennifer A; Smith, Mary Lou

    2010-01-01

    Epilepsy is frequently associated with attention and memory problems. In adults, lateralization of seizure focus impacts the type of memory affected (left-sided lesions primarily impact verbal memory, while right-sided lesions primarily impact visual memory), but the relationship between seizure focus and the nature of the memory impairment is less clear in children. The current study examines the correlation between parent-reported attention problems and material-specific memory (verbal or visual-spatial) in 65 children (ages 6-16) with medically intractable lateralized epilepsy. There were no significant differences in attention and memory between those with left-lateralized epilepsy (n=25) and those with right-lateralized epilepsy (n=40). However, in the left-lateralized group attention problems were significantly negatively correlated only with delayed visual memory (r=-.450, p<.05), while the right-lateralized group demonstrated the opposite pattern (attention problems significantly negatively correlated with delayed verbal memory; r=-.331, p<.05). These findings suggest that lateralization of seizure focus may in fact impact children's memory in a material-specific manner, while problems with attention may impact memory more globally. Therefore, interventions designed to improve attention in children with epilepsy may have utility in improving certain aspects of memory, but further suggest that in children with lateralized epilepsy, material-specific memory deficits may not resolve with such interventions.

  14. The Improvement of Emotion and Attention Regulation after a 6-Week Training of Focused Meditation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    PubMed Central

    Menezes, Carolina Baptista; Buratto, Luciano G.; Erthal, Fátima; Pereira, Mirtes G.; Bizarro, Lisiane

    2013-01-01

    Self-regulatory trainings can be an effective complementary treatment for mental health disorders. We investigated the effects of a six-week-focused meditation training on emotion and attention regulation in undergraduates randomly allocated to a meditation, a relaxation, or a wait-list control group. Assessment comprised a discrimination task that investigates the relationship between attentional load and emotional processing and self-report measures. For emotion regulation, results showed greater reduction in emotional interference in the low attentional load condition in meditators, particularly compared to relaxation. Only meditators presented a significant association between amount of weekly practice and the reduction in emotion interference in the task and significantly reduced image ratings of negative valence and arousal, perceived anxiety and difficulty during the task, and state and trait-anxiety. For attention regulation, response bias during the task was analyzed through signal detection theory. After training, meditation and relaxation significantly reduced bias in the high attentional load condition. Importantly, there was a dose-response effect on general bias: the lowest in meditation, increasing linearly across relaxation and wait-list. Only meditators reduced omissions in a concentrated attention test. Focused meditation seems to be an effective training for emotion and attention regulation and an alternative for treatments in the mental health context. PMID:23935694

  15. Practice of Environmentally Significant Behaviours in Rural China: From Being Motivated by Economic Gains to Being Motivated by Environmental Considerations.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yanyan

    2017-08-22

    A continuous and increasing crisis that present-day China is facing is environmental degradation. The cultivation of citizens who have environmentally friendly behaviours has been deemed as a fundamental way to solve environmental crises. However, the main focus of environmentalism studies has been urban residents, whereas rare research attention was put on rural Chinese. This paper focuses on environmentally significant behaviours in rural China and aims to clarify the practice of five environmentally significant behaviours and two motivations underlying these behaviours. In total, 508 rural residents in 51 villages of Ningyang county were interviewed. Analytical results derived from survey data showed that environmentally significant behaviours are widely conducted in rural areas. However, these behaviours are mainly motivated by economic gains rather than environmental considerations. In addition, based on the norm-activation theory and considering the influences of demographic factors, the formation of environmentally motivated behaviours were quantitatively analysed. Analytical results indicated that the more people worried about environmental deterioration, the more likely they were to form environmentally motivated behaviours, and people who ascribe the most important environmental responsibility to the government are less likely to form environmentally motivated behaviours. Increasing people's anxiety towards the environment, decreasing people's dependency on the government in protecting the environment, and using females, the elderly, and people with low income and education levels as the main targets of environmental education are suggested to promote environmentally motivated behaviours in rural China.

