Distributive Education: Secondary, Course Outline. Revised 1972.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington State Coordinating Council for Occupational Education, Olympia.

The document is a revision of earlier units, updated to include behavioral or performance objectives. Divided into 22 units of instruction, the course outline for distributive education presents suggested length of time for each part of a unit, prerequisites, a description of the part, objectives, sources, outline for the section, activities,…

Health Occupations Education: Medical Assistant.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sloan, Jamee Reid

These medical assistant instructional materials include 28 instructional units organized into sections covering orientation; anatomy and physiology, related disorders, disease, and skills; office practices; and clinical practices. Each unit includes eight basic components: performance objectives, suggested activities for teachers, information…

Strategies Unlimited.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blaga, Jeff; And Others

Designed primarily for teachers of students in grades 7-12, the document presents over 60 social studies teaching strategies and lesson plans. Each lesson includes an overview, grade level information, suggested course/subject matter uses, objectives, suggested materials, student materials, and an instructional plan. Lesson topics fall into the…

Mechanisms of object recognition: what we have learned from pigeons

PubMed Central

Soto, Fabian A.; Wasserman, Edward A.

2014-01-01

Behavioral studies of object recognition in pigeons have been conducted for 50 years, yielding a large body of data. Recent work has been directed toward synthesizing this evidence and understanding the visual, associative, and cognitive mechanisms that are involved. The outcome is that pigeons are likely to be the non-primate species for which the computational mechanisms of object recognition are best understood. Here, we review this research and suggest that a core set of mechanisms for object recognition might be present in all vertebrates, including pigeons and people, making pigeons an excellent candidate model to study the neural mechanisms of object recognition. Behavioral and computational evidence suggests that error-driven learning participates in object category learning by pigeons and people, and recent neuroscientific research suggests that the basal ganglia, which are homologous in these species, may implement error-driven learning of stimulus-response associations. Furthermore, learning of abstract category representations can be observed in pigeons and other vertebrates. Finally, there is evidence that feedforward visual processing, a central mechanism in models of object recognition in the primate ventral stream, plays a role in object recognition by pigeons. We also highlight differences between pigeons and people in object recognition abilities, and propose candidate adaptive specializations which may explain them, such as holistic face processing and rule-based category learning in primates. From a modern comparative perspective, such specializations are to be expected regardless of the model species under study. The fact that we have a good idea of which aspects of object recognition differ in people and pigeons should be seen as an advantage over other animal models. From this perspective, we suggest that there is much to learn about human object recognition from studying the “simple” brains of pigeons. PMID:25352784

Modules in Agricultural Education for Agricultural Production.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Bureau of Occupational and Career Curriculum Development.

Each of the 61 modules in this packet contains a brief description of the module contents, a list of the major division of units, the overall objectives, objectives by units, content outline, and suggested teaching method, student application activities, and evaluation procedures. A list of resource materials is also included for each. Some of the…

Problem-Solving Examples as Interactive Learning Objects for Educational Digital Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brusilovsky, Peter; Yudelson, Michael; Hsiao, I-Han

2009-01-01

The paper analyzes three major problems encountered by our team as we endeavored to turn problem solving examples in the domain of programming into highly reusable educational activities, which could be included as first class objects in various educational digital libraries. It also suggests three specific approaches to resolving these problems,…

Object width modulates object-based attentional selection.

PubMed

Nah, Joseph C; Neppi-Modona, Marco; Strother, Lars; Behrmann, Marlene; Shomstein, Sarah

2018-04-24

Visual input typically includes a myriad of objects, some of which are selected for further processing. While these objects vary in shape and size, most evidence supporting object-based guidance of attention is drawn from paradigms employing two identical objects. Importantly, object size is a readily perceived stimulus dimension, and whether it modulates the distribution of attention remains an open question. Across four experiments, the size of the objects in the display was manipulated in a modified version of the two-rectangle paradigm. In Experiment 1, two identical parallel rectangles of two sizes (thin or thick) were presented. Experiments 2-4 employed identical trapezoids (each having a thin and thick end), inverted in orientation. In the experiments, one end of an object was cued and participants performed either a T/L discrimination or a simple target-detection task. Combined results show that, in addition to the standard object-based attentional advantage, there was a further attentional benefit for processing information contained in the thick versus thin end of objects. Additionally, eye-tracking measures demonstrated increased saccade precision towards thick object ends, suggesting that Fitts's Law may play a role in object-based attentional shifts. Taken together, these results suggest that object-based attentional selection is modulated by object width.

Field Lab on the Rocks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, David T., Jr.; Abbott-King, Janet P.

1985-01-01

Advocates taking students on field trips to highway roadcuts to illustrate various geological principles. Photographs of three roadcuts (with sample objectives and questions/answers for students to answer) are included. Also included are suggestions for preparation, safety, and activities during such field trips. (DH)

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Epigenetics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grafodatskaya, Daria; Chung, Brian; Szatmari, Peter; Weksberg, Rosanna

2010-01-01

Objective: Current research suggests that the causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are multifactorial and include both genetic and environmental factors. Several lines of evidence suggest that epigenetics also plays an important role in ASD etiology and that it might, in fact, integrate genetic and environmental influences to dysregulate…

Science at Your Fingertips.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillespie, D. Craig

1984-01-01

Offers various strategies in which students use fingerprints to help sharpen their science process skills. Includes directions for making fingerprints using just ink and paper and suggestions for additional activities. These include making "prints" from other body parts and from such objects as automobile tires. (JN)

Owning and Operating a Small Business. Strategies for Teaching Small Business Ownership and Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Robert E.; And Others

To aid the teacher in providing instruction in small business ownership and management for students at the secondary, adult, continuing education, or community college levels, this curriculum guide contains 14 units, each consisting of introduction, objectives, content, and suggested activities. Suggested activities include projects, group…

Design of Learning Objects for Concept Learning: Effects of Multimedia Learning Principles and an Instructional Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiu, Thomas K. F.; Churchill, Daniel

2016-01-01

Literature suggests using multimedia learning principles in the design of instructional material. However, these principles may not be sufficient for the design of learning objects for concept learning in mathematics. This paper reports on an experimental study that investigated the effects of an instructional approach, which includes two teaching…

Computer Processing 10-20-30. Teacher's Manual. Senior High School Teacher Resource Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Mel; Lautt, Ray

Designed to help teachers meet the program objectives for the computer processing curriculum for senior high schools in the province of Alberta, Canada, this resource manual includes the following sections: (1) program objectives; (2) a flowchart of curriculum modules; (3) suggestions for short- and long-range planning; (4) sample lesson plans;…

Fun Food Experiences for Preschool Children with Handicaps.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosiman, Joyce; And Others

The manual includes lesson plans and suggestions for introducting handicapped children to good nutrition through enjoyable activities. Special considerations for specific types of handicaps are briefly noted (including safety considerations for children with physical disabilities). Each lesson is organized according to purpose, teacher objectives,…

Automotive Emission Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Billy D.; Ragazzi, Ronald

This guide designed to assist teachers in improving instruction in the area of automotive emission control curriculum includes four areas. Each area consists of one or more units of instruction, with each instructional unit including some or all of the following basic components: Performance objectives, suggested activities for teacher and…

Enhancing Negotiation Skills Using Foreign Service Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Opt, Susan

2017-01-01

Courses: Conflict communication, negotiation, small group. Objective: This activity will enhance students' awareness and critique of their own negotiation behaviors. A list of references and suggested readings is included.

Space-Based but not Object-Based Inhibition of Return is Impaired in Parkinson's Disease

PubMed Central

Possin, Katherine L.; Filoteo, J. Vincent; Song, David D.; Salmon, David P.

2009-01-01

Impairments in certain aspects of attention have frequently been reported in Parkinson's disease (PD), including reduced inhibition of return (IOR). Recent evidence suggests that IOR can occur when attention is directed at objects or locations, but previous investigations of IOR in PD have not systematically compared these two frames of reference. The present study compared the performance of 18 nondemented patients with PD and 18 normal controls on an IOR task with two conditions. In the “object-present” condition, objects surrounded the cues and targets so that attention was cued to both a spatial location and to a specific object. In the “object-absent” condition, surrounding objects were not presented so that attention was cued only to a spatial location. When participants had to rely on space-based cues, PD patients demonstrated reduced IOR compared to controls. In contrast, when objects were present in the display and participants could use object-based cues, PD patients exhibited normal IOR. These results suggest that PD patients are impaired in inhibitory aspects of space-based attention, but are able to overcome this impairment when their attention can be directed at object-based frames of reference. This dissociation supports the view that space-based and object-based components of attention involve distinct neurocognitive processes. PMID:19397864

Space-based but not object-based inhibition of return is impaired in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Possin, Katherine L; Filoteo, J Vincent; Song, David D; Salmon, David P

2009-06-01

Impairments in certain aspects of attention have frequently been reported in Parkinson's disease (PD), including reduced inhibition of return (IOR). Recent evidence suggests that IOR can occur when attention is directed at objects or locations, but previous investigations of IOR in PD have not systematically compared these two frames of reference. The present study compared the performance of 18 nondemented patients with PD and 18 normal controls on an IOR task with two conditions. In the "object-present" condition, objects surrounded the cues and targets so that attention was cued to both a spatial location and to a specific object. In the "object-absent" condition, surrounding objects were not presented so that attention was cued only to a spatial location. When participants had to rely on space-based cues, PD patients demonstrated reduced IOR compared to controls. In contrast, when objects were present in the display and participants could use object-based cues, PD patients exhibited normal IOR. These results suggest that PD patients are impaired in inhibitory aspects of space-based attention, but are able to overcome this impairment when their attention can be directed at object-based frames of reference. This dissociation supports the view that space-based and object-based components of attention involve distinct neurocognitive processes.

Snowmobile Repair.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helbling, Wayne

This guide is designed to provide and/or improve instruction for occupational training in the area of snowmobile repair, and includes eight areas. Each area consists of one or more units of instruction, with each instructional unit including some or all of the following basic components: Performance objectives, suggested activities for teacher and…

The Teaching of Electromagnetic Induction at Sixth Form Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archenhold, W. F.

1974-01-01

Presents some ideas about teaching electromagnetic induction at sixth form level, including educational objectives, learning difficulties, syllabus requirements, selection of unit system, and sequence of material presentation. Suggests the Education Group of the Institute of Physics hold further discussions on these aspects before including the…

Typewriting for Business Education Departments in Pennsylvania's Public Schools. Final Report. Bulletin 275 (Revised).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leffingwell, Elsie L.; McKune, Mary B.

The purposes of this guidebook for secondary typewriting teachers are to provide information about common typewriting problems, to suggest alternative teaching strategies, and to explore new areas of concern. Contents include suggested performance objectives for the first and second year of typewriting instruction at the secondary level;…

Consumer Education. An Introductory Unit for Inmates in Penal Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmoele, Henry H.; And Others

This introductory consumer education curriculum outline contains materials designed to help soon-to-be-released prisoners to develop an awareness of consumer concerns and to better manage their family lives. Each of the four units provided includes lesson objectives, suggested contents, suggested teaching methods, handouts, and tests. The unit on…

Auditory Outcomes with Hearing Rehabilitation in Children with Unilateral Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Appachi, Swathi; Specht, Jessica L; Raol, Nikhila; Lieu, Judith E C; Cohen, Michael S; Dedhia, Kavita; Anne, Samantha

2017-10-01

Objective Options for management of unilateral hearing loss (UHL) in children include conventional hearing aids, bone-conduction hearing devices, contralateral routing of signal (CROS) aids, and frequency-modulating (FM) systems. The objective of this study was to systematically review the current literature to characterize auditory outcomes of hearing rehabilitation options in UHL. Data Sources PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to January 2016. Manual searches of bibliographies were also performed. Review Methods Studies analyzing auditory outcomes of hearing amplification in children with UHL were included. Outcome measures included functional and objective auditory results. Two independent reviewers evaluated each abstract and article. Results Of the 249 articles identified, 12 met inclusion criteria. Seven articles solely focused on outcomes with bone-conduction hearing devices. Outcomes favored improved pure-tone averages, speech recognition thresholds, and sound localization in implanted patients. Five studies focused on FM systems, conventional hearing aids, or CROS hearing aids. Limited data are available but suggest a trend toward improvement in speech perception with hearing aids. FM systems were shown to have the most benefit for speech recognition in noise. Studies evaluating CROS hearing aids demonstrated variable outcomes. Conclusions Data evaluating functional and objective auditory measures following hearing amplification in children with UHL are limited. Most studies do suggest improvement in speech perception, speech recognition in noise, and sound localization with a hearing rehabilitation device.

Juggling land retirement objectives on an agricultural landscape: coordination, conflict, or compromise?

PubMed

Marshall, Elizabeth P; Homans, Frances R

2006-07-01

Strategic land retirement in agricultural settings has been used as one way to achieve a combination of social objectives, which include ameliorating water quality problems and enhancing existing systems of wildlife habitat. This study uses a simulation model operating on a virtual landscape, along with the compromise programming method, to illustrate the implications of alternative weighting schemes for the long-term performance of the landscape toward various objectives. The analysis suggests that particular spatial patterns may be related to how various objectives are weighted. The analysis also illustrates the inevitable trade-offs among objectives, although it may be tempting to present retirement strategies as "win-win."

A neurophysiologically plausible population code model for feature integration explains visual crowding.

PubMed

van den Berg, Ronald; Roerdink, Jos B T M; Cornelissen, Frans W

2010-01-22

An object in the peripheral visual field is more difficult to recognize when surrounded by other objects. This phenomenon is called "crowding". Crowding places a fundamental constraint on human vision that limits performance on numerous tasks. It has been suggested that crowding results from spatial feature integration necessary for object recognition. However, in the absence of convincing models, this theory has remained controversial. Here, we present a quantitative and physiologically plausible model for spatial integration of orientation signals, based on the principles of population coding. Using simulations, we demonstrate that this model coherently accounts for fundamental properties of crowding, including critical spacing, "compulsory averaging", and a foveal-peripheral anisotropy. Moreover, we show that the model predicts increased responses to correlated visual stimuli. Altogether, these results suggest that crowding has little immediate bearing on object recognition but is a by-product of a general, elementary integration mechanism in early vision aimed at improving signal quality.

Introduction to Surgical Technology. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bushey, Vicki; And Others

This instructor's manual contains 14 units of instruction for a course on surgical technology designed to include the entry-level competencies students need to enter any of the more advanced surgical technology courses. Each unit includes some or all of the following basic components of a unit of instruction: objective sheet, suggested activities…

Banking Services, Business Education: 7713.15.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffee, Alice

This course in banking intends to give students an insight into the personal and business services that banks provide. It includes instruction on savings and checking accounts, loans, trusts, and safety deposit facilities. Also included are the performance objectives, five pages of an outline on course content, suggested teaching and learning…

Simulated Real-Life Experiences Using Classified Ads in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hechler, Ellen

This guide contains activities to help teachers give middle school students experience in practical life skills. Techniques include role playing and using classified advertisements from newspapers. The five lessons include teacher tips on conducting the activities. Lessons contain objectives, materials needed, discussion, and suggested dialogue.…

Surgical Techniques. Second Edition. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bushey, Vicki; And Others

This instructor's manual contains 18 units of instruction for a course on surgical technology designed to include the entry-level competencies students need as a surgical technologist. Each unit includes some or all of the following basic components of a unit of instruction: objective sheet, suggested activities for the teacher, assignment sheets…

Geometry in Nature: Patterns. Environmental Module for Use in a Mathematics Laboratory Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trojan, Arthur; And Others

This module, designed to help students find and identify various geometric shapes and solids, contains 26 worksheets. Topics covered by these worksheets include: identification and grouping of objects with particular patterns, work with pentagons, hexagons, spirals, and symmetry. Teaching suggestions are included. (MK)

Multivariate fMRI and Eye Tracking Reveal Differential Effects of Visual Interference on Recognition Memory Judgments for Objects and Scenes.

PubMed

O'Neil, Edward B; Watson, Hilary C; Dhillon, Sonya; Lobaugh, Nancy J; Lee, Andy C H

2015-09-01

Recent work has demonstrated that the perirhinal cortex (PRC) supports conjunctive object representations that aid object recognition memory following visual object interference. It is unclear, however, how these representations interact with other brain regions implicated in mnemonic retrieval and how congruent and incongruent interference influences the processing of targets and foils during object recognition. To address this, multivariate partial least squares was applied to fMRI data acquired during an interference match-to-sample task, in which participants made object or scene recognition judgments after object or scene interference. This revealed a pattern of activity sensitive to object recognition following congruent (i.e., object) interference that included PRC, prefrontal, and parietal regions. Moreover, functional connectivity analysis revealed a common pattern of PRC connectivity across interference and recognition conditions. Examination of eye movements during the same task in a separate study revealed that participants gazed more at targets than foils during correct object recognition decisions, regardless of interference congruency. By contrast, participants viewed foils more than targets for incorrect object memory judgments, but only after congruent interference. Our findings suggest that congruent interference makes object foils appear familiar and that a network of regions, including PRC, is recruited to overcome the effects of interference.

Smell, Touch, Listen, Look--Kids Learn, Kids Cook: A Nutrition Education Workshop for Day Care Personnel.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herr, Judith; And Others

This collection of nutrition education materials is designed for use in inservice training workshops for day care personnel. The document includes a listing of good nutrition concepts, suggestions for cooking in the classroom, meal planning ideas, lesson plan forms and objectives, suggestions for involving parents in nutrition education, and…

The Role of Beliefs about the Importance of Social Skills in Elementary Children's Social Behaviors and School Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwon, Kyongboon; Kim, Elizabeth Moorman; Sheridan, Susan M.

2014-01-01

Background: Positive attitudes toward school have been suggested as a meaningful indicator of school engagement among elementary children. The current study was guided by a social cognitive developmental perspective which suggests that social cognitions, including beliefs, play an important role in children's adjustment outcomes. Objective: The…

Prenatal androgen exposure alters girls' responses to information indicating gender-appropriate behaviour

PubMed Central

Hines, Melissa; Pasterski, Vickie; Spencer, Debra; Neufeld, Sharon; Patalay, Praveetha; Hindmarsh, Peter C.; Hughes, Ieuan A.; Acerini, Carlo L.

2016-01-01

Individual variability in human gender-related behaviour is influenced by many factors, including androgen exposure prenatally, as well as self-socialization and socialization by others postnatally. Many studies have looked at these types of influences in isolation, but little is known about how they work together. Here, we report that girls exposed to high concentrations of androgens prenatally, because they have the genetic condition congenital adrenal hyperplasia, show changes in processes related to self-socialization of gender-related behaviour. Specifically, they are less responsive than other girls to information that particular objects are for girls and they show reduced imitation of female models choosing particular objects. These findings suggest that prenatal androgen exposure may influence subsequent gender-related behaviours, including object (toy) choices, in part by changing processes involved in the self-socialization of gendered behaviour, rather than only by inducing permanent changes in the brain during early development. In addition, the findings suggest that some of the behavioural effects of prenatal androgen exposure might be subject to alteration by postnatal socialization processes. The findings also suggest a previously unknown influence of early androgen exposure on later processes involved in self-socialization of gender-related behaviour, and thus expand understanding of the developmental systems regulating human gender development. PMID:26833843

Prenatal androgen exposure alters girls' responses to information indicating gender-appropriate behaviour.

PubMed

Hines, Melissa; Pasterski, Vickie; Spencer, Debra; Neufeld, Sharon; Patalay, Praveetha; Hindmarsh, Peter C; Hughes, Ieuan A; Acerini, Carlo L

2016-02-19

Individual variability in human gender-related behaviour is influenced by many factors, including androgen exposure prenatally, as well as self-socialization and socialization by others postnatally. Many studies have looked at these types of influences in isolation, but little is known about how they work together. Here, we report that girls exposed to high concentrations of androgens prenatally, because they have the genetic condition congenital adrenal hyperplasia, show changes in processes related to self-socialization of gender-related behaviour. Specifically, they are less responsive than other girls to information that particular objects are for girls and they show reduced imitation of female models choosing particular objects. These findings suggest that prenatal androgen exposure may influence subsequent gender-related behaviours, including object (toy) choices, in part by changing processes involved in the self-socialization of gendered behaviour, rather than only by inducing permanent changes in the brain during early development. In addition, the findings suggest that some of the behavioural effects of prenatal androgen exposure might be subject to alteration by postnatal socialization processes. The findings also suggest a previously unknown influence of early androgen exposure on later processes involved in self-socialization of gender-related behaviour, and thus expand understanding of the developmental systems regulating human gender development. © 2016 The Author(s).

Placebo-mediated, Naloxone-sensitive suggestibility of short-term memory performance.

PubMed

Stern, Jair; Candia, Victor; Porchet, Roseline I; Krummenacher, Peter; Folkers, Gerd; Schedlowski, Manfred; Ettlin, Dominik A; Schönbächler, Georg

2011-03-01

Physiological studies of placebo-mediated suggestion have been recently performed beyond their traditional clinical context of pain and analgesia. Various neurotransmitter systems and immunological modulators have been used in successful placebo suggestions, including Dopamine, Cholecystokinin and, most extensively, opioids. We adhered to an established conceptual framework of placebo research and used the μ-opioid-antagonist Naloxone to test the applicability of this framework within a cognitive domain (e.g. memory) in healthy volunteers. Healthy men (n=62, age 29, SD=9) were required to perform a task-battery, including standardized and custom-designed memory tasks, to test short-term recall and delayed recognition. Tasks were performed twice, before and after intravenous injection of either NaCl (0.9%) or Naloxone (both 0.15 mg/kg), in a double-blind setting. While one group was given neutral information (S-), the other was told that it might receive a drug with suspected memory-boosting properties (S+). Objective and subjective indexes of memory performance and salivary cortisol (as a stress marker) were recorded during both runs and differences between groups were assessed. Short-term memory recall, but not delayed recognition, was objectively increased after placebo-mediated suggestion in the NaCl-group. Naloxone specifically blocked the suggestion effect without interfering with memory performance. These results were not affected when changes in salivary cortisol levels were considered. No reaction time changes, recorded to uncover unspecific attentional impairment, were seen. Placebo-mediated suggestion produced a training-independent, objective and Naloxone-sensitive increase in memory performance. These results indicate an opioid-mediated placebo effect within a circumscribed cognitive domain in healthy volunteers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From a lunar outpost to Mars - Science, policy and the U.S. Space Exploration Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pilcher, Carl B.

1992-01-01

The technological developments required for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) objectives are discussed in terms of scientific investigation and present U.S. space policy. The results of the 90-Day Study are listed which include explicit suggestions for the successful exploration of the moon and Mars. The Outreach/Synthesis program is described which provides four methods for eliciting ideas, technologies, and research venues for lunar and Martian missions. The results of the studies include 5 scientific objectives such as the relationship between the sun, planetary atmospheres, and climate. The protection of human life from potential extraterrestrial hazards such as radiation is also found to be a key objective of SEI as are the theoretical and practical issues of scientific research.

The association between vitamin K status and knee osteoarthritis features in older adults: the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Vitamin K-dependent proteins, including the mineralization inhibitor matrix-gla protein (MGP), are found in joint tissues including cartilage and bone. Previous studies suggest low vitamin K status is associated with higher osteoarthritis (OA) prevalence and incidence. Objective: To cla...

Zinc and You.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrne, Michael

This unit is one of a group of units written to fit the Certificate of Sixth Year Studies (CSYS) chemistry course, but it could also be used in most Sixth Form courses. It includes: (1) background notes for teachers including answers and a discussion guide; (2) a student copy of objectives and discussion suggestions; (3) background information for…

Face-specific and domain-general visual processing deficits in children with developmental prosopagnosia.

PubMed

Dalrymple, Kirsten A; Elison, Jed T; Duchaine, Brad

2017-02-01

Evidence suggests that face and object recognition depend on distinct neural circuitry within the visual system. Work with adults with developmental prosopagnosia (DP) demonstrates that some individuals have preserved object recognition despite severe face recognition deficits. This face selectivity in adults with DP indicates that face- and object-processing systems can develop independently, but it is unclear at what point in development these mechanisms are separable. Determining when individuals with DP first show dissociations between faces and objects is one means to address this question. In the current study, we investigated face and object processing in six children with DP (5-12-years-old). Each child was assessed with one face perception test, two different face memory tests, and two object memory tests that were matched to the face memory tests in format and difficulty. Scores from the DP children on the matched face and object tasks were compared to within-subject data from age-matched controls. Four of the six DP children, including the 5-year-old, showed evidence of face-specific deficits, while one child appeared to have more general visual-processing deficits. The remaining child had inconsistent results. The presence of face-specific deficits in children with DP suggests that face and object perception depend on dissociable processes in childhood.

Object versus spatial visual mental imagery in patients with schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Aleman, André; de Haan, Edward H.F.; Kahn, René S.

2005-01-01

Objective Recent research has revealed a larger impairment of object perceptual discrimination than of spatial perceptual discrimination in patients with schizophrenia. It has been suggested that mental imagery may share processing systems with perception. We investigated whether patients with schizophrenia would show greater impairment regarding object imagery than spatial imagery. Methods Forty-four patients with schizophrenia and 20 healthy control subjects were tested on a task of object visual mental imagery and on a task of spatial visual mental imagery. Both tasks included a condition in which no imagery was needed for adequate performance, but which was in other respects identical to the imagery condition. This allowed us to adjust for nonspecific differences in individual performance. Results The results revealed a significant difference between patients and controls on the object imagery task (F1,63 = 11.8, p = 0.001) but not on the spatial imagery task (F1,63 = 0.14, p = 0.71). To test for a differential effect, we conducted a 2 (patients v. controls) х 2 (object task v. spatial task) analysis of variance. The interaction term was statistically significant (F1,62 = 5.2, p = 0.026). Conclusions Our findings suggest a differential dysfunction of systems mediating object and spatial visual mental imagery in schizophrenia. PMID:15644999

Implementation of formal learning objectives during a physical medicine and rehabilitation sports medicine rotation.

PubMed

Smith, Jay; Laskowski, Edward R; Newcomer-Aney, Karen L; Thompson, Jeffrey M; Schaefer, Michael P; Morfe, Erasmus G

2005-04-01

To develop and implement formal learning objectives during a physical medicine and rehabilitation sports medicine rotation and characterize resident experiences with the objectives over a 16-mo period. Prospective, including learning objective development, implementation, and postrotation survey. A total of 69 learning objectives were developed by physical medicine and rehabilitation staff physician consensus, including 39 core objectives. Eighteen residents completed 4-wk sports medicine rotations from January 2003 through April 2004. Residents completed an average of 31 total objectives (45%; range, 3-52), of which 24 (62%; range, 3-35) were core. Residents completed the highest percentage of knee (60%), shoulder (57%), and ankle-foot (57%) objectives and reported that objectives related to these areas were most effective to facilitate learning. In general, residents reported that objective content was good and that the objectives delineated important concepts to learn during the rotation. Seventeen of 18 residents indicated that the objectives should be permanently implemented into the sports rotation and that similar objectives should be developed for other rotations. Based on our experience and the recommendations of residents, the average resident should be able to complete approximately 30 objectives during a typical 4-wk rotation. Successful implementation of specific, consensus-derived learning objectives is possible within the context of a busy clinical practice. Our initial physician staff and resident experience with the objectives suggests that this model may be useful as a supplementary educational tool in physical medicine and rehabilitation residency programs.

Perceived barriers to effective implementation of public reporting of hospital performance data in Australia: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Canaway, Rachel; Bismark, Marie; Dunt, David; Kelaher, Margaret

2017-06-07

Public reporting of government funded (public) hospital performance data was mandated in Australia in 2011. Studies suggest some benefit associated with such public reporting, but also considerable scope to improve reporting systems. In 2015, a purposive sample of 41 expert informants were interviewed, representing consumer, provider and purchasers perspectives across Australia's public and private health sectors, to ascertain expert opinion on the utility and impact of public reporting of health service performance. Qualitative data was thematically analysed with a focus on reporting perceived strengths and barriers to public reporting of hospital performance data (PR). Many more weaknesses and barriers to PR were identified than strengths. Barriers were: conceptual (unclear objective, audience and reporting framework); systems-level (including lack of consumer choice, lack of consumer and clinician involvement, jurisdictional barriers, lack of mandate for private sector reporting); technical and resource related (including data complexity, lack of data relevance consistency, rigour); and socio-cultural (including provider resistance to public reporting, poor consumer health literacy, lack of consumer empowerment). Perceptions of the Australian experience of PR highlight important issues in its implementation that can provide lessons for Australia and elsewhere. A considerable weakness of PR in Australia is that the public are often not considered its major audience, resulting in information ineffectually framed to meet the objective of PR informing consumer decision-making about treatment options. Greater alignment is needed between the primary objective of PR, its audience and audience needs; more than one system of PR might be necessary to meet different audience needs and objectives. Further research is required to assess objectively the potency of the barriers to PR suggested by our panel of informants.

Occupational Education for Students with Special Needs: Master Table of Contents for 17-Volume Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nassau County Board of Cooperative Educational Services, Westbury, NY.

This master table of contents provides a comprehensive overview of all seventeen books included in a series of curriculum resource guides for occupational teachers who work with special needs students. Each includes performance objectives and suggested instructional activities for job behaviors and attitudes common to all employment as well as to…

A Neurophysiologically Plausible Population Code Model for Feature Integration Explains Visual Crowding

PubMed Central

van den Berg, Ronald; Roerdink, Jos B. T. M.; Cornelissen, Frans W.

2010-01-01

An object in the peripheral visual field is more difficult to recognize when surrounded by other objects. This phenomenon is called “crowding”. Crowding places a fundamental constraint on human vision that limits performance on numerous tasks. It has been suggested that crowding results from spatial feature integration necessary for object recognition. However, in the absence of convincing models, this theory has remained controversial. Here, we present a quantitative and physiologically plausible model for spatial integration of orientation signals, based on the principles of population coding. Using simulations, we demonstrate that this model coherently accounts for fundamental properties of crowding, including critical spacing, “compulsory averaging”, and a foveal-peripheral anisotropy. Moreover, we show that the model predicts increased responses to correlated visual stimuli. Altogether, these results suggest that crowding has little immediate bearing on object recognition but is a by-product of a general, elementary integration mechanism in early vision aimed at improving signal quality. PMID:20098499

The Relation between Hot Flashes and Ambulatory Blood Pressure: The Hilo Women’s Health Study

PubMed Central

Brown, Daniel E.; Sievert, Lynnette L.; Morrison, Lynn A.; Rahberg, Nichole; Reza, Angela

2011-01-01

Objectives Hot flashes (HFs) have been associated with elevated blood pressure, but studies have not examined the relationship between objectively measured HFs and blood pressure during normal daily activities. The objectives of this study are to examine ambulatory blood pressure (BP) differences between women who report HFs and those who do not, and to observe whether an objectively measured HF is associated with transient changes in BP. Methods A sample of 202 women in Hilo, Hawaii aged 45–55 years were asked to fill out a questionnaire that included demographic information and an inventory of symptoms. The women underwent simultaneous 24-hour monitoring of ambulatory BP and HFs, while keeping a diary that included mood and HF reports. Results No significant difference was present in mean BP between women who reported having a HF during the past 2 weeks and those who did not. When measurements controlled for negative mood reports and posture, there was a highly significant elevation in Z scores of systolic BP when a measured, objective HF occurred within 10 minutes preceding a BP reading, and a significant elevation of Z scores of diastolic BP when a subjectively reported HF occurred within 10 minutes after a BP reading. Conclusions These results suggest that objectively measured HFs precede transient elevations of systolic BP, but it is unclear if there is a causal relationship. These results also suggest that women experience subjective HFs within 10 minutes after a transient increase in diastolic BP. Again, the causal relationship is not understood. PMID:21183716

THE HAWAII INFRARED PARALLAX PROGRAM. II. YOUNG ULTRACOOL FIELD DWARFS

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

Liu, Michael C.; Dupuy, Trent J.; Allers, Katelyn N., E-mail: mliu@ifa.hawaii.edu

We present a large, uniform analysis of young (≈10–150 Myr) ultracool dwarfs, based on new high-precision infrared (IR) parallaxes for 68 objects. We find that low-gravity (vl-g) late-M and L dwarfs form a continuous sequence in IR color–magnitude diagrams, separate from the field population and from current theoretical models. These vl-g objects also appear distinct from young substellar (brown dwarf and exoplanet) companions, suggesting that the two populations may have a different range of physical properties. In contrast, at the L/T transition, young, old, and spectrally peculiar objects all span a relatively narrow range in near-IR absolute magnitudes. At a given spectralmore » type, the IR absolute magnitudes of young objects can be offset from ordinary field dwarfs, with the largest offsets occurring in the Y and J bands for late-M dwarfs (brighter than the field) and mid-/late-L dwarfs (fainter than the field). Overall, low-gravity (vl-g) objects have the most uniform photometric behavior, while intermediate gravity (int-g) objects are more diverse, suggesting a third governing parameter beyond spectral type and gravity class. We examine the moving group membership for all young ultracool dwarfs with parallaxes, changing the status of 23 objects (including 8 previously identified planetary-mass candidates) and fortifying the status of another 28 objects. We use our resulting age-calibrated sample to establish empirical young isochrones and show a declining frequency of vl-g objects relative to int-g objects with increasing age. Notable individual objects in our sample include high-velocity (≳100 km s{sup −1}) int-g objects, very red late-L dwarfs with high surface gravities, candidate disk-bearing members of the MBM20 cloud and β  Pic moving group, and very young distant interlopers. Finally, we provide a comprehensive summary of the absolute magnitudes and spectral classifications of young ultracool dwarfs, using a combined sample of 102 objects found in the field and as substellar companions to young stars.« less

The Field Trip as a Positive Experience for the Learning Disabled.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Charles C., III

1993-01-01

Describes a 12-year program in which learning-disabled students visit an ice cream making company in Providence, RI. Provides instructional objectives and procedures for the activity. Includes suggestions for postactivity discussion and student evaluation. (CFR)

Acid Rain: Activities for Science Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Eric; And Others

1983-01-01

Seven complete secondary/college level acid rain activities are provided. Activities include overview; background information and societal implications; major concepts; student objectives; vocabulary/material lists; procedures; instructional strategies; and questions/discussion and extension suggestions. Activities consider effects of acid rain on…

Proverbs: Worldly Wisdom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meixner, Linda L.

1990-01-01

Offers a two-day lesson plan for secondary literature classes, using biblical proverbs from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Benjamin Franklin's "Poor Richard's Almanac," and anonymous adages. Identifies objectives, materials, procedure, evaluation, and suggests student projects. Includes proverbs for discussion and…

Tracking planets and moons: mechanisms of object tracking revealed with a new paradigm

PubMed Central

Tombu, Michael

2014-01-01

People can attend to and track multiple moving objects over time. Cognitive theories of this ability emphasize location information and differ on the importance of motion information. Results from several experiments have shown that increasing object speed impairs performance, although speed was confounded with other properties such as proximity of objects to one another. Here, we introduce a new paradigm to study multiple object tracking in which object speed and object proximity were manipulated independently. Like the motion of a planet and moon, each target–distractor pair rotated about both a common local point as well as the center of the screen. Tracking performance was strongly affected by object speed even when proximity was controlled. Additional results suggest that two different mechanisms are used in object tracking—one sensitive to speed and proximity and the other sensitive to the number of distractors. These observations support models of object tracking that include information about object motion and reject models that use location alone. PMID:21264704

Tracking planets and moons: mechanisms of object tracking revealed with a new paradigm.

PubMed

Tombu, Michael; Seiffert, Adriane E

2011-04-01

People can attend to and track multiple moving objects over time. Cognitive theories of this ability emphasize location information and differ on the importance of motion information. Results from several experiments have shown that increasing object speed impairs performance, although speed was confounded with other properties such as proximity of objects to one another. Here, we introduce a new paradigm to study multiple object tracking in which object speed and object proximity were manipulated independently. Like the motion of a planet and moon, each target-distractor pair rotated about both a common local point as well as the center of the screen. Tracking performance was strongly affected by object speed even when proximity was controlled. Additional results suggest that two different mechanisms are used in object tracking--one sensitive to speed and proximity and the other sensitive to the number of distractors. These observations support models of object tracking that include information about object motion and reject models that use location alone.

Enhancing the Conceptual Understanding of Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabel, Dorothy

2003-01-01

Describes three levels of understanding science: the phenomena (macroscopic), the particle (microscopic), and the symbolic. Suggests that the objective of science instruction at all levels is conceptual understanding of scientific inquiry. Discusses effective instructional strategies, including analogy, collaborative learning, concept mapping,…

Enhancing Motivation for Learning and Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkhorn, Judith

1988-01-01

Discusses motivation based on adult learning conditions, and suggests appropriate motivation plans for leaders and trainers that will enhance performance. The steps to develop motivation plans include assessing current thinking on motivation and reinforcement options; objectively describing expected behaviors; and developing motivational…

CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR TRAINABLE RETARDED CHILDREN.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webster County Superintendent of Schools Office, Ft. Dodge, IA.

ELIGIBILITY FOR ADMISSION, ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES, AND EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES ARE DISCUSSED. CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE TRAINABLE MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN ARE DESCRIBED, AND DAILY SCHEDULES FOR YOUNGER AND OLDER GROUPS ARE LISTED. TEACHING SUGGESTIONS ARE PRESENTED FOR SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT (INCLUDING SELF-CARE), ECONOMIC USEFULNESS, ACADEMIC…

Knights in White Sneakers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raggio, Susan; Zjawin, Dorothy

1982-01-01

A teaching unit to help students explore daily life during the Middle Ages is presented. Techniques for teaching about the medieval social structure, feudal rights and objectives, living arrangements, agricultural practices, and suggestions for building a replica of a medieval village are included. (PP)

Sentence processing in anterior superior temporal cortex shows a social-emotional bias.

PubMed

Mellem, Monika S; Jasmin, Kyle M; Peng, Cynthia; Martin, Alex

2016-08-01

The anterior region of the left superior temporal gyrus/superior temporal sulcus (aSTG/STS) has been implicated in two very different cognitive functions: sentence processing and social-emotional processing. However, the vast majority of the sentence stimuli in previous reports have been of a social or social-emotional nature suggesting that sentence processing may be confounded with semantic content. To evaluate this possibility we had subjects read word lists that differed in phrase/constituent size (single words, 3-word phrases, 6-word sentences) and semantic content (social-emotional, social, and inanimate objects) while scanned in a 7T environment. This allowed us to investigate if the aSTG/STS responded to increasing constituent structure (with increased activity as a function of constituent size) with or without regard to a specific domain of concepts, i.e., social and/or social-emotional content. Activity in the left aSTG/STS was found to increase with constituent size. This region was also modulated by content, however, such that social-emotional concepts were preferred over social and object stimuli. Reading also induced content type effects in domain-specific semantic regions. Those preferring social-emotional content included aSTG/STS, inferior frontal gyrus, posterior STS, lateral fusiform, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and amygdala, regions included in the "social brain", while those preferring object content included parahippocampal gyrus, retrosplenial cortex, and caudate, regions involved in object processing. These results suggest that semantic content affects higher-level linguistic processing and should be taken into account in future studies. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Object permanence in dogs: invisible displacement in a rotation task.

PubMed

Miller, Holly C; Gipson, Cassie D; Vaughan, Aubrey; Rayburn-Reeves, Rebecca; Zentall, Thomas R

2009-02-01

Dogs were tested for object permanence using an invisible displacement in which an object was hidden in one of two containers at either end of a beam and the beam was rotated. Consistent with earlier research, when the beam was rotated 180 degrees , the dogs failed to find the object. However, when the beam was rotated only 90 degrees , they were successful. Furthermore, when the dogs were led either 90 degrees or 180 degrees around the apparatus, they were also successful. In a control condition, when the dogs could not see the direction of the 90 degrees rotation, they failed to find the object. The results suggest that the 180 degrees rotation may produce an interfering context that can be reduced by rotating the apparatus only 90 degrees or by changing the dogs' perspective. Once the conflict is eliminated, dogs show evidence of object permanence that includes invisibly displaced objects.

Sex and spatial position effects on object location memory following intentional learning of object identities.

PubMed

Alexander, Gerianne M; Packard, Mark G; Peterson, Bradley S

2002-01-01

Memory for object location relative both to veridical center (left versus right visual hemispace) and to eccentricity (central versus peripheral objects) was measured in 26 males and 25 females using the Silverman and Eals Location Memory Task. A subset of participants (17 males and 13 females) also completed a measure of implicit learning, the mirror-tracing task. No sex differences were observed in memory for object identities. Further, in both sexes, memory for object locations was better for peripherally located objects than for centrally located objects. In contrast to these similarities in female and male task performance, females but not males showed better recovery of object locations in the right compared to the left visual hemispace. Moreover, memory for object locations in the right hemispace was associated with mirror-tracing performance in women but not in men. Together, these data suggest that the processing of object features and object identification in the left cerebral hemisphere may include processing of spatial information that may contribute to superior object location memory in females relative to males.

Systematic observation of play behavior in autistic children.

PubMed

Black, M; Freeman, B J; Montgomery, J

1975-12-01

The play behavior, defined as interaction with peers and objects, of five autistic children was systematically observed in four environments, i.e., a stark environment, a theraplay unit, a playroom, and an outside play deck. The preliminary results suggested that (1) with some children environment has little or no effect on their play behavior; (2) with multiple objects, autistic children frequently related to the objects rather than to their peers; (3) object play was most frequently at the manipulative stage and often included repetitive and negative behavior; (4) within a confined space with no objects present, autistic children frequently engaged in solitary repetitive behavior; and (5) within a confined space designed to facilitate a movement flow (theraplay), autistic children modeled and imitated and were involved in gross motor play together.

Electromechanical Technology Secondary Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgia Univ., Athens. Div. of Vocational Education.

This curriculum guide is intended to provide vocational teachers, supervisors, administrators, and counselors with a suggested model for organizing a course in electromechanical technology. Discussed first are the philosophy, purpose, and objectives of the course. Second, course admissions and recruitment procedures are outlined. Included in the…

The Amistad Incident: A Classroom Reenactment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Tedd

1995-01-01

Presents a role-playing activity based on political and legal issues surrounding a mutiny on a Spanish slave ship that landed on U.S. soil in 1839. Includes learning objectives, background information, and role descriptions. Suggests student writing assignments and further research projects. (CFR)

Diuretics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plummer, Nancy; Michael, Nancy, Ed.

This module on diuretics is intended for use in inservice or continuing education programs for persons who administer medications in long-term care facilities. Instructor information, including teaching suggestions, and a listing of recommended audiovisual materials and their sources appear first. The module goal and objectives are then provided.…

Echoes of China.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Pei-lan Li; Chao, Johanna T.; Chao, Yenshew Lynn; Chin, Ai-li S.; Hsieh, Charlotte Sheau-mann; Sun, Paul P.; Swartz, Leslie M.; Wang, Theresa; Wu, Fa Y.

This curriculum guide is developed to accompany 7 Chinese Cultural Heritage kits for use in intermediate and middle school classrooms. The units in this guide may be used with or without the accompanying kits. When appropriate, units include: objectives, introductory information, suggested presentation sequence, activity instruction, evaluation…

Basic Facialist. Teacher Edition. Cosmetology Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Jeanette A.

This Oklahoma curriculum guide contains six units. Each instructional unit includes some or all of these basic components: performance objectives; suggested activities for the teacher; pretest; handouts; information sheets; transparency masters; assignment sheets; job sheets; practical tests; written tests; and answers to pretest, assignment…

Antidiabetic Agents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plummer, Nancy; Michael, Nancy, Ed.

This module on antidiabetic agents is intended for use in inservice or continuing education programs for persons who administer medications in long-term care facilities. Instructor information, including teaching suggestions, and a listing of recommended audiovisual materials and their sources appear first. The module goal and objectives are then…

Introduction to Agricultural Sales and Service. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kauer, Les

This Oklahoma curriculum guide contains 12 units. Each instructional unit includes some or all of these components: performance objectives, suggested activities, basic academic skills taxonomy, handouts, information sheets, supplements, transparency masters, activity sheets, assignment sheets, assignment sheet answers, job sheets, practical tests,…

Multiple Sclerosis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plummer, Nancy; Michael, Nancy, Ed.

This module on multiple sclerosis is intended for use in inservice or continuing education programs for persons who administer medications in long-term care facilities. Instructor information, including teaching suggestions, and a listing of recommended audiovisual materials and their sources appear first. The module goal and objectives are then…

Integration of Examinations and Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehler, Alan H.

1992-01-01

Discusses examinations as the major determinant of student behavior and suggests that no improvement in the effectiveness of biochemistry courses will occur until examinations are so integrated into the educational process that they reinforce educational objectives. Includes discussions on self-education, cooperation between students, and problem…

Antineoplastic Drugs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Sara; Michael, Nancy, Ed.

This module on antineoplastic drugs is intended for use in inservice or continuing education programs for persons who administer medications in long-term care facilities. Instructor information, including teaching suggestions, and a listing of recommended audiovisual materials and their sources appear first. The module goal and objectives are then…

Biomarkers in Prodromal Parkinson Disease: a Qualitative Review.

PubMed

Cooper, Christine A; Chahine, Lama M

2016-11-01

Over the past several years, the concept of prodromal Parkinson disease (PD) has been increasingly recognized. This term refers to individuals who do not fulfill motor diagnostic criteria for PD, but who have clinical, genetic, or biomarker characteristics suggesting risk of developing PD in the future. Clinical diagnosis of prodromal PD has low specificity, prompting the need for objective biomarkers with higher specificity. In this qualitative review, we discuss objectively defined putative biomarkers for PD and prodromal PD. We searched Pubmed and Embase for articles pertaining to objective biomarkers for PD and their application in prodromal cohorts. Articles were selected based on relevance and methodology. Objective biomarkers of demonstrated utility in prodromal PD include ligand-based imaging and transcranial sonography. Development of serum, cerebrospinal fluid, and tissue-based biomarkers is underway, but their application in prodromal PD has yet to meaningfully occur. Combining objective biomarkers with clinical or genetic prodromal features increases the sensitivity and specificity for identifying prodromal PD. Several objective biomarkers for prodromal PD show promise but require further study, including their application to and validation in prodromal cohorts followed longitudinally. Accurate identification of prodromal PD will likely require a multimodal approach. (JINS, 2016, 22, 956-967).

Aging memories: differential decay of episodic memory components.

PubMed

Talamini, Lucia M; Gorree, Eva

2012-05-17

Some memories about events can persist for decades, even a lifetime. However, recent memories incorporate rich sensory information, including knowledge on the spatial and temporal ordering of event features, while old memories typically lack this "filmic" quality. We suggest that this apparent change in the nature of memories may reflect a preferential loss of hippocampus-dependent, configurational information over more cortically based memory components, including memory for individual objects. The current study systematically tests this hypothesis, using a new paradigm that allows the contemporaneous assessment of memory for objects, object pairings, and object-position conjunctions. Retention of each memory component was tested, at multiple intervals, up to 3 mo following encoding. The three memory subtasks adopted the same retrieval paradigm and were matched for initial difficulty. Results show differential decay of the tested episodic memory components, whereby memory for configurational aspects of a scene (objects' co-occurrence and object position) decays faster than memory for featured objects. Interestingly, memory requiring a visually detailed object representation decays at a similar rate as global object recognition, arguing against interpretations based on task difficulty and against the notion that (visual) detail is forgotten preferentially. These findings show that memories undergo qualitative changes as they age. More specifically, event memories become less configurational over time, preferentially losing some of the higher order associations that are dependent on the hippocampus for initial fast encoding. Implications for theories of long-term memory are discussed.

Sex and hemisphere differences when mentally rotating meaningful and meaningless stimuli.

PubMed

Rilea, Stacy L

2008-05-01

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the influence of stimulus type and sex on strategy use and hemispheric processing during the mental rotation task. Participants included 67 right-handed men and women who completed three mental rotation tasks, all presented bilaterally. Participants rotated human stick figures, alphanumeric stimuli, and a two-dimensional (2D) meaningless object. No hemispheric differences were observed when rotating human stick figures, suggesting that men and women may rely on the same strategy. A left hemisphere advantage was observed in women when rotating alphanumeric stimuli, suggesting they may be relying on a verbal strategy, whereas no hemispheric differences were observed for men. Finally, inconsistent with predictions, no hemisphere differences were observed when rotating two-dimensional objects. The findings from the current study suggest that both the meaningfulness and the type of stimulus presented may influence strategy use differently for men and women.

The Katydid system for compiling KEE applications to Ada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Filman, Robert E.; Bock, Conrad; Feldman, Roy

1990-01-01

Components of a system known as Katydid are developed in an effort to compile knowledge-based systems developed in a multimechanism integrated environment (KEE) to Ada. The Katydid core is an Ada library supporting KEE object functionality, and the other elements include a rule compiler, a LISP-to-Ada translator, and a knowledge-base dumper. Katydid employs translation mechanisms that convert LISP knowledge structures and rules to Ada and utilizes basic prototypes of a run-time KEE object-structure library module for Ada. Preliminary results include the semiautomatic compilation of portions of a simple expert system to run in an Ada environment with the described algorithms. It is suggested that Ada can be employed for AI programming and implementation, and the Katydid system is being developed to include concurrency and synchronization mechanisms.

Orbital Evolution and Physical Characteristics of Object "Peggy" at the Edge of Saturn's A Ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, C.; Cooper, N. J.; Noyelles, B.; Renner, S.; Araujo, N.

2016-12-01

Images taken with the Cassini ISS instrument on 2013 April 15 showed the presence of a bright, extended object at the edge of Saturn's A ring. The gravitational signature of the object often appears as a discontinuity in the azimuthal profile of the ring edge and a subsequent analysis revealed that the object (nicknamed "Peggy") was detectable in ISS images as far back as 2012. The morphology of the signature is a function of the orbital phase suggesting that the object has a relative eccentricity or periapse with respect to the surrounding ring material. Tracking the signature allows a determination of the object's semi-major axis and following the initial detection this has varied by as much as 5 km. At no stage has the object been as bright as it was at the time of its discovery, suggesting that a collisional event had recently occurred. Here we report on the latest Cassini ISS observations of "Peggy" and their interpretation. These will include the calculated changes in its semi-major axis since 2013, constraints on its mass based on numerical integrations of its perturbing effect on adjacent ring particles, and what has been learned from a recent 8 h sequence of high resolution ISS images specially designed to track "Peggy" for more than half an orbital period.

Lateral Entorhinal Cortex is Critical for Novel Object-Context Recognition

PubMed Central

Wilson, David IG; Langston, Rosamund F; Schlesiger, Magdalene I; Wagner, Monica; Watanabe, Sakurako; Ainge, James A

2013-01-01

Episodic memory incorporates information about specific events or occasions including spatial locations and the contextual features of the environment in which the event took place. It has been modeled in rats using spontaneous exploration of novel configurations of objects, their locations, and the contexts in which they are presented. While we have a detailed understanding of how spatial location is processed in the brain relatively little is known about where the nonspatial contextual components of episodic memory are processed. Initial experiments measured c-fos expression during an object-context recognition (OCR) task to examine which networks within the brain process contextual features of an event. Increased c-fos expression was found in the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC; a major hippocampal afferent) during OCR relative to control conditions. In a subsequent experiment it was demonstrated that rats with lesions of LEC were unable to recognize object-context associations yet showed normal object recognition and normal context recognition. These data suggest that contextual features of the environment are integrated with object identity in LEC and demonstrate that recognition of such object-context associations requires the LEC. This is consistent with the suggestion that contextual features of an event are processed in LEC and that this information is combined with spatial information from medial entorhinal cortex to form episodic memory in the hippocampus. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:23389958

[Depressive realism: happiness or objectivity].

PubMed

Birinci, Fatih; Dirik, Gülay

2010-01-01

Realism is described as objective evaluations and judgments about the world; however, some research indicates that judgments made by "normal" people include a self-favored, positive bias in the perception of reality. Additionally, some studies report that compared to normal people, such cognitive distortions are less likely among depressive people. These findings gave rise to the depressive realism hypothesis. While results of several studies verify the notion that depressive people evaluate reality more objectively, other studies fail to support this hypothesis. Several causes for these inconsistent findings have been proposed, which can be characterized under 3 headings. One proposed explanation suggests that what is accepted as "realistic" in these studies is not quite objective and is in fact ambiguous. According to another perspective, the term "depressive" used in these studies is inconsistent with the criteria of scientific diagnostic methods. Another suggests that the research results can only be obtained under the specific experimental conditions. General negativity and limited processing are popular approaches used for explaining the depressive realism hypothesis. Nowadays, the debate over this hypothesis continues. The present review focuses on frequently cited research related to depressive realism and discusses the findings.

Children of War. [Lesson Plan].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Discovery Communications, Inc., Bethesda, MD.

This lesson plan presents activities in which students read, analyze, and discuss excerpts from children's war diaries; and create a storyboard for a public service announcement on children's rights in wartime. It includes objectives, materials, procedures, extension activities, excerpts of children's war diaries, suggested readings, and web…

Urinary Tract Infections.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plummer, Nancy; Michael, Nancy, Ed.

This module on urinary tract infections is intended for use in inservice or continuing education programs for persons who administer medications in long-term care facilities. Instructor information, including teaching suggestions, and a listing of recommended audiovisual materials and their sources appear first. The module goal and objectives are…

Electric Calculators; Business Education: 7718.06.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McShane, Jane

The course was developed to instruct students in the use of mechanical and/or electronic printing calculators, electronic display calculators, and rotary calculators to solve special business problems with occupational proficiency. Included in the document are a list of performance objectives, a course content outline, suggested learning…

Australia: An Instructional Unit for Elementary Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duea, Joan; And Others

Designed to provide elementary teachers with materials for the study of Australia, this unit contains 19 lessons that include objectives, materials, procedures, suggested extension activities, and answer keys where needed. Following the 19 lessons are blackline masters for teacher transparencies, student worksheets, and extension activities. A…

TRAHC Folklife Study Guides.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council, Inc., TX.

Each of the seven study guides combined in this packet provides a lesson that includes a reading or descriptive narrative of the topic, along with teaching objectives, questions to consider, and suggested classroom activities. Topics covered are: (1) "Introduction to the Concept of Folklife"; (2) "Southern Gospel Music and…

Geology of Wisconsin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madison Public Schools, WI.

Included are a teacher's guidebook and two filmstrips, "Geology of Wisconsin," and associated materials. The following are described: outline of objectives; suggested use of the filmstrips and guidebook; outline of the filmstrip content; four pages of illustrations suitable for duplication; a test for each filmstrip; and a list of…

The double-edged sword of grandiose narcissism: implications for successful and unsuccessful leadership among U.S. Presidents.

PubMed

Watts, Ashley L; Lilienfeld, Scott O; Smith, Sarah Francis; Miller, Joshua D; Campbell, W Keith; Waldman, Irwin D; Rubenzer, Steven J; Faschingbauer, Thomas J

2013-12-01

Recent research and theorizing suggest that narcissism may predict both positive and negative leadership behaviors. We tested this hypothesis with data on the 42 U.S. presidents up to and including George W. Bush, using (a) expert-derived narcissism estimates, (b) independent historical surveys of presidential performance, and (c) largely or entirely objective indicators of presidential performance. Grandiose, but not vulnerable, narcissism was associated with superior overall greatness in an aggregate poll; it was also positively associated with public persuasiveness, crisis management, agenda setting, and allied behaviors, and with several objective indicators of performance, such as winning the popular vote and initiating legislation. Nevertheless, grandiose narcissism was also associated with several negative outcomes, including congressional impeachment resolutions and unethical behaviors. We found that presidents exhibit elevated levels of grandiose narcissism compared with the general population, and that presidents' grandiose narcissism has been rising over time. Our findings suggest that grandiose narcissism may be a double-edged sword in the leadership domain.

Gist in time: scene semantics and structure enhance recall of searched objects

PubMed Central

Wolfe, Jeremy M.; Võ, Melissa L.-H.

2016-01-01

Previous work has shown that recall of objects that are incidentally encountered as targets in visual search is better than recall of objects that have been intentionally memorized (Draschkow, Wolfe & Võ, 2014). However, this counter-intuitive result is not seen when these tasks are performed with non-scene stimuli. The goal of the current paper is to determine what features of search in a scene contribute to higher recall rates when compared to a memorization task. In each of four experiments, we compare the free recall rate for target objects following a search to the rate following a memorization task. Across the experiments, the stimuli include progressively more scene-related information. Experiment 1 provides the spatial relations between objects. Experiment 2 adds relative size and depth of objects. Experiments 3 and 4 include scene layout and semantic information. We find that search leads to better recall than explicit memorization in cases where scene layout and semantic information are present, as long as the participant has ample time (2500ms) to integrate this information with knowledge about the target object (Exp. 4). These results suggest that the integration of scene and target information not only leads to more efficient search, but can also contribute to stronger memory representations than intentional memorization. PMID:27270227

Gist in time: Scene semantics and structure enhance recall of searched objects.

PubMed

Josephs, Emilie L; Draschkow, Dejan; Wolfe, Jeremy M; Võ, Melissa L-H

2016-09-01

Previous work has shown that recall of objects that are incidentally encountered as targets in visual search is better than recall of objects that have been intentionally memorized (Draschkow, Wolfe, & Võ, 2014). However, this counter-intuitive result is not seen when these tasks are performed with non-scene stimuli. The goal of the current paper is to determine what features of search in a scene contribute to higher recall rates when compared to a memorization task. In each of four experiments, we compare the free recall rate for target objects following a search to the rate following a memorization task. Across the experiments, the stimuli include progressively more scene-related information. Experiment 1 provides the spatial relations between objects. Experiment 2 adds relative size and depth of objects. Experiments 3 and 4 include scene layout and semantic information. We find that search leads to better recall than explicit memorization in cases where scene layout and semantic information are present, as long as the participant has ample time (2500ms) to integrate this information with knowledge about the target object (Exp. 4). These results suggest that the integration of scene and target information not only leads to more efficient search, but can also contribute to stronger memory representations than intentional memorization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sparse aperture 3D passive image sensing and recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daneshpanah, Mehdi

The way we perceive, capture, store, communicate and visualize the world has greatly changed in the past century Novel three dimensional (3D) imaging and display systems are being pursued both in academic and industrial settings. In many cases, these systems have revolutionized traditional approaches and/or enabled new technologies in other disciplines including medical imaging and diagnostics, industrial metrology, entertainment, robotics as well as defense and security. In this dissertation, we focus on novel aspects of sparse aperture multi-view imaging systems and their application in quantum-limited object recognition in two separate parts. In the first part, two concepts are proposed. First a solution is presented that involves a generalized framework for 3D imaging using randomly distributed sparse apertures. Second, a method is suggested to extract the profile of objects in the scene through statistical properties of the reconstructed light field. In both cases, experimental results are presented that demonstrate the feasibility of the techniques. In the second part, the application of 3D imaging systems in sensing and recognition of objects is addressed. In particular, we focus on the scenario in which only 10s of photons reach the sensor from the object of interest, as opposed to hundreds of billions of photons in normal imaging conditions. At this level, the quantum limited behavior of light will dominate and traditional object recognition practices may fail. We suggest a likelihood based object recognition framework that incorporates the physics of sensing at quantum-limited conditions. Sensor dark noise has been modeled and taken into account. This framework is applied to 3D sensing of thermal objects using visible spectrum detectors. Thermal objects as cold as 250K are shown to provide enough signature photons to be sensed and recognized within background and dark noise with mature, visible band, image forming optics and detector arrays. The results suggest that one might not need to venture into exotic and expensive detector arrays and associated optics for sensing room-temperature thermal objects in complete darkness.

Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer Observations of Young Stellar Objects in the Lynds 1509 Dark Cloud in Auriga

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Wilson M.; Padgett, Deborah L.; Terebey, Susan; Angione, John; Rebull, Luisa M.; McCollum, Bruce; Fajardo-Acosta, Sergio; Leisawitz, David

2015-01-01

The Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) has uncovered a striking cluster of young stellar object (YSO) candidates associated with the L1509 dark cloud in Auriga. The WISE observations, at 3.4, 4.6, 12, and 22 microns, show a number of objects with colors consistent with YSOs, and their spectral energy distributions suggest the presence of circumstellar dust emission, including numerous Class I, flat spectrum, and Class II objects. In general, the YSOs in L1509 are much more tightly clustered than YSOs in other dark clouds in the Taurus-Auriga star forming region, with Class I and flat spectrum objects confined to the densest aggregates, and Class II objects more sparsely distributed. We estimate a most probable distance of 485-700 pc, and possibly as far as the previously estimated distance of 2 kpc.

The role of line junctions in object recognition: The case of reading musical notation.

PubMed

Wong, Yetta Kwailing; Wong, Alan C-N

2018-04-30

Previous work has shown that line junctions are informative features for visual perception of objects, letters, and words. However, the sources of such sensitivity and their generalizability to other object categories are largely unclear. We addressed these questions by studying perceptual expertise in reading musical notation, a domain in which individuals with different levels of expertise are readily available. We observed that removing line junctions created by the contact between musical notes and staff lines selectively impaired recognition performance in experts and intermediate readers, but not in novices. The degree of performance impairment was predicted by individual fluency in reading musical notation. Our findings suggest that line junctions provide diagnostic information about object identity across various categories, including musical notation. However, human sensitivity to line junctions does not readily transfer from familiar to unfamiliar object categories, and has to be acquired through perceptual experience with the specific objects.

Communication Arts: A Tentative Curriculum Guide for English 7-12, Basic, Regular, STS, [Advanced], Junior High Speech A & B, Speech I and II, Drama I and II, and Journalism I and II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irving Independent School District, TX.

This guide is intended to be used for instruction in communication skills from the seventh grade through the twelfth. Each section of the guide is identified by grade level and includes instructional objectives, suggestions for introducing and motivating the unit, required material, suggested activities, audiovisual aids, resource materials, and…

An interstellar precursor mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaffe, L. D.; Ivie, C.; Lewis, J. C.; Lipes, R. G.; Norton, H. N.; Stearns, J. W.; Stimpson, L.; Weissman, P.

1977-01-01

A mission out of the planetary system, with launch about the year 2000, could provide valuable scientific data as well as test some of the technology for a later mission to another star. Primary scientific objectives for the precursor mission concern characteristics of the heliopause, the interstellar medium, stellar distances (by parallax measurements), low energy cosmic rays, interplanetary gas distribution, and mass of the solar system. Secondary objectives include investigation of Pluto. Candidate science instruments are suggested. Individual spacecraft systems for the mission were considered, technology requirements and problem areas noted, and a number of recommendations made for technology study and advanced development. The most critical technology needs include attainment of 50-yr spacecraft lifetime and development of a long-life NEP system.

Strengthening syntheses on fire: Increasing their usefulness for managers

Treesearch

Jane Kapler Smith

2015-01-01

A synthesis for fire managers summarizes and interprets a body of information, presents its meaning in an objective, unbiased way, and describes its implications for decisionmakers. Following are suggestions for ways to strengthen syntheses on fire and on other natural resource issues:Include managers, scientists, and...

Comprehensive Small Engine Repair.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hires, Bill; And Others

This curriculum guide contains the basic information needed to repair all two- and four-stroke cycle engines. The curriculum covers four areas, each consisting of one or more units of instruction that include performance objectives, suggested activities for teacher and students, information sheets, assignment sheets, job sheets, visual aids,…

Income Tax. Teacher Edition. Farm Business Management Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This curriculum guide for the Oklahoma Farm Business Management Program contains four instructional units that provide students with the necessary knowledge to complete an accurate income tax return. Each unit of instruction includes some or all of these components: performance objectives, suggested activities for the instructor, information…

Physical Education: Tennis, Physical Fitness, Body-Building.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veilleux, Dave

This unit plan for introducing high school students to the game of tennis is divided into objectives and suggested activities. A listing of resource outlets and retail prices for equipment and audiovisual materials is included. Student evaluation procedures are outlined, and a sample evaluation checklist is provided. (LH)

Marketing Distributive Education. Secondary Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Wally S.; And Others

This curriculum guide is intended to provide vocational teachers, supervisors, administrators, and counselors with a suggested model for organizing a course in general marketing. Discussed first are the philosophy, purpose, and objectives of the course. Second, course admissions and recruitment procedures are outlined. Included in the next three…

Quiet Quincy Quarter. Teacher's Guide [and] Student Materials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zishka, Phyllis

This document suggests learning activities, teaching methods, objectives, and evaluation measures for a second grade consumer education unit on quarters. The unit, which requires approximately six hours of class time, reinforces basic social studies and mathematics skills including following sequences of numbers, distinguishing left from right,…

General Business for Economic Awareness. Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

District of Columbia Public Schools, Washington, DC. Dept. of Career Development.

Designed to assist secondary teachers of general business courses, this guide suggests student objectives, content, and activities as a point of departure for teaching general business particularly, as it relates to economic awareness. Eleven instructional units are included: Business All Around Us; Finding Information; Career Exploration; Money;…

Curriculum Guidelines for Aspects of Oral Pathology for Dental Assisting Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Dental Education, 1987

1987-01-01

Guidelines for structuring an oral pathology curriculum for dental assistants include: a definition of oral pathology; the scope of instruction and relationships with other fields; recommendations for prerequisites; core content in various subfields; specific behavioral objectives; and suggestions for sequencing, faculty, and facilities. (MSE)

Have You Got What It Takes...And Are You Using All You Could?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyer, Hilary

1994-01-01

Suggests ways of using personal computers in special libraries, including online searching; CD-ROM networks; reference work; current awareness services; press cuttings services; selective dissemination of information; local databases; object linking and embedding; cataloging; acquisitions; circulation; serials control; interlibrary loan; space…

"Come to Chimera!" 1978: A Librarian's Planning Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukenbill, Shirley; Lesser, Anita

This handbook, prepared to assist librarians in planning summer reading programs for children, includes suggestions on the following: (1) establishing program goals, objectives, and activities; (2) supplies, resources, and materials needed for the program; (3) sample registration, evaluation, and volunteer recruitment forms; (4) types of publicity…

Basics of Desktop Publishing. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beeby, Ellen

This color-coded teacher's guide contains curriculum materials designed to give students an awareness of various desktop publishing techniques before they determine their computer hardware and software needs. The guide contains six units, each of which includes some or all of the following basic components: objective sheet, suggested activities…

Vocational Agriculture I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Bob; Harp, Keith

These course materials are designed to provide a foundation of basic knowledge in production agriculture as a prelude to further education in vocational agriculture. The guide contains 6 sections and 22 units of instruction. Each unit includes all or most of eight basic components: performance objectives, suggested activities for the teacher,…

Forestry. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This curriculum is designed to provide training in skills used by technicians and foresters throughout the world who plant, care for, and harvest trees. It contains 16 units. Each instructional unit includes some or all of the basic components of a unit of instruction: performance objectives, suggested activities, handouts, information sheets,…

Learn, Grow, Become. TSA Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This revised curriculum guide contains five units that are designed to help students develop an understanding of the mission of the Technology Student Association (TSA). Each unit follows a standard format that includes some or all of these basic components: performance objectives, suggested activities, handouts, information sheets, supplements,…

Tube Feedings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plummer, Nancy

This module on tube feedings is intended for use in inservice or continuing education programs for persons who work in long-term care. Instructor information, including teaching suggestions and a listing of recommended audiovisual materials and their sources appear first. The module goal and objectives are then provided. A brief discussion follows…

Aquaculture. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Susan S.

This color-coded guide was developed to assist teachers in helping interested students plan, build, stock, and run aquaculture facilities of varied sizes. The guide contains 15 instructional units, each of which includes some or all of the following basic components: objective sheet, suggested activities for the teacher, instructor supplements,…

An object memory bias induced by communicative reference.

PubMed

Marno, Hanna; Davelaar, Eddy J; Csibra, Gergely

2016-01-01

In humans, a good proportion of knowledge, including knowledge about objects and object kinds, is acquired via social learning by direct communication from others. If communicative signals raise the expectation of social learning about objects, intrinsic (permanent) features that support object recognition are relevant to store into memory, while extrinsic (accidental) object properties can be ignored. We investigated this hypothesis by instructing participants to memorise shape-colour associations that constituted either an extrinsic object property (the colour of the box that contained the object, Experiment 1) or an intrinsic one (the colour of the object, Experiment 2). Compared to a non-communicative context, communicative presentation of the objects impaired participants' performance when they recalled extrinsic object properties, while their incidental memory of the intrinsic shape-colour associations was not affected. Communicative signals had no effect on performance when the task required the memorisation of intrinsic object properties. The negative effect of communicative reference on the memory of extrinsic properties was also confirmed in Experiment 3, where this property was object location. Such a memory bias suggests that referent objects in communication tend to be seen as representatives of their kind rather than as individuals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Agent And Component Object Framework For Concept Design Modeling Of Mobile Cyber Physical Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-03-01

burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing...data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information . Send comments regarding this...burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information , including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters

Relationship between hot flashes and ambulatory blood pressure: the Hilo women's health study.

PubMed

Brown, Daniel E; Sievert, Lynnette L; Morrison, Lynn A; Rahberg, Nichole; Reza, Angela

2011-01-01

To examine ambulatory blood pressure (BP) differences between women who report hot flashes (HFs) and those who do not, and to observe whether an objectively measured HF is associated with transient changes in BP. HFs have been associated with elevated BP, but studies have not examined the relationship between objectively measured HFs and blood pressure during normal daily activities. A sample of 202 women in Hilo, Hawaii, aged 45 to 55 years, were asked to fill out a questionnaire that included demographic information and an inventory of symptoms. The women underwent simultaneous 24-hour monitoring of ambulatory BP and HFs, at the same time keeping a diary that included mood and HF reports. No significant difference was present in mean BP between women who reported having an HF during the last 2 weeks and those who did not. When measurements controlled for negative mood reports and posture, there was a highly significant elevation in Z scores of systolic BP when a measured, objective HF occurred within 10 minutes before a BP reading, and a significant elevation of Z scores of diastolic BP when a subjectively reported HF occurred within 10 minutes after a BP reading. These results suggest that objectively measured HFs precede transient elevations of systolic BP, but it is unclear if there is a causal relationship. These results also suggest that women experience subjective HFs within 10 minutes after a transient increase in diastolic BP. Again, the causal relationship is not understood.

Children's and adults' reactions to magical and ordinary suggestion: are suggestibility and magical thinking psychologically close relatives?

PubMed

Subbotsky, Eugene

2007-11-01

In Experiment 1, 6- and 9-year-old children and adults were asked to imagine various types of objects. The experimenter then attempted to change the image of those objects in participants' minds by either suggesting that the objects may change against the participants' will, or by asking participants to change the objects as a favor to the experimenter. Two types of suggestive causation were employed: Magical-suggestion (a magic spell was cast with the aim of changing the imagined objects) and ordinary-suggestion (participants were told that the objects in their minds could alter against their will). Ordinary-suggestion was as effective as magical-suggestion in changing the participants' imagined objects. For adults, a direct request for compliance produced a stronger effect than did magical suggestion. This effect was not found in children. In Experiment 2, the two types of suggestion were tested on an alternative type of imagined objects. Adult participants were asked to imagine their futures. It was then proposed that (a) a magic spell could be cast on their futures with the aim of changing them either for the worse or for the better (magical-suggestion), or (b) changing a numerical pattern on a computer screen could change their futures (ordinary-suggestion). All participants denied that changing a numerical pattern on a computer screen could affect their lives, yet in their actions they demonstrated an element of belief in this possibility. As in Experiment 1, in Experiment 2 ordinary suggestion was as effective as magical suggestion. The hypothesis of an historic contiguity between magical causality and ordinary suggestion is discussed.

A Grab Bag of Nature Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Lenore

1993-01-01

Suggested nature activities include (1) sensory experiences to distinguish all characteristics of various objects; (2) adopt-a-tree activities where children learn about "their own" tree; (3) finding evidence of animals in nature; (4) nature questions of the week with prizes for correct answers; and (5) activities related to the…

Training Program for Emergency Medical Technician: Dispatcher. 2--Instructor Lesson Plans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (DOT), Washington, DC.