  16. Ammonia and urea handling by early life stages of fishes.

    PubMed

    Zimmer, Alex M; Wright, Patricia A; Wood, Chris M

    2017-11-01

    Nitrogen metabolism in fishes has been a focus of comparative physiologists for nearly a century. In this Review, we focus specifically on early life stages of fishes, which have received considerable attention in more recent work. Nitrogen metabolism and excretion in early life differs fundamentally from that of juvenile and adult fishes because of (1) the presence of a chorion capsule in embryos that imposes a limitation on effective ammonia excretion, (2) an amino acid-based metabolism that generates a substantial ammonia load, and (3) the lack of a functional gill, which is the primary site of nitrogen excretion in juvenile and adult fishes. Recent findings have shed considerable light on the mechanisms by which these constraints are overcome in early life. Perhaps most importantly, the discovery of Rhesus (Rh) glycoproteins as ammonia transporters and their expression in ion-transporting cells on the skin of larval fishes has transformed our understanding of ammonia excretion by fishes in general. The emergence of larval zebrafish as a model species, together with genetic knockdown techniques, has similarly advanced our understanding of ammonia and urea metabolism and excretion by larval fishes. It has also now been demonstrated that ammonia excretion is one of the primary functions of the developing gill in rainbow trout larvae, leading to new hypotheses regarding the physiological demands driving gill development in larval fishes. Here, we highlight and discuss the dramatic changes in nitrogen handling that occur over early life development in fishes. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  17. Practice of Environmentally Significant Behaviours in Rural China: From Being Motivated by Economic Gains to Being Motivated by Environmental Considerations

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Yanyan

    2017-01-01

    A continuous and increasing crisis that present-day China is facing is environmental degradation. The cultivation of citizens who have environmentally friendly behaviours has been deemed as a fundamental way to solve environmental crises. However, the main focus of environmentalism studies has been urban residents, whereas rare research attention was put on rural Chinese. This paper focuses on environmentally significant behaviours in rural China and aims to clarify the practice of five environmentally significant behaviours and two motivations underlying these behaviours. In total, 508 rural residents in 51 villages of Ningyang county were interviewed. Analytical results derived from survey data showed that environmentally significant behaviours are widely conducted in rural areas. However, these behaviours are mainly motivated by economic gains rather than environmental considerations. In addition, based on the norm-activation theory and considering the influences of demographic factors, the formation of environmentally motivated behaviours were quantitatively analysed. Analytical results indicated that the more people worried about environmental deterioration, the more likely they were to form environmentally motivated behaviours, and people who ascribe the most important environmental responsibility to the government are less likely to form environmentally motivated behaviours. Increasing people’s anxiety towards the environment, decreasing people’s dependency on the government in protecting the environment, and using females, the elderly, and people with low income and education levels as the main targets of environmental education are suggested to promote environmentally motivated behaviours in rural China. PMID:28829395

  18. Functional MRI in the Investigation of Blast-Related Traumatic Brain Injury

    PubMed Central

    Graner, John; Oakes, Terrence R.; French, Louis M.; Riedy, Gerard

    2012-01-01

    This review focuses on the application of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to the investigation of blast-related traumatic brain injury (bTBI). Relatively little is known about the exact mechanisms of neurophysiological injury and pathological and functional sequelae of bTBI. Furthermore, in mild bTBI, standard anatomical imaging techniques (MRI and computed tomography) generally fail to show focal lesions and most of the symptoms present as subjective clinical functional deficits. Therefore, an objective test of brain functionality has great potential to aid in patient diagnosis and provide a sensitive measurement to monitor disease progression and treatment. The goal of this review is to highlight the relevant body of blast-related TBI literature and present suggestions and considerations in the development of fMRI studies for the investigation of bTBI. The review begins with a summary of recent bTBI publications followed by discussions of various elements of blast-related injury. Brief reviews of some fMRI techniques that focus on mental processes commonly disrupted by bTBI, including working memory, selective attention, and emotional processing, are presented in addition to a short review of resting state fMRI. Potential strengths and weaknesses of these approaches as regards bTBI are discussed. Finally, this review presents considerations that must be made when designing fMRI studies for bTBI populations, given the heterogeneous nature of bTBI and its high rate of comorbidity with other physical and psychological injuries. PMID:23460082

  19. Differences in Memory Functioning between Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and/or Focal Epilepsy

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Sylvia E.; Kibby, Michelle Y.; Cohen, Morris J.; Stanford, Lisa; Park, Yong; Strickland, Suzanne