Intended to assist instructors who wish to conduct a training course for emergency medical technicians (EMTs) serving as dispatchers, this document contains detailed lesson plans organized to structure course presentations. Each lesson plan includes the following elements: unit objectives; suggestions for adapting the lessons to local policies and…

Anhydrous Ammonia Training Module. Trainer's Package. Participant's Package.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaudin, Bart; And Others

This document contains a trainer's and a participant's package for teaching employees on site safe handling procedures for working with anhydrous ammonia, especially on farms. The trainer's package includes the following: a description of the module; a competency; objectives; suggested instructional aids; a training outline (or lesson plan) for…

Teaching Child Health Problems of Developing Countries to European Medical Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farquhar, J. W.; And Others

1976-01-01

A summary of a symposium presented at the Association of Pediatric Education in Europe. Included are a comparison of child health problems in the developed and undeveloped world, discussion of why Third World child health problems should concern European doctors, and suggested aims, objectives, and curriculum. (JT)

Trade Education Syllabus in Graphics Industries Occupations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Bureau of Occupational Education Curriculum Development.

This syllabus provides occupational education teachers in secondary schools with a guide for developing a course in trade graphics which meets the minimal requirements that an acceptable two-year program in New York State must provide. The content is presented in six sections, and each one includes terminal objectives and suggestions for…

Mechanical Drafting with CAD. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClain, Gerald R.

This instructor's manual contains 13 units of instruction for a course on mechanical drafting with options for using computer-aided drafting (CAD). Each unit includes some or all of the following basic components of a unit of instruction: objective sheet, suggested activities for the teacher, assignment sheets and answers to assignment sheets,…

Mechanical Drawing and Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikulsky, Marilyn; McEnaney, Walter K.

A syllabus is provided for a comprehensive foundation course in mechanical drawing and design for grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 that is prerequisite to advanced elective courses. Introductory materials include course objectives, an overview of basic concepts, and guidelines for implementation. Brief discussions of and suggestions for the areas of design…

Diesel Mechanics: Fundamentals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foutes, William; And Others

This publication is the first in a series of three texts for a diesel mechanics curriculum. Its purpose is to teach the basic concepts related to employment in a diesel trade. Six sections contain 29 units. Each instructional unit includes some or all of these basic components: unit and specific (performance) objectives, suggested activities for…

Automatic building LOD copies for multitextured objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souetov, Andrew E.

2000-01-01

This article is dedicated to the research of geometry level of detail technology for systems of real-time 3D visualization. The article includes the conditions of applicability of the method, overview of existing approaches, their drawbacks and advantages. New technology guidelines are suggested as an alternative to existing methods.

THE FORESTRY AIDE, A SUGGESTED TRAINING PROGRAM.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Education (DHEW), Washington, DC.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS CURRICULUM GUIDE IS TO ASSIST TEACHERS IN PLANNING AND CONDUCTING A 45-WEEK COURSE AT THE POSTSECONDARY LEVEL TO PREPARE PERSONS AS ASSISTANTS TO PROFESSIONAL FORESTERS. COURSE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE PREPARING TRAINEES TO -- (1) ASSIST FORESTERS, (2) CONDUCT SURVEYS, (3) PERFORM CONSERVATION FUNCTIONS, (4) MARK TIMBER FOR HARVEST,…

Industrial Arts Curriculum Guide for Alternative Energy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connecticut State Dept. of Education, Hartford. Div. of Vocational and Adult Education.

This curriculum guide for alternative energy courses is part of a series of curriculum guides for use in the industrial arts curriculum in Connecticut. The guide contains two parts. Part 1 provides the following overview: (1) objectives of alternative energy education, including suggestions for course levels, class sizes, teaching methods, and…

Medical-Surgical II. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This publication is designed to provide students with the knowledge they need to pursue a career in medical-surgical nursing. Fifteen units are provided. Each instructional unit includes some or all of the basic components of a unit of instruction: performance objectives, suggested activities for the teacher, information sheets, job sheets,…

Project Logic Handbook: Computer Literacy through BASIC.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huber, Leonard; And Others

This handbook for teachers offers guidance on introducing computer literacy into elementary and secondary classrooms. It includes a list of computer concepts exemplified by each step in learning to write programs in BASIC Programming Language and the objectives for the elementary and secondary activities; suggestions for using computers in…

Project Earth, A Curriculum Guide, Kindergarten-Primary-Intermediate.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Arnold R., Ed.

This conservation curriculum guide contains units on the air, water, soil, plants, and animals. The guide is organized by grade levels--kindergarten, primary, intermediate. Objectives and concepts are listed and suggested activities are complete with a statement of procedure and necessary materials. A resource appendix includes books, films, and…

Career Exploration Curriculum Guide. (Prototype).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Great Falls Public Schools, MT.

Materials contained in this curriculum guide include daily lesson plan outlines for an eighteen-week Experience Based Career Education (EBCE) class. Learning experiences are suggested to meet the following major objectives of the class: (1) Develop students' understanding of the role of work in society and the multiple aspects of their career…

Computerized Training of Working Memory in Children with ADHD-A Randomized, Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klingberg, Torkel; Fernell, Elisabeth; Olesen, Pernille J.; Johnson, Mats; Gustafsson, Per; Dahlstrom, Kerstin; Gillberg, Christopher G.; Forssberg, Hans; Westerberg, Helena

2005-01-01

Objective: Deficits in executive functioning, including working memory (WM) deficits, have been suggested to be important in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). During 2002 to 2003, the authors conducted a multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial to investigate the effect of improving WM by computerized, systematic…

Diesel Mechanics: Fuel Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foutes, William

This publication is the third in a series of three texts for a diesel mechanics curriculum. Its purpose is to teach the concepts related to fuel injection systems in a diesel trade. The text contains eight units. Each instructional unit includes some or all of these basic components: unit and specific (performance) objectives, suggested activities…

Teaching General Business. Delta Pi Epsilon Rapid Reader No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Betty Jean

This guide provides business teachers with practical ideas for teaching general business. Content is presented in seven sections. The first two sections list fourteen behavioral objectives for a general business course and offer suggestions for course content. Section 3 discusses problems in teaching general business, including reading, arithmetic…

Tackling Production Techniques: Telling Tales with Transparencies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Ron

1986-01-01

This lesson introduces students to procedures for creating both hand-drawn and machine-made transparencies and requires each of them to create one example to illustrate the same story. Detailed plans include performance objectives, materials needed, instructions for presenting the lesson, a sample student task card, and suggestions for evaluating…

Design Concepts. Teacher Edition. Marketing Education LAPs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawley, Jana

This learning activity packet is designed to help prepare students to acquire a competency: how to use design concepts in preparation for a career in the fashion industry. The unit consists of the competency, four objectives, suggested learning activities, transparency masters, and a pretest/posttest with answer keys. Activities include a…

Prescribed fire in upland harwood forests

Treesearch

T.L. Keyser; C.H. Greenberg; H. McNab

2014-01-01

In upland hardwood forests of the Southeastern U.S.,prescribed fire is increasingly used by land managers citing objectives that include hazardous fuels reduction, wildlife habitat improvement, promoting oak regeneration, or restoring forest composition or structure to an historic condition. Research suggests that prescribed fire effects on hardwood forests and...

Transportation Technology Curriculum Materials FY 90. Illinois Plan for Industrial Technology Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallo, Dennis; And Others

This packet contains technology-based learning activities for the transportation technology course at the orientation level (grades 9 and 10) of the Illinois Plan for Industrial Technology Education curriculum project. The packet includes a course rationale, mission, description, and course outline. Suggested learning objectives and suggested…

Burning by prescription in chaparral

Treesearch

Lisle R. Green

1981-01-01

Prescribed burning is frequently suggested for reducing conflagration costs in chaparral. Preparation for a prescribed burn includes environmental impact reports, approval by higher levels of authority, and a burn plan. After objectives are stated, the prescription can be written. Elements of the burn prescription reflect fuel, weather, and other factors that determine...

Custom Sewing, Modules One, Two, and Three. Instructor Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Univ., Columbia. Instructional Materials Lab.

This document consists of three modules designed for a custom apparel and garment sewing program teaching students to construct, alter, and prepare garments and home fashions to customer specifications. Each module includes some or all of the following components: performance objectives, lesson plans, suggested activities, information sheets,…

Medical-Surgical I. Teacher Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This publication is designed to provide students with the knowledge they need to pursue a career in medical-surgical nursing. Eight units are provided. Each instructional unit includes some or all of the basic components of a unit of instruction: performance objectives, suggested activities for the teacher, information sheets, job sheets, written…

Creating an Organic Knowledge-Building Environment within an Asynchronous Distributed Learning Context.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moller, Leslie; Prestera, Gustavo E.; Harvey, Douglas; Downs-Keller, Margaret; McCausland, Jo-Ann

2002-01-01

Discusses organic architecture and suggests that learning environments should be designed and constructed using an organic approach, so that learning is not viewed as a distinct human activity but incorporated into everyday performance. Highlights include an organic knowledge-building model; information objects; scaffolding; discourse action…

Sky Observations by the Book

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trundle, Kathy Cabe; Sackes, Mesut

2008-01-01

The "National Science Education Standards (NSES)" state that students in grades K-4 are expected to understand that astronomical objects in the sky, including the Sun, Moon, and stars--have properties, locations, and patterns of movement that can be observed and described. They further suggest using an inquiry-based approach to teach…

Persistent spatial information in the frontal eye field during object-based short-term memory.

PubMed

Clark, Kelsey L; Noudoost, Behrad; Moore, Tirin

2012-08-08

Spatial attention is known to gate entry into visual short-term memory, and some evidence suggests that spatial signals may also play a role in binding features or protecting object representations during memory maintenance. To examine the persistence of spatial signals during object short-term memory, the activity of neurons in the frontal eye field (FEF) of macaque monkeys was recorded during an object-based delayed match-to-sample task. In this task, monkeys were trained to remember an object image over a brief delay, regardless of the locations of the sample or target presentation. FEF neurons exhibited visual, delay, and target period activity, including selectivity for sample location and target location. Delay period activity represented the sample location throughout the delay, despite the irrelevance of spatial information for successful task completion. Furthermore, neurons continued to encode sample position in a variant of the task in which the matching stimulus never appeared in their response field, confirming that FEF maintains sample location independent of subsequent behavioral relevance. FEF neurons also exhibited target-position-dependent anticipatory activity immediately before target onset, suggesting that monkeys predicted target position within blocks. These results show that FEF neurons maintain spatial information during short-term memory, even when that information is irrelevant for task performance.

REVIEW: Widespread access to predictive models in the motor system: a short review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, Paul R.; Wolpert, Daniel M.

2005-09-01

Recent behavioural and computational studies suggest that access to internal predictive models of arm and object dynamics is widespread in the sensorimotor system. Several systems, including those responsible for oculomotor and skeletomotor control, perceptual processing, postural control and mental imagery, are able to access predictions of the motion of the arm. A capacity to make and use predictions of object dynamics is similarly widespread. Here, we review recent studies looking at the predictive capacity of the central nervous system which reveal pervasive access to forward models of the environment.

Gastroschisis Simulation Model: Pre-surgical Management Technical Report.

PubMed

Rosen, Orna; Angert, Robert M

2017-03-22

This technical report describes the creation of a gastroschisis model for a newborn. This is a simple, low-cost task trainer that provides the opportunity for Neonatology providers, including fellows, residents, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses, to practice the management of a baby with gastroschisis after birth and prior to surgery. Included is a suggested checklist with which the model can be employed. The details can be modified to suit different learning objectives.

Surface Ice and Tholins on the Extreme Centaur 2012 DR30

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabó, Gy. M.; Kiss, Cs.; Pinilla-Alonso, N.; Hsiao, E. Y.; Marion, G. H.; Györgyey Ries, J.; Duffard, R.; Alvarez-Candal, A.; Sárneczky, K.; Vinkó, J.

2018-04-01

2012 {DR}}30 is one of the known solar system objects with the largest aphelion distance, exceeding 2200 au, on a high inclination orbit (i = 78°). It has been recognized to be either a borderline representative of high inclination, high perihelion distance (HiHq) objects, or even a new class of bodies, similar to HiHq objects for orbit but with an aphelion in the inner Oort Cloud. Here, we present photometry using long-term data from 2000 to 2013 taken by the SDSS sky survey, ESO MPG 2.2 m and McDonald 2.1 m telescopes, and a visual+near-infrared spectrum taken with the Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope and Magellan telescopes, providing insights into the surface composition of this body. Our best fit suggests that the surface contains 60% of complex organics (30% of Titan and 30% of Triton tholins) with a significant fraction of ice (30%, including pure water and water with inclusions of complex organics) and 10% silicates. The models also suggest a low limit of amorphous carbons, and hence the fragmentation of long-chained complex organics is slower than their rate of generation. 2012 {DR}}30 just recently passed the perihelion, and the long-term photometry of the object suggested ambiguous signs of activity, since the long-term photometric scatter well exceeded the supposed measurement errors and the expected brightness variation related to rotation. Photometric colors put 2012 {DR}}30 exactly between dark neutral and red objects, thus it either can be in a transition phase between the two classes or have differing surface properties from these populated classes.

Comparison of self-report and objective measures of driving behavior and road safety: A systematic review.

PubMed

Kaye, Sherrie-Anne; Lewis, Ioni; Freeman, James

2018-06-01

This research systematically reviewed the existing literature in regards to studies which have used both self-report and objective measures of driving behavior. The objective of the current review was to evaluate disparities or similarities between self-report and objective measures of driving behavior. Searches were undertaken in the following electronic databases, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus, for peer-reviewed full-text articles that (1) focused on road safety, and (2) compared both subjective and objective measures of driving performance or driver safety. A total of 22,728 articles were identified, with 19 articles, comprising 20 studies, included as part of the review. The research reported herein suggested that for some behaviors (e.g., driving in stressful situations) there were similarities between self-report and objective measures while for other behaviors (e.g., sleepiness and vigilance states) there were differences between these measurement techniques. In addition, findings from some studies suggested that in-vehicle devices may be a valid measurement tool to assess driving exposure in older drivers. Further research is needed to examine the correspondence between self-report and objective measures of driving behavior. In particular, there is a need to increase the number of studies which compare "like with like" as it is difficult to draw comparisons when there are variations in measurement tools used. Incorporating a range of objective and self-report measurements tools in research would help to ensure that the methods used offer the most reliable measures of assessing on-road behaviors. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Labor of Love

PubMed Central

Ross, Alyson; Sundaramurthi, Thiruppavai; Bevans, Margaret

2014-01-01

Background Evidence suggests that emotional distress and objective demands of cancer caregiving are comparable to those of dementia caregiving, yet little research has focused on the physical health of cancer caregivers. Whether the stress leads directly to changes in health or whether the stress leads to changes in health behaviors, which in turn affect health, has not been systematically examined. Objective The objective of this study was to review the research literature regarding changes in health behaviors associated with caring for an individual with cancer. Methods Literature was reviewed from multiple databases including CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), CINAHL Plus, PsycNET, PubMed, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Key words included “health behavior,” “health promotion,” ”caregivers/caregiving,” “cancer/oncology,” “diet/nutrition,” “exercise/physical activity,” “stress management,” “smoking” and “alcohol.” Studies were included if they involved informal adult caregivers and at least 1 behavior associated with a healthy lifestyle. Of the 866 studies identified, 8 met the criteria. Results Studies revealed conflicting information, with some suggesting deleterious changes in behaviors, whereas others found the changes protective. Conclusions The lack of uniformity of terminology and conflicting findings make it difficult to conclude the impact of the caregiving experience on the health behaviors of cancer caregivers. Something is placing caregivers at risk for illness and early death, but the mechanisms behind the risk and the role of unhealthy behaviors are not clear. Implications for Practice At a minimum, cancer caregivers should be screened for behavior changes and disease risk. Developing standardized measures for future research including controlled, longitudinal studies is needed. PMID:23132126

Selective verbal recognition memory impairments are associated with atrophy of the language network in non-semantic variants of primary progressive aphasia.

PubMed

Nilakantan, Aneesha S; Voss, Joel L; Weintraub, Sandra; Mesulam, M-Marsel; Rogalski, Emily J

2017-06-01

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is clinically defined by an initial loss of language function and preservation of other cognitive abilities, including episodic memory. While PPA primarily affects the left-lateralized perisylvian language network, some clinical neuropsychological tests suggest concurrent initial memory loss. The goal of this study was to test recognition memory of objects and words in the visual and auditory modality to separate language-processing impairments from retentive memory in PPA. Individuals with non-semantic PPA had longer reaction times and higher false alarms for auditory word stimuli compared to visual object stimuli. Moreover, false alarms for auditory word recognition memory were related to cortical thickness within the left inferior frontal gyrus and left temporal pole, while false alarms for visual object recognition memory was related to cortical thickness within the right-temporal pole. This pattern of results suggests that specific vulnerability in processing verbal stimuli can hinder episodic memory in PPA, and provides evidence for differential contributions of the left and right temporal poles in word and object recognition memory. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Bachelor of Engineering Technology Curriculum in Water Quality Management: Course Guides.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Charles A.; And Others

Contained are course guides for a Bachelor of Engineering Technology (BET) Curriculum in Water Quality Management. Detailed course content, as well as instructional resources, are included in this volume. Each guide is written in behavioral terms using the instructional objective format. A suggested curriculum is shown with methods of…

Analysis of Farm Records. Teacher Edition. Farm Business Management Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This curriculum guide for the Oklahoma Farm Business Management Program contains three instructional units that teach students how to interpret farm records to get optimum use of facilities and maximize profits. Each unit of instruction includes some or all of these components: performance objectives, suggested activities for the instructor,…

Helping Parents of Young Children with Disabilities Become Consumers of Early Intervention: A Marketing Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fugate, Douglas L.; Fugate, Janet M.

1995-01-01

This article suggests the use of marketing techniques to disseminate information products to parents of young children with disabilities. A marketing plan might include the following steps: determination of market needs, market segmentation and target marketing, marketing goals and objectives, marketing strategy, marketing mix tactics, and control…

Preparing for the New Onslaught on Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Murry; Singleton, H. Wells

This paper examines the controversy over the status and objectives of the social studies and suggests ways in which educators can resolve the controversy. In addition, it offers critical comments on several recent overviews of the field of social studies, including the "SPAN Report," by Irving Morrissett, Sharryl Hawke, and Douglas Superka, and…

Graded Course of Study, Science (K-12).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Euclid City Schools, OH.

This course of study specifies the science skills and concepts that are to be taught in the various grades of the Euclid (Ohio) City Schools. Included are instructional objectives for the life, physical, and earth sciences for grades K to 6, suggested field trips and planetarium schedules (by elementary grade levels), and scope and sequence charts…

The Absurdist Vision, English, Contemporary Literature: 5114.148.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Eva-Lynn M.

This course introduces students to plays and novels of contemporary European and American authors whose works expose the absurdity of conventional social and literary modes but also suggest positive human values. The objectives of the course include: (1) a definition of the meaning of the absurd; (2) an understanding of the absurdist theme of the…

And Then a Miracle Occurs! Ensuring the Successful Implementation of Enterpisewide EPSS and E-Learning from Day One.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Deborah L.; Villachica, Steven W.

2003-01-01

Provides suggestions to ensure the success of electronic performance support systems (EPSS) and electronic learning, including creating hybrid solutions; aligning EPSS with business objectives and performance requirements; change management efforts; and rapid application development to lower costs, shrink schedules, and improve quality.…

Course of Study for Electronic Music I. An Instructional Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD. Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction.

The booklet is a guide for music teachers and administrators who wish to incorporate electronic music into the junior or senior high curriculum. It defines program objectives and suggests goals, teaching strategies, materials, and equipment. Reasons for teaching electronic music include its popularity with the younger generation, its capability to…

Introduction to Insulation. Instructor Edition. Introduction to Construction Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This instructor's guide contains the materials required to teach a competency-based introductory course in insulation to students who have chosen to explore careers in construction. It contains three units: instructional unit includes some or all of the basic components of a unit of instruction: performance objectives, suggested activities for the…

Preparing Personnel to Work in the Early Childhood Field in the '80s.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balson, Maurice

1981-01-01

Clarification of issues will help training persons provide services to preschool children and families. Issues include content of training programs, parenting roles, and objectives of early childhood education programs. The author suggests expanding (1) the scope of preschool personnel training, (2) diversity of child services, and (3) the…

Characteristics of Transverse and Longitudinal Waves.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reister, W. A.

This monograph presents an autoinstructional program in the physical sciences. It is considered useful at the higher, middle and lower high school levels. Three behavioral objectives are listed and a time allotment of 35-40 minutes is suggested. A bibliography is included. A script, incorporating the use of a cassette player and slides, is used by…

Improving the School Program through the Effective Use of Federal Funds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFarland, Dan

This pamphlet shows school personnel how to apply successfully for Federal grants to finance improvements in educational programs. Advice is given on the importance of evaluating needs, objectives, and procedures as a prerequisite to writing a proposal. Next, suggestions for writing a good proposal are made, including references to the need for…

Strategic Planning for Information Systems: The Evidence from a Successful Implementation in an Academic Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Richard B.; And Others

1991-01-01

Demonstrates how an information systems plan can be successfully developed and implemented within an academic setting. Six guidelines for information systems planning are provided; problems are identified and recommendations to address the problems are suggested; and information systems objectives are discussed, including business communications,…

Biology 306: Measurement and Instrumentation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmalhofer, Ed; And Others

A nine-week prerequisite course for biology students is presented in this monograph. A course outline is presented to provide the student with some idea of the topics and activities that he will encounter. A suggested pretest is included in the monograph which covers 32 objectives. Three Learning Activity Packages are presented. Package A -…

Florida Course Descriptions: Exceptional Student Education, Grades 9-12, 1999 Revisions. Suggested Course Performance Objectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Dept. of Education, Tallahassee. Bureau of Instructional Support and Community Services.

This document presents the full revised course descriptions for Florida exceptional student education in grades 9-12. Courses incorporate the Florida standards for a special diploma. Requirements include a list of related benchmarks from the state standards for each level of functioning: independent, supported, and participatory. Introductory…

Beef Production Unit for Agricultural Science I Core Curriculum. Instructor's Guide. AGDEX 420/10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Bob R.; And Others

This instructor's guide for a beef production unit contains five lessons that are designed to be taught in the Agricultural Science I core curriculum. Introductory materials include lists of performance objectives and competencies for the complete unit, suggestions for motivational technique/interest approach and evaluation, lists of references…

The Environmental Impact of Electrical Power Generation: Nuclear and Fossil. Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania State Dept. of Education, Harrisburg.

This teacher's guide accompanies a course concerning the need, environmental costs, and benefits of electrical power generation. Each chapter of this guide corresponds to a chapter in the course text, and includes the following: a list of behavioral objectives for the corresponding chapter, a list of suggested activities, recommended audio-visual…

Library Voices; Cassette Conversations in a Tape Exchange.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christine, Emma Ruth

A proposal is made for an exchange of cassette tapes from librarians, teachers, and students between Palo Alto, California, and Queensland, Australia. The objectives of the project are to help children and adults from both countries to form a closer understanding, and to stimulate and share thoughts and ideas. Suggested activities include singing,…

Taking Advantage of the "Big Mo"--Momentum in Everyday English and Swedish and in Physics Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haglund, Jesper; Jeppsson, Fredrik; Ahrenberg, Lars

2015-01-01

Science education research suggests that our everyday intuitions of motion and interaction of physical objects fit well with how physicists use the term "momentum". Corpus linguistics provides an easily accessible approach to study language in different domains, including everyday language. Analysis of language samples from English text…

Forestry Manual for Vocational Agriculture Instructors. 1976 Revision. Bulletin No. 7001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, Madison. Div. of Instructional Services.

The ten chapters included in this forestry manual for vocational agriculture instructors are grouped into three parts. A course outline precedes part 1 and assists the teacher by providing performance objectives, major concepts to be developed, a subject matter outline, motivational ideas, suggested learning activities, and a list of resource…

Energy Utilization Technology Curriculum Materials FY 91. Illinois Plan for Industrial Technology Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallo, Dennis; Welty, Kenneth

This document contains technology-based learning activities for the Illinois energy utilization technology course at the orientation level (grades 9 and 10). This packet includes a course rationale, course mission statement, course description, course outline, suggested learning objectives for each of the energy utilization areas, and suggested…

Major Appliance Repair. Teacher Edition and Student Edition. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smreker, Gene; Calvert, King

This second edition contains teacher and student guides for 14 units of instruction in major appliance repair. Each unit in the teacher edition includes some or all of the following basic components: objective sheet, suggested activities, answers to assignment sheets, answers to the written test, written test, a unit evaluation form, teacher…

1973 ATLAS Curriculum Guide for Mexican-American and Puerto Rican Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Teachers of Latin American Studies, Brooklyn, NY.

This curriculum guide, developed by the Association of Teachers of Latin American Studies, provides an interdisciplinary, inquiry-oriented approach to Mexican-American and Puerto Rican Studies. Unit one contains a list of cognitive and affective objectives and evaluation suggestions. Units two through six provide content materials and include a…

Rags and Riches in Modern American Literature, Language Arts, English: 5113.89.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This course guide is designed to help the student view some of the many facets of American society as they are portrayed in literature. Materials suggested are "The Great Gatsby,""The Grapes of Wrath,""All My Sons," and "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" Performance objectives for students include identifying…

Ciencias 1. Manual do Professor (Science 1. Teacher's Manual).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raposo, Lucilia

This is the teacher's guide for Ciencias 1, the first in a series of science books designed for Portuguese-speaking students in elementary schools. The guide contains materials corresponding to the student's book. Included are five sections comprised of 43 lessons. The teacher's guide also contains lesson objectives, suggestions for lesson…

Improving Surface Flux Parameterizations in the NRL Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-30

these days from a suite of instruments were analyzed, including those from rawinsonde launches, acoustic radar, and the 20 m flux tower. The objective...aircraft IR pyrometer in CBLAST-Low on (c) August 18, and (d) August 25, 2003. The NCOM simulation suggests that the high SST variability observed on

Advanced Beef Unit for Advanced Livestock Production Curriculum. Instructor's Guide. AGDEX 420/00.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparks, Jim; Stewart, Bob R.

This instructor's guide for an advanced beef unit contains 15 lessons that build on Agricultural Science I and II competencies. Introductory materials include lists of performance objectives and competencies for the complete unit, suggestions for motivational technique/interest approach and evaluation, lists of references and materials for the…

Creativity: A Saleable Work Skill. Occupation Simulation Packet. Grades 3rd-4th.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dye, Dick

This teacher's guide for grades 3 and 4 contains simulated work experiences for students using the isolated skill concept - creativity. Teacher instructions include objectives, evaluation, and sequence of activities. The guide contains pre-tests and post-tests with instructions and answer keys. Two pre-skill activities are suggested, such as…

Sheep Production Unit for Agricultural Science I Core Curriculum. Instructor's Guide. AGDEX 430/10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brzozowski, Richard J.; Stewart, Bob R.

This instructor's guide for a sheep production unit contains six lessons that are designed to be taught in the Agricultural Science I core curriculum. Introductory materials include lists of performance objectives and competencies for the complete unit, suggestions for motivational technique/interest approach and evaluation, lists of references…

Parasites, Competition, and Predators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillner, Harry

This autoinstructional unit is used in conjunction with a biology course with emphasis on Man and Environment. No grade level is suggested nor are any prerequisites listed. One behavioral objective is given. Equipment necessary for the unit is listed. A student study guide, a teacher's guide, and a script are included in the packet. A 30-minute…

The Bipolar Approach: A Model for Interdisciplinary Art History Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calabrese, John A.

1993-01-01

Describes a college level art history course based on the opposing concepts of Classicism and Romanticism. Contends that all creative work, such as film or architecture, can be categorized according to this bipolar model. Includes suggestions for objects to study and recommends this approach for art education at all education levels. (CFR)

Objectification of steering feel around straight-line driving for vehicle/tyre design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jungsik; Yoon, Yong-San

2015-02-01

This paper presents the objectification techniques for the assessment of steering feel including {on-centre} feel and steering response by measurement data. Here, new objective parameters are developed by considering not only the process by which the steering feel is evaluated subjectively but also by the ergonomic perceptive sensitivity of the driver. In order to validate such objective parameters, subjective tests are carried out by professional drivers. Objective measurements are also performed for several cars at a proving ground. The linear correlation coefficients between the subjective ratings and the objective parameters are calculated. As one of new objective parameters, steering wheel angle defined by ergonomic perception sensitivity shows high correlation with the subjective questionnaires of on-center responses. Newly defined steering torque curvature also shows high correlation with the subjective questionnaires of on-center effort. These correlation results conclude that the subjective assessment of steering feel can be successfully explained and objectified by means of the suggested objective parameters.

A "two-objective, one-area" procedure in absorption microphotometry and its application using an inverted microscope.

PubMed

Chaubal, K A

1988-08-01

A 'two-objective, one-area' method and related equations are suggested to measure absorbance of microscopic stained objects. In such work, the measuring field invariably includes an image of the object and some clear area surrounding the image. The total intensity in the two areas is measured photometrically, using two different objectives, and substituted in the equation for absorbance. The equation is independent of the term representing intensity from the clear area and hence the error in the measurement of absorbance is reduced. The limitations of the 'two-objective, one-area' method are discussed and its pragmatic operation described with an experimental setup involving an inverted microscope. The method permits measurement of intensity in a part of a stained cell while the rest of the cell remains in the field of view. The method is applied to measure absorbance in Giemsa stained ascites cells and Feulgen stained liver and Human Amnion cells.

Biophysics of object segmentation in a collision-detecting neuron

PubMed Central

Dewell, Richard Burkett

2018-01-01

Collision avoidance is critical for survival, including in humans, and many species possess visual neurons exquisitely sensitive to objects approaching on a collision course. Here, we demonstrate that a collision-detecting neuron can detect the spatial coherence of a simulated impending object, thereby carrying out a computation akin to object segmentation critical for proper escape behavior. At the cellular level, object segmentation relies on a precise selection of the spatiotemporal pattern of synaptic inputs by dendritic membrane potential-activated channels. One channel type linked to dendritic computations in many neural systems, the hyperpolarization-activated cation channel, HCN, plays a central role in this computation. Pharmacological block of HCN channels abolishes the neuron's spatial selectivity and impairs the generation of visually guided escape behaviors, making it directly relevant to survival. Additionally, our results suggest that the interaction of HCN and inactivating K+ channels within active dendrites produces neuronal and behavioral object specificity by discriminating between complex spatiotemporal synaptic activation patterns. PMID:29667927

Dopamine D1 receptor activation leads to object recognition memory in a coral reef fish.

PubMed

Hamilton, Trevor J; Tresguerres, Martin; Kline, David I

2017-07-01

Object recognition memory is the ability to identify previously seen objects and is an adaptive mechanism that increases survival for many species throughout the animal kingdom. Previously believed to be possessed by only the highest order mammals, it is now becoming clear that fish are also capable of this type of memory formation. Similar to the mammalian hippocampus, the dorsolateral pallium regulates distinct memory processes and is modulated by neurotransmitters such as dopamine. Caribbean bicolour damselfish ( Stegastes partitus ) live in complex environments dominated by coral reef structures and thus likely possess many types of complex memory abilities including object recognition. This study used a novel object recognition test in which fish were first presented two identical objects, then after a retention interval of 10 min with no objects, the fish were presented with a novel object and one of the objects they had previously encountered in the first trial. We demonstrate that the dopamine D 1 -receptor agonist (SKF 38393) induces the formation of object recognition memories in these fish. Thus, our results suggest that dopamine-receptor mediated enhancement of spatial memory formation in fish represents an evolutionarily conserved mechanism in vertebrates. © 2017 The Author(s).

Gross Motor Development in Children Aged 3-5 Years, United States 2012.

PubMed

Kit, Brian K; Akinbami, Lara J; Isfahani, Neda Sarafrazi; Ulrich, Dale A

2017-07-01

Objective Gross motor development in early childhood is important in fostering greater interaction with the environment. The purpose of this study is to describe gross motor skills among US children aged 3-5 years using the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2). Methods We used 2012 NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey (NNYFS) data, which included TGMD-2 scores obtained according to an established protocol. Outcome measures included locomotor and object control raw and age-standardized scores. Means and standard errors were calculated for demographic and weight status with SUDAAN using sample weights to calculate nationally representative estimates, and survey design variables to account for the complex sampling methods. Results The sample included 339 children aged 3-5 years. As expected, locomotor and object control raw scores increased with age. Overall mean standardized scores for locomotor and object control were similar to the mean value previously determined using a normative sample. Girls had a higher mean locomotor, but not mean object control, standardized score than boys (p < 0.05). However, the mean locomotor standardized scores for both boys and girls fell into the range categorized as "average." There were no other differences by age, race/Hispanic origin, weight status, or income in either of the subtest standardized scores (p > 0.05). Conclusions In a nationally representative sample of US children aged 3-5 years, TGMD-2 mean locomotor and object control standardized scores were similar to the established mean. These results suggest that standardized gross motor development among young children generally did not differ by demographic or weight status.

Gastroschisis Simulation Model: Pre-surgical Management Technical Report

PubMed Central

Angert, Robert M

2017-01-01

This technical report describes the creation of a gastroschisis model for a newborn. This is a simple, low-cost task trainer that provides the opportunity for Neonatology providers, including fellows, residents, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses, to practice the management of a baby with gastroschisis after birth and prior to surgery. Included is a suggested checklist with which the model can be employed. The details can be modified to suit different learning objectives. PMID:28439484

Evaluation of a chemical munition dumpsite in the Baltic Sea based on geophysical and chemical investigations.

PubMed

Missiaen, Tine; Söderström, Martin; Popescu, Irina; Vanninen, Paula

2010-08-01

This paper discusses the results of geophysical and chemical investigations carried out in a chemical munition dumpsite in the southern Baltic Sea, east of the island of Bornholm. After WW2 over 32,000 tons of chemical war material was dumped here including shells and bombs as well as small drums and containers. The geophysical investigations combined very-high-resolution seismics and gradiometric measurements. The results indicate the presence of a large number of objects buried just below the seafloor. The size of the objects and their distribution, with a marked increase in density towards the center of the dumpsite, suggests that we are dealing with dumped war material. Sediment and near-bottom water samples, taken within the dumpsite and in the surrounding area, were analysed for the presence of various chemical warfare agents (CWA) including Adamsite, Clark, sulphur mustard, tabun, chlorobenzene and arsine oil. The results indicate a widespread contamination that reaches far beyond the dumpsite boundary. CWA degradation products were found in most of the sediment samples. The contamination was mostly related to arsenic containing compounds; only one sample indicated the presence of sulfur mustard. Although the correlation between detected objects and CWA concentrations is not always straightforward, the overall results suggest that a lot of the dumped war material is leaking and that over the years the contamination has reached the seafloor sediments.

Planetary cores, their energy flux relationship, and its implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Fred M.

2018-02-01

Integrated surface heat flux data from each planet in our solar system plus over 50 stars, including our Sun, was plotted against each object's known mass to generate a continuous exponential curve at an R-squared value of 0.99. The unexpected yet undeniable implication of this study is that all planets and celestial objects have a similar mode of energy production. It is widely accepted that proton-proton reactions require hydrogen gas at temperatures of about 15 million degrees, neither of which can plausibly exist inside a terrestrial planet. Hence, this paper proposes a nuclear fission mechanism for all luminous celestial objects, and uses this mechanism to further suggest a developmental narrative for all celestial bodies, including our Sun. This narrative was deduced from an exponential curve drawn adjacent to the first and passing through the Earth's solid core (as a known prototype). This trend line was used to predict the core masses for each planet as a function of its luminosity.

Parallel basal ganglia circuits for voluntary and automatic behaviour to reach rewards

PubMed Central

Hikosaka, Okihide

2015-01-01

The basal ganglia control body movements, value processing and decision-making. Many studies have shown that the inputs and outputs of each basal ganglia structure are topographically organized, which suggests that the basal ganglia consist of separate circuits that serve distinct functions. A notable example is the circuits that originate from the rostral (head) and caudal (tail) regions of the caudate nucleus, both of which target the superior colliculus. These two caudate regions encode the reward values of visual objects differently: flexible (short-term) values by the caudate head and stable (long-term) values by the caudate tail. These value signals in the caudate guide the orienting of gaze differently: voluntary saccades by the caudate head circuit and automatic saccades by the caudate tail circuit. Moreover, separate groups of dopamine neurons innervate the caudate head and tail and may selectively guide the flexible and stable learning/memory in the caudate regions. Studies focusing on manual handling of objects also suggest that rostrocaudally separated circuits in the basal ganglia control the action differently. These results suggest that the basal ganglia contain parallel circuits for two steps of goal-directed behaviour: finding valuable objects and manipulating the valuable objects. These parallel circuits may underlie voluntary behaviour and automatic skills, enabling animals (including humans) to adapt to both volatile and stable environments. This understanding of the functions and mechanisms of the basal ganglia parallel circuits may inform the differential diagnosis and treatment of basal ganglia disorders. PMID:25981958

Objective speech quality assessment and the RPE-LTP coding algorithm in different noise and language conditions.

PubMed

Hansen, J H; Nandkumar, S

1995-01-01

The formulation of reliable signal processing algorithms for speech coding and synthesis require the selection of a prior criterion of performance. Though coding efficiency (bits/second) or computational requirements can be used, a final performance measure must always include speech quality. In this paper, three objective speech quality measures are considered with respect to quality assessment for American English, noisy American English, and noise-free versions of seven languages. The purpose is to determine whether objective quality measures can be used to quantify changes in quality for a given voice coding method, with a known subjective performance level, as background noise or language conditions are changed. The speech coding algorithm chosen is regular-pulse excitation with long-term prediction (RPE-LTP), which has been chosen as the standard voice compression algorithm for the European Digital Mobile Radio system. Three areas are considered for objective quality assessment which include: (i) vocoder performance for American English in a noise-free environment, (ii) speech quality variation for three additive background noise sources, and (iii) noise-free performance for seven languages which include English, Japanese, Finnish, German, Hindi, Spanish, and French. It is suggested that although existing objective quality measures will never replace subjective testing, they can be a useful means of assessing changes in performance, identifying areas for improvement in algorithm design, and augmenting subjective quality tests for voice coding/compression algorithms in noise-free, noisy, and/or non-English applications.

Eye movements during change detection: implications for search constraints, memory limitations, and scanning strategies.

PubMed

Zelinsky, G J

2001-02-01

Search, memory, and strategy constraints on change detection were analyzed in terms of oculomotor variables. Observers viewed a repeating sequence of three displays (Scene 1-->Mask-->Scene 2-->Mask...) and indicated the presence-absence of a changing object between Scenes 1 and 2. Scenes depicted real-world objects arranged on a surface. Manipulations included set size (one, three, or nine items) and the orientation of the changing objects (similar or different). Eye movements increased with the number of potentially changing objects in the scene, with this set size effect suggesting a relationship between change detection and search. A preferential fixation analysis determined that memory constraints are better described by the operation comparing the pre- and postchange objects than as a capacity limitation, and a scanpath analysis revealed a change detection strategy relying on the peripheral encoding and comparison of display items. These findings support a signal-in-noise interpretation of change detection in which the signal varies with the similarity of the changing objects and the noise is determined by the distractor objects and scene background.

Behavioral Modeling of Adversaries with Multiple Objectives in Counterterrorism.

PubMed

Mazicioglu, Dogucan; Merrick, Jason R W

2018-05-01

Attacker/defender models have primarily assumed that each decisionmaker optimizes the cost of the damage inflicted and its economic repercussions from their own perspective. Two streams of recent research have sought to extend such models. One stream suggests that it is more realistic to consider attackers with multiple objectives, but this research has not included the adaption of the terrorist with multiple objectives to defender actions. The other stream builds off experimental studies that show that decisionmakers deviate from optimal rational behavior. In this article, we extend attacker/defender models to incorporate multiple objectives that a terrorist might consider in planning an attack. This includes the tradeoffs that a terrorist might consider and their adaption to defender actions. However, we must also consider experimental evidence of deviations from the rationality assumed in the commonly used expected utility model in determining such adaption. Thus, we model the attacker's behavior using multiattribute prospect theory to account for the attacker's multiple objectives and deviations from rationality. We evaluate our approach by considering an attacker with multiple objectives who wishes to smuggle radioactive material into the United States and a defender who has the option to implement a screening process to hinder the attacker. We discuss the problems with implementing such an approach, but argue that research in this area must continue to avoid misrepresenting terrorist behavior in determining optimal defensive actions. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

The trans-neptunian object UB313 is larger than Pluto.

PubMed

Bertoldi, F; Altenhoff, W; Weiss, A; Menten, K M; Thum, C

2006-02-02

The most distant known object in the Solar System, 2003 UB313 (97 au from the Sun), was recently discovered near its aphelion. Its high eccentricity and inclination to the ecliptic plane, along with its perihelion near the orbit of Neptune, identify it as a member of the 'scattered disk'. This disk of bodies probably originates in the Kuiper belt objects, which orbit near the ecliptic plane in circular orbits between 30 and 50 au, and may include Pluto as a member. The optical brightness of 2003 UB313, if adjusted to Pluto's distance, is greater than that of Pluto, which suggested that it might be larger than Pluto. The actual size, however, could not be determined from the optical measurements because the surface reflectivity (albedo) was unknown. Here we report observations of the thermal emission of 2003 UB313 at a wavelength of 1.2 mm, which in combination with the measured optical brightness leads to a diameter of 3,000 +/- 300 +/- 100 km. Here the first error reflects measurement uncertainties, while the second derives from the unknown object orientation. This makes 2003 UB313 the largest known trans-neptunian object, even larger than Pluto (2,300 km). The albedo is 0.60 +/- 0.10 +/- 0.05, which is strikingly similar to that of Pluto, suggesting that the methane seen in the optical spectrum causes a highly reflective icy surface.

Animal spotting in Alzheimer's disease: an eye tracking study of object categorization.

PubMed

Boucart, Muriel; Bubbico, Giovanna; Szaffarczyk, Sébastien; Pasquier, Florence

2014-01-01

We investigated rapid object categorization and, more specifically, the ability to detect a target object within a natural scene in people with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) using a saccadic choice task. It has been suggested that the anatomical pathway likely used to initiate rapid oculomotor responses in the saccadic choice task could involve the Frontal Eye Field, a structure that is part of the dorsal attentional network, in which connectivity is disrupted in AD. Seventeen patients with mild AD and 23 healthy age-matched controls took part in the study. A group of 24 young healthy observers was included as it has been reported that normal aging affects eye movements. Participants were presented with pairs of colored photographs of natural scenes, one containing an animal (the target) and one containing various objects (distracter), displayed for 1 s left and right of fixation. They were asked to saccade to the scene containing an animal. Neither pathology nor age affected temporal (saccade latencies and durations) and spatial (saccade amplitude) parameters of eye movements. Patients with AD were significantly less accurate than age-matched controls, and older participants were less accurate than young observers. The results are interpreted in terms of noisier sensory information and increased uncertainty in relation to deficits in the magnocellular pathway. The results suggest that, even at a mild stage of the pathology, people exhibit difficulties in selecting relevant objects.

Object Segmentation from Motion Discontinuities and Temporal Occlusions–A Biologically Inspired Model

PubMed Central

Beck, Cornelia; Ognibeni, Thilo; Neumann, Heiko

2008-01-01

Background Optic flow is an important cue for object detection. Humans are able to perceive objects in a scene using only kinetic boundaries, and can perform the task even when other shape cues are not provided. These kinetic boundaries are characterized by the presence of motion discontinuities in a local neighbourhood. In addition, temporal occlusions appear along the boundaries as the object in front covers the background and the objects that are spatially behind it. Methodology/Principal Findings From a technical point of view, the detection of motion boundaries for segmentation based on optic flow is a difficult task. This is due to the problem that flow detected along such boundaries is generally not reliable. We propose a model derived from mechanisms found in visual areas V1, MT, and MSTl of human and primate cortex that achieves robust detection along motion boundaries. It includes two separate mechanisms for both the detection of motion discontinuities and of occlusion regions based on how neurons respond to spatial and temporal contrast, respectively. The mechanisms are embedded in a biologically inspired architecture that integrates information of different model components of the visual processing due to feedback connections. In particular, mutual interactions between the detection of motion discontinuities and temporal occlusions allow a considerable improvement of the kinetic boundary detection. Conclusions/Significance A new model is proposed that uses optic flow cues to detect motion discontinuities and object occlusion. We suggest that by combining these results for motion discontinuities and object occlusion, object segmentation within the model can be improved. This idea could also be applied in other models for object segmentation. In addition, we discuss how this model is related to neurophysiological findings. The model was successfully tested both with artificial and real sequences including self and object motion. PMID:19043613

Measuring causal perception: connections to representational momentum?

PubMed

Choi, Hoon; Scholl, Brian J

2006-01-01

In a collision between two objects, we can perceive not only low-level properties, such as color and motion, but also the seemingly high-level property of causality. It has proven difficult, however, to measure causal perception in a quantitatively rigorous way which goes beyond perceptual reports. Here we focus on the possibility of measuring perceived causality using the phenomenon of representational momentum (RM). Recent studies suggest a relationship between causal perception and RM, based on the fact that RM appears to be attenuated for causally 'launched' objects. This is explained by appeal to the visual expectation that a 'launched' object is inert and thus should eventually cease its movement after a collision, without a source of self-propulsion. We first replicated these demonstrations, and then evaluated this alleged connection by exploring RM for different types of displays, including the contrast between causal launching and non-causal 'passing'. These experiments suggest that the RM-attenuation effect is not a pure measure of causal perception, but rather may reflect lower-level spatiotemporal correlates of only some causal displays. We conclude by discussing the strengths and pitfalls of various methods of measuring causal perception.

Topographic Mapping of Pluto and Charon Using New Horizons Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schenk, P. M.; Beyer, R. A.; Moore, J. M.; Spencer, J. R.; McKinnon, W. B.; Howard, A. D.; White, O. M.; Umurhan, O. M.; Singer, K.; Stern, S. A.; Weaver, H. A.; Young, L. A.; Ennico Smith, K.; Olkin, C.; Horizons Geology, New; Geophysics Imaging Team

2016-06-01

New Horizons 2015 flyby of the Pluto system has resulted in high-resolution topographic maps of Pluto and Charon, the most distant objects so mapped. DEM's over ~30% of each object were produced at 100-300 m vertical and 300-800 m spatial resolutions, in hemispheric maps and high-resolution linear mosaics. Both objects reveal more relief than was observed at Triton. The dominant 800-km wide informally named Sputnik Planum bright ice deposit on Pluto lies in a broad depression 3 km deep, flanked by dispersed mountains 3-5 km high. Impact craters reveal a wide variety of preservation states from pristine to eroded, and long fractures are several km deep with throw of 0-2 km. Topography of this magnitude suggests the icy shell of Pluto is relatively cold and rigid. Charon has global relief of at least 10 km, including ridges of 2-3 km and troughs of 3-5 km of relief. Impact craters are up to 6 km deep. Vulcan Planum consists of rolling plains and forms a topographic moat along its edge, suggesting viscous flow.

Young children with autism spectrum disorder use predictive eye movements in action observation.

PubMed

Falck-Ytter, Terje

2010-06-23

Does a dysfunction in the mirror neuron system (MNS) underlie the social symptoms defining autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? Research suggests that the MNS matches observed actions to motor plans for similar actions, and that these motor plans include directions for predictive eye movements when observing goal-directed actions. Thus, one important question is whether children with ASD use predictive eye movements in action observation. Young children with ASD as well as typically developing children and adults were shown videos in which an actor performed object-directed actions (human agent condition). Children with ASD were also shown control videos showing objects moving by themselves (self-propelled condition). Gaze was measured using a corneal reflection technique. Children with ASD and typically developing individuals used strikingly similar goal-directed eye movements when observing others' actions in the human agent condition. Gaze was reactive in the self-propelled condition, suggesting that prediction is linked to seeing a hand-object interaction. This study does not support the view that ASD is characterized by a global dysfunction in the MNS.

Oxygen isotopic composition of chondritic interplanetary dust particles: A genetic link between carbonaceous chondrites and comets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aléon, J.; Engrand, C.; Leshin, L. A.; McKeegan, K. D.

2009-08-01

Oxygen isotopes were measured in four chondritic hydrated interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and five chondritic anhydrous IDPs including two GEMS-rich particles (Glass embedded with metal and sulfides) by a combination of high precision and high lateral resolution ion microprobe techniques. All IDPs have isotopic compositions tightly clustered around that of solar system planetary materials. Hydrated IDPs have mass-fractionated oxygen isotopic compositions similar to those of CI and CM carbonaceous chondrites, consistent with hydration of initially anhydrous protosolar dust. Anhydrous IDPs have small 16O excesses and depletions similar to those of carbonaceous chondrites, the largest 16O variations being hosted by the two GEMS-rich IDPs. Coarse-grained forsteritic olivine and enstatite in anhydrous IDPs are isotopically similar to their counterparts in comet Wild 2 and in chondrules suggesting a high temperature inner solar system origin. The small variations in the 16O content of GEMS-rich IDPs suggest that most GEMS either do not preserve a record of interstellar processes or the initial interstellar dust is not 16O-rich as expected by self-shielding models, although a larger dataset is required to verify these conclusions. Together with other chemical and mineralogical indicators, O isotopes show that the parent-bodies of carbonaceous chondrites, of chondritic IDPs, of most Antarctic micrometeorites, and comet Wild 2 belong to a single family of objects of carbonaceous chondrite chemical affinity as distinct from ordinary, enstatite, K- and R-chondrites. Comparison with astronomical observations thus suggests a chemical continuum of objects including main belt and outer solar system asteroids such as C-type, P-type and D-type asteroids, Trojans and Centaurs as well as short-period comets and other Kuiper Belt Objects.

Observational evidence for black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchings, J. B.

1985-02-01

Observational data supporting the existence of black holes are presented graphically and characterized in a general review. Object classes discussed include quasars as galaxy cores, X-ray-emitting binaries (Cyg X-1, LMC X-3, and the apparent miniature quasar SS 433), radio galaxies and quasars with twin jets, and interacting galaxies. This evidence is found to strongly suggest that quasars are accreting black holes of mass about 10 to the 8th solar mass, that they formed more easily in earlier stages of the universe (corresponding to redshifts around 2), and that they are analogous in many ways to the stellar-mass object SS 433.

Report of the Director-General on the Long-Term Programme in the Field of Hydrology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France). General Conference.

The report describes the principal orientations of the International Hydrological Programme, as well as the procedures suggested for its execution. The origin and justification of the programme are presented. The objectives of the 1975 programme are stated and the contents, which include the activities, themes, application of new techniques in…

Homemaking for the Educable Mentally Retarded Girl; In-Service Training Materials for Teachers of the Educable Mentally Retarded.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyen, Edward L.; Carr, Donald L.

Designed for use with educable mentally handicapped girls, the guide stresses the importance of certain homemaking areas. They include grooming and personality, home management, foods and nutrition, clothing, and child care. For each area, an outline of suggested content is provided, specifying sub-units, general objectives, and activities. Sample…

Maintenance and Services. The Wisconsin Guide to Local Curriculum Improvement in Industrial Education, K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burt, Thomas

The intent of this field tested instructional package is to familiarize the student with the maintenance and services elements of industry and their function in the production of goods and services. Defining behavioral objectives, the course description includes a media section, suggested classroom activities, and sample student evaluation forms,…

Why Inner-City High-School Students Attend After-School Physical Activity Clubs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whalen, Laurel; McCaughtry, Nate; Garn, Alex; Kulik, Noel; Centeio, Erin E.; Maljak, Kimberly; Kaseta, Michele; Shen, Bo; Martin, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

Objective: The population of young people most vulnerable to low levels of physical activity (e.g. urban/minority/low socio-economic status/female/non-athletes) often has the least access to physical activity opportunities and resources. It has been suggested that a comprehensive, school-based approach, including prudent use of time before, during…

Sourcebook for English Teachers: Directed Reading/Teaching Guides for Selected Literacy Works. Volume 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ley, Terry C., Ed.

This sourcebook presents reading guides for 27 literary works frequently used by secondary school English teachers. The guides contain an overview of the work, a pool of instructional objectives for each work, a variety of activities, a series of discussion options, suggestions for evaluation, and annotated lists of related works. Included are:…

Substituting whole grains for refined grains in a 6-wk randomized trial has a modest effect on gut microbiota and immune and inflammatory markers of healthy adults

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Observational studies suggest an inverse association between whole-grain (WG) consumption and inflammation. However, evidence from interventional studies is limited, and few studies have included measurements of cell-mediated immunity. Objective: We assessed the effects of diets rich in ...

Giving Women the Vote: Using Primary Source Documents to Teach about the Fight for Women's Suffrage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobsen, Margaret

1988-01-01

Presents a lesson in which students use primary sources to learn about the organizing strategies used in the fight for women's suffrage. These sources will provide insights into the past and help students develop appreciation for the hardships suffragists endured. Includes objectives, procedures, and suggestions for activities. (LS)

Crawling and/or Squatting: A Saleable Work Skill. Occupation Simulation Packet. Grades K-2nd.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery, Margery

This teacher's guide for grades K-2 contains simulated work experiences for students using the isolated skill concept, crawling and/or squatting. Teacher instructions include objectives, evaluation, and sequence of activities. The guide contains pre-tests and post-tests with instructions and answer keys. Three pre-skill activities are suggested,…

[Revelation of purchase system of developed nation to large medical equipment group purchase in our country].

PubMed

Tao, Lin; Guan, Bing; Liu, Shan

2011-01-01

There were some features of purchase system in developed nation, such as clear purchase objectives flexible methods, standard programming, emphasis on competition and open process. The measures suggested include playing the role of competition purchasing; establishing the e-business modern purchasing information system; establishing legislation system; and completing business purchasing.

Nutrition in the Early Childhood Setting: Arizona HSST/CDA Competency Based Training Module #15.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terrell, Ann

The purpose of this Child Development Associate (CDA) training module is to provide the CDA intern with knowledge of how to use nutrition information with children and parents, as well as how to structure and carry out a nutrition program, including mealtime and food preparation activities. Objectives are presented along with suggested activities…

Shipping: The World Connection. Student Guide and Teacher Guide. OEAGLS Investigation 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortner, Rosanne; Pauken, Ray

This unit investigates through three activities the importance of the Great Lakes in international trade. A student workbook and a teaching guide are provided. Included in the teacher's manual are an overview of the unit, a materials list, objectives, teaching suggestions, evaluation items, and answer keys to student activities. In the first…

Sourcebook for English Teachers: Directed Reading/Teaching Guides for Selected Literary Works. Volume 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ley, Terry C., Ed.

This sourcebook presents reading guides for 22 literary works frequently used by secondary school English teachers. The guides contain an overview of the work, a pool of instructional objectives for each work, a variety of activities, a series of discussion options, suggestions for evaluation, and annotated lists of related works. Included are:…

Simple Gifts: The Education of the Gifted, Talented, and Creative. Learning Modules for Directed Study Sequences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Univ., Madison. Univ. Extension.

Twelve modules are presented for the education of gifted and talented students. Modules include a brief introduction; list of objectives; overview of the content; and suggestions for core, application, and quest (further study) activities. The modules focus on the following topics: definitions of giftedness; history of their educational treatment;…

Invitation to Discover and to Understand=Invitation a Decouvrir et a Comprendre.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parks Canada (Quebec). La Mauricie National Park.

This four-part guide provides suggestions to help teachers and students get the maximum benefit from a visit to the La Mauricie National Park in Quebec Province, Canada. The first part contains introductory comments, program objectives, an overall view of the park (including its features and services available), use of an appended exploration map,…

Japan: Land of the Rising Sun. A Twelve Day Unit of Study for Fourth Grade Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craycraft, Kenneth; Winters, Norm

This unit of study on Japan contains the following content areas: Unit Focus/Motivation; Islands of Japan; Living on an Island; Buildings; Economics; Transportation; and Culminating Activities. The objectives of the unit include knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Suggested activities for each of the content areas are offered and explained to assist…

Public Address, Cultural Diversity, and Tolerance: Teaching Cultural Diversity in Speech Classes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrd, Marquita L.

While speech instructors work to design appropriate diversity goals in the public speaking class, few have the training for such a task. A review of course objectives and assignments for the basic course may be helpful. Suggestions for instructors working to incorporate diversity in the basic course include: (1) recognize the dominance of the…

Acid Rain. Activities for Grades 4 to 12. A Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, David; Bryant, Jeannette

This teacher's guide on acid rain is divided into three study areas to explain: (1) what causes acid rain; (2) what problems acid rain has created; and (3) what teachers and students can do to help combat acid rain. Instructions for activities within the study areas include suggested grade levels, objectives, materials needed, and directions for…

What Is Communications. The Wisconsin Guide to Local Curriculum Improvement in Industrial Education, K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritz, John M.

The intent of this field tested instructional package is to acquaint the student with the elements of communications and how they function in the production of goods and services. Defining behavioral objectives, the course description includes a media guide, suggested classroom activities, and sample student evaluation forms, as well as the basic…

Sourcebook for English Teachers: Directed Reading/Teaching Guides for Selected Literacy Works. Volume 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ley, Terry C., Ed.

This sourcebook presents reading guides for 39 literary works frequently used by scondary school English teachers. The guides contain an overview of the work, a pool of instructional objectives for each work, a variety of activities, a series of discussion options, suggestions for evaluation, and annotated lists of related works. Included are:…

Suggestions for Teaching Mathematics Using Laboratory Approaches. 6. Probability. Experimental Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Bureau of Elementary Curriculum Development.

This guide is the sixth in a series of publications to assist teachers in using a laboratory approach to mathematics. Twenty activities on probability and statistics for the elementary grades are described in terms of purpose, materials needed, and procedures to be used. Objectives of these activities include basic probability concepts; gathering,…

Assembling in Sequence: A Saleable Work Skill. Occupation Simulation Packet. Grades 3rd-4th.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hueston, Jean

This teacher's guide for grades 3 and 4 contains simulated work experiences for students using the isolated skill concept - assembling in sequence. Teacher instructions include objectives, evaluation, and sequence of activities. The guide contains pre-tests and post-tests with instructions and answer keys. Three pre-skill activities are suggested,…

Oral Persuasion: A Saleable Work Skill. Occupation Simulation Packet. Grades 5th-6th.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Dennis W.

This teacher's guide contains simulated work experiences for 5th and 6th grade students using the isolated skill concept - oral persuasion. Teacher instructions include objectives, evaluation, and sequence of activities. The guide contains pre-tests and post-tests with instructions and answer keys. Two pre-skill activities are suggested, such as…

Priority One: Environment. Air Pollution and Your Health, Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCutcheon, Patricia; And Others

This teaching guide is designed to be used with secondary school students and the unit Air Pollution and Your Health. Material for the teacher includes the following: (1) an introduction to the unit; (2) a discussion of the sections of the unit; (3) instructional objectives; (4) suggestions for use of filmstrips, worksheets, reference materials,…

Introduction to Production Technology. The Wisconsin Guide to Local Curriculum Improvement in Industrial Education, K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loeffler, Gordon

The intent of this field tested instructional package is to acquaint the student with the methods and processes used in the production of goods. Defining behavioral objectives, the course description includes media guide, suggested classroom activities, and sample student evaluation forms as well as the basic information section. The course…

The Development of Industry. The Wisconsin Guide to Local Curriculum Improvement in Industrial Education, K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loeffler, Gordon

This field tested instructional package is intended to develop within the student an understanding of the significant time periods and major events in the history of industry. Defining behavioral objectives, the course description includes a media section, suggested classroom activities, and student evaluation materials, as well as the basic…

Filling in the Gaps of Clerkship with a Comprehensive Clinical Skills Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veale, Pamela; Carson, Julie; Coderre, Sylvain; Woloschuk, Wayne; Wright, Bruce; McLaughlin, Kevin

2014-01-01

Although the clinical clerkship model is based upon sound pedagogy, including theories of social learning and situated learning, studies evaluating clinical performance of residents suggests that this model may not fully meet the learning needs of students. Here our objective was to design a curriculum to bridge the learning gaps of the existing…

Time dependent emission line profiles in the radially streaming particle model of Seyfert galaxy nuclei and quasi-stellar objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubbard, R.

1974-01-01

The radially-streaming particle model for broad quasar and Seyfert galaxy emission features is modified to include sources of time dependence. The results are suggestive of reported observations of multiple components, variability, and transient features in the wings of Seyfert and quasi-stellar emission lines.

Neural basis for dynamic updating of object representation in visual working memory.

PubMed

Takahama, Sachiko; Miyauchi, Satoru; Saiki, Jun

2010-02-15

In real world, objects have multiple features and change dynamically. Thus, object representations must satisfy dynamic updating and feature binding. Previous studies have investigated the neural activity of dynamic updating or feature binding alone, but not both simultaneously. We investigated the neural basis of feature-bound object representation in a dynamically updating situation by conducting a multiple object permanence tracking task, which required observers to simultaneously process both the maintenance and dynamic updating of feature-bound objects. Using an event-related design, we separated activities during memory maintenance and change detection. In the search for regions showing selective activation in dynamic updating of feature-bound objects, we identified a network during memory maintenance that was comprised of the inferior precentral sulcus, superior parietal lobule, and middle frontal gyrus. In the change detection period, various prefrontal regions, including the anterior prefrontal cortex, were activated. In updating object representation of dynamically moving objects, the inferior precentral sulcus closely cooperates with a so-called "frontoparietal network", and subregions of the frontoparietal network can be decomposed into those sensitive to spatial updating and feature binding. The anterior prefrontal cortex identifies changes in object representation by comparing memory and perceptual representations rather than maintaining object representations per se, as previously suggested. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An extrasolar extreme-ultraviolet object. II - The nature of HZ 43. [hot white dwarf star

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Margon, B.; Liebert, J.; Lampton, M.; Spinrad, H.; Bowyer, S.; Gatewood, G.

1976-01-01

A variety of data are presented concerning the spectrum, distance, temperature, and evolutionary state of the hot white dwarf HZ 43, the first extrasolar object to be detected in the EUV band. The data include spectrophotometry of the star and its red dwarf companion (HZ 43B), a trigonometric parallax for the star, its tangential velocity, and results of soft X-ray and EUV observations. The main conclusions are that: (1) the spectrum of HZ 43A is that of a hot DAwk star, (2) HZ 43B is a dM3.5e star, (3) the distance of the system is about 65 pc, (4) the tangential velocity is not atypical of white dwarfs, and (5) the stellar energy distribution of HZ 43A is well fitted by a black body with an effective temperature of approximately 110,000 K. Evolutionary implications of the existence of an object as hot as HZ 43A are briefly considered, and it is suggested that the progenitors of hot DA stars must include objects hotter than spectral type sdB, with logical possibilities being nuclei of planetary nebulae and sdO stars.

How do language-specific characteristics affect the acquisition of different relative clause types? Evidence from Finnish.

PubMed

Kirjavainen, Minna; Kidd, Evan; Lieven, Elena

2017-01-01

We report three studies (one corpus, two experimental) that investigated the acquisition of relative clauses (RCs) in Finnish-speaking children. Study 1 found that Finnish children's naturalistic exposure to RCs predominantly consists of non-subject relatives (i.e. oblique, object) which typically have inanimate head nouns. Study 2 tested children's comprehension of subject, object, and two types of oblique relatives. No difference was found in the children's performance on different structures, including a lack of previously widely reported asymmetry between subject and object relatives. However, children's comprehension was modulated by animacy of the head referent. Study 3 tested children's production of the same RC structures using sentence repetition. Again we found no subject-object asymmetry. The pattern of results suggested that distributional frequency patterns and the relative complexity of the relativizer contribute to the difficulty associated with particular RC structures.

Apparent minification in an imaging display under reduced viewing conditions.

PubMed

Meehan, J W

1993-01-01

When extended outdoor scenes are imaged with magnification of 1 in optical, electronic, or computer-generated displays, scene features appear smaller and farther than in direct view. This has been shown to occur in various periscopic and camera-viewfinder displays outdoors in daylight. In four experiments it was found that apparent minification of the size of a planar object at a distance of 3-9 m indoors occurs in the viewfinder display of an SLR camera both in good light and in darkness with only the luminous object visible. The effect is robust and survives changes in the relationship between object luminance in the display and in direct view and occurs in the dark when subjects have no prior knowledge of room dimensions, object size or object distance. The results of a fifth experiment suggest that the effect is an instance of reduced visual size constancy consequent on elimination of cues for size, which include those for distance.

Discovery of A New Retrograde Trans-Neptunian Object: Hint of A Common Orbital Plane for Low Semi-Major Axis, High Inclination TNOs and Centaurs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ying-Tung; Lin, Hsing-Wen; Holman, Matthew J.; Payne, Matthew John; Fraser, Wesley Cristopher; Lacerda, Pedro; Ip, Wing-Huen; Pan-STARRS 1 Builders

2016-10-01

The origin of high inclination objects beyond Jupiter, including trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and Centaurs, remains uncertain. We report the discovery of a retrograde TNO, which we nickname "Niku", detected by the Pan-STARRS 1 Outer Solar System Survey. The numerical integrations show that the orbital dynamics of Niku are very similar to those of 2008 KV42 (Drac), with a half-life of ~ 500 Myr and analogous orbital evolution. Comparing similar high inclination members announced by the Minor-Planet Center (q > 10 AU, a < 100 AU and i > 60), we find these objects exhibit a surprising clustering of ascending node, populating a common orbital plane. The statistical significance of 3.8-sigma suggests it is unlikely to be coincidental. An unknown mechanism is required to explain the observed clustering. This discovery may provide a pathway to investigating a possible reservoir of high-inclination objects.

Measuring what matters: does 'objectivity' mean good science?

PubMed

Kayes, Nicola M; McPherson, Kathryn M

2010-01-01

While the limitations of self-report measures are clearly acknowledged, less apparent is attention to the potential limitations of their 'objective' counterparts leading to the assumption that objectivity results in more robust and scientifically valid measurement tools. This article aims to: (1) test this assumption; (2) consider the implications of advocating for a measure on the basis of its objectivity; (3) propose an alternative approach to measure selection. A critical evaluation of one 'objective' measure highlights a number of potential limitations suggesting that the apparent willingness to adopt 'objective' measures with little questioning may be misguided. The possible implications of this are discussed and include a risk to the advancement of, and capacity for, knowledge in rehabilitation; or worse, of making clinical decisions based on erroneous conclusions. Characterising a measure on the basis of objectivity (or not) assumes an overly simplistic dichotomy that is unhelpful and perhaps misleading. We argue that assessing whether a measure is fit for purpose and makes mathematical sense is the key consideration. Indeed, in some cases, using both an 'objective' measure and a subjective rating scale may be appropriate and the only way of truly capturing the phenomenon of interest.

Getting a grip on reality: Grasping movements directed to real objects and images rely on dissociable neural representations.

PubMed

Freud, Erez; Macdonald, Scott N; Chen, Juan; Quinlan, Derek J; Goodale, Melvyn A; Culham, Jody C

2018-01-01

In the current era of touchscreen technology, humans commonly execute visually guided actions directed to two-dimensional (2D) images of objects. Although real, three-dimensional (3D), objects and images of the same objects share high degree of visual similarity, they differ fundamentally in the actions that can be performed on them. Indeed, previous behavioral studies have suggested that simulated grasping of images relies on different representations than actual grasping of real 3D objects. Yet the neural underpinnings of this phenomena have not been investigated. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate how brain activation patterns differed for grasping and reaching actions directed toward real 3D objects compared to images. Multivoxel Pattern Analysis (MVPA) revealed that the left anterior intraparietal sulcus (aIPS), a key region for visually guided grasping, discriminates between both the format in which objects were presented (real/image) and the motor task performed on them (grasping/reaching). Interestingly, during action planning, the representations of real 3D objects versus images differed more for grasping movements than reaching movements, likely because grasping real 3D objects involves fine-grained planning and anticipation of the consequences of a real interaction. Importantly, this dissociation was evident in the planning phase, before movement initiation, and was not found in any other regions, including motor and somatosensory cortices. This suggests that the dissociable representations in the left aIPS were not based on haptic, motor or proprioceptive feedback. Together, these findings provide novel evidence that actions, particularly grasping, are affected by the realness of the target objects during planning, perhaps because real targets require a more elaborate forward model based on visual cues to predict the consequences of real manipulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The foundations of object permanence: does perceived cohesion determine infants' appreciation of the continuous existence of material objects?

PubMed

Cacchione, Trix

2013-09-01

One of the most fundamental achievements in infants' cognitive development is their appreciation that material objects exist permanently in space and time. Recent findings suggest that infants fail to identify fragmented material objects as continuously existing items. Four experiments assessed 8-12-month-old infants' ability to further represent an object that was fragmented into two or more parts. Results suggest that infants successfully trace the spatiotemporal displacement of fragmented objects, but that their processing of size/quantity-related property information may be affected. This suggests that, contrary to recent claims, 8- to 12-month-old infants can and do appreciate the continuity of fragmented objects. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Object recognition contributions to figure-ground organization: operations on outlines and subjective contours.

PubMed

Peterson, M A; Gibson, B S

1994-11-01

In previous research, replicated here, we found that some object recognition processes influence figure-ground organization. We have proposed that these object recognition processes operate on edges (or contours) detected early in visual processing, rather than on regions. Consistent with this proposal, influences from object recognition on figure-ground organization were previously observed in both pictures and stereograms depicting regions of different luminance, but not in random-dot stereograms, where edges arise late in processing (Peterson & Gibson, 1993). In the present experiments, we examined whether or not two other types of contours--outlines and subjective contours--enable object recognition influences on figure-ground organization. For both types of contours we observed a pattern of effects similar to that originally obtained with luminance edges. The results of these experiments are valuable for distinguishing between alternative views of the mechanisms mediating object recognition influences on figure-ground organization. In addition, in both Experiments 1 and 2, fixated regions were seen as figure longer than nonfixated regions, suggesting that fixation location must be included among the variables relevant to figure-ground organization.

Hands in the air: using ungrounded iconic gestures to teach children conservation of quantity.

PubMed

Ping, Raedy M; Goldin-Meadow, Susan

2008-09-01

Including gesture in instruction facilitates learning. Why? One possibility is that gesture points out objects in the immediate context and thus helps ground the words learners hear in the world they see. Previous work on gesture's role in instruction has used gestures that either point to or trace paths on objects, thus providing support for this hypothesis. The experiments described here investigated the possibility that gesture helps children learn even when it is not produced in relation to an object but is instead produced "in the air." Children were given instruction in Piagetian conservation problems with or without gesture and with or without concrete objects. The results indicate that children given instruction with speech and gesture learned more about conservation than children given instruction with speech alone, whether or not objects were present during instruction. Gesture in instruction can thus help learners learn even when those gestures do not direct attention to visible objects, suggesting that gesture can do more for learners than simply ground arbitrary, symbolic language in the physical, observable world.

Velocity-based motion categorization by pigeons.

PubMed

Cook, Robert G; Beale, Kevin; Koban, Angie

2011-04-01

To examine if animals could learn action-like categorizations in a manner similar to noun-based categories, eight pigeons were trained to categorize rates of object motion. Testing 40 different objects in a go/no-go discrimination, pigeons were first trained to discriminate between fast and slow rates of object rotation around their central y-axis. They easily learned this velocity discrimination and transferred it to novel objects and rates. This discrimination also transferred to novel types of motions including the other two axes of rotation and two new translations around the display. Comparable tests with rapid and slow changes in the objects' size, color, and shape failed to support comparable transfer. This difference in discrimination transfer between motion-based and property-based changes suggests the pigeons had learned motion concept rather than one based on change per se. The results provide evidence that pigeons can acquire an understanding of motion-based actions, at least with regard to the property of object velocity. This may be similar to our use of verbs and adverbs to categorize different classes of behavior or motion (e.g., walking, jogging, or running slow vs. fast).

Dissociating object-based from egocentric transformations in mental body rotation: effect of stimuli size.