    2016-01-01

    Prior research has shown that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and epilepsy are frequently comorbid and that both disorders are associated with various attention and memory problems. Nonetheless, limited research has been conducted comparing the two disorders in one sample to determine unique versus shared deficits. Hence, we investigated differences in working memory and short-term and delayed recall between children with ADHD, focal epilepsy of mixed foci, comorbid ADHD/epilepsy and controls. Participants were compared on the Core subtests and the Picture Locations subtest of the Children’s Memory Scale (CMS). Results indicated that children with ADHD displayed intact verbal working memory and long-term memory (LTM), as well as intact performance on most aspects of short-term memory (STM). They performed worse than controls on Numbers Forward and Picture Locations, suggesting problems with focused attention and simple span for visual-spatial material. Conversely, children with epilepsy displayed poor focused attention and STM regardless of modality assessed, which affected encoding into LTM. The only loss over time was found for passages (Stories). Working memory was intact. Children with comorbid ADHD/epilepsy displayed focused attention and STM/LTM problems consistent with both disorders, having the lowest scores across the four groups. Hence, focused attention and visual-spatial span appear to be affected in both disorders, whereas additional STM/encoding problems are specific to epilepsy. Children with comorbid ADHD/epilepsy have deficits consistent with both disorders, with slight additive effects. This study suggests that attention and memory testing should be a regular part of the evaluation of children with epilepsy and ADHD. PMID:26156331

  20. Mechanisms of Change During Attention Training and Mindfulness in High Trait-Anxious Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Study.

    PubMed

    McEvoy, Peter M; Graville, Rachel; Hayes, Sarra; Kane, Robert T; Foster, Jonathan K

    2017-09-01

    The first aim of this study was to compare attention manipulation techniques deriving from metacognitive therapy (the Attention Training Technique; ATT) and mindfulness-based approaches (Mindfulness-Based Progressive Muscle Relaxation, MB-PMR) to a thought wandering control (TWC) condition, in terms of their impact on anxiety and four mechanisms: distancing, present-focused attention, uncontrollability and dangerousness, metacognitive beliefs, and cognitive flexibility (Stroop task). The second aim was to test indirect effects of the techniques on anxiety via the mechanism measures. High trait anxious participants (N = 81, M age = 23.60, SD age = 7.66, 80% female) were randomized to receive ATT, MB-PMR, or the TWC condition. Measures of cognitive and somatic anxiety, distancing, present-focused attention, metacognitive beliefs, and cognitive flexibility were administered before or after the attention manipulation task. Compared to the TWC group, ATT and MB-PMR were associated with greater changes on cognitive (but not somatic) anxiety, present-focused attention, metacognitive beliefs, and uncorrected errors for threat-related words on the Stroop task. The pattern of means was similar for distancing, but this did not reach statistical significance, and Stroop speed increased equally for all conditions. Indirect effects models revealed significant effects of condition on state anxiety via distancing, metacognitive beliefs, and present-focused attention, but not via Stroop errors. ATT and MB-PMR were associated with changes on anxiety and the mechanism measures, suggesting that the mechanisms of change may be more similar than different across these techniques. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  1. [Formula: see text]Differences in memory functioning between children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and/or focal epilepsy.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sylvia E; Kibby, Michelle Y; Cohen, Morris J; Stanford, Lisa; Park, Yong; Strickland, Suzanne

    2016-01-01

    Prior research has shown that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and epilepsy are frequently comorbid and that both disorders are associated with various attention and memory problems. Nonetheless, limited research has been conducted comparing the two disorders in one sample to determine unique versus shared deficits. Hence, we investigated differences in working memory (WM) and short-term and delayed recall between children with ADHD, focal epilepsy of mixed foci, comorbid ADHD/epilepsy and controls. Participants were compared on the Core subtests and the Picture Locations subtest of the Children's Memory Scale (CMS). Results indicated that children with ADHD displayed intact verbal WM and long-term memory (LTM), as well as intact performance on most aspects of short-term memory (STM). They performed worse than controls on Numbers Forward and Picture Locations, suggesting problems with focused attention and simple span for visual-spatial material. Conversely, children with epilepsy displayed poor focused attention and STM regardless of the modality assessed, which affected encoding into LTM. The only loss over time was found for passages (Stories). WM was intact. Children with comorbid ADHD/epilepsy displayed focused attention and STM/LTM problems consistent with both disorders, having the lowest scores across the four groups. Hence, focused attention and visual-spatial span appear to be affected in both disorders, whereas additional STM/encoding problems are specific to epilepsy. Children with comorbid ADHD/epilepsy have deficits consistent with both disorders, with slight additive effects. This study suggests that attention and memory testing should be a regular part of the evaluation of children with epilepsy and ADHD.