PubMed

Habacha, Hamdi; Moreau, David; Jarraya, Mohamed; Lejeune-Poutrain, Laure; Molinaro, Corinne

2018-01-01

The effect of stimuli size on the mental rotation of abstract objects has been extensively investigated, yet its effect on the mental rotation of bodily stimuli remains largely unexplored. Depending on the experimental design, mentally rotating bodily stimuli can elicit object-based transformations, relying mainly on visual processes, or egocentric transformations, which typically involve embodied motor processes. The present study included two mental body rotation tasks requiring either a same-different or a laterality judgment, designed to elicit object-based or egocentric transformations, respectively. Our findings revealed shorter response times for large-sized stimuli than for small-sized stimuli only for greater angular disparities, suggesting that the more unfamiliar the orientations of the bodily stimuli, the more stimuli size affected mental processing. Importantly, when comparing size transformation times, results revealed different patterns of size transformation times as a function of angular disparity between object-based and egocentric transformations. This indicates that mental size transformation and mental rotation proceed differently depending on the mental rotation strategy used. These findings are discussed with respect to the different spatial manipulations involved during object-based and egocentric transformations.

Does object view influence the scene consistency effect?

PubMed

Sastyin, Gergo; Niimi, Ryosuke; Yokosawa, Kazuhiko

2015-04-01

Traditional research on the scene consistency effect only used clearly recognizable object stimuli to show mutually interactive context effects for both the object and background components on scene perception (Davenport & Potter in Psychological Science, 15, 559-564, 2004). However, in real environments, objects are viewed from multiple viewpoints, including an accidental, hard-to-recognize one. When the observers named target objects in scenes (Experiments 1a and 1b, object recognition task), we replicated the scene consistency effect (i.e., there was higher accuracy for the objects with consistent backgrounds). However, there was a significant interaction effect between consistency and object viewpoint, which indicated that the scene consistency effect was more important for identifying objects in the accidental view condition than in the canonical view condition. Therefore, the object recognition system may rely more on the scene context when the object is difficult to recognize. In Experiment 2, the observers identified the background (background recognition task) while the scene consistency and object views were manipulated. The results showed that object viewpoint had no effect, while the scene consistency effect was observed. More specifically, the canonical and accidental views both equally provided contextual information for scene perception. These findings suggested that the mechanism for conscious recognition of objects could be dissociated from the mechanism for visual analysis of object images that were part of a scene. The "context" that the object images provided may have been derived from its view-invariant, relatively low-level visual features (e.g., color), rather than its semantic information.

A framework for developing objective and measurable recovery criteria for threatened and endangered species.

PubMed

Himes Boor, Gina K

2014-02-01

For species listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service are tasked with writing recovery plans that include "objective, measurable criteria" that define when a species is no longer at risk of extinction, but neither the act itself nor agency guidelines provide an explicit definition of objective, measurable criteria. Past reviews of recovery plans, including one published in 2012, show that many criteria lack quantitative metrics with clear biological rationale and are not meeting the measureable and objective mandate. I reviewed how objective, measureable criteria have been defined implicitly and explicitly in peer-reviewed literature, the ESA, other U.S. statutes, and legal decisions. Based on a synthesis of these sources, I propose the following 6 standards be used as minimum requirements for objective, measurable criteria: contain a quantitative threshold with calculable units, stipulate a timeframe over which they must be met, explicitly define the spatial extent or population to which they apply, specify a sampling procedure that includes sample size, specify a statistical significance level, and include justification by providing scientific evidence that the criteria define a species whose extinction risk has been reduced to the desired level. To meet these 6 standards, I suggest that recovery plans be explicitly guided by and organized around a population viability modeling framework even if data or agency resources are too limited to complete a viability model. When data and resources are available, recovery criteria can be developed from the population viability model results, but when data and resources are insufficient for model implementation, extinction risk thresholds can be used as criteria. A recovery-planning approach centered on viability modeling will also yield appropriately focused data-acquisition and monitoring plans and will facilitate a seamless transition from recovery planning to delisting. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

Consistency between subjectively and objectively measured hazard perception skills among young male drivers.

PubMed

Ābele, Līva; Haustein, Sonja; Møller, Mette; Martinussen, Laila M

2018-03-01

Young male drivers have lower hazard perception skills (HPS) than older and more experienced drivers and a tendency to overestimate their skills in hazardous situations. Both factors contribute to an over-representation in traffic accidents. Based on a sample of 63 drivers aged 18-24, this study compares the consistency of HPS measured by objective and subjective measures and the link between these measures is the key contribution of the study. Both visible and hidden hazards are included. Objective measures of HPS include responsiveness and eye movements while driving in a driving simulator. Subjective measures of HPS include self-reports derived based on the Hazard Perception Questionnaire (HPQ), Driving Skill Questionnaire (DSQ), and Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS). Results show that drivers who respond to the hazards on time, as compared to drivers who do not respond, have higher scores on subjective measures of HPS and higher driving skills in the visible but not in the hidden condition. Eye movement analysis confirms the difference and shows that response in time to hazards indicate higher HPS and young drivers are poor at detecting hidden hazards. Drivers with a response in time locate the hazard faster, have more fixations, but dwell less on the hazard. At the same time, those who do not respond have a later first fixation and fewer but longer fixations on the hazard. High sensation seeking drivers respond to visible hazards on time, suggesting that sensation seeking does not affect HPS negatively when the hazard is visible. To enhance the HPS among young drivers, the results of this study suggest that specific hazard perception training is relevant, especially for hazards that require more advanced HPS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Getting Things Done. A Learning Package for Process Skills. An Occasional Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Max

This manual is designed to help teachers and tutors implement a 4-day modular course in the skills and processes necessary to get things done. The aims and content of the course are described. A course summary is provided along with a model course program that includes parallel lists of objectives, suggested learning activities and text materials,…

Occupational Home Economics for Students with Special Needs. Housekeeping and Food Service. Research Series No. 59.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Marilyn; And Others

Designed for grades 11 and 12 special need students, this curriculum guide attempts to provide the EMH student with basic knowledge of housekeeping and food service before being placed on a job. Following lists of suggestions to the teacher and unit objectives, units are included on the following topics for housekeeping: (1) housekeeping…

From Cooks to Carpenters: Measuring - A Saleable Work Skill. Occupation Simulation Packet. Grades 5th-6th.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Helena

This teacher's guide contains simulated work experiences for 5th and 6th grade students using the isolated skill concept - measuring. Teacher instructions include objectives, evaluation, and sequence of activities. The guide contains pre-tests and post-tests with instructions and answer keys. Three pre-skill activities are suggested, such as…

Seeing the tipping point: Balance perception and visual shape.

PubMed

Firestone, Chaz; Keil, Frank C

2016-07-01

In a brief glance at an object or shape, we can appreciate a rich suite of its functional properties, including the organization of the object's parts, its optimal contact points for grasping, and its center of mass, or balancing point. However, in the real world and the laboratory, balance perception shows systematic biases whereby observers may misjudge a shape's center of mass by a severe margin. Are such biases simply quirks of physical reasoning? Or might they instead reflect more fundamental principles of object representation? Here we demonstrate systematically biased center-of-mass estimation for two-dimensional (2D) shapes (Study 1) and advance a surprising explanation of such biases. We suggest that the mind implicitly represents ordinary 2D shapes as rich, volumetric, three-dimensional (3D) objects, and that these "inflated" shape representations intrude on and bias perception of the 2D shape's geometric properties. Such "inflation" is a computer-graphics technique for segmenting shapes into parts, and we show that a model derived from this technique best accounts for the biases in center-of-mass estimation in Study 1. Further supporting this account, we show that reducing the need for inflated shape representations diminishes such biases: Center-of-mass estimation improved when cues to shapehood were attenuated (Study 2) and when shapes' depths were explicitly depicted using real-life objects laser-cut from wood (Study 3). We suggest that the technique of shape inflation is actually implemented in the mind; thus, biases in our impressions of balance reflect a more general functional characteristic of object perception. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

A longitudinal interprofessional simulation curriculum for critical care teams: Exploring successes and challenges.

PubMed

Leclair, Laurie W; Dawson, Mary; Howe, Alison; Hale, Sue; Zelman, Eric; Clouser, Ryan; Garrison, Garth; Allen, Gilman

2018-05-01

Interprofessional care teams are the backbone of intensive care units (ICUs) where severity of illness is high and care requires varied skills and experience. Despite this care model, longitudinal educational programmes for such workplace teams rarely include all professions. In this article, we report findings on the initial assessment and evaluation of an ongoing, longitudinal simulation-based curriculum for interprofessional workplace critical care teams. The study had two independent components, quantitative learner assessment and qualitative curricular evaluation. To assess curriculum effectiveness at meeting learning objectives, participant-reported key learning points identified using a self-assessment tool administered immediately following curricular participation were mapped to session learning objectives. To evaluate the curriculum, we conducted a qualitative study using a phenomenology approach involving purposeful sampling of nine curricular participants undergoing recorded semi-structured interviews. Verbatim transcripts were reviewed by two independent readers to derive themes further subdivided into successes and barriers. Learner self-assessment demonstrated that the majority of learners, across all professions, achieved at least one intended learning objective with senior learners more likely to report team-based objectives and junior learners more likely to report knowledge/practice objectives. Successes identified by curricular evaluation included authentic critical care curricular content, safe learning environment, and team comradery from shared experience. Barriers included unfamiliarity with the simulation environment and clinical coverage for curricular participation. This study suggests that a sustainable interprofessional curriculum for workplace ICU critical care teams can achieve the desired educational impact and effectively deliver authentic simulated work experiences if barriers to educational engagement and participation can be overcome.

On the origins of part-time radio pulsars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Bing; Gil, Janusz; Dyks, Jaroslaw

2007-01-01

Growing evidence suggests that some radio pulsars only act sporadically. These `part-time' pulsars include long-term nulls, quasi-periodic radio flares in PSR B1931+24, as well as the so-called Rotating Radio Transients (RRATs). Based on the assumption that these objects are isolated neutron stars similar to conventional radio pulsars, we discuss two possible interpretations to the phenomenon. The first interpretation suggests that these objects are pulsars slightly below the radio emission `death line', which become occasionally active only when the conditions for pair production and coherent emission are satisfied. The second interpretation invokes a radio emission direction reversal in conventional pulsars, as has been introduced to interpret the peculiar mode changing phenomenon in PSR B1822-09. In this picture, our line of sight misses the main radio emission beam of the pulsar but happens to sweep the emission beam when the radio emission direction is reversed. These part-time pulsars are therefore the other half of `nulling' pulsars. We suggest that X-ray observations may provide clues to differentiate between these two possibilities.

View-invariant object recognition ability develops after discrimination, not mere exposure, at several viewing angles.

PubMed

Yamashita, Wakayo; Wang, Gang; Tanaka, Keiji

2010-01-01

One usually fails to recognize an unfamiliar object across changes in viewing angle when it has to be discriminated from similar distractor objects. Previous work has demonstrated that after long-term experience in discriminating among a set of objects seen from the same viewing angle, immediate recognition of the objects across 30-60 degrees changes in viewing angle becomes possible. The capability for view-invariant object recognition should develop during the within-viewing-angle discrimination, which includes two kinds of experience: seeing individual views and discriminating among the objects. The aim of the present study was to determine the relative contribution of each factor to the development of view-invariant object recognition capability. Monkeys were first extensively trained in a task that required view-invariant object recognition (Object task) with several sets of objects. The animals were then exposed to a new set of objects over 26 days in one of two preparatory tasks: one in which each object view was seen individually, and a second that required discrimination among the objects at each of four viewing angles. After the preparatory period, we measured the monkeys' ability to recognize the objects across changes in viewing angle, by introducing the object set to the Object task. Results indicated significant view-invariant recognition after the second but not first preparatory task. These results suggest that discrimination of objects from distractors at each of several viewing angles is required for the development of view-invariant recognition of the objects when the distractors are similar to the objects.

The allure of the waterpipe: a narrative review of factors affecting the epidemic rise in waterpipe smoking among young persons globally

PubMed Central

Akl, E A; Ward, K D; Bteddini, D; Khaliel, R; Alexander, A C; Lotfi, T; Alaouie, H; Afifi, R A

2015-01-01

Objective The objective of this narrative review is to highlight the determinants of the epidemic rise in waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) among youth globally. The Ecological Model of Health Promotion (EMHP) was the guiding framework for the review. Data sources The following electronic databases were searched: Cochrane library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Search terms included waterpipe and its many variant terms. Study selection Articles were included if they were published between 1990 and 2014, were in English, were available in full text and included the age group 10–29 years. Data extraction Articles which analysed determinants of WTS at any of the levels of the EMHP were retained regardless of methodological rigour: 131 articles are included. Articles were coded in a standard template that abstracted methods as well as results. Data synthesis The review found that methodologies used to assess determinants of WTS among youth were often conventional and lacked rigor: 3/4 of the studies were cross-sectional surveys and most enrolled non-representative samples. Within the framework, the review identified determinants of WTS at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, organisational, community and policy levels. Conclusions The review suggests potential interventions to control WTS among youth, with emphasis on creative utilisation of social media, and tobacco control policies that include the specificities of WTS. The review further suggests the need for rigorous qualitative work to better contextualise determinants, and prospective observational and experimental studies that track and manipulate them to assess their viability as intervention targets. PMID:25618895

How Does Using Object Names Influence Visual Recognition Memory?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richler, Jennifer J.; Palmeri, Thomas J.; Gauthier, Isabel

2013-01-01

Two recent lines of research suggest that explicitly naming objects at study influences subsequent memory for those objects at test. Lupyan (2008) suggested that naming "impairs" memory by a representational shift of stored representations of named objects toward the prototype (labeling effect). MacLeod, Gopie, Hourihan, Neary, and Ozubko (2010)…

VizieR Online Data Catalog: OGLE RR Lyrae in LMC (Soszynski+, 2003)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soszynski, I.; Udalski, A.; Szymanski, M.; Kubiak, M.; Pietrzynski, G.; Wozniak, P.; Zebrun, K.; Szewczyk, O.; Wyrzykowski, L.

2003-11-01

We present the catalog of RR Lyr stars discovered in a 4.5 square degrees area in the central parts of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Presented sample contains 7612 objects, including 5455 fundamental mode pulsators (RRab), 1655 first-overtone (RRc), 272 second-overtone (RRe) and 230 double-mode RR Lyr stars (RRd). Additionally we attach alist of several dozen other short-period pulsating variables. The catalog data include astrometry, periods, BVI photometry, amplitudes, and parameters of the Fourier decomposition of the I-band light curve of each object. We provide a list of six LMC star clusters which contain RR Lyr stars. The richest cluster, NGC 1835, hosts 84 RR Lyr variables. The period distribution of these stars suggests that NGC1835 shares features of Oosterhoff type I and type II groups. All presented data, including individual BVI observations and finding charts are available from the OGLE Internet archive at ftp://sirius.astrouw.edu.pl/ogle/ogle2/var_stars/lmc/rrlyr (6 data files).

Segmentation precedes face categorization under suboptimal conditions.

PubMed

Van Den Boomen, Carlijn; Fahrenfort, Johannes J; Snijders, Tineke M; Kemner, Chantal

2015-01-01

Both categorization and segmentation processes play a crucial role in face perception. However, the functional relation between these subprocesses is currently unclear. The present study investigates the temporal relation between segmentation-related and category-selective responses in the brain, using electroencephalography (EEG). Surface segmentation and category content were both manipulated using texture-defined objects, including faces. This allowed us to study brain activity related to segmentation and to categorization. In the main experiment, participants viewed texture-defined objects for a duration of 800 ms. EEG results revealed that segmentation-related responses precede category-selective responses. Three additional experiments revealed that the presence and timing of categorization depends on stimulus properties and presentation duration. Photographic objects were presented for a long and short (92 ms) duration and evoked fast category-selective responses in both cases. On the other hand, presentation of texture-defined objects for a short duration only evoked segmentation-related but no category-selective responses. Category-selective responses were much slower when evoked by texture-defined than by photographic objects. We suggest that in case of categorization of objects under suboptimal conditions, such as when low-level stimulus properties are not sufficient for fast object categorization, segmentation facilitates the slower categorization process.

Segmentation precedes face categorization under suboptimal conditions

PubMed Central

Van Den Boomen, Carlijn; Fahrenfort, Johannes J.; Snijders, Tineke M.; Kemner, Chantal

2015-01-01

Both categorization and segmentation processes play a crucial role in face perception. However, the functional relation between these subprocesses is currently unclear. The present study investigates the temporal relation between segmentation-related and category-selective responses in the brain, using electroencephalography (EEG). Surface segmentation and category content were both manipulated using texture-defined objects, including faces. This allowed us to study brain activity related to segmentation and to categorization. In the main experiment, participants viewed texture-defined objects for a duration of 800 ms. EEG results revealed that segmentation-related responses precede category-selective responses. Three additional experiments revealed that the presence and timing of categorization depends on stimulus properties and presentation duration. Photographic objects were presented for a long and short (92 ms) duration and evoked fast category-selective responses in both cases. On the other hand, presentation of texture-defined objects for a short duration only evoked segmentation-related but no category-selective responses. Category-selective responses were much slower when evoked by texture-defined than by photographic objects. We suggest that in case of categorization of objects under suboptimal conditions, such as when low-level stimulus properties are not sufficient for fast object categorization, segmentation facilitates the slower categorization process. PMID:26074838

The role of right and left parietal lobes in the conceptual processing of numbers.

PubMed

Cappelletti, Marinella; Lee, Hwee Ling; Freeman, Elliot D; Price, Cathy J

2010-02-01

Neuropsychological and functional imaging studies have associated the conceptual processing of numbers with bilateral parietal regions (including intraparietal sulcus). However, the processes driving these effects remain unclear because both left and right posterior parietal regions are activated by many other conceptual, perceptual, attention, and response-selection processes. To dissociate parietal activation that is number-selective from parietal activation related to other stimulus or response-selection processes, we used fMRI to compare numbers and object names during exactly the same conceptual and perceptual tasks while factoring out activations correlating with response times. We found that right parietal activation was higher for conceptual decisions on numbers relative to the same tasks on object names, even when response time effects were fully factored out. In contrast, left parietal activation for numbers was equally involved in conceptual processing of object names. We suggest that left parietal activation for numbers reflects a range of processes, including the retrieval of learnt facts that are also involved in conceptual decisions on object names. In contrast, number selectivity in right parietal cortex reflects processes that are more involved in conceptual decisions on numbers than object names. Our results generate a new set of hypotheses that have implications for the design of future behavioral and functional imaging studies of patients with left and right parietal damage.

Error determination of a successive correction type objective analysis scheme. [for surface meteorological data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, D. R.; Leslie, F. W.

1984-01-01

The Purdue Regional Objective Analysis of the Mesoscale (PROAM) is a successive correction type scheme for the analysis of surface meteorological data. The scheme is subjected to a series of experiments to evaluate its performance under a variety of analysis conditions. The tests include use of a known analytic temperature distribution to quantify error bounds for the scheme. Similar experiments were conducted using actual atmospheric data. Results indicate that the multiple pass technique increases the accuracy of the analysis. Furthermore, the tests suggest appropriate values for the analysis parameters in resolving disturbances for the data set used in this investigation.

Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE): extending GAISE into nursing education.

PubMed

Hayat, Matthew J

2014-04-01

Statistics coursework is usually a core curriculum requirement for nursing students at all degree levels. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) establishes curriculum standards for academic nursing programs. However, the AACN provides little guidance on statistics education and does not offer standardized competency guidelines or recommendations about course content or learning objectives. Published standards may be used in the course development process to clarify course content and learning objectives. This article includes suggestions for implementing and integrating recommendations given in the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) report into statistics education for nursing students. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Suicide case with multiple injuries with sharp objects.

PubMed

Черняк, Валентина В; Девяткин, Александр Е; Мустафина, Галия М; Никифоров, Артём Г

The work of forensic - medical expert examination of the corpse at the place of its discovery and further research in the morgue often there are certain difficulties associated with the solution of a number of issues, including the establishment of a kind of death. Bringing the case demonstrates that, during the initial examination of the corpse to the place of its discovery the presence of multiple injuries on the body of a different nature, as a rule, initially suggest investigators to suspect that the murder occurred. But further questioning around him lately those studying survey data and scene study results allowed the corpse to make objective conclusions.

Dietary effects on object recognition: The impact of high-fat high-sugar diets on recollection and familiarity-based memory.

PubMed

Tran, Dominic M D; Westbrook, R Frederick

2018-05-31

Exposure to a high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) diet rapidly impairs novel-place- but not novel-object-recognition memory in rats (Tran & Westbrook, 2015, 2017). Three experiments sought to investigate the generality of diet-induced cognitive deficits by examining whether there are conditions under which object-recognition memory is impaired. Experiments 1 and 3 tested the strength of short- and long-term object-memory trace, respectively, by varying the interval of time between object familiarization and subsequent novel object test. Experiment 2 tested the effect of increasing working memory load on object-recognition memory by interleaving additional object exposures between familiarization and test in an n-back style task. Experiments 1-3 failed to detect any differences in object recognition between HFHS and control rats. Experiment 4 controlled for object novelty by separately familiarizing both objects presented at test, which included one remote-familiar and one recent-familiar object. Under these conditions, when test objects differed in their relative recency, HFHS rats showed a weaker memory trace for the remote object compared to chow rats. This result suggests that the diet leaves intact recollection judgments, but impairs familiarity judgments. We speculate that the HFHS diet adversely affects "where" memories as well as the quality of "what" memories, and discuss these effects in relation to recollection and familiarity memory models, hippocampal-dependent functions, and episodic food memories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The representation of object viewpoint in human visual cortex.

PubMed

Andresen, David R; Vinberg, Joakim; Grill-Spector, Kalanit

2009-04-01

Understanding the nature of object representations in the human brain is critical for understanding the neural basis of invariant object recognition. However, the degree to which object representations are sensitive to object viewpoint is unknown. Using fMRI we employed a parametric approach to examine the sensitivity to object view as a function of rotation (0 degrees-180 degrees ), category (animal/vehicle) and fMRI-adaptation paradigm (short or long-lagged). For both categories and fMRI-adaptation paradigms, object-selective regions recovered from adaptation when a rotated view of an object was shown after adaptation to a specific view of that object, suggesting that representations are sensitive to object rotation. However, we found evidence for differential representations across categories and ventral stream regions. Rotation cross-adaptation was larger for animals than vehicles, suggesting higher sensitivity to vehicle than animal rotation, and was largest in the left fusiform/occipito-temporal sulcus (pFUS/OTS), suggesting that this region has low sensitivity to rotation. Moreover, right pFUS/OTS and FFA responded more strongly to front than back views of animals (without adaptation) and rotation cross-adaptation depended both on the level of rotation and the adapting view. This result suggests a prevalence of neurons that prefer frontal views of animals in fusiform regions. Using a computational model of view-tuned neurons, we demonstrate that differential neural view tuning widths and relative distributions of neural-tuned populations in fMRI voxels can explain the fMRI results. Overall, our findings underscore the utility of parametric approaches for studying the neural basis of object invariance and suggest that there is no complete invariance to object view in the human ventral stream.

Human brain regions involved in recognizing environmental sounds.

PubMed

Lewis, James W; Wightman, Frederic L; Brefczynski, Julie A; Phinney, Raymond E; Binder, Jeffrey R; DeYoe, Edgar A

2004-09-01

To identify the brain regions preferentially involved in environmental sound recognition (comprising portions of a putative auditory 'what' pathway), we collected functional imaging data while listeners attended to a wide range of sounds, including those produced by tools, animals, liquids and dropped objects. These recognizable sounds, in contrast to unrecognizable, temporally reversed control sounds, evoked activity in a distributed network of brain regions previously associated with semantic processing, located predominantly in the left hemisphere, but also included strong bilateral activity in posterior portions of the middle temporal gyri (pMTG). Comparisons with earlier studies suggest that these bilateral pMTG foci partially overlap cortex implicated in high-level visual processing of complex biological motion and recognition of tools and other artifacts. We propose that the pMTG foci process multimodal (or supramodal) information about objects and object-associated motion, and that this may represent 'action' knowledge that can be recruited for purposes of recognition of familiar environmental sound-sources. These data also provide a functional and anatomical explanation for the symptoms of pure auditory agnosia for environmental sounds reported in human lesion studies.

Teaching strategies to facilitate breast cancer screening by African-American women.

PubMed

Gibson, Lynette M

2008-12-01

The objective of this paper is to report on the recent literature concerning coverage of breast cancer epidemiology, the barriers to breast cancer screening, and the strategies to facilitate screening by African-American women. Based on these findings, the author suggests culturally appropriate techniques to be used to promote breast cancer screening in African-American women. Barriers to breast cancer screening in African-American women include emotional reasons, spiritual/religious reasons, fatalism, logistic concerns, lack of knowledge, and lack of follow-up by health-care professionals. Numerous strategies that have been targeted toward African-American women are reported. These include storytelling, witnessing, and testimonies; providing social support and having social support networks; and conducting multifaceted programs that include culturally specific breast health information. Based on the literature reviewed, the author suggests some examples of creative and culturally appropriate techniques that have been implemented with African-American women and that have resulted in positive feedback. These examples include the use of testimonies, photographs, prose, narratives, poetry, and quotations.

Studying the Surfaces of the Icy Galilean Satellites With JIMO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prockter, L.; Schenk, P.; Pappalardo, R.

2003-12-01

The Geology subgroup of the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) Science Definition Team (SDT) has been working with colleagues within the planetary science community to determine the key outstanding science goals that could be met by the JIMO mission. Geological studies of the Galilean satellites will benefit from the spacecraft's long orbital periods around each satellite, lasting from one to several months. This mission plan allows us to select the optimal viewing conditions to complete global compositional and morphologic mapping at high resolution, and to target geologic features of key scientific interest at very high resolution. Community input to this planning process suggests two major science objectives, along with corresponding measurements proposed to meet them. Objective 1: Determine the origins of surface features and their implications for geological history and evolution. This encompasses investigations of magmatism (intrusion, extrusion, and diapirism), tectonism (isostatic compensation, and styles of faulting, flexure and folding), impact cratering (morphology and distribution), and gradation (erosion and deposition) processes (impact gardening, sputtering, mass wasting and frosts). Suggested measurements to meet this goal include (1) two dimensional global topographic mapping sufficient to discriminate features at a spatial scale of 10 m, and with better than or equal to 1 m relative vertical accuracy, (2) nested images of selected target areas at a range of resolutions down to the submeter pixel scale, (3) global (albedo) mapping at better than or equal to 10 m/pixel, and (4) multispectral global mapping in at least 3 colors at better than or equal to 100 m/pixel, with some subsets at better than 30 m/pixel. Objective 2. Identify and characterize potential landing sites for future missions. A primary component to the success of future landed missions is full characterization of potential sites in terms of their relative age, geological interest, and engineering safety. Measurement requirements suggested to meet this goal (in addition to the requirements of Objective 1) include the acquisition of super-high resolution images of selected target areas (with intermediate context imaging) down to 25 cm/pixel scale. The Geology subgroup passed these recommendations to the full JIMO Science Definition Team, to be incorporated into the final science recommendations for the JIMO mission.

Life and death of Vladimir Mikhailovich Bekhterev.

PubMed

Maranhão Filho, Péricles; Maranhão, Eliana Teixeira; Engelhardt, Eliasz

2015-11-01

Vladimir Mikhailovich Bekhterev was a Russian innovative neuroscientist, extraordinary in the study, diagnosis, and research in the fields of neurology, psychology, morphology, physiology, and psychiatry. Considering the ample and multifaceted scientific feats, only some are touched in a very brief manner. However, it is necessary to highlight his contributions to neurology, with the description of structures, signs and syndromes, to physiology, including reflexology, which later underpinned behaviorism, to psychology, including objective psychology and suggestion. His accomplishments and legacy remained until the present days. Some comments about the scenery that involved his death are also presented.

Cognitive control components and speech symptoms in people with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Becker, Theresa M; Cicero, David C; Cowan, Nelson; Kerns, John G

2012-03-30

Previous schizophrenia research suggests poor cognitive control is associated with schizophrenia speech symptoms. However, cognitive control is a broad construct. Two important cognitive control components are poor goal maintenance and poor verbal working memory storage. In the current research, people with schizophrenia (n=45) performed three cognitive tasks that varied in their goal maintenance and verbal working memory storage demands. Speech symptoms were assessed using clinical rating scales, ratings of disorganized speech from typed transcripts, and self-reported disorganization. Overall, alogia was associated with both goal maintenance and verbal working memory tasks. Objectively rated disorganized speech was associated with poor goal maintenance and with a task that included both goal maintenance and verbal working memory storage demands. In contrast, self-reported disorganization was unrelated to either amount of objectively rated disorganized speech or to cognitive control task performance, instead being associated with negative mood symptoms. Overall, our results suggest that alogia is associated with both poor goal maintenance and poor verbal working memory storage and that disorganized speech is associated with poor goal maintenance. In addition, patients' own assessment of their disorganization is related to negative mood, but perhaps not to objective disorganized speech or to cognitive control task performance. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Basic visual function and cortical thickness patterns in posterior cortical atrophy.

PubMed

Lehmann, Manja; Barnes, Josephine; Ridgway, Gerard R; Wattam-Bell, John; Warrington, Elizabeth K; Fox, Nick C; Crutch, Sebastian J

2011-09-01

Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is characterized by a progressive decline in higher-visual object and space processing, but the extent to which these deficits are underpinned by basic visual impairments is unknown. This study aimed to assess basic and higher-order visual deficits in 21 PCA patients. Basic visual skills including form detection and discrimination, color discrimination, motion coherence, and point localization were measured, and associations and dissociations between specific basic visual functions and measures of higher-order object and space perception were identified. All participants showed impairment in at least one aspect of basic visual processing. However, a number of dissociations between basic visual skills indicated a heterogeneous pattern of visual impairment among the PCA patients. Furthermore, basic visual impairments were associated with particular higher-order object and space perception deficits, but not with nonvisual parietal tasks, suggesting the specific involvement of visual networks in PCA. Cortical thickness analysis revealed trends toward lower cortical thickness in occipitotemporal (ventral) and occipitoparietal (dorsal) regions in patients with visuoperceptual and visuospatial deficits, respectively. However, there was also a lot of overlap in their patterns of cortical thinning. These findings suggest that different presentations of PCA represent points in a continuum of phenotypical variation.

Effects of Variations in Toy Presentation on Social Behaviour of Infants and Toddlers in Childcare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shohet, Cilly; Klein, Pnina S.

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of variations in presentation of play materials on social behaviour of 18- to 30-month-old children. The study group included 102 children attending infant and toddler classes in 14 public childcare centres in Israel. Play materials were presented to the children either in a suggestive manner…

La Materia. Nivel II. Basado en el curso de estudios de Ciencia de Montgomery County Public Schools. (Matter. Level II. Based on the Montgomery County Public Schools Science Studies Program).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerstman, M. Linda

This curriculum unit is for use in an elementary school foreign language immersion program in Montgomery County, Maryland. The unit is geared toward the second grade science classroom. It includes instructional and performance objectives, vocabulary lists, optional language structure sections, illustrations, activities, evaluation suggestions, and…

Can Children and Young People "Learn from" Atheism for Spiritual Development? A Response to the National Framework for Religious Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Jacqueline

2008-01-01

The new National Framework for Religious Education (RE) suggests, for the first time in national advice on agreed syllabuses, that atheism can be included in the curriculum alongside world religions. This article counters objections to the inclusion of atheism in RE and argues that children and young people can learn from atheistic beliefs and…

[Maintenance of cold chain for the delivery of immunobiological drugs by the indicators of heating and freezing controls].

PubMed

Smirnov, D V; Buianov, V V; Kolesnikov, N V; Minaev, V A; Demina, A M; Suprun, I P

2004-01-01

The paper deals with an objective evaluation of a qualitative storage of immunobiological drugs including all stages of "cold chain". The results of technological research and of designing related with constructing a system of indicators for monitoring the temperature regime to maintain the "cold chain" functioning are presented. The suggested devices are comparatively described.

Preoperative diagnosis of bicipitoradial bursitis: a case report.

PubMed

Aldhilan, Asim Saleh

2014-01-01

Inflammation of the bicipitoradial bursa is a rare condition and only few reports can be found in literature. Several causes for a cubital bursitis have been suggested in the past. The need to include a malignant lesion in the differential diagnosis has only been mentioned in one of these reports. May main objective in reporting this case is to make this pathological entity better known.

Preoperative diagnosis of bicipitoradial bursitis: a case report

PubMed Central

Aldhilan, Asim

2014-01-01

Inflammation of the bicipitoradial bursa is a rare condition and only few reports can be found in literature. Several causes for a cubital bursitis have been suggested in the past. The need to include a malignant lesion in the differential diagnosis has only been mentioned in one of these reports. May main objective in reporting this case is to make this pathological entity better known. PMID:25018791

Privacy Protection by Masking Moving Objects for Security Cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yabuta, Kenichi; Kitazawa, Hitoshi; Tanaka, Toshihisa

Because of an increasing number of security cameras, it is crucial to establish a system that protects the privacy of objects in the recorded images. To this end, we propose a framework of image processing and data hiding for security monitoring and privacy protection. First, we state the requirements of the proposed monitoring systems and suggest possible implementation that satisfies those requirements. The underlying concept of our proposed framework is as follows: (1) in the recorded images, the objects whose privacy should be protected are deteriorated by appropriate image processing; (2) the original objects are encrypted and watermarked into the output image, which is encoded using an image compression standard; (3) real-time processing is performed such that no future frame is required to generate on output bitstream. It should be noted that in this framework, anyone can observe the decoded image that includes the deteriorated objects that are unrecognizable or invisible. On the other hand, for crime investigation, this system allows a limited number of users to observe the original objects by using a special viewer that decrypts and decodes the watermarked objects with a decoding password. Moreover, the special viewer allows us to select the objects to be decoded and displayed. We provide an implementation example, experimental results, and performance evaluations to support our proposed framework.

Deconstructing Visual Scenes in Cortex: Gradients of Object and Spatial Layout Information

PubMed Central

Kravitz, Dwight J.; Baker, Chris I.

2013-01-01

Real-world visual scenes are complex cluttered, and heterogeneous stimuli engaging scene- and object-selective cortical regions including parahippocampal place area (PPA), retrosplenial complex (RSC), and lateral occipital complex (LOC). To understand the unique contribution of each region to distributed scene representations, we generated predictions based on a neuroanatomical framework adapted from monkey and tested them using minimal scenes in which we independently manipulated both spatial layout (open, closed, and gradient) and object content (furniture, e.g., bed, dresser). Commensurate with its strong connectivity with posterior parietal cortex, RSC evidenced strong spatial layout information but no object information, and its response was not even modulated by object presence. In contrast, LOC, which lies within the ventral visual pathway, contained strong object information but no background information. Finally, PPA, which is connected with both the dorsal and the ventral visual pathway, showed information about both objects and spatial backgrounds and was sensitive to the presence or absence of either. These results suggest that 1) LOC, PPA, and RSC have distinct representations, emphasizing different aspects of scenes, 2) the specific representations in each region are predictable from their patterns of connectivity, and 3) PPA combines both spatial layout and object information as predicted by connectivity. PMID:22473894

Minimum Colour Differences Required To Recognise Small Objects On A Colour CRT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, Peter L.

1985-05-01

Data is required to assist in the assessment, evaluation and optimisation of colour and other displays for both military and general use. A general aim is to develop a mathematical technique to aid optimisation and reduce the amount of expensive hardware development and trials necessary when introducing new displays. The present standards and methods available for evaluating colour differences are known not to apply to the perception of typical objects on a display. Data is required for irregular objects viewed at small angular subtense ((1°) and relating the recognition of form rather than colour matching. Therefore laboratory experiments have been carried out using a computer controlled CRT to measure the threshold colour difference that an observer requires between object and background so that he can discriminate a variety of similar objects. Measurements are included for a variety of background and object colourings. The results are presented in the CIE colorimetric system similar to current standards used by the display engineer. Apart from the characteristic small field tritanopia, the results show that larger colour differences are required for object recognition than those assumed from conventional colour discrimination data. A simple relationship to account for object size and background colour is suggested to aid visual performance assessments and modelling.

Objective and subjective measurement of sleep disturbance in female trauma survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Werner, Kimberly B; Griffin, Michael G; Galovski, Tara E

2016-06-30

Sleep disturbance may be the most often endorsed symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Much of this research is based on subjective reports from trauma survivors; however, objective measures of sleep-related impairment have yielded findings inconsistent with self-report data. More studies investigating subjective and objective assessments concordantly are needed to understand sleep impairment in PTSD. The current study examined PTSD-related sleep disturbance in a female interpersonal violence cohort with full PTSD diagnoses (N=51) assessing subjective (global and daily diary measures) and objective (actigraphy) sleep measures concurrently. PTSD severity was positively associated with global, subjective reports of sleep impairment and insomnia. Subjective measures of sleep (including global sleep impairment, insomnia, and daily sleep diary reports of total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and sleep onset latency) were moderately to strongly correlated. However, no significant correlations between subjective and objective reports of sleep impairment were found in this cohort. Analyses demonstrated an overall elevation in subjectively reported sleep impairment when compared to objective measurement assessed concurrently. Findings demonstrate a lack of agreement between subjective and objective measurements of sleep in a PTSD-positive female cohort, suggesting objective and subjective sleep impairments are distinct sleep parameters that do not necessarily directly co-vary. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modifying the Sleep Treatment Education Program for Students to include technology use (STEPS-TECH): Intervention effects on objective and subjective sleep outcomes.

PubMed

Barber, Larissa K; Cucalon, Maria S

2017-12-01

University students often have sleep issues that arise from poor sleep hygiene practices and technology use patterns. Yet, technology-related behaviors are often neglected in sleep hygiene education. This study examined whether the Sleep Treatment Education Program for Students-modified to include information regarding managing technology use (STEPS-TECH)-helps improve both subjective and objective sleep outcomes among university students. Results of an experimental study among 78 university students showed improvements in objective indicators of sleep quantity (total sleep time) and sleep quality (less awakenings) during the subsequent week for students in the STEPS-TECH intervention group compared to a control group. Exploratory analyses indicated that effects were driven by improvements in weekend days immediately following the intervention. There were also no intervention effects on subjective sleep quality or quantity outcomes. In terms of self-reported behavioral responses to educational content in the intervention, there were no group differences in sleep hygiene practices or technology use before bedtime. However, the intervention group reported less technology use during sleep periods than the control group. These preliminary findings suggest that STEPS-TECH may be a useful educational tool to help improve objective sleep and reduce technology use during sleep periods among university students. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The role of temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) in global Gestalt perception.

PubMed

Huberle, Elisabeth; Karnath, Hans-Otto

2012-07-01

Grouping processes enable the coherent perception of our environment. A number of brain areas has been suggested to be involved in the integration of elements into objects including early and higher visual areas along the ventral visual pathway as well as motion-processing areas of the dorsal visual pathway. However, integration not only is required for the cortical representation of individual objects, but is also essential for the perception of more complex visual scenes consisting of several different objects and/or shapes. The present fMRI experiments aimed to address such integration processes. We investigated the neural correlates underlying the global Gestalt perception of hierarchically organized stimuli that allowed parametrical degrading of the object at the global level. The comparison of intact versus disturbed perception of the global Gestalt revealed a network of cortical areas including the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), anterior cingulate cortex and the precuneus. The TPJ location corresponds well with the areas known to be typically lesioned in stroke patients with simultanagnosia following bilateral brain damage. These patients typically show a deficit in identifying the global Gestalt of a visual scene. Further, we found the closest relation between behavioral performance and fMRI activation for the TPJ. Our data thus argue for a significant role of the TPJ in human global Gestalt perception.

Klein's archaic Oedipus complex and its possible relationship to the myth of the labyrinth: notes on the origin of courage.

PubMed

Grotstein, J S

1997-10-01

The ancient Greek myth linking the images of the labyrinth and the Minotaur provides an allegory for Melanie Klein's conception of the archaic Oedipus complex as well as a vivid illustration of Winnicott's notions of object usage and the 'subjective object'. The labyrinth is suggestive of mother's body as the first area for an infant's exploration and putative sadistic conquest. The Minotaur, in turn, suggests the infant's unconscious phantasies about the content of mother's body, namely such projective identifications onto that body as the paternal penis and the 'internal babies'. Further, the heroic dynamic personified by Theseus in the myth of the labyrinth metaphorically signifies what is here proposed as a developmental line that involves the courage to do a number of things, including to become, to create, to seek, to explore, to do, to challenge, to undertake risks, to accept, to rescue, to initiate, to think, to know and to realize. The Minotaur can thus be thought to serve as a universal subjective signifier for an 'Object of Challenge', which, if not successfully dealt with by the ego-development of the infant, transforms that default into the 'Object of Nemesis'. Ultimately, this myth of mastery speaks to the psychoanalytic process itself as well as casting light on the transformative aspects of sexual intercourse as a personal healing ritual.

Top-down control of visual perception: attention in natural vision.

PubMed

Rolls, Edmund T

2008-01-01

Top-down perceptual influences can bias (or pre-empt) perception. In natural scenes, the receptive fields of neurons in the inferior temporal visual cortex (IT) shrink to become close to the size of objects. This facilitates the read-out of information from the ventral visual system, because the information is primarily about the object at the fovea. Top-down attentional influences are much less evident in natural scenes than when objects are shown against blank backgrounds, though are still present. It is suggested that the reduced receptive-field size in natural scenes, and the effects of top-down attention contribute to change blindness. The receptive fields of IT neurons in complex scenes, though including the fovea, are frequently asymmetric around the fovea, and it is proposed that this is the solution the IT uses to represent multiple objects and their relative spatial positions in a scene. Networks that implement probabilistic decision-making are described, and it is suggested that, when in perceptual systems they take decisions (or 'test hypotheses'), they influence lower-level networks to bias visual perception. Finally, it is shown that similar processes extend to systems involved in the processing of emotion-provoking sensory stimuli, in that word-level cognitive states provide top-down biasing that reaches as far down as the orbitofrontal cortex, where, at the first stage of affective representations, olfactory, taste, flavour, and touch processing is biased (or pre-empted) in humans.

Neural dynamics of 3-D surface perception: figure-ground separation and lightness perception.

PubMed

Kelly, F; Grossberg, S

2000-11-01

This article develops the FACADE theory of three-dimensional (3-D) vision to simulate data concerning how two-dimensional pictures give rise to 3-D percepts of occluded and occluding surfaces. The theory suggests how geometrical and contrastive properties of an image can either cooperate or compete when forming the boundary and surface representations that subserve conscious visual percepts. Spatially long-range cooperation and short-range competition work together to separate boundaries of occluding figures from their occluded neighbors, thereby providing sensitivity to T-junctions without the need to assume that T-junction "detectors" exist. Both boundary and surface representations of occluded objects may be amodally completed, whereas the surface representations of unoccluded objects become visible through modal processes. Computer simulations include Bregman-Kanizsa figure-ground separation, Kanizsa stratification, and various lightness percepts, including the Münker-White, Benary cross, and checkerboard percepts.

Joint Integration Office Independent Review Committee annual report, 1985

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

Not Available

Comprised of seven persons with extensive experience in the issues of nuclear waste, the Independent Review Committee (IRC) provides independent and objective review of Defense Transuranic Waste Program (DTWP) activities managed by the Joint Integration Office (JIO), formerly the Defense Transuranic Waste Lead Organization (TLO). The Committee is ensured a broad, interdisciplinary perspective since its membership includes representatives from the fields of nuclear engineering, nuclear waste transportation, industrial quality control, systems and environmental engineering and state and local government. The scope of IRC activities includes overall review of specific TLO plans, projects and activities, and technical review of particular researchmore » and development projects. The Committee makes specific suggestions and recommendations based upon expertise in the field of TRU Waste Management. The IRC operates as a consulting group, under an independent charter providing objective review of program activities. This report summarizes the 12 major topics reviewed by the committee during 1985.« less

Airborne Dioxins, Furans and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Exposure to Military Personnel in Iraq

PubMed Central

Masiol, Mauro; Mallon, Timothy; Haines, Kevin M.; Utell, Mark J.; Hopke, Philip K.

2016-01-01

Objectives The objective was to use ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) concentrations measured at Joint Base Balad in Iraq in 2007 to identify the sources of these species and their spatial patterns. Methods The ratios of the measured species were compared to literature data for likely emission sources. Using the multiple site measurements on specific days, contour maps have been drawn using inverse distance weighting (IDW). Results These analyses suggest multiple sources including the burn pit (primarily a source of PCDD/PCDFs), the transportation field (primarily as source of PAHs) and other sources of PAHs that include aircraft, space heating, and diesel power generation. Conclusions The nature and locations of the sources were identified. PCDD/PCDFs were emitted by the burn pit. Multiple PAH sources exist across the base. PMID:27501100

Evolution of Scientific and Technical Information Distribution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Esler, Sandra; Nelson, Michael L.

1998-01-01

World Wide Web (WWW) and related information technologies are transforming the distribution of scientific and technical information (STI). We examine 11 recent, functioning digital libraries focusing on the distribution of STI publications, including journal articles, conference papers, and technical reports. We introduce 4 main categories of digital library projects: based on the architecture (distributed vs. centralized) and the contributor (traditional publisher vs. authoring individual/organization). Many digital library prototypes merely automate existing publishing practices or focus solely on the digitization of the publishing cycle output, not sampling and capturing elements of the input. Still others do not consider for distribution the large body of "gray literature." We address these deficiencies in the current model of STI exchange by suggesting methods for expanding the scope and target of digital libraries by focusing on a greater source of technical publications and using "buckets," an object-oriented construct for grouping logically related information objects, to include holdings other than technical publications.

Recognition memory in tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) after repeated familiarization sessions.

PubMed

Khani, Abbas; Rainer, Gregor

2012-07-01

Recognition memories are formed during perceptual experience and allow subsequent recognition of previously encountered objects as well as their distinction from novel objects. As a consequence, novel objects are generally explored longer than familiar objects by many species. This novelty preference has been documented in rodents using the novel object recognition (NOR) test, as well is in primates including humans using preferential looking time paradigms. Here, we examine novelty preference using the NOR task in tree shrew, a small animal species that is considered to be an intermediary between rodents and primates. Our paradigm consisted of three phases: arena familiarization, object familiarization sessions with two identical objects in the arena and finally a test session following a 24-h retention period with a familiar and a novel object in the arena. We employed two different object familiarization durations: one and three sessions on consecutive days. After three object familiarization sessions, tree shrews exhibited robust preference for novel objects on the test day. This was accompanied by significant reduction in familiar object exploration time, occurring largely between the first and second day of object familiarization. By contrast, tree shrews did not show a significant preference for the novel object after a one-session object familiarization. Nonetheless, they spent significantly less time exploring the familiar object on the test day compared to the object familiarization day, indicating that they did maintain a memory trace for the familiar object. Our study revealed different time courses for familiar object habituation and emergence of novelty preference, suggesting that novelty preference is dependent on well-consolidated memory of the competing familiar object. Taken together, our results demonstrate robust novelty preference of tree shrews, in general similarity to previous findings in rodents and primates. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sustained multifocal attentional enhancement of stimulus processing in early visual areas predicts tracking performance.

PubMed

Störmer, Viola S; Winther, Gesche N; Li, Shu-Chen; Andersen, Søren K

2013-03-20

Keeping track of multiple moving objects is an essential ability of visual perception. However, the mechanisms underlying this ability are not well understood. We instructed human observers to track five or seven independent randomly moving target objects amid identical nontargets and recorded steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) elicited by these stimuli. Visual processing of moving targets, as assessed by SSVEP amplitudes, was continuously facilitated relative to the processing of identical but irrelevant nontargets. The cortical sources of this enhancement were located to areas including early visual cortex V1-V3 and motion-sensitive area MT, suggesting that the sustained multifocal attentional enhancement during multiple object tracking already operates at hierarchically early stages of visual processing. Consistent with this interpretation, the magnitude of attentional facilitation during tracking in a single trial predicted the speed of target identification at the end of the trial. Together, these findings demonstrate that attention can flexibly and dynamically facilitate the processing of multiple independent object locations in early visual areas and thereby allow for tracking of these objects.

Object permanence and method of disappearance: looking measures further contradict reaching measures.

PubMed

Charles, Eric P; Rivera, Susan M

2009-11-01

Piaget proposed that understanding permanency, understanding occlusion events, and forming mental representations were synonymous; however, accumulating evidence indicates that those concepts are not unified in development. Infants reach for endarkened objects at younger ages than for occluded objects, and infants' looking patterns suggest that they expect occluded objects to reappear at younger ages than they reach for them. We reaffirm the latter finding in 5- to 6-month-olds and find similar responses to faded objects, but we fail to find that pattern in response to endarkened objects. This suggests that looking behavior and reaching behavior are both sensitive to method of disappearance, but with opposite effects. Current cognition-oriented (i.e. representation-oriented) explanations of looking behavior cannot easily accommodate these results; neither can perceptual-preference explanations, nor the traditional ecological reinterpretations of object permanence. A revised ecological hypothesis, invoking affordance learning, suggests how these differences could arise developmentally.

Personalized objects can optimize the diagnosis of EMCS in the assessment of functional object use in the CRS-R: a double blind, randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Sun, Yuxiao; Wang, Jianan; Heine, Lizette; Huang, Wangshan; Wang, Jing; Hu, Nantu; Hu, Xiaohua; Fang, Xiaohui; Huang, Supeng; Laureys, Steven; Di, Haibo

2018-04-12

Behavioral assessment has been acted as the gold standard for the diagnosis of disorders of consciousness (DOC) patients. The item "Functional Object Use" in the motor function sub-scale in the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) is a key item in differentiating between minimally conscious state (MCS) and emergence from MCS (EMCS). However, previous studies suggested that certain specific stimuli, especially something self-relevant can affect DOC patients' scores of behavioral assessment scale. So, we attempted to find out if personalized objects can improve the diagnosis of EMCS in the assessment of Functional Object Use by comparing the use of patients' favorite objects and other common objects in MCS patients. Twenty-one post-comatose patients diagnosed as MCS were prospectively included. The item "Functional Object Use" was assessed by using personalized objects (e.g., cigarette, paper) and non-personalized objects, which were presented in a random order. The rest assessments were performed following the standard protocol of the CRS-R. The differences between functional uses of the two types of objects were analyzed by the McNemar test. The incidence of Functional Object Use was significantly higher using personalized objects than non-personalized objects in the CRS-R. Five out of the 21 MCS studied patients, who were assessed with non-personalized objects, were re-diagnosed as EMCS with personalized objects (χ 2  = 5, df = 1, p < 0.05). Personalized objects employed here seem to be more effective to elicit patients' responses as compared to non-personalized objects during the assessment of Functional Object Use in DOC patients. Clinical Trials.gov: NCT02988206 ; Date of registration: 2016/12/12.

Properties of Low-mass AGN as They Relate to Unification and Massive AGN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hood, Carol E.

2011-01-01

Current unification models of AGN suggest the observational differences between Type 1 and Type 2 objects are solely due to the orientation angle of the object. Observations have proved consistent with predictions and continue to strengthen the case for unification, however, many are still searching for "true" Type 2 objects, including predictions of their formation due to low luminosity or low accretion rate. Low-mass (< 106solar masses) AGN provide interesting environments in which these unification models can be studied. We also aim to compare the properties of low-mass AGN with their more massive counterparts to look for structural similarities and differences over a more substantial range of luminosities and accretion rates than previously studied. We present an in-depth multi-wavelength study of one of the prototypical low-mass AGN, POX 52, investigating the properties of the central engine along with that of the host galaxy. This includes data from the VLA, Spitzer, 2MASS, HST, GALEX, XMM, and Chandra, providing us with one of the most comprehensive looks into low-mass AGN. Unlike the other prototypical low-mass AGN, NGC 4395, POX 52 resides in a dwarf elliptical galaxy, accreting at ≈ 0.35 the Eddington limit. Additionally, we examine a sample 41 Type 1 and Type 2 objects, including POX 52 and NGC 4395, with the Spitzer IRS and a sub-sample of those with XMM to study the absorption properties of low-mass AGN, to test the validity of unification models in the low-mass regime, and to investigate possible structural differences between objects with low and high mass black holes and accretion rates. We will discuss the IR spectral shape and present emission-line diagnostics for Type 1 and Type 2 AGNs at low masses.

Lick slit spectra of thirty-eight objective prism quasar candidates and low metallicity halo stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tytler, David; Fan, Xiao-Ming; Junkkarinen, Vesa T.; Cohen, Ross D.

1993-01-01

Lick Observatory slit spectra of 38 objects which were claimed to have pronounced UV excess and emission lines are presented. Eleven QSOs, four galaxies at z of about 0.1, 22 stars, and one unidentified object with a low S/N spectrum were found. Of 11 objects which Zhan and Chen (1987, 1989) suggested were QSO with z(prism) not greater than 2.8; eight are QSOs. Six of the QSOs show absorption systems, including Q0000+027A with a relatively strong associated C IV absorption system, and Q0008+008 with a damped Ly-alpha system with an H I column density of 10 exp 21/sq cm. The equivalent widths of the Ca II K line, the G band, and the Balmer lines in 10 stars with the best spectra are measured, and metallicities are derived. Seven of them are in the range -2.5 to -1.7, while the others are less metal-poor.

Hippocampus, perirhinal cortex, and complex visual discriminations in rats and humans

PubMed Central

Hales, Jena B.; Broadbent, Nicola J.; Velu, Priya D.

2015-01-01

Structures in the medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampus and perirhinal cortex, are known to be essential for the formation of long-term memory. Recent animal and human studies have investigated whether perirhinal cortex might also be important for visual perception. In our study, using a simultaneous oddity discrimination task, rats with perirhinal lesions were impaired and did not exhibit the normal preference for exploring the odd object. Notably, rats with hippocampal lesions exhibited the same impairment. Thus, the deficit is unlikely to illuminate functions attributed specifically to perirhinal cortex. Both lesion groups were able to acquire visual discriminations involving the same objects used in the oddity task. Patients with hippocampal damage or larger medial temporal lobe lesions were intact in a similar oddity task that allowed participants to explore objects quickly using eye movements. We suggest that humans were able to rely on an intact working memory capacity to perform this task, whereas rats (who moved slowly among the objects) needed to rely on long-term memory. PMID:25593294

On the Visual Input Driving Human Smooth-Pursuit Eye Movements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stone, Leland S.; Beutter, Brent R.; Lorenceau, Jean

1996-01-01

Current computational models of smooth-pursuit eye movements assume that the primary visual input is local retinal-image motion (often referred to as retinal slip). However, we show that humans can pursue object motion with considerable accuracy, even in the presence of conflicting local image motion. This finding indicates that the visual cortical area(s) controlling pursuit must be able to perform a spatio-temporal integration of local image motion into a signal related to object motion. We also provide evidence that the object-motion signal that drives pursuit is related to the signal that supports perception. We conclude that current models of pursuit should be modified to include a visual input that encodes perceived object motion and not merely retinal image motion. Finally, our findings suggest that the measurement of eye movements can be used to monitor visual perception, with particular value in applied settings as this non-intrusive approach would not require interrupting ongoing work or training.

Feature binding, attention and object perception.

PubMed Central

Treisman, A

1998-01-01

The seemingly effortless ability to perceive meaningful objects in an integrated scene actually depends on complex visual processes. The 'binding problem' concerns the way in which we select and integrate the separate features of objects in the correct combinations. Experiments suggest that attention plays a central role in solving this problem. Some neurological patients show a dramatic breakdown in the ability to see several objects; their deficits suggest a role for the parietal cortex in the binding process. However, indirect measures of priming and interference suggest that more information may be implicitly available than we can consciously access. PMID:9770223

Are subjective memory problems related to suggestibility, compliance, false memories, and objective memory performance?

PubMed

Van Bergen, Saskia; Jelicic, Marko; Merckelbach, Harald

2009-01-01

The relationship between subjective memory beliefs and suggestibility, compliance, false memories, and objective memory performance was studied in a community sample of young and middle-aged people (N = 142). We hypothesized that people with subjective memory problems would exhibit higher suggestibility and compliance levels and would be more susceptible to false recollections than those who are optimistic about their memory. In addition, we expected a discrepancy between subjective memory judgments and objective memory performance. We found that subjective memory judgments correlated significantly with compliance, with more negative memory judgments accompanying higher levels of compliance. Contrary to our expectation, subjective memory problems did not correlate with suggestibility or false recollections. Furthermore, participants were accurate in estimating their objective memory performance.

The New APS Topical Group on the Physics of Climate: History, Objectives and Panel Discussion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brasseur, James; Behringer, Robert

2013-03-01

The GPC Chair will introduce the new APS Topical Group on the Physics of Climate (GPC), describe its history and objectives, and introduce the current GPC leadership before opening the floor to a panel discussion. The GPC resulted from two petitions that emerged from the controversy that followed the APS Statement on Climate Change (see APS website). The two proposals were merged and an organization committee formed by the APS leadership. After a long organizational period in 2011, the GPC bylaws were finalized with the following key objective: The objective of the GPC shall be to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge concerning the physics, measurement, and modeling of climate processes, within the domain of natural science and outside the domains of societal impact and policy, legislation and broader societal issues. The objective includes the integration of scientific knowledge and analysis methods across disciplines to address the dynamical complexities and uncertainties of climate physics. The GPC Invited and Focus Sessions at this March meeting are the inaugural GPC events. The Program Committee Chair will moderate a panel between the attending GPC leadership and audience to solicit suggestions for potential future GPC events that advance the GPC objectives.

A Study on Re-entry Predictions of Uncontrolled Space Objects for Space Situational Awareness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Eun-Jung; Cho, Sungki; Lee, Deok-Jin; Kim, Siwoo; Jo, Jung Hyun

2017-12-01

The key risk analysis technologies for the re-entry of space objects into Earth’s atmosphere are divided into four categories: cataloguing and databases of the re-entry of space objects, lifetime and re-entry trajectory predictions, break-up models after re-entry and multiple debris distribution predictions, and ground impact probability models. In this study, we focused on re- entry prediction, including orbital lifetime assessments, for space situational awareness systems. Re-entry predictions are very difficult and are affected by various sources of uncertainty. In particular, during uncontrolled re-entry, large spacecraft may break into several pieces of debris, and the surviving fragments can be a significant hazard for persons and properties on the ground. In recent years, specific methods and procedures have been developed to provide clear information for predicting and analyzing the re-entry of space objects and for ground-risk assessments. Representative tools include object reentry survival analysis tool (ORSAT) and debris assessment software (DAS) developed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), spacecraft atmospheric re-entry and aerothermal break-up (SCARAB) and debris risk assessment and mitigation analysis (DRAMA) developed by European Space Agency (ESA), and semi-analytic tool for end of life analysis (STELA) developed by Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES). In this study, various surveys of existing re-entry space objects are reviewed, and an efficient re-entry prediction technique is suggested based on STELA, the life-cycle analysis tool for satellites, and DRAMA, a re-entry analysis tool. To verify the proposed method, the re-entry of the Tiangong-1 Space Lab, which is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere shortly, was simulated. Eventually, these results will provide a basis for space situational awareness risk analyses of the re-entry of space objects.

The role of color information on object recognition: a review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Bramão, Inês; Reis, Alexandra; Petersson, Karl Magnus; Faísca, Luís

2011-09-01

In this study, we systematically review the scientific literature on the effect of color on object recognition. Thirty-five independent experiments, comprising 1535 participants, were included in a meta-analysis. We found a moderate effect of color on object recognition (d=0.28). Specific effects of moderator variables were analyzed and we found that color diagnosticity is the factor with the greatest moderator effect on the influence of color in object recognition; studies using color diagnostic objects showed a significant color effect (d=0.43), whereas a marginal color effect was found in studies that used non-color diagnostic objects (d=0.18). The present study did not permit the drawing of specific conclusions about the moderator effect of the object recognition task; while the meta-analytic review showed that color information improves object recognition mainly in studies using naming tasks (d=0.36), the literature review revealed a large body of evidence showing positive effects of color information on object recognition in studies using a large variety of visual recognition tasks. We also found that color is important for the ability to recognize artifacts and natural objects, to recognize objects presented as types (line-drawings) or as tokens (photographs), and to recognize objects that are presented without surface details, such as texture or shadow. Taken together, the results of the meta-analysis strongly support the contention that color plays a role in object recognition. This suggests that the role of color should be taken into account in models of visual object recognition. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neurocognitive stages of spatial cognitive mapping measured during free exploration of a large-scale virtual environment.

PubMed

Plank, Markus; Snider, Joseph; Kaestner, Erik; Halgren, Eric; Poizner, Howard

2015-02-01

Using a novel, fully mobile virtual reality paradigm, we investigated the EEG correlates of spatial representations formed during unsupervised exploration. On day 1, subjects implicitly learned the location of 39 objects by exploring a room and popping bubbles that hid the objects. On day 2, they again popped bubbles in the same environment. In most cases, the objects hidden underneath the bubbles were in the same place as on day 1. However, a varying third of them were misplaced in each block. Subjects indicated their certainty that the object was in the same location as the day before. Compared with bubble pops revealing correctly placed objects, bubble pops revealing misplaced objects evoked a decreased negativity starting at 145 ms, with scalp topography consistent with generation in medial parietal cortex. There was also an increased negativity starting at 515 ms to misplaced objects, with scalp topography consistent with generation in inferior temporal cortex. Additionally, misplaced objects elicited an increase in frontal midline theta power. These findings suggest that the successive neurocognitive stages of processing allocentric space may include an initial template matching, integration of the object within its spatial cognitive map, and memory recall, analogous to the processing negativity N400 and theta that support verbal cognitive maps in humans. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Role of carbohydrate metabolism in grass tetany

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

Miller, J.K.; Madsen, F.C.; Lentz, D.E.

1977-01-01

Clinical hypomagnesemia is confined primarily to beef cattle in the United States but also occurs in dairy cattle in other countries, probably due to different management practices. During periods when grass tetany is likely, early vegetative temperate zone grasses are usually low in total readily available carbohydrates and magnesium but high in potassium and nitrogen. The tetany syndrome may include hypoglycemia and ketosis, suggesting an imbalance in intermediary energy metabolism. Many enzyme systems critical to cellular metabolism, including those which hydrolyze and transfer phosphate groups, are activated by Mg. Thus, by inference, Mg is required for normal glucose utilization, fat,more » protein, nucleic acid and coenzyme synthesis, muscle contraction, methyl group transfer, and sulfate, acetate, and formate activation. Numerous clinical and experimental studies suggest an intimate relationship between metabolism of Mg and that of carbohydrate, glucagon, and insulin. The objective is to review this literature and suggest ways in which these relationships might contribute to a chain of events leading to grass tetany.« less

Visual features as stepping stones toward semantics: Explaining object similarity in IT and perception with non-negative least squares

PubMed Central

Jozwik, Kamila M.; Kriegeskorte, Nikolaus; Mur, Marieke

2016-01-01

Object similarity, in brain representations and conscious perception, must reflect a combination of the visual appearance of the objects on the one hand and the categories the objects belong to on the other. Indeed, visual object features and category membership have each been shown to contribute to the object representation in human inferior temporal (IT) cortex, as well as to object-similarity judgments. However, the explanatory power of features and categories has not been directly compared. Here, we investigate whether the IT object representation and similarity judgments are best explained by a categorical or a feature-based model. We use rich models (>100 dimensions) generated by human observers for a set of 96 real-world object images. The categorical model consists of a hierarchically nested set of category labels (such as “human”, “mammal”, and “animal”). The feature-based model includes both object parts (such as “eye”, “tail”, and “handle”) and other descriptive features (such as “circular”, “green”, and “stubbly”). We used non-negative least squares to fit the models to the brain representations (estimated from functional magnetic resonance imaging data) and to similarity judgments. Model performance was estimated on held-out images not used in fitting. Both models explained significant variance in IT and the amounts explained were not significantly different. The combined model did not explain significant additional IT variance, suggesting that it is the shared model variance (features correlated with categories, categories correlated with features) that best explains IT. The similarity judgments were almost fully explained by the categorical model, which explained significantly more variance than the feature-based model. The combined model did not explain significant additional variance in the similarity judgments. Our findings suggest that IT uses features that help to distinguish categories as stepping stones toward a semantic representation. Similarity judgments contain additional categorical variance that is not explained by visual features, reflecting a higher-level more purely semantic representation. PMID:26493748

Visual features as stepping stones toward semantics: Explaining object similarity in IT and perception with non-negative least squares.

PubMed

Jozwik, Kamila M; Kriegeskorte, Nikolaus; Mur, Marieke

2016-03-01

Object similarity, in brain representations and conscious perception, must reflect a combination of the visual appearance of the objects on the one hand and the categories the objects belong to on the other. Indeed, visual object features and category membership have each been shown to contribute to the object representation in human inferior temporal (IT) cortex, as well as to object-similarity judgments. However, the explanatory power of features and categories has not been directly compared. Here, we investigate whether the IT object representation and similarity judgments are best explained by a categorical or a feature-based model. We use rich models (>100 dimensions) generated by human observers for a set of 96 real-world object images. The categorical model consists of a hierarchically nested set of category labels (such as "human", "mammal", and "animal"). The feature-based model includes both object parts (such as "eye", "tail", and "handle") and other descriptive features (such as "circular", "green", and "stubbly"). We used non-negative least squares to fit the models to the brain representations (estimated from functional magnetic resonance imaging data) and to similarity judgments. Model performance was estimated on held-out images not used in fitting. Both models explained significant variance in IT and the amounts explained were not significantly different. The combined model did not explain significant additional IT variance, suggesting that it is the shared model variance (features correlated with categories, categories correlated with features) that best explains IT. The similarity judgments were almost fully explained by the categorical model, which explained significantly more variance than the feature-based model. The combined model did not explain significant additional variance in the similarity judgments. Our findings suggest that IT uses features that help to distinguish categories as stepping stones toward a semantic representation. Similarity judgments contain additional categorical variance that is not explained by visual features, reflecting a higher-level more purely semantic representation. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Is objectively measured sitting at work associated with low-back pain? A cross sectional study in the DPhacto cohort.

PubMed

Korshøj, Mette; Hallman, David M; Mathiassen, Svend Erik; Aadahl, Mette; Holtermann, Andreas; Jørgensen, Marie Birk

2018-01-01

Objectives Low-back pain (LBP) is a substantial health challenge due to the risk for long-term sickness absence and early retirement. Several biomechanical exposures at work, including sitting, have been suggested to increase the risk for LBP. The objectives of this study were to determine (i) the extent to which temporal patterns and total amount of objectively measured sitting is associated with LBP intensity and (ii) whether selected modifiers influence these associations. Methods This cross sectional study uses baseline data from the Danish PHysical ACTivity cohort with Objective measurements (DPhacto) of physical activities in the cleaning, transport and manufacturing sectors. Peak intensity of LBP was collected by questionnaire on a 0-10 scale and sitting was expressed in terms of total duration and temporal pattern, ie, time spent in brief bursts (≤5 minutes), moderate periods (>5-≤20 minutes), and prolonged periods of sitting (>20 minutes); both during work and whole day (waking hours only). Associations were determined using linear regression in models accounting for moderation and confounding. Factors evaluated as moderators or confounders were assessed by questionnaire. Results The population consisted of 704 participants. No significant associations were found between total duration or temporal patterns of sitting and LBP intensity, neither during work nor for the whole day. Body mass index (BMI) significantly moderated the association between sitting and LBP; participants with a high and low BMI showing a negative and positive association, respectively. Conclusion Sitting was not independently associated with peak LBP intensity, suggesting other exposures are more powerful risk factors for LBP.

Interidentity amnesia for neutral, episodic information in dissociative identity disorder.

PubMed

Huntjens, Rafaële J C; Postma, Albert; Peters, Madelon L; Woertman, Liesbeth; van der Hart, Onno

2003-05-01

Interidentity amnesia is considered a hallmark of dissociative identity disorder (DID) in clinical practice. In this study, objective methods of testing episodic memory transfer between identities were used. Tests of both recall (interference paradigm) and recognition were used. A sample of 31 DID patients was included. Additionally, 50 control subjects participated, half functioning as normal controls and the other half simulating interidentity amnesia. Twenty-one patients subjectively reported complete one-way amnesia for the learning episode. However, objectively, neither recall nor recognition scores of patients were different from those of normal controls. It is suggested that clinical models of amnesia in DID may be specified to exclude episodic memory impairments for emotionally neutral material.

Stochastic correlative firing for figure-ground segregation.

PubMed

Chen, Zhe

2005-03-01

Segregation of sensory inputs into separate objects is a central aspect of perception and arises in all sensory modalities. The figure-ground segregation problem requires identifying an object of interest in a complex scene, in many cases given binaural auditory or binocular visual observations. The computations required for visual and auditory figure-ground segregation share many common features and can be cast within a unified framework. Sensory perception can be viewed as a problem of optimizing information transmission. Here we suggest a stochastic correlative firing mechanism and an associative learning rule for figure-ground segregation in several classic sensory perception tasks, including the cocktail party problem in binaural hearing, binocular fusion of stereo images, and Gestalt grouping in motion perception.

Air-Traffic Controllers Evaluate The Descent Advisor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tobias, Leonard; Volckers, Uwe; Erzberger, Heinz

1992-01-01

Report describes study of Descent Advisor algorithm: software automation aid intended to assist air-traffic controllers in spacing traffic and meeting specified times or arrival. Based partly on mathematical models of weather conditions and performances of aircraft, it generates suggested clearances, including top-of-descent points and speed-profile data to attain objectives. Study focused on operational characteristics with specific attention to how it can be used for prediction, spacing, and metering.

The Camera Lens: A Window into the [World]; Film Study and Film Making: Resource Suggestions for the English Class.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mihalka, Gwendolyn C.; Bolton, Gerre M.

This guide for film study and film making in the secondary English class arranges materials in a sequential order and divides them into four major sections. The section on background information includes: Table of Contents, Design for Use of the Guide, Rationale for the Use of Film Study in the English Class, Objectives for a Film Study and Film…

Home Economics--A Look--A Job--A Future. A Course of Study at a Pre-Vocational Level for 7th and/or 8th Grade.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma City Public School System, OK. Dept. of Home Economics.

Prevocational materials for use at the seventh and/or eighth grade levels are presented in this curriculum guide. Materials cover six areas, each consisting of several instructional units planned for more than one lesson or class period. Each unit includes behavioral objectives, suggested activities for teacher and students, information sheets,…

Racial differences in self-rated health at similar levels of physical functioning: an examination of health pessimism in the health, aging, and body composition study.

PubMed

Spencer, S Melinda; Schulz, Richard; Rooks, Ronica N; Albert, Steven M; Thorpe, Roland J; Brenes, Gretchen A; Harris, Tamara B; Koster, Annemarie; Satterfield, Suzanne; Ayonayon, Hilsa N; Newman, Anne B

2009-01-01

The health pessimism hypothesis suggests that Black elders are more pessimistic about health than Whites and therefore tend to report lower self-rated health (SRH) at comparable health status. The current analysis examined the factors associated with SRH and tested the health pessimism hypothesis among older adults at similar levels of physical functioning. The study example included 2,729 Health, Aging, and Body Composition study participants aged 70-79 years. We used hierarchical logistic regression to examine the association between race and SRH while adjusting for demographic, physical health, and psychosocial factors. The analyses were repeated for participants at similar levels of objective functioning to test the health pessimism hypothesis. The association between race and SRH remained independent of physical and psychosocial health variables, with Whites being 3.7 times more likely than Black elders to report favorable SRH. This association was significant at each level of physical functioning and greater at the higher (odds ratio [OR] = 5.5) versus lower (OR = 2.2) levels of functioning. The results suggest greater health pessimism among Black elders and expand previous work by including objective functioning in multidimensional models to deconstruct race variations in the SRH of older adults.

Artifacts and essentialism

PubMed Central

Gelman, Susan A.