  2. A category-specific top-down attentional set can affect the neural responses outside the current focus of attention.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Yunpeng; Wu, Xia; Gao, Xiaorong

    2017-10-17

    A top-down set can guide attention to enhance the processing of task-relevant objects. Many studies have found that the top-down set can be tuned to a category level. However, it is unclear whether the category-specific top-down set involving a central search task can exist outside the current area of attentional focus. To directly probe the neural responses inside and outside the current focus of attention, we recorded continuous EEG to measure the contralateral ERP components for central targets and the steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) oscillations associated with a flickering checkerboard placed on the visual periphery. The relationship of color categories between targets and non-targets was manipulated to investigate the effect of category-specific top-down set. Results showed that when the color categories of targets and non-targets in the central search arrays were the same, larger SSVEP oscillations were evoked by target color peripheral checkerboards relative to the non-target color ones outside the current attentional focus. However, when the color categories of targets and non-targets were different, the peripheral checkerboards in two different colors of the same category evoked similar SSVEP oscillations, indicating the effects of category-specific top-down set. These results firstly demonstrate that the category-specific top-down set can affect the neural responses of peripheral distractors. The results could support the idea of a global selection account and challenge the attentional window account in selective attention. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Development of Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) Tools to Promote Adjustment During Reintegration Following Deployment

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-11-01

    addressed in Study 1, was to measure the associations between state and trait anger and biases in anger-related attention and interpretation. This aim was...presented in the recent MOMRP conference, and physiological SCR data are in the last stages of analyses. 15. SUBJECT TERMS anger, aggression, attention ...threat conditions, ranging from safety to acute danger, considerable plasticity in threat-related attention and threat interpretation is required

  4. The effects of self-focus on attentional biases in social anxiety:An ERP study.

    PubMed

    Judah, Matt R; Grant, DeMond M; Carlisle, Nancy B

    2016-06-01

    Cognitive theories of social anxiety disorder suggest that biased attention plays a key role in maintaining symptoms. These biases include self-focus and attention to socially threatening stimuli in the environment. The goal of this study was to utilize ERPs that are elicited by a change detection task to examine biases in selective attention (i.e., N2pc) and working memory maintenance (i.e., contralateral delay activity; CDA). Additionally, the effect of self-focus was examined using false heart rate feedback. In support of the manipulation, self-focus cues resulted in greater self-reported self-consciousness and task interference, enhanced anterior P2 amplitude and reduced SPN amplitude. Moreover, P2 amplitude for self-focus cues was correlated with reduced task performance for socially anxious subjects only. The difference in P2 amplitude between self-focus and standard cues was correlated with social anxiety independent of depression. As hypothesized, socially anxious participants (n = 20) showed early selection and maintenance of disgust faces relative to neutral faces as indicated by the N2pc and CDA components. Nonanxious controls (n = 22) did not show these biases. During self-focus cues, controls showed marginal evidence of biased selection for disgust faces, whereas socially anxious subjects showed no bias in this condition. Controls showed an ipsilateral delay activity after being cued to attend to one hemifield. Overall, this study supports early and persistent attentional bias for social threat in socially anxious individuals. Furthermore, self-focus may disrupt these biases. These findings and supplementary data are discussed in light of cognitive models of social anxiety disorder, recent empirical findings, and treatment.

  5. Hyperfocusing of attention on goal-related information in schizophrenia: Evidence from electrophysiology

    PubMed Central

    Sawaki, Risa; Kreither, Johanna; Leonard, Carly J.; Kaiser, Samuel T.; Hahn, Britta; Gold, James M.; Luck, Steven J.

    2016-01-01

    Schizophrenia clearly involves impairments of attention, but the precise nature of these impairments has been difficult to determine. One possibility is that the deficit in attention is a secondary consequence of a deficit in goal maintenance. However, recent research suggests that people with schizophrenia (PSZ) actually focus attention more strongly on objects containing goal-relevant features. To test these competing hypotheses, we recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) from PSZ (N = 20) and healthy control subjects (HCS, N = 20) while they looked for a particular target color at fixation and tried to ignore lateral distractors that sometimes matched the target color (target-color distractors). Goal maintenance was made trivially easy by the continual presentation of a goal reminder. We found that HCS were able to successfully suppress target-color distractors (leading to a PD ERP component), whereas PSZ focused attention on these items (leading to an N2pc ERP component). This suggests that, when maintaining a task set, PSZ engage in aberrant focusing of attention, or hyperfocusing, onto goal-relevant features. PMID:27709980

  6. Framing attention in Japanese and american comics: cross-cultural differences in attentional structure.

    PubMed

    Cohn, Neil; Taylor-Weiner, Amaro; Grossman, Suzanne

    2012-01-01

    Research on visual attention has shown that Americans tend to focus more on focal objects of a scene while Asians attend to the surrounding environment. The panels of comic books - the narrative frames in sequential images - highlight aspects of a scene comparably to how attention becomes focused on parts of a spatial array. Thus, we compared panels from American and Japanese comics to explore cross-cultural cognition beyond behavioral experimentation by looking at the expressive mediums produced by individuals from these cultures. This study compared the panels of two genres of American comics (Independent and Mainstream comics) with mainstream Japanese "manga" to examine how different cultures and genres direct attention through the framing of figures and scenes in comic panels. Both genres of American comics focused on whole scenes as much as individual characters, while Japanese manga individuated characters and parts of scenes. We argue that this framing of space from American and Japanese comic books simulate a viewer's integration of a visual scene, and is consistent with the research showing cross-cultural differences in the direction of attention.

  7. Hyperfocusing of attention on goal-related information in schizophrenia: Evidence from electrophysiology.

    PubMed

    Sawaki, Risa; Kreither, Johanna; Leonard, Carly J; Kaiser, Samuel T; Hahn, Britta; Gold, James M; Luck, Steven J

    2017-01-01

    Schizophrenia clearly involves impairments of attention, but the precise nature of these impairments has been difficult to determine. One possibility is that the deficit in attention is a secondary consequence of a deficit in goal maintenance. However, recent research suggests that people with schizophrenia (PSZ) actually focus attention more strongly on objects containing goal-relevant features. To test these competing hypotheses, we recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) from PSZ (N = 20) and healthy control subjects (HCS; N = 20) while they looked for a particular target color at fixation and tried to ignore lateral distractors that sometimes matched the target color (target-color distractors). Goal maintenance was made trivially easy by the continual presentation of a goal reminder. We found that HCS were able to successfully suppress target-color distractors (leading to a distractor positivity ERP component), whereas PSZ focused attention on these items (leading to an N2-posterior-contralateral ERP component). This suggests that, when maintaining a task set, PSZ engage in aberrant focusing of attention, or hyperfocusing, on goal-relevant features. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  8. Using spatial uncertainty to manipulate the size of the attention focus.

    PubMed

    Huang, Dan; Xue, Linyan; Wang, Xin; Chen, Yao

    2016-09-01

    Preferentially processing behaviorally relevant information is vital for primate survival. In visuospatial attention studies, manipulating the spatial extent of attention focus is an important question. Although many studies have claimed to successfully adjust attention field size by either varying the uncertainty about the target location (spatial uncertainty) or adjusting the size of the cue orienting the attention focus, no systematic studies have assessed and compared the effectiveness of these methods. We used a multiple cue paradigm with 2.5° and 7.5° rings centered around a target position to measure the cue size effect, while the spatial uncertainty levels were manipulated by changing the number of cueing positions. We found that spatial uncertainty had a significant impact on reaction time during target detection, while the cue size effect was less robust. We also carefully varied the spatial scope of potential target locations within a small or large region and found that this amount of variation in spatial uncertainty can also significantly influence target detection speed. Our results indicate that adjusting spatial uncertainty is more effective than varying cue size when manipulating attention field size.