2013-01-01

Psychological essentialism is an intuitive folk belief positing that certain categories have a non-obvious inner “essence” that gives rise to observable features. Although this belief most commonly characterizes natural kind categories, I argue that psychological essentialism can also be extended in important ways to artifact concepts. Specifically, concepts of individual artifacts include the non-obvious feature of object history, which is evident when making judgments regarding authenticity and ownership. Classic examples include famous works of art (e.g., the Mona Lisa is authentic because of its provenance), but ordinary artifacts likewise receive value from their history (e.g., a worn and tattered blanket may have special value if it was one's childhood possession). Moreover, in some cases, object history may be thought to have causal effects on individual artifacts, much as an animal essence has causal effects. I review empirical support for these claims and consider the implications for both artifact concepts and essentialism. This perspective suggests that artifact concepts cannot be contained in a theoretical framework that focuses exclusively on similarity or even function. Furthermore, although there are significant differences between essentialism of natural kinds and essentialism of artifact individuals, the commonalities suggest that psychological essentialism may not derive from folk biology but instead may reflect more domain-general perspectives on the world. PMID:23976903

Impact and injury patterns in between-rails frontal crashes of vehicles with good ratings for frontal crash protection.

PubMed

Morgan, Richard M; Cui, Chongzhen; Digges, Kennerly H; Cao, Libo; Kan, Cing-Dao Steve

2012-01-01

This research investigated (1) what are the key attributes of the between-rail, frontal crash, (2) what are the types of object contacted, and (3) what is the type of resulting trauma. The method was to study with both weighted and in-depth case reviews of NASS-CDS crash data with direct damage between the longitudinal rails in frontal crashes. Individual case selection was limited to belted occupants in between-rail, frontal impacts of good-rated, late-model vehicles equipped with air bags.This paper evaluates the risk of trauma for drivers in cars and LTVs in between-rail, frontal crashes, and suggests the between-rail impact is more dangerous to car drivers. Using weighted data-representing 227,305 tow-away crashes-the resulting trauma to various body regions was analyzed to suggest greatest injury is to the chest, pelvis/thigh/knee/leg, and foot/ankle. This study analyzed the type of object that caused the direct damage between the rails, including small tree or post, large tree or pole, and another vehicle; and found that the struck object was most often another vehicle or a large tree/pole. Both the extent of damage and the occupant compartment intrusion were explored, and suggest that 64% of the serious injuries are associated with increasing intrusion. Individual NASS cases were reviewed to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanical particulars in the between-rail crash.

Impact and Injury Patterns in Between-Rails Frontal Crashes of Vehicles with Good Ratings for Frontal Crash Protection

PubMed Central

Morgan, Richard M.; Cui, Chongzhen; Digges, Kennerly H.; Cao, Libo; Kan, Cing-Dao (Steve)

2012-01-01

This research investigated (1) what are the key attributes of the between-rail, frontal crash, (2) what are the types of object contacted, and (3) what is the type of resulting trauma. The method was to study with both weighted and in-depth case reviews of NASS-CDS crash data with direct damage between the longitudinal rails in frontal crashes. Individual case selection was limited to belted occupants in between-rail, frontal impacts of good-rated, late-model vehicles equipped with air bags. This paper evaluates the risk of trauma for drivers in cars and LTVs in between-rail, frontal crashes, and suggests the between-rail impact is more dangerous to car drivers. Using weighted data—representing 227,305 tow-away crashes—the resulting trauma to various body regions was analyzed to suggest greatest injury is to the chest, pelvis/thigh/knee/leg, and foot/ankle. This study analyzed the type of object that caused the direct damage between the rails, including small tree or post, large tree or pole, and another vehicle; and found that the struck object was most often another vehicle or a large tree/pole. Both the extent of damage and the occupant compartment intrusion were explored, and suggest that 64% of the serious injuries are associated with increasing intrusion. Individual NASS cases were reviewed to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanical particulars in the between-rail crash. PMID:23169135

Effects of interactive instructional techniques in a web-based peripheral nervous system component for human anatomy.

PubMed

Allen, Edwin B; Walls, Richard T; Reilly, Frank D

2008-02-01

This study investigated the effects of interactive instructional techniques in a web-based peripheral nervous system (PNS) component of a first year medical school human anatomy course. Existing data from 9 years of instruction involving 856 students were used to determine (1) the effect of web-based interactive instructional techniques on written exam item performance and (2) differences between student opinions of the benefit level of five different types of interactive learning objects used. The interactive learning objects included Patient Case studies, review Games, Simulated Interactive Patients (SIP), Flashcards, and unit Quizzes. Exam item analysis scores were found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05) for students receiving the instructional treatment incorporating the web-based interactive learning objects than for students not receiving this treatment. Questionnaires using a five-point Likert scale were analysed to determine student opinion ratings of the interactive learning objects. Students reported favorably on the benefit level of all learning objects. Students rated the benefit level of the Simulated Interactive Patients (SIP) highest, and this rating was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than all other learning objects. This study suggests that web-based interactive instructional techniques improve student exam performance. Students indicated a strong acceptance of Simulated Interactive Patient learning objects.

Action-specific effects in aviation: what determines judged runway size?

PubMed

Gray, Rob; Navia, José Antonio; Allsop, Jonathan

2014-01-01

Several recent studies have shown that the performance of a skill that involves acting on a goal object can influence one's judgment of the size of that object. The present study investigated this effect in an aviation context. Novice pilots were asked to perform a series of visual approach and landing manoeuvres in a flight simulator. After each landing, participants next performed a task in which runway size was judged for different simulated altitudes. Gaze behaviour and control stick kinematics were also analyzed. There were significant relationships between judged runway size and multiple action-related variables including touchdown velocity, time fixating the runway, and the magnitude and frequency of control inputs. These findings suggest that relationship between the perception of a target object and action is not solely determined by performance success or failure but rather involves a relationship between multiple variables that reflect the actor's ability.

Green supplier selection: a new genetic/immune strategy with industrial application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Amit; Jain, Vipul; Kumar, Sameer; Chandra, Charu

2016-10-01

With the onset of the 'climate change movement', organisations are striving to include environmental criteria into the supplier selection process. This article hybridises a Green Data Envelopment Analysis (GDEA)-based approach with a new Genetic/Immune Strategy for Data Envelopment Analysis (GIS-DEA). A GIS-DEA approach provides a different view to solving multi-criteria decision making problems using data envelopment analysis (DEA) by considering DEA as a multi-objective optimisation problem with efficiency as one objective and proximity of solution to decision makers' preferences as the other objective. The hybrid approach called GIS-GDEA is applied here to a well-known automobile spare parts manufacturer in India and the results presented. User validation developed based on specific set of criteria suggests that the supplier selection process with GIS-GDEA is more practical than other approaches in a current industrial scenario with multiple decision makers.

Brightness variation distributions among main belt asteroids from sparse light-curve sampling with Pan-STARRS 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeill, A.; Fitzsimmons, A.; Jedicke, R.; Wainscoat, R.; Denneau, L.; Vereš, P.; Magnier, E.; Chambers, K. C.; Kaiser, N.; Waters, C.

2016-07-01

The rotational state of asteroids is controlled by various physical mechanisms including collisions, internal damping and the Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack effect. We have analysed the changes in magnitude between consecutive detections of ˜60 000 asteroids measured by the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (PanSTARRS) 1 survey during its first 18 months of operations. We have attempted to explain the derived brightness changes physically and through the application of a simple model. We have found a tendency towards smaller magnitude variations with decreasing diameter for objects of 1 < D < 8 km. Assuming the shape distribution of objects in this size range to be independent of size and composition our model suggests a population with average axial ratios 1 : 0.85 ± 0.13 : 0.71 ± 0.13, with larger objects more likely to have spin axes perpendicular to the orbital plane.

Facilitating LOS Debriefings: A Training Manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDonnell, Lori K.; Jobe, Kimberly K.; Dismukes, R. Key

1997-01-01

This manual is a practical guide to help airline instructors effectively facilitate debriefings of Line Oriented Simulations (LOS). It is based on a recently completed study of Line Oriented Flight Training (LOFT) debriefings at several U.S. airlines. This manual presents specific facilitation tools instructors can use to achieve debriefing objectives. The approach of the manual is to be flexible so it can be tailored to the individual needs of each airline. Part One clarifies the purpose and objectives of facilitation in the LOS setting. Part Two provides recommendations for clarifying roles and expectations and presents a model for organizing discussion. Part Tree suggests techniques for eliciting active crew participation and in-depth analysis and evaluation. Finally, in Part Four, these techniques are organized according to the facilitation model. Examples of how to effectively use the techniques are provided throughout, including strategies to try when the debriefing objectives are not being fully achieved.

Pantomime to visual presentation of objects: left hand dyspraxia in patients with complete callosotomy.

PubMed

Lausberg, Hedda; Cruz, Robyn F; Kita, Sotaro; Zaidel, Eran; Ptito, Alain

2003-02-01

Investigations of left hand praxis in imitation and object use in patients with callosal disconnection have yielded divergent results, inducing a debate between two theoretical positions. Whereas Liepmann suggested that the left hemisphere is motor dominant, others maintain that both hemispheres have equal motor competences and propose that left hand apraxia in patients with callosal disconnection is secondary to left hemispheric specialization for language or other task modalities. The present study aims to gain further insight into the motor competence of the right hemisphere by investigating pantomime of object use in split-brain patients. Three patients with complete callosotomy and, as control groups, five patients with partial callosotomy and nine healthy subjects were examined for their ability to pantomime object use to visual object presentation and demonstrate object manipulation. In each condition, 11 objects were presented to the subjects who pantomimed or demonstrated the object use with either hand. In addition, six object pairs were presented to test bimanual coordination. Two independent raters evaluated the videotaped movement demonstrations. While object use demonstrations were perfect in all three groups, the split-brain patients displayed apraxic errors only with their left hands in the pantomime condition. The movement analysis of concept and execution errors included the examination of ipsilateral versus contralateral motor control. As the right hand/left hemisphere performances demonstrated retrieval of the correct movement concepts, concept errors by the left hand were taken as evidence for right hemisphere control. Several types of execution errors reflected a lack of distal motor control indicating the use of ipsilateral pathways. While one split-brain patient controlled his left hand predominantly by ipsilateral pathways in the pantomime condition, the error profile in the other two split-brain patients suggested that the right hemisphere controlled their left hands. In the object use condition, in all three split-brain patients fine-graded distal movements in the left hand indicated right hemispheric control. Our data show left hand apraxia in split-brain patients is not limited to verbal commands, but also occurs in pantomime to visual presentation of objects. As the demonstration with object in hand was unimpaired in either hand, both hemispheres must contain movement concepts for object use. However, the disconnected right hemisphere is impaired in retrieving the movement concept in response to visual object presentation, presumably because of a deficit in associating perceptual object representation with the movement concepts.

Relationship between sleep and pain in adolescents with juvenile primary fibromyalgia syndrome.

PubMed

Olsen, Margaret N; Sherry, David D; Boyne, Kathleen; McCue, Rebecca; Gallagher, Paul R; Brooks, Lee J

2013-04-01

To investigate sleep quality in adolescents with juvenile primary fibromyalgia syndrome (JPFS) and determine whether sleep abnormalities, including alpha-delta sleep (ADS), correlate with pain intensity. We hypothesized that successful treatment for pain with exercise therapy would reduce ADS and improve sleep quality. Single-center preintervention and postintervention (mean = 5.7 ± 1.0 weeks; range = 4.0-7.3 weeks) observational study. Ten female adolescents (mean age = 16.2 ± 0.65 SD yr) who met criteria for JPFS and completed treatment. Multidisciplinary pain treatment, including intensive exercise therapy. Pain and disability were measured by a pain visual analog scale (VAS) and the functional disability inventory. Subjective sleep measures included a sleep VAS, an energy VAS, and the School Sleep Habits Survey. Objective sleep measures included actigraphy, polysomnography (PSG), and the Multiple Sleep Latency Test. Baseline PSG was compared with that of healthy age- and sex-matched control patients. At baseline, patients had poorer sleep efficiency, more arousals/awakenings, and more ADS (70.3% of total slow wave sleep [SWS] versus 21.9% SWS, P = 0.002) than controls. ADS was unrelated to pain, disability, or subjective sleep difficulty. After treatment, pain decreased (P = 0.000) and subjective sleep quality improved (P = 0.008). Objective sleep quality, including the amount of ADS, did not change. Although perceived sleep quality improved in adolescents with JPFS after treatment, objective measures did not. Our findings do not suggest exercise therapy for pain improves sleep by reducing ADS, nor do they support causal relationships between ADS and chronic pain or subjective sleep quality.

Assessment of the core learning objectives curriculum for the urology clerkship.

PubMed

Rapp, David E; Gong, Edward M; Reynolds, W Stuart; Lucioni, Alvaro; Zagaja, Gregory P

2007-11-01

The traditional approach to the surgical clerkship has limitations, including variability of clinical exposure. To optimize student education we developed and introduced the core learning objectives curriculum, which is designed to allow students freedom to direct their learning and focus on core concepts. We performed a prospective, randomized, controlled study to compare the efficacy of core learning objectives vs traditional curricula through objective and subjective measures. Medical students were randomly assigned to the core learning objectives or traditional curricula during the 2-week urology clerkship. Faculty was blinded to student assignment. Upon rotation completion all students were given a 20-question multiple choice examination covering basic urology concepts. In addition, students completed a questionnaire addressing subjective clerkship satisfaction, comprising 15 questions. Between June 2005 and January 2007, 10 core learning objectives students and 10 traditional students completed the urology clerkship. The average +/- SEM multiple choice examination score was 12.1 +/- 0.87 and 9.8 +/- 0.59 for students assigned to the core learning objectives and traditional curricula, respectively (p <0.05). Subjective scores were higher in the core learning objectives cohort, although this result did not attain statistical significance (124.9 +/- 3.72 vs 114.3 +/- 4.96, p = 0.1). Core learning objectives students reported higher satisfaction in all 15 assessed subjective end points. Our experience suggests that the core learning objectives model may be an effective educational tool to help students achieve a broad and directed exposure to the core urological concepts.

Microcratering within the lunar regolith--a theory and observation.

PubMed

Hammond, E C; Berry, F D; Mitchell, F; Barron, D; Cohen, S H

2000-01-01

Since the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, there has been substantial analysis of the lunar rocks and soil grains, utilizing more recent advances in electron probe technologies. It is the objective of this research to revisit the theories concerning the microcratering within the lunar regolith. Recent theories have included the idea that the microcratering phenomenon was caused by meteoric impacting onto the lunar surface during early lunar history. Other theories have suggested that the microcratering was a result of secondary ejector associated with micrometeoric and meteoric impact. This research team suggests that microcratering may have been associated with primordial dust during and before the formation of our solar system.

Semantic access occurs outside of awareness for the ground side of a figure.

PubMed

Cacciamani, Laura; Mojica, Andrew J; Sanguinetti, Joseph L; Peterson, Mary A

2014-11-01

Traditional theories of vision assume that figures and grounds are assigned early in processing, with semantics being accessed later and only by figures, not by grounds. We tested this assumption by showing observers novel silhouettes with borders that suggested familiar objects on their ground side. The ground appeared shapeless near the figure's borders; the familiar objects suggested there were not consciously perceived. Participants' task was to categorize words shown immediately after the silhouettes as naming natural versus artificial objects. The words named objects from the same or from a different superordinate category as the familiar objects suggested in the silhouette ground. In Experiment 1, participants categorized words faster when they followed silhouettes suggesting upright familiar objects from the same rather than a different category on their ground sides, whereas no category differences were observed for inverted silhouettes. This is the first study to show unequivocally that, contrary to traditional assumptions, semantics are accessed for objects that might be perceived on the side of a border that will ultimately be perceived as a shapeless ground. Moreover, although the competition for figural status results in suppression of the shape of the losing contender, its semantics are not suppressed. In Experiment 2, we used longer silhouette-to-word stimulus onset asynchronies to test whether semantics would be suppressed later in time, as might occur if semantics were accessed later than shape memories. No evidence of semantic suppression was observed; indeed, semantic activation of the objects suggested on the ground side of a border appeared to be short-lived. Implications for feedforward versus dynamical interactive theories of object perception are discussed.

Objective Quality and Intelligibility Prediction for Users of Assistive Listening Devices

PubMed Central

Falk, Tiago H.; Parsa, Vijay; Santos, João F.; Arehart, Kathryn; Hazrati, Oldooz; Huber, Rainer; Kates, James M.; Scollie, Susan

2015-01-01

This article presents an overview of twelve existing objective speech quality and intelligibility prediction tools. Two classes of algorithms are presented, namely intrusive and non-intrusive, with the former requiring the use of a reference signal, while the latter does not. Investigated metrics include both those developed for normal hearing listeners, as well as those tailored particularly for hearing impaired (HI) listeners who are users of assistive listening devices (i.e., hearing aids, HAs, and cochlear implants, CIs). Representative examples of those optimized for HI listeners include the speech-to-reverberation modulation energy ratio, tailored to hearing aids (SRMR-HA) and to cochlear implants (SRMR-CI); the modulation spectrum area (ModA); the hearing aid speech quality (HASQI) and perception indices (HASPI); and the PErception MOdel - hearing impairment quality (PEMO-Q-HI). The objective metrics are tested on three subjectively-rated speech datasets covering reverberation-alone, noise-alone, and reverberation-plus-noise degradation conditions, as well as degradations resultant from nonlinear frequency compression and different speech enhancement strategies. The advantages and limitations of each measure are highlighted and recommendations are given for suggested uses of the different tools under specific environmental and processing conditions. PMID:26052190

Wishful seeing: more desired objects are seen as closer.

PubMed

Balcetis, Emily; Dunning, David

2010-01-01

Although people assume that they see the surrounding environment as it truly is, we suggest that perception of the natural environment is dependent upon the internal goal states of perceivers. Five experiments demonstrated that perceivers tend to see desirable objects (i.e., those that can fulfill immediate goals-a water bottle to assuage their thirst, money they can win, a personality test providing favorable feedback) as physically closer to them than less desirable objects. Biased distance perception was revealed through verbal reports and through actions toward the object (e.g., underthrowing a beanbag at a desirable object). We suggest that seeing desirable objects as closer than less desirable objects serves the self-regulatory function of energizing the perceiver to approach objects that fulfill needs and goals.

The modulation of inhibition of return by object-internal structure: implications for theories of object-based attentional selection.

PubMed

Reppa, Irene; Leek, E Charles

2003-06-01

Recently, Vecera, Behrmann, and McGoldrick (2000), using a divided-attention task, reported that targets are detected more accurately when they occur on the same structural part of an object, suggesting that attention can be directed toward object-internal features. We present converging evidence using the object-based inhibition of return (IOR) paradigm as an implicit measure of selection. The results show that IOR is attenuated when cues and targets appear on the same part of an object relative to when they are separated by a part boundary. These findings suggest that object-based mechanisms of selection can operate over shape representations that make explicit information about object-internal structure.

A Principle of Intentionality.

PubMed

Turner, Charles K

2017-01-01

The mainstream theories and models of the physical sciences, including neuroscience, are all consistent with the principle of causality. Wholly causal explanations make sense of how things go, but are inherently value-neutral, providing no objective basis for true beliefs being better than false beliefs, nor for it being better to intend wisely than foolishly. Dennett (1987) makes a related point in calling the brain a syntactic (procedure-based) engine. He says that you cannot get to a semantic (meaning-based) engine from there. He suggests that folk psychology revolves around an intentional stance that is independent of the causal theories of the brain, and accounts for constructs such as meanings, agency, true belief, and wise desire. Dennett proposes that the intentional stance is so powerful that it can be developed into a valid intentional theory. This article expands Dennett's model into a principle of intentionality that revolves around the construct of objective wisdom. This principle provides a structure that can account for all mental processes, and for the scientific understanding of objective value. It is suggested that science can develop a far more complete worldview with a combination of the principles of causality and intentionality than would be possible with scientific theories that are consistent with the principle of causality alone.

A Principle of Intentionality

PubMed Central

Turner, Charles K.

2017-01-01

The mainstream theories and models of the physical sciences, including neuroscience, are all consistent with the principle of causality. Wholly causal explanations make sense of how things go, but are inherently value-neutral, providing no objective basis for true beliefs being better than false beliefs, nor for it being better to intend wisely than foolishly. Dennett (1987) makes a related point in calling the brain a syntactic (procedure-based) engine. He says that you cannot get to a semantic (meaning-based) engine from there. He suggests that folk psychology revolves around an intentional stance that is independent of the causal theories of the brain, and accounts for constructs such as meanings, agency, true belief, and wise desire. Dennett proposes that the intentional stance is so powerful that it can be developed into a valid intentional theory. This article expands Dennett’s model into a principle of intentionality that revolves around the construct of objective wisdom. This principle provides a structure that can account for all mental processes, and for the scientific understanding of objective value. It is suggested that science can develop a far more complete worldview with a combination of the principles of causality and intentionality than would be possible with scientific theories that are consistent with the principle of causality alone. PMID:28223954

An Object Oriented Extensible Architecture for Affordable Aerospace Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Follen, Gregory J.; Lytle, John K. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Driven by a need to explore and develop propulsion systems that exceeded current computing capabilities, NASA Glenn embarked on a novel strategy leading to the development of an architecture that enables propulsion simulations never thought possible before. Full engine 3 Dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamic propulsion system simulations were deemed impossible due to the impracticality of the hardware and software computing systems required. However, with a software paradigm shift and an embracing of parallel and distributed processing, an architecture was designed to meet the needs of future propulsion system modeling. The author suggests that the architecture designed at the NASA Glenn Research Center for propulsion system modeling has potential for impacting the direction of development of affordable weapons systems currently under consideration by the Applied Vehicle Technology Panel (AVT). This paper discusses the salient features of the NPSS Architecture including its interface layer, object layer, implementation for accessing legacy codes, numerical zooming infrastructure and its computing layer. The computing layer focuses on the use and deployment of these propulsion simulations on parallel and distributed computing platforms which has been the focus of NASA Ames. Additional features of the object oriented architecture that support MultiDisciplinary (MD) Coupling, computer aided design (CAD) access and MD coupling objects will be discussed. Included will be a discussion of the successes, challenges and benefits of implementing this architecture.

A cortical network that marks the moment when conscious representations are updated.

PubMed

Stöttinger, Elisabeth; Filipowicz, Alex; Valadao, Derick; Culham, Jody C; Goodale, Melvyn A; Anderson, Britt; Danckert, James

2015-12-01

In order to survive in a complex, noisy and constantly changing environment we need to categorize the world (e.g., Is this food edible or poisonous?) and we need to update our interpretations when things change. How does our brain update when object categories change from one to the next? We investigated the neural correlates associated with this updating process. We used event-related fMRI while people viewed a sequence of images that morphed from one object (e.g., a plane) to another (e.g., a shark). All participants were naïve as to the identity of the second object. The point at which participants 'saw' the second object was unpredictable and uncontaminated by any dramatic or salient change to the images themselves. The moment when subjective perceptual representations changed activated a circumscribed network including the anterior insula, medial and inferior frontal regions and inferior parietal cortex. In a setting where neither the timing nor nature of the visual transition was predictable, this restricted cortical network signals the time of updating a perceptual representation. The anterior insula and mid-frontal regions (including the ACC) were activated not only at the actual time when change was reported, but also immediately before, suggesting that these areas are also involved in processing alternative options after a mismatch has been detected. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Frontal–Occipital Connectivity During Visual Search

PubMed Central

Pantazatos, Spiro P.; Yanagihara, Ted K.; Zhang, Xian; Meitzler, Thomas

2012-01-01

Abstract Although expectation- and attention-related interactions between ventral and medial prefrontal cortex and stimulus category-selective visual regions have been identified during visual detection and discrimination, it is not known if similar neural mechanisms apply to other tasks such as visual search. The current work tested the hypothesis that high-level frontal regions, previously implicated in expectation and visual imagery of object categories, interact with visual regions associated with object recognition during visual search. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, subjects searched for a specific object that varied in size and location within a complex natural scene. A model-free, spatial-independent component analysis isolated multiple task-related components, one of which included visual cortex, as well as a cluster within ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), consistent with the engagement of both top-down and bottom-up processes. Analyses of psychophysiological interactions showed increased functional connectivity between vmPFC and object-sensitive lateral occipital cortex (LOC), and results from dynamic causal modeling and Bayesian Model Selection suggested bidirectional connections between vmPFC and LOC that were positively modulated by the task. Using image-guided diffusion-tensor imaging, functionally seeded, probabilistic white-matter tracts between vmPFC and LOC, which presumably underlie this effective interconnectivity, were also observed. These connectivity findings extend previous models of visual search processes to include specific frontal–occipital neuronal interactions during a natural and complex search task. PMID:22708993

To Pass or Not to Pass: Modeling the Movement and Affordance Dynamics of a Pick and Place Task

PubMed Central

Lamb, Maurice; Kallen, Rachel W.; Harrison, Steven J.; Di Bernardo, Mario; Minai, Ali; Richardson, Michael J.

2017-01-01

Humans commonly engage in tasks that require or are made more efficient by coordinating with other humans. In this paper we introduce a task dynamics approach for modeling multi-agent interaction and decision making in a pick and place task where an agent must move an object from one location to another and decide whether to act alone or with a partner. Our aims were to identify and model (1) the affordance related dynamics that define an actor's choice to move an object alone or to pass it to their co-actor and (2) the trajectory dynamics of an actor's hand movements when moving to grasp, relocate, or pass the object. Using a virtual reality pick and place task, we demonstrate that both the decision to pass or not pass an object and the movement trajectories of the participants can be characterized in terms of a behavioral dynamics model. Simulations suggest that the proposed behavioral dynamics model exhibits features observed in human participants including hysteresis in decision making, non-straight line trajectories, and non-constant velocity profiles. The proposed model highlights how the same low-dimensional behavioral dynamics can operate to constrain multiple (and often nested) levels of human activity and suggests that knowledge of what, when, where and how to move or act during pick and place behavior may be defined by these low dimensional task dynamics and, thus, can emerge spontaneously and in real-time with little a priori planning. PMID:28701975

Effects of Space Weather on Geosynchronous Electromagnetic Spacecraft Perturbations Using Statistical Fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, J.; Schaub, H.

2017-12-01

Spacecraft can charge to very negative voltages at GEO due to interactions with the space plasma. This can cause arcing which can damage spacecraft electronics or solar panels. Recently, it has been suggested that spacecraft charging may lead to orbital perturbations which change the orbits of lightweight uncontrolled debris orbits significantly. The motions of High Area to Mass Ratio objects are not well explained with just perturbations from Solar Radiation Pressure (SRP) and earth, moon, and sun gravity. A charged spacecraft will experience a Lorentz force as the spacecraft moves relative to Earth's magnetic field, as well as a Lorentz torque and eddy current torques if the object is rotating. Prior work assuming a constant "worst case" voltage has shown that Lorentz and eddy torques can cause quite large orbital changes by rotating the object to experience more or less SRP. For some objects, including or neglecting these electromagnetic torques can lead to differences of thousands of kilometers after only two orbits. This paper will further investigate the effects of electromagnetic perturbations by using a charging model that uses measured flux distributions to better simulate natural charging. This differs from prior work which used a constant voltage or Maxwellian distributions. This is done to a calm space weather case of Kp = 2 and a stormy case where Kp = 8. Preliminary analysis suggests that electrostatics will still cause large orbital changes even with the more realistic charging model.

Chronic cannabidiol treatment improves social and object recognition in double transgenic APPswe/PS1∆E9 mice.

PubMed

Cheng, David; Low, Jac Kee; Logge, Warren; Garner, Brett; Karl, Tim

2014-08-01

Patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) exhibit a decline in cognitive abilities including an inability to recognise familiar faces. Hallmark pathological changes in AD include the aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ), tau protein hyperphosphorylation as well as pronounced neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, neurotoxicity and oxidative damage. The non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) exerts neuroprotective, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and promotes neurogenesis. CBD also reverses Aβ-induced spatial memory deficits in rodents. Thus we determined the therapeutic-like effects of chronic CBD treatment (20 mg/kg, daily intraperitoneal injections for 3 weeks) on the APPswe/PS1∆E9 (APPxPS1) transgenic mouse model for AD in a number of cognitive tests, including the social preference test, the novel object recognition task and the fear conditioning paradigm. We also analysed the impact of CBD on anxiety behaviours in the elevated plus maze. Vehicle-treated APPxPS1 mice demonstrated impairments in social recognition and novel object recognition compared to wild type-like mice. Chronic CBD treatment reversed these cognitive deficits in APPxPS1 mice without affecting anxiety-related behaviours. This is the first study to investigate the effect of chronic CBD treatment on cognition in an AD transgenic mouse model. Our findings suggest that CBD may have therapeutic potential for specific cognitive impairments associated with AD.

Infrared tag and track technique

DOEpatents

Partin, Judy K.; Stone, Mark L.; Slater, John; Davidson, James R.

2007-12-04

A method of covertly tagging an object for later tracking includes providing a material capable of at least one of being applied to the object and being included in the object, which material includes deuterium; and performing at least one of applying the material to the object and including the material in the object in a manner in which in the appearance of the object is not changed, to the naked eye.

Electronic-projecting Moire method applying CBR-technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzyakov, O. N.; Lapteva, U. V.; Andreeva, M. A.

2018-01-01

Electronic-projecting method based on Moire effect for examining surface topology is suggested. Conditions of forming Moire fringes and their parameters’ dependence on reference parameters of object and virtual grids are analyzed. Control system structure and decision-making subsystem are elaborated. Subsystem execution includes CBR-technology, based on applying case base. The approach related to analysing and forming decision for each separate local area with consequent formation of common topology map is applied.

Metric System Resource Units = Unidades de Trabajo del Sistema Metrico Decimal. K-12. Project C.A.M.B.I.O., Changing Attitudes towards Metrics for Bilingual Instruction & Operations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pulido, Josefina; Almendares, Simon

Four resource units are included in this document. For each, general objectives on knowledge and concepts, skills, and attitudes are given; content is outlined; and some suggestions for initiating the unit are listed. The first unit, on measuring length, provides six lesson plans, to teach about the meter, the smaller units of the meter, units…

Examining the Association between Patient-Reported Symptoms of Attention and Memory Dysfunction with Objective Cognitive Performance: A Latent Regression Rasch Model Approach.

PubMed

Li, Yuelin; Root, James C; Atkinson, Thomas M; Ahles, Tim A

2016-06-01

Patient-reported cognition generally exhibits poor concordance with objectively assessed cognitive performance. In this article, we introduce latent regression Rasch modeling and provide a step-by-step tutorial for applying Rasch methods as an alternative to traditional correlation to better clarify the relationship of self-report and objective cognitive performance. An example analysis using these methods is also included. Introduction to latent regression Rasch modeling is provided together with a tutorial on implementing it using the JAGS programming language for the Bayesian posterior parameter estimates. In an example analysis, data from a longitudinal neurocognitive outcomes study of 132 breast cancer patients and 45 non-cancer matched controls that included self-report and objective performance measures pre- and post-treatment were analyzed using both conventional and latent regression Rasch model approaches. Consistent with previous research, conventional analysis and correlations between neurocognitive decline and self-reported problems were generally near zero. In contrast, application of latent regression Rasch modeling found statistically reliable associations between objective attention and processing speed measures with self-reported Attention and Memory scores. Latent regression Rasch modeling, together with correlation of specific self-reported cognitive domains with neurocognitive measures, helps to clarify the relationship of self-report with objective performance. While the majority of patients attribute their cognitive difficulties to memory decline, the Rash modeling suggests the importance of processing speed and initial learning. To encourage the use of this method, a step-by-step guide and programming language for implementation is provided. Implications of this method in cognitive outcomes research are discussed. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Task switching in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) during computerized categorization tasks.

PubMed

Smith, Travis R; Beran, Michael J

2018-05-31

The present experiments extended to monkeys a previously used abstract categorization procedure (Castro & Wasserman, 2016) where pigeons had categorized arrays of clipart icons based upon two task rules: the number of clipart objects in the array or the variability of objects in the array. Experiment 1 replicated Castro and Wasserman by using capuchin monkeys and rhesus monkeys and reported that monkeys' performances were similar to pigeons' in terms of acquisition, pattern of errors, and the absence of switch costs. Furthermore, monkeys' insensitivity to the added irrelevant information suggested that an associative (rather than rule-based) categorization mechanism was dominant. Experiment 2 was conducted to include categorization cue reversals to determine (a) whether the monkeys would quickly adapt to the reversals and inhibit interference from a prereversal task rule (consistent with a rule-based mechanism) and (b) whether the latency to make a response prior to a correct or incorrect outcome was informative about the presence of a cognitive mechanism. The cue reassignment produced profound and long-lasting performance deficits, and a long reacquisition phase suggested the involvement of associative learning processes; however, monkeys also displayed longer latencies to choose prior to correct responses on challenging trials, suggesting the involvement of nonassociative processes. Together these performances suggest a mix of associative and cognitive-control processes governing monkey categorization judgments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Sequential sampling of visual objects during sustained attention.

PubMed

Jia, Jianrong; Liu, Ling; Fang, Fang; Luo, Huan

2017-06-01

In a crowded visual scene, attention must be distributed efficiently and flexibly over time and space to accommodate different contexts. It is well established that selective attention enhances the corresponding neural responses, presumably implying that attention would persistently dwell on the task-relevant item. Meanwhile, recent studies, mostly in divided attentional contexts, suggest that attention does not remain stationary but samples objects alternately over time, suggesting a rhythmic view of attention. However, it remains unknown whether the dynamic mechanism essentially mediates attentional processes at a general level. Importantly, there is also a complete lack of direct neural evidence reflecting whether and how the brain rhythmically samples multiple visual objects during stimulus processing. To address these issues, in this study, we employed electroencephalography (EEG) and a temporal response function (TRF) approach, which can dissociate responses that exclusively represent a single object from the overall neuronal activity, to examine the spatiotemporal characteristics of attention in various attentional contexts. First, attention, which is characterized by inhibitory alpha-band (approximately 10 Hz) activity in TRFs, switches between attended and unattended objects every approximately 200 ms, suggesting a sequential sampling even when attention is required to mostly stay on the attended object. Second, the attentional spatiotemporal pattern is modulated by the task context, such that alpha-mediated switching becomes increasingly prominent as the task requires a more uniform distribution of attention. Finally, the switching pattern correlates with attentional behavioral performance. Our work provides direct neural evidence supporting a generally central role of temporal organization mechanism in attention, such that multiple objects are sequentially sorted according to their priority in attentional contexts. The results suggest that selective attention, in addition to the classically posited attentional "focus," involves a dynamic mechanism for monitoring all objects outside of the focus. Our findings also suggest that attention implements a space (object)-to-time transformation by acting as a series of concatenating attentional chunks that operate on 1 object at a time.

Sequential sampling of visual objects during sustained attention

PubMed Central

Jia, Jianrong; Liu, Ling; Fang, Fang

2017-01-01

In a crowded visual scene, attention must be distributed efficiently and flexibly over time and space to accommodate different contexts. It is well established that selective attention enhances the corresponding neural responses, presumably implying that attention would persistently dwell on the task-relevant item. Meanwhile, recent studies, mostly in divided attentional contexts, suggest that attention does not remain stationary but samples objects alternately over time, suggesting a rhythmic view of attention. However, it remains unknown whether the dynamic mechanism essentially mediates attentional processes at a general level. Importantly, there is also a complete lack of direct neural evidence reflecting whether and how the brain rhythmically samples multiple visual objects during stimulus processing. To address these issues, in this study, we employed electroencephalography (EEG) and a temporal response function (TRF) approach, which can dissociate responses that exclusively represent a single object from the overall neuronal activity, to examine the spatiotemporal characteristics of attention in various attentional contexts. First, attention, which is characterized by inhibitory alpha-band (approximately 10 Hz) activity in TRFs, switches between attended and unattended objects every approximately 200 ms, suggesting a sequential sampling even when attention is required to mostly stay on the attended object. Second, the attentional spatiotemporal pattern is modulated by the task context, such that alpha-mediated switching becomes increasingly prominent as the task requires a more uniform distribution of attention. Finally, the switching pattern correlates with attentional behavioral performance. Our work provides direct neural evidence supporting a generally central role of temporal organization mechanism in attention, such that multiple objects are sequentially sorted according to their priority in attentional contexts. The results suggest that selective attention, in addition to the classically posited attentional “focus,” involves a dynamic mechanism for monitoring all objects outside of the focus. Our findings also suggest that attention implements a space (object)-to-time transformation by acting as a series of concatenating attentional chunks that operate on 1 object at a time. PMID:28658261

Control of actin-based motility through localized actin binding

PubMed Central

Banigan, Edward J.; Lee, Kun-Chun; Liu, Andrea J.