  9. Framing Attention in Japanese and American Comics: Cross-Cultural Differences in Attentional Structure

    PubMed Central

    Cohn, Neil; Taylor-Weiner, Amaro; Grossman, Suzanne

    2012-01-01

    Research on visual attention has shown that Americans tend to focus more on focal objects of a scene while Asians attend to the surrounding environment. The panels of comic books – the narrative frames in sequential images – highlight aspects of a scene comparably to how attention becomes focused on parts of a spatial array. Thus, we compared panels from American and Japanese comics to explore cross-cultural cognition beyond behavioral experimentation by looking at the expressive mediums produced by individuals from these cultures. This study compared the panels of two genres of American comics (Independent and Mainstream comics) with mainstream Japanese “manga” to examine how different cultures and genres direct attention through the framing of figures and scenes in comic panels. Both genres of American comics focused on whole scenes as much as individual characters, while Japanese manga individuated characters and parts of scenes. We argue that this framing of space from American and Japanese comic books simulate a viewer’s integration of a visual scene, and is consistent with the research showing cross-cultural differences in the direction of attention. PMID:23015794

  10. The effects of sequential attention shifts within visual working memory

    PubMed Central

    Li, Qi; Saiki, Jun

    2014-01-01

    Previous studies have shown conflicting data as to whether it is possible to sequentially shift spatial attention among visual working memory (VWM) representations. The present study investigated this issue by asynchronously presenting attentional cues during the retention interval of a change detection task. In particular, we focused on two types of sequential attention shifts: (1) orienting attention to one location, and then withdrawing attention from it, and (2) switching the focus of attention from one location to another. In Experiment 1, a withdrawal cue was presented after a spatial retro-cue to measure the effect of withdrawing attention. The withdrawal cue significantly reduced the cost of invalid spatial cues, but surprisingly, did not attenuate the benefit of valid spatial cues. This indicates that the withdrawal cue only triggered the activation of facilitative components but not inhibitory components of attention. In Experiment 2, two spatial retro-cues were presented successively to examine the effect of switching the focus of attention. We observed equivalent benefits of the first and second spatial cues, suggesting that participants were able to reorient attention from one location to another within VWM, and the reallocation of attention did not attenuate memory at the first-cued location. In Experiment 3, we found that reducing the validity of the preceding spatial cue did lead to a significant reduction in its benefit. However, performance was still better at first-cued locations than at uncued and neutral locations, indicating that the first cue benefit might have been preserved both partially under automatic control and partially under voluntary control. Our findings revealed new properties of dynamic attentional control in VWM maintenance. PMID:25237306

  11. Accessing Information in Working Memory: Can the Focus of Attention Grasp Two Elements at the Same Time?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oberauer, Klaus; Bialkova, Svetlana

    2009-01-01

    Processing information in working memory requires selective access to a subset of working-memory contents by a focus of attention. Complex cognition often requires joint access to 2 items in working memory. How does the focus select 2 items? Two experiments with an arithmetic task and 1 with a spatial task investigate time demands for successive…

  12. Is the Focus of Attention in Working Memory Expanded Through Practice?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oberauer, Klaus

    2006-01-01

    This article reinvestigates the claim by P. Verhaeghen, J. Cerella, and C. Basak (2004) that the focus of attention in working memory can be expanded from 1 to 4 items through practice. Using a modified version of Verhaeghen et al.'s n-back paradigm, Experiments 1 and 3 show that a signature of a one-item focus, the time cost for switching between…

  13. Eye movement evidence for defocused attention in dysphoria--a perceptual span analysis.

    PubMed

    Brzezicka, Aneta; Krejtz, Izabela; von Hecker, Ulrich; Laubrock, Jochen

    2012-07-01

    The defocused attention hypothesis (von Hecker and Meiser, 2005) assumes that negative mood broadens attention, whereas the analytical rumination hypothesis (Andrews and Thompson, 2009) suggests a narrowing of the attentional focus with depression. We tested these conflicting hypotheses by directly measuring the perceptual span in groups of dysphoric and control subjects, using eye tracking. In the moving window paradigm, information outside of a variable-width gaze-contingent window was masked during reading of sentences. In measures of sentence reading time and mean fixation duration, dysphoric subjects were more pronouncedly affected than controls by a reduced window size. This difference supports the defocused attention hypothesis and seems hard to reconcile with a narrowing of attentional focus. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Toward a New Philosophical Anthropology of Education: Fuller Considerations of Social Constructivism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fleury, Stephen; Garrison, Jim

    2014-01-01

    Philosophical anthropology is philosophical inquiry into human nature that seeks to answer the fundamental question of what generally characterizes human beings and differentiates them from other creatures and things. Political theories considerably influence educational theories. We call attention to the fact that the three main political…

  15. A Qualitative Examination of Ethical and Legal Considerations Regarding Dating Violence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sikes, April; Walley, Cynthia; Hays, Danica G.