2014-01-01

A wide variety of cell biological and biomimetic systems use actin polymerization to drive motility. It has been suggested that an object such as a bacterium can propel itself by self-assembling a high concentration of actin behind it if it is repelled by actin. However, it is also known that it is essential for the moving object to bind actin. Therefore, a key question is how the actin tail can propel an object when it both binds and repels the object. We present a physically consistent Brownian dynamics model for actin-based motility that includes the minimal components of the dendritic nucleation model and allows for both attractive and repulsive interactions between actin and a moveable disk. We find that the concentration gradient of filamentous actin generated by polymerization is sufficient to propel the object, even with moderately strong binding interactions. Additionally, actin binding can act as a biophysical cap, and may directly control motility through modulation of network growth. Overall, this mechanism is robust in that it can drive motility against a load up to a stall pressure that depends on the Young’s modulus of the actin network and can explain several aspects of actin-based motility. PMID:24225232

Science, truth, and forensic cultures: the exceptional legal status of DNA evidence.

PubMed

Lynch, Michael

2013-03-01

Many epistemological terms, such as investigation, inquiry, argument, evidence, and fact were established in law well before being associated with science. However, while legal proof remained qualified by standards of 'moral certainty', scientific proof attained a reputation for objectivity. Although most forms of legal evidence (including expert evidence) continue to be treated as fallible 'opinions' rather than objective 'facts', forensic DNA evidence increasingly is being granted an exceptional factual status. It did not always enjoy such status. Two decades ago, the scientific status of forensic DNA evidence was challenged in the scientific literature and in courts of law, but by the late 1990s it was being granted exceptional legal status. This paper reviews the ascendancy of DNA profiling, and argues that its widely-heralded objective status is bound up with systems of administrative accountability. The 'administrative objectivity' of DNA evidence rests upon observable and reportable bureaucratic rules, records, recording devices, protocols, and architectural arrangements. By highlighting administrative sources of objectivity, this paper suggests that DNA evidence remains bound within the context of ordinary organisational and practical routines, and is not a transcendent source of 'truth' in the criminal justice system. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

An entropy-assisted musculoskeletal shoulder model.

PubMed

Xu, Xu; Lin, Jia-Hua; McGorry, Raymond W

2017-04-01

Optimization combined with a musculoskeletal shoulder model has been used to estimate mechanical loading of musculoskeletal elements around the shoulder. Traditionally, the objective function is to minimize the summation of the total activities of the muscles with forces, moments, and stability constraints. Such an objective function, however, tends to neglect the antagonist muscle co-contraction. In this study, an objective function including an entropy term is proposed to address muscle co-contractions. A musculoskeletal shoulder model is developed to apply the proposed objective function. To find the optimal weight for the entropy term, an experiment was conducted. In the experiment, participants generated various 3-D shoulder moments in six shoulder postures. The surface EMG of 8 shoulder muscles was measured and compared with the predicted muscle activities based on the proposed objective function using Bhattacharyya distance and concordance ratio under different weight of the entropy term. The results show that a small weight of the entropy term can improve the predictability of the model in terms of muscle activities. Such a result suggests that the concept of entropy could be helpful for further understanding the mechanism of muscle co-contractions as well as developing a shoulder biomechanical model with greater validity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study to validate the outcome goal, competencies and educational objectives for use in intensive care orientation programs.

PubMed

Boyle, M; Butcher, R; Kenney, C

1998-03-01

Intensive care orientation programs have become an accepted component of intensive care education. To date, however, there have been no Australian-based standards defining the appropriate level of competence to be attained upon completion of orientation. The aim of this study was to validate a set of aims, competencies and educational objectives that could form the basis of intensive care orientation and which would ensure an outcome standard of safe and effective practice. An initial document containing a statement of the desired outcome goal, six competency statements and 182 educational objectives was developed through a review of the orientation programs developed by the investigators. The Delphi technique was used to gain consensus among 13 nurses recognised for their expertise in intensive care education. The expert group rated the acceptability of each of the study items and provided suggestions for objectives to be included. An approval rating of 80 per cent was required to retain each of the study items, with the document refined through three Delphi rounds. The final document contains a validated statement of outcome goal, competencies and educational objectives for intensive care orientation programs.

Interpreting Bodies. Elena Castellani (ed.) Interpreting Bodies: Classical and Quantum Objects in Modern Physics (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1998), viii+329 pp., ISBN 0-691-01725-5, paperback, 19.95 US, ISBN 0-691-01724-7, cloth, 65.00 US.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruetsche, Laura

The objects of the empirical science known as particle physics are not like objects ordinarily conceived. Physicists' particles can enter states strangely entangled with those of other particles; they can obey statistics which suggest that they lack genidentity; their properties (some think) are created in measurement, or (others think) can only be limned from the symmetries of the theory describing them. 'The implications of contemporary physical theories for the debate on the nature of objects' provides 'the central theme' (p. 4) of Interpreting Bodies, editor Elena Castellani's new collection of essays. Contributions to the volume vary dramatically in vintage (Born's and Reichenbach's are well into middle age; others appear here for the first time); in approach (the collection includes Giuliano Toraldo diFrancia's nine-page history of the object concept from Democritus to d'Espagnat, Peter Mittelstaedt's discussion of the Kantian constitution of quantum objects, and Giulo Peruzzi's explication of the scattering cross section and its role in experimental particle physics); and in intended audience. Lacking the space to treat each contribution in turn, I will focus on those dealing with the problem of the One and the Many.

Preplanetary Nebulae: A Hubble Space Telescope Imaging Survey and a New Morphological Classification System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sahai, Raghvendra; Morris, Mark; Sanchez Contreras, Carmen; Claussen, Mark

2007-01-01

Using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST ), we have carried out a survey of candidate preplanetary nebulae (PPNs). We report here our discoveries of objects having well-resolved geometric structures, and we use the large sample of PPNs now imaged with HST (including previously studied objects in this class) to devise a comprehensive morphological classification system for this category of objects. The wide variety of aspherical morphologies which we have found for PPNs are qualitatively similar to those found for young planetary nebulae (PNs) in previous surveys. We also find prominent halos surrounding the central aspherical shapes in many of our objects; these are direct signatures of the undisturbed circumstellar envelopes of the progenitor AGB stars. Although the majority of these have surface brightness distributions consistent with a constant mass-loss rate with a constant expansion velocity, there are also examples of objects with varying mass-loss rates. As in our surveys of young PNs, we find no round PPNs. The similarities in morphologies between our survey objects and young PNs supports the view that the former are the progenitors of aspherical PNs. This suggests that the primary shaping of a PN does not occur during the PN phase via the fast radiative wind of the hot central star, but significantly earlier in its evolution.

There's Waldo! A Normalization Model of Visual Search Predicts Single-Trial Human Fixations in an Object Search Task

PubMed Central

Miconi, Thomas; Groomes, Laura; Kreiman, Gabriel

2016-01-01

When searching for an object in a scene, how does the brain decide where to look next? Visual search theories suggest the existence of a global “priority map” that integrates bottom-up visual information with top-down, target-specific signals. We propose a mechanistic model of visual search that is consistent with recent neurophysiological evidence, can localize targets in cluttered images, and predicts single-trial behavior in a search task. This model posits that a high-level retinotopic area selective for shape features receives global, target-specific modulation and implements local normalization through divisive inhibition. The normalization step is critical to prevent highly salient bottom-up features from monopolizing attention. The resulting activity pattern constitues a priority map that tracks the correlation between local input and target features. The maximum of this priority map is selected as the locus of attention. The visual input is then spatially enhanced around the selected location, allowing object-selective visual areas to determine whether the target is present at this location. This model can localize objects both in array images and when objects are pasted in natural scenes. The model can also predict single-trial human fixations, including those in error and target-absent trials, in a search task involving complex objects. PMID:26092221

Objective criteria for acceptability and constancy tests of digital subtraction angiography.

PubMed

de las Heras, Hugo; Torres, Ricardo; Fernández-Soto, José Miguel; Vañó, Eliseo

2016-01-01

Demonstrate an objective procedure to quantify image quality in digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and suggest thresholds for acceptability and constancy tests. Series of images were obtained in a DSA system simulating a small (paediatric) and a large patient using the dynamic phantom described in the IEC and DIN standards for acceptance tests of DSA equipment. Image quality was quantified using measurements of contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Overall scores combining the CNR of 10-100 mg/ml Iodine at a vascular diameter of 1-4 mm in a homogeneous background were defined. Phantom entrance surface air kerma (Ka,e) was measured with an ionisation chamber. The visibility of a low-contrast vessel in DSA images has been identified with a CNR value of 0.50 ± 0.03. Despite using 14 times more Ka,e (8.85 vs 0.63 mGy/image), the protocol for large patients showed a decrease in the overall score CNRsum of 67% (4.21 ± 0.06 vs 2.10 ± 0.05). The uncertainty in the results of the objective method was below 5%. Objective evaluation of DSA images using CNR is feasible with dedicated phantom measurements. An objective methodology has been suggested for acceptance tests compliant with the IEC/DIN standards. The defined overall scores can serve to fix a reproducible baseline for constancy tests, as well as to study the device stability within one acquisition series and compare different imaging protocols. This work provides aspects that have not been included in the recent European guidelines on Criteria for Acceptability of Medical Radiological Equipment. Copyright © 2015 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Randomized, Blinded Pilot Testing of Nonconventional Stimulation Patterns and Shapes in Parkinson's Disease and Essential Tremor: Evidence for Further Evaluating Narrow and Biphasic Pulses

PubMed Central

Akbar, Umer; Raike, Robert S.; Hack, Nawaz; Hess, Christopher W.; Skinner, Jared; Martinez‐Ramirez, Daniel; DeJesus, Sol

2016-01-01

Objectives Evidence suggests that nonconventional programming may improve deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for movement disorders. The primary objective was to assess feasibility of testing the tolerability of several nonconventional settings in Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET) subjects in a single office visit. Secondary objectives were to explore for potential efficacy signals and to assess the energy demand on the implantable pulse‐generators (IPGs). Materials and Methods A custom firmware (FW) application was developed and acutely uploaded to the IPGs of eight PD and three ET subjects, allowing delivery of several nonconventional DBS settings, including narrow pulse widths, square biphasic pulses, and irregular pulse patterns. Standard clinical rating scales and several objective measures were used to compare motor outcomes with sham, clinically‐optimal and nonconventional settings. Blinded and randomized testing was conducted in a traditional office setting. Results Overall, the nonconventional settings were well tolerated. Under these conditions it was also possible to detect clinically‐relevant differences in DBS responses using clinical rating scales but not objective measures. Compared to the clinically‐optimal settings, some nonconventional settings appeared to offer similar benefit (e.g., narrow pulse widths) and others lesser benefit. Moreover, the results suggest that square biphasic pulses may deliver greater benefit. No unexpected IPG efficiency disadvantages were associated with delivering nonconventional settings. Conclusions It is feasible to acutely screen nonconventional DBS settings using controlled study designs in traditional office settings. Simple IPG FW upgrades may provide more DBS programming options for optimizing therapy. Potential advantages of narrow and biphasic pulses deserve follow up. PMID:27000764

Cytokines as Mediators of Chemotherapy-Associated Cognitive Changes: Current Evidence, Limitations and Directions for Future Research

PubMed Central

Cheung, Yin Ting; Lim, Si Rong; Ho, Han Kiat; Chan, Alexandre

2013-01-01

Objectives While various clinical and pharmacological determinants for chemotherapy-associated cognitive impairment have been identified, conflicting evidence suggests that cytokines might play an intermediary role. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the current evidence pertaining to the associations among chemotherapy, cytokines induction and cognitive impairment in cancer patients. Methods A literature search with PubMed and SciVerse Scopus was conducted in March 2013 to gather relevant articles and abstracts that fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. This review included studies that had performed objective and/or subjective cognitive assessments and cytokine measurements on defined populations of cancer patients who received chemotherapy. Results High methodological heterogeneity existed among the selected studies which differed in cancer populations, subject characteristics, cognitive endpoints, types of cytokines tested and their measurement methods. Weak to moderate correlations were observed between IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α levels, and different degrees of cognitive impairment. Different types of chemotherapy treatments might lead to varying presentations and severities of cytokine-induced cognitive impairment. Notably, the time concordance between the onset of cytokine induction and occurrence of cognitive impairment was not well elucidated. A number of confounding factors was identified to interfere with the expression levels of cytokines; these confounders included subjects' cancer types, ages, genders, genetics and psychosocial characteristics such as anxiety, depression and fatigue. Conclusion Although existing studies observed cognitive impairment and cytokine dysregulation in patients who receive chemotherapy, our results suggest that the intermediary role of cytokines in post-chemotherapy cognitive impairment is still controversial and requires further evaluation. A list of methodological recommendations is proposed to harmonize future studies of this subject matter. PMID:24339912

OBSERVATIONAL SIGNATURES OF A MASSIVE DISTANT PLANET ON THE SCATTERING DISK

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

Lawler, S. M.; Kavelaars, J. J.; Shankman, C.

The orbital element distribution of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) with large pericenters has been suggested to be influenced by the presence of an undetected, large planet at >200 au from the Sun. To find additional observables caused by this scenario, we present here the first detailed emplacement simulation in the presence of a massive ninth planet on the distant Kuiper Belt. We perform 4 Gyr N -body simulations with the currently known solar system planetary architecture, plus a 10  M {sub ⊕} planet with similar orbital parameters to those suggested by Trujillo and Sheppard or Batygin and Brown, and 10{sup 5} testmore » particles in an initial planetesimal disk. We find that including a distant super-Earth-mass planet produces a substantially different orbital distribution for the scattering and detached TNOs, raising the pericenters and inclinations of moderate semimajor axis (50 <  a  < 500 au) objects. We test whether this signature is detectable via a simulator with the observational characteristics of four precisely characterized TNO surveys. We find that the qualitatively very distinct solar system models that include a ninth planet are essentially observationally indistinguishable from an outer solar system produced solely by the four giant planets. We also find that the mass of the Kuiper Belt’s current scattering and detached populations is required to be 3–10 times larger in the presence of an additional planet. We do not find any evidence for clustering of orbital angles in our simulated TNO population. Wide-field, deep surveys targeting inclined high-pericenter objects will be required to distinguish between these different scenarios.« less

Gender Differences in Cardiovascular Disease: Hormonal and Biochemical Influences

PubMed Central

Pérez-López, Faustino R.; Larrad-Mur, Luis; Kallen, Amanda; Chedraui, Peter; Taylor, Hugh S.

2011-01-01

Objective Atherosclerosis is a complex process characterized by an increase in vascular wall thickness owing to the accumulation of cells and extracellular matrix between the endothelium and the smooth muscle cell wall. There is evidence that females are at lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) as compared to males. This has led to an interest in examining the contribution of genetic background and sex hormones to the development of CVD. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of factors, including those related to gender, that influence CVD. Methods Evidence analysis from PubMed and individual searches concerning biochemical and endocrine influences and gender differences, which affect the origin and development of CVD. Results Although still controversial, evidence suggests that hormones including estradiol and androgens are responsible for subtle cardiovascular changes long before the development of overt atherosclerosis. Conclusion Exposure to sex hormones throughout an individual's lifespan modulates many endocrine factors involved in atherosclerosis. PMID:20460551

Potential objective biomarkers for fatigue among working women

PubMed Central

Ebata, Chie; Tatsuta, Hitomi; Tatemichi, Masayuki

2017-01-01

Objective: The prediction of health impairment due to work overload is subjectively assessed based on recognized symptoms; however, objective evaluation is primarily ideal in the field of occupational health. Recently, some biomarkers of autonomic function and/or oxidative stress were reported to be associated with fatigue. This study aimed to preliminarily investigate whether these biomarkers could be objective indicators for fatigue and stress among working women. Method: Participants included 118 full-time female workers (mean age 37.8 years), including 55 shift workers. Self-administered questionnaires, such as visual analog scale (VAS) for general health, a lifestyle questionnaire, SF-8 for health-related quality of life, and K6 for mental health screening, were used. In addition, biomarkers such as acceleration plethysmogram (APG), reactive oxygen metabolites-derived compounds (d-ROMs), and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) were measured. Results: A significant association was observed between BAP and VAS (r=0.482, p<0.01) among shift workers. However, other biomarkers such as APG and d-ROMs were not significantly associated with symptoms. d-ROMs were significantly correlated with age and body mass index. There was a significant negative correlation between BAP and smoking. Results of the APG (low-frequency (LF) /high-frequency (HF) ratio) were significantly correlated with BAP, but not with d-ROMs. The LF/HF ratio and BAP for shift workers were significantly higher than those for day-time workers. Conclusions: Our results suggest that APG and BAP are potential objective biomarkers for fatigue among working women, although further follow-up studies are needed to clarify the scope of usefulness of the biomarkers for fatigue. PMID:28163282

Does semantic preactivation reduce inattentional blindness?

PubMed

Kreitz, Carina; Schnuerch, Robert; Furley, Philip A; Gibbons, Henning; Memmert, Daniel

2015-04-01

We are susceptible to failures of awareness if a stimulus occurs unexpectedly and our attention is focused elsewhere. Such inattentional blindness is modulated by various parameters, including stimulus attributes, the observer's cognitive resources, and the observer's attentional set regarding the primary task. In three behavioral experiments with a total of 360 participants, we investigated whether mere semantic preactivation of the color of an unexpected object can reduce inattentional blindness. Neither explicitly mentioning the color several times before the occurrence of the unexpected stimulus nor priming the color more implicitly via color-related concepts could significantly reduce the susceptibility to inattentional blindness. Even putting the specific color concept in the main focus of the primary task did not lead to reduced inattentional blindness. Thus, we have shown that the failure to consciously perceive unexpected objects was not moderated by semantic preactivation of the objects' most prominent feature: its color. We suggest that this finding reflects the rather general principle that preactivations that are not motivationally relevant for one's current selection goals do not suffice to make an unexpected object overcome the threshold of awareness.

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.

Object permanence in adult common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus): not everything is an "A-not-B" error that seems to be one.

PubMed

Kis, Anna; Gácsi, Márta; Range, Friederike; Virányi, Zsófia

2012-01-01

In this paper, we describe a behaviour pattern similar to the "A-not-B" error found in human infants and young apes in a monkey species, the common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). In contrast to the classical explanation, recently it has been suggested that the "A-not-B" error committed by human infants is at least partially due to misinterpretation of the hider's ostensively communicated object hiding actions as potential 'teaching' demonstrations during the A trials. We tested whether this so-called Natural Pedagogy hypothesis would account for the A-not-B error that marmosets commit in a standard object permanence task, but found no support for the hypothesis in this species. Alternatively, we present evidence that lower level mechanisms, such as attention and motivation, play an important role in committing the "A-not-B" error in marmosets. We argue that these simple mechanisms might contribute to the effect of undeveloped object representational skills in other species including young non-human primates that commit the A-not-B error.

A short cut to the past: Cueing via concrete objects improves autobiographical memory retrieval in Alzheimer's disease patients.

PubMed

Kirk, Marie; Berntsen, Dorthe

2018-02-01

Older adults diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have difficulties accessing autobiographical memories. However, this deficit tends to spare memories dated to earlier parts of their lives, and may partially reflect retrieval deficits rather than complete memory loss. Introducing a novel paradigm, the present study examines whether autobiographical memory recall can be improved in AD by manipulating the sensory richness, concreteness and cultural dating of the memory cues. Specifically, we examine whether concrete everyday objects historically dated to the participants' youth (e.g., a skipping rope), relative to verbal cues (i.e., the verbal signifiers for the objects) facilitate access to autobiographical memories. The study includes 49 AD patients, and 50 healthy, older matched control participants, all tested on word versus object-cued recall. Both groups recalled significantly more memories, when cued by objects relative to words, but the advantage was significantly larger in the AD group. In both groups, memory descriptions were longer and significantly more episodic in nature in response to object-cued recall. Together these findings suggest that the multimodal nature of the object cues (i.e. vision, olfaction, audition, somatic sensation) along with specific cue characteristics, such as time reference, texture, shape, may constrain the retrieval search, potentially minimizing executive function demands, and hence strategic processing requirements, thus easing access to autobiographical memories in AD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subjective cognitive decline and fall risk in community-dwelling older adults with or without objective cognitive decline.

PubMed

Shirooka, Hidehiko; Nishiguchi, Shu; Fukutani, Naoto; Tashiro, Yuto; Nozaki, Yuma; Aoyama, Tomoki

2018-05-01

The association between subjective cognitive decline and falls has not been clearly determined. Our aim was to explore the effect of subjective cognitive decline on falls in community-dwelling older adults with or without objective cognitive decline. We included 470 older adults (mean age 73.6 ± 5.2; 329 women) living in the community and obtained data on fall history directly from the participants. Subjective cognitive decline was assessed using a self-administered question. Objective cognitive function was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Statistical analyses were carried out separately for participants with objective cognitive decline and those without. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that, among participants without objective cognitive decline, subjective cognitive decline was positively associated with falls [OR 1.91; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17-3.12; p = 0.01). Conversely, among participants with objective cognitive decline, subjective cognitive decline was negatively associated with falls (OR 0.07; 95% CI 0.01-0.85, p = 0.04). The result suggests that the objective-subjective disparity may affect falls in community-dwelling older adults. The presence of subjective cognitive decline was significantly positively associated with falls among cognitively intact older adults. However, among their cognitively impaired peers, the absence of subjective cognitive decline was positively associated with falls.

Reversibility of object recognition but not spatial memory impairment following binge-like alcohol exposure in rats

PubMed Central

Cippitelli, Andrea; Zook, Michelle; Bell, Lauren; Damadzic, Ruslan; Eskay, Robert L.; Schwandt, Melanie; Heilig, Markus

2010-01-01

Excessive alcohol use leads to neurodegeneration in several brain structures including the hippocampal dentate gyrus and the entorhinal cortex. Cognitive deficits that result are among the most insidious and debilitating consequences of alcoholism. The object exploration task (OET) provides a sensitive measurement of spatial memory impairment induced by hippocampal and cortical damage. In this study, we examine whether the observed neurotoxicity produced by a 4-day binge ethanol treatment results in long-term memory impairment by observing the time course of reactions to spatial change (object configuration) and non-spatial change (object recognition). Wistar rats were assessed for their abilities to detect spatial configuration in the OET at 1 week and 10 weeks following the ethanol treatment, in which ethanol groups received 9–15 g/kg/day and achieved blood alcohol levels over 300 mg/dl. At 1 week, results indicated that the binge alcohol treatment produced impairment in both spatial memory and non-spatial object recognition performance. Unlike the controls, ethanol treated rats did not increase the duration or number of contacts with the displaced object in the spatial memory task, nor did they increase the duration of contacts with the novel object in the object recognition task. After 10 weeks, spatial memory remained impaired in the ethanol treated rats but object recognition ability was recovered. Our data suggest that episodes of binge-like alcohol exposure result in long-term and possibly permanent impairments in memory for the configuration of objects during exploration, whereas the ability to detect non-spatial changes is only temporarily affected. PMID:20849966

Selective attention during scene perception: evidence from negative priming.

PubMed

Gordon, Robert D

2006-10-01

In two experiments, we examined the role of semantic scene content in guiding attention during scene viewing. In each experiment, performance on a lexical decision task was measured following the brief presentation of a scene. The lexical decision stimulus named an object that was either present or not present in the scene. The results of Experiment 1 revealed no priming from inconsistent objects (whose identities conflicted with the scene in which they appeared), but negative priming from consistent objects. The results of Experiment 2 indicated that negative priming from consistent objects occurs only when inconsistent objects are present in the scenes. Together, the results suggest that observers are likely to attend to inconsistent objects, and that representations of consistent objects are suppressed in the presence of an inconsistent object. Furthermore, the data suggest that inconsistent objects draw attention because they are relatively difficult to identify in an inappropriate context.

Economic Education Experiences of Enterprising Teachers. Volume 21. A Report Developed by the Joint Council on Economic Education from the 1982-83 Entries in the International Paper Company Foundation Awards Program for the Teaching of Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nappi, Andrew T., Ed.; Suglia, Anthony F., Ed.

Designed for use in grades K-12, award winning teacher-developed projects and courses in economics are described. Descriptions indicate grade level, project background, time allotment, objectives, activities, and evaluation. Arranged into 5 chapters, chapter 1 suggests ways to teach economic concepts to grades K-3. Projects include a lesson on…

Failure mode analysis to predict product reliability.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zemanick, P. P.

1972-01-01

The failure mode analysis (FMA) is described as a design tool to predict and improve product reliability. The objectives of the failure mode analysis are presented as they influence component design, configuration selection, the product test program, the quality assurance plan, and engineering analysis priorities. The detailed mechanics of performing a failure mode analysis are discussed, including one suggested format. Some practical difficulties of implementation are indicated, drawn from experience with preparing FMAs on the nuclear rocket engine program.

Electron mobility in mercury cadmium telluride

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, James D.

1988-01-01

A previously developed program, which includes all electronic interactions thought to be important, does not correctly predict the value of electron mobility in mercury cadmium telluride particularly near room temperature. Part of the reason for this discrepancy is thought to be the way screening is handled. It seems likely that there are a number of contributors to errors in the calculation. The objective is to survey the calculation, locate reasons for differences between experiment and calculation, and suggest improvements.

Environmental assessment overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Valentino, A. R.

1980-01-01

The assessment program has as its objectives: to identify the environmental issues associated with the SPS Reference System; to prepare a preliminary assessment based on existing data; to suggest mitigating strategies and provide environmental data and guidance to other components of the program as required; and to plan long-range research to reduce the uncertainty in the preliminary assessment. The key environmental issues associated with the satellite power system are discussed and include human health and safety, ecosystems, climate, and interaction with electromagnetic systems.

Pharmaceutical marketing: implications for medical residency training.

PubMed

Anastasio, G D; Little, J M

1996-01-01

An educational intervention was developed to improve family practice residents' ability to obtain useful information from pharmaceutical representatives. The curriculum is based on the traditional one-on-one drug detail. The objectives are to develop residents' skills in controlling the interview, promote skills for critically analyzing drug-promotional material, and discuss ethical issues. The contents include an assessment tool, suggested readings, and interview questions with rationale. After 5 years, residents' confidence in all areas of the curriculum improved significantly.

Effectiveness of vaginal breech birth training strategies: An integrative review of the literature.

PubMed

Walker, Shawn; Breslin, Eamonn; Scamell, Mandie; Parker, Pam

2017-06-01

The safety of vaginal breech birth depends on the skill of the attendant. The objective of this review was to identify, synthesize, and report the findings of evaluated breech birth training strategies. A systematic search of the following on-line databases: Medline, CINAHL Plus, PsychINFO, EBM Reviews/Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Maternity and Infant Care, and Pubmed, using a structured search strategy. Studies were included in the review if they evaluated the efficacy of a breech birth training program or particular strategies, including obstetric emergency training evaluations that reported differentiated outcomes for breech. Out of 1040 original citings, 303 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 17 methodologically diverse studies met the inclusion criteria. A data collection form was used to extract relevant information. Data were synthesized, using an evaluation levels framework, including reaction, learning (subjective and objective assessment), and behavioral change. No evaluations included clinical outcome data. Improvements in self-assessed skill and confidence were not associated with improvements in objective assessments or behavioral change. Inclusion of breech birth as part of an obstetric emergencies training package without support in practice was negatively associated with subsequent attendance at vaginal breech births. As a result of the heterogeneity of the studies available, and the lack of evidence concerning neonatal or maternal outcomes, no conclusive practice recommendations can be made. However, the studies reviewed suggest that vaginal breech birth training may be enhanced by reflection, repetition, and experienced clinical support in practice. Further evaluation studies should prioritize clinical outcome data. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Motion Alters Color Appearance

PubMed Central

Hong, Sang-Wook; Kang, Min-Suk

2016-01-01

Chromatic induction compellingly demonstrates that chromatic context as well as spectral lights reflected from an object determines its color appearance. Here, we show that when one colored object moves around an identical stationary object, the perceived saturation of the stationary object decreases dramatically whereas the saturation of the moving object increases. These color appearance shifts in the opposite directions suggest that normalization induced by the object’s motion may mediate the shift in color appearance. We ruled out other plausible alternatives such as local adaptation, attention, and transient neural responses that could explain the color shift without assuming interaction between color and motion processing. These results demonstrate that the motion of an object affects both its own color appearance and the color appearance of a nearby object, suggesting a tight coupling between color and motion processing. PMID:27824098

Derivation of site-specific surface water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic ecosystems near a Korean military training facility.

PubMed

Jeong, Seung-Woo; An, Youn-Joo

2014-01-01

This study suggested the first Korean site-specific ecological surface water quality criteria for the protection of ecosystems near an artillery range at a Korean military training facility. Surface water quality (SWQ) criteria in Korea address human health protection but do not encompass ecological criteria such as limits for metals and explosives. The first objective of this study was to derive site-specific SWQ criteria for the protection of aquatic ecosystems in Hantan River, Korea. The second objective was to establish discharge criteria for the artillery range to protect the aquatic ecosystems of Hantan River. In this study, we first identified aquatic organisms living in the Hantan River, including fishes, reptiles, invertebrates, phytoplankton, zooplankton, and amphibians. Second, we collected ecotoxicity data for these aquatic organisms and constructed an ecotoxicity database for Cd, Cu, Zn, TNT, and RDX. This study determined the ecological maximum permissible concentrations for metals and explosives based on the ecotoxicity database and suggested ecological surface water quality criteria for the Hantan River by considering analytical detection limits. Discharge limit criteria for the shooting range were determined based on the ecological surface water quality criteria suggested for Hantan River with further consideration of the dilution of the contaminants discharged into the river.

The temporal dynamics of heading perception in the presence of moving objects

PubMed Central

Fajen, Brett R.

2015-01-01

Many forms of locomotion rely on the ability to accurately perceive one's direction of locomotion (i.e., heading) based on optic flow. Although accurate in rigid environments, heading judgments may be biased when independently moving objects are present. The aim of this study was to systematically investigate the conditions in which moving objects influence heading perception, with a focus on the temporal dynamics and the mechanisms underlying this bias. Subjects viewed stimuli simulating linear self-motion in the presence of a moving object and judged their direction of heading. Experiments 1 and 2 revealed that heading perception is biased when the object crosses or almost crosses the observer's future path toward the end of the trial, but not when the object crosses earlier in the trial. Nonetheless, heading perception is not based entirely on the instantaneous optic flow toward the end of the trial. This was demonstrated in Experiment 3 by varying the portion of the earlier part of the trial leading up to the last frame that was presented to subjects. When the stimulus duration was long enough to include the part of the trial before the moving object crossed the observer's path, heading judgments were less biased. The findings suggest that heading perception is affected by the temporal evolution of optic flow. The time course of dorsal medial superior temporal area (MSTd) neuron responses may play a crucial role in perceiving heading in the presence of moving objects, a property not captured by many existing models. PMID:26510765

Safety and efficacy of an intra-oral electrostimulator for the relief of dry mouth in patients with chronic graft versus host disease: Case Series

PubMed Central

Zadik, Yehuda; Zeevi, Itai; Luboshitz-Shon, Noa; Dakwar, Nasri; Wolff, Andy; Shapira, Michael Y.; Or, Reuven

2014-01-01

Objectives: Patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) often suffer from dry mouth and oral mucosal lesions. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the safety of an intra-oral electrostimulator (GenNarino) in symptomatic cGVHD patients. The secondary objective was to study the impact on the salivary gland involvement of cGVHD patients. Study Design: This paper presents a case series. The study included patients treated for 4 weeks, randomly assigned to the active device and then crossed-over to a sham-device or vice versa. The patients and clinicians were blind to the treatment delivered. Data regarding oral mucosal and salivary gland involvement were collected. Results: Six patients were included in this series. Most of the intraoral areas with manifestations of cGVHD were not in contact with the GenNarino device. Two patients developed mild mucosal lesions in areas in contact with the GenNarino during the study. However, only one of them had a change in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) score for oral cGVHD. The unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rate increased in 4 out of the 5 patients included in this analysis. Symptoms of dry mouth and general oral comfort improved. Conclusion: This study suggests that GenNarino is safe in cGVHD patients with respect to oral tissues. Furthermore the use of GenNarino resulted in subjective and objective improvements in dry mouth symptoms. A large scale study is needed to confirm the impact and safety of GenNarino on systemic cGVHD. Key words:Dry mouth, graft versus host disease, electrostimulation, oral mucosa, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. PMID:24121920

Development of a smoking prevention mass media program using diagnostic and formative research.

PubMed

Worden, J K; Flynn, B S; Geller, B M; Chen, M; Shelton, L G; Secker-Walker, R H; Solomon, D S; Solomon, L J; Couchey, S; Costanza, M C

1988-09-01

The process of developing a mass media campaign to prevent smoking among adolescents is described in detail. This campaign supplements a school smoking prevention program and shares educational objectives with the school program but is otherwise independent. It comprises various television and radio 30- and 60-sec "spot" messages. The campaign development process includes identifying educational objectives and strategies for appealing to young people; conducting diagnostic surveys and focus groups to determine target audience interests and perceptions about smoking and media content; suggesting approaches to producers to create preliminary television and radio messages for testing; conducting formative pretests with target groups to select optimal messages and suggest improvements to those messages; producing final messages for media presentation; and developing a media exposure plan to place messages in local media at optimal times for reception by target audiences. The media campaign is being evaluated in a 5-year project with 5,500 adolescents in four communities to determine the additional effect of mass media over a school program alone in preventing smoking.

Suppressing memories of words and familiar objects results in their affective devaluation: Evidence from Think/No-think tasks.

PubMed

De Vito, David; Fenske, Mark J

2017-05-01

Potentially distracting or otherwise-inappropriate stimuli, thoughts, or actions often must be inhibited to prevent interference with goal-directed behaviour. Growing evidence suggests that the impact of inhibition is not limited to reduced neurocognitive processing, but also includes negative affective consequences for any associated stimuli. The link between inhibition and aversive response has primarily been studied using tasks involving attentional- or response-related inhibition of external sensory stimuli. Here we show that affective devaluation also occurs when inhibition is applied to fully-encoded stimulus representations in memory. We first replicated prior findings of increased forgetting of words whose memories were suppressed in a Think/No-think procedure (Experiment 1). Incorporating a stimulus-evaluation task within this procedure revealed that suppressing memories of words (Experiment 2) and visual objects (Experiment 3) also results in their affective devaluation. Given the critical role of memory for guiding thoughts and actions, these results suggest that the affective consequences of inhibition may occur across a far broader range of situations than previously understood. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Objective Assessment of Vergence after Treatment of Concussion-Related CI: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Scheiman, Mitchell; Talasan, Henry; Mitchell, Gladys L; Alvarez, Tara L.

2016-01-01

Purpose To evaluate changes in objective measures of disparity vergence after office-based vision therapy (OBVT) for concussion-related convergence insufficiency (CI), and determine the feasibility of using this objective assessment as an outcome measure in a clinical trial. Methods This was a prospective, observational trial. All participants were treated with weekly OBVT with home reinforcement. Participants included two adolescents and three young adults with concussion-related, symptomatic CI. The primary outcome measure was average peak velocity for 4-degree symmetrical convergence steps. Other objective outcome measures of disparity vergence included time to peak velocity, latency, accuracy, settling time, and main sequence. We also evaluated saccadic eye movements using the same outcome measures. Changes in clinical measures (near point of convergence, positive fusional vergence at near, Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS) score) were evaluated. Results There were statistically significant and clinically meaningful changes in all clinical measures for convergence. Four of the five subjects met clinical success criteria. For the objective measures, we found a statistically significant increase in peak velocity, response accuracy to 4° symmetrical convergence and divergence step stimuli