    2012-01-01

    Despite the increased attention to dating violence among adolescents and young adults, limited information is available on ethical and legal considerations specific to this population. Therefore, this qualitative study explores 21 trainees' and practitioners' conceptualization of ethical and legal issues pertaining to adolescent dating violence.…

  16. Interfacial contributions in lignocellulosic fiber-reinforced polyurethane composites

    Treesearch

    Timothy G. Rials; Michael P. Wolcott; John M. Nassar

    2001-01-01

    Whereas lignocellulosic fibers have received considerable attention as a rein- forcing agent in thermoplastic composites, their applicability to reactive polymer systems remains of considerable interest. The hydroxyl-rich nature of natural lignocellulosic fibers suggests that they are particularly useful in thermosetting systems such as polyurethanes. To further this...

  17. Ethical Considerations in Filing Personal Bankruptcy: A Hypothetical Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Landry, Robert J., III

    2012-01-01

    A great deal of research by legal studies scholars pertains to employment law, international law, and corporate governance, as well as other fields including ethics and international law. The fields typically addressed are very important and rightfully receive considerable attention in the scholarship and textbooks. However, bankruptcy as a…

  18. Considerations and Strategies for Teaching Online Counseling Skills: Establishing Relationships in Cyberspace

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trepal, Heather; Haberstroh, Shane; Duffey, Thelma; Evans, Marcheta

    2007-01-01

    As technology advances and the use of online counseling becomes more routine, attention must be paid to instruction regarding online counseling skills. The authors present considerations for teaching basic online counseling skills to master's-level counseling students. Recommendations are made for helping students to establish and maintain…

  19. Optical design and performance of F-Theta lenses for high-power and high-precision applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yurevich, V. I.; Grimm, V. A.; Afonyushkin, A. A.; Yudin, K. V.; Gorny, S. G.

    2015-09-01

    F-Theta lenses are widely used in remote laser processing. Nowadays, a large variety of scanning systems utilizing these devices are commercially available. In this paper, we demonstrate that all practical issues lose their triviality in designing high-performance F-Theta scanning systems. Laser power scaling requires attention to thermally-induced phenomena and ghost reflections. This requirement considerably complicates optimization of the optical configuration of the system and primary aberration correction, even during preliminary design. Obtaining high positioning accuracy requires taking into consideration all probable reasons for processing field distortion. We briefly describe the key engineering relationships and invariants as well as the typical design of a scanner lens and the main field-flattening techniques. Specific emphasis is directed to consideration of the fundamental nonlinearity of two-mirror scanners. To the best of our knowledge, this issue has not been yet studied. We also demonstrate the benefits of our F-Theta lens optimization technique, which uses a plurality of entrance pupils. The problems of eliminating focused ghost reflections and the effects of thermally-induced processes in high-power F-Theta lenses are considered. A set of multi-path 3D processing and laser cutting experiments were conducted and are presented herein to demonstrate the impact of laser beam degradation on the process performance. A selection of our non-standard optical designs is presented.

  20. Nonconscious processes and health.

    PubMed

    Sheeran, Paschal; Gollwitzer, Peter M; Bargh, John A

    2013-05-01

    Health behavior theories focus on the role of conscious, reflective factors (e.g., behavioral intentions, risk perceptions) in predicting and changing behavior. Dual-process models, on the other hand, propose that health actions are guided not only by a conscious, reflective, rule-based system but also by a nonconscious, impulsive, associative system. This article argues that research on health decisions, actions, and outcomes will be enriched by greater consideration of nonconscious processes. A narrative review is presented that delineates research on implicit cognition, implicit affect, and implicit motivation. In each case, we describe the key ideas, how they have been taken up in health psychology, and the possibilities for behavior change interventions, before outlining directions that might profitably be taken in future research. Correlational research on implicit cognitive and affective processes (attentional bias and implicit attitudes) has recently been supplemented by intervention studies using implementation intentions and practice-based training that show promising effects. Studies of implicit motivation (health goal priming) have also observed encouraging findings. There is considerable scope for further investigations of implicit affect control, unconscious thought, and the automatization of striving for health goals. Research on nonconscious processes holds significant potential that can and should be developed by health psychologists. Consideration of impulsive as well as reflective processes will engender new targets for intervention and should ultimately enhance the effectiveness of behavior change efforts. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

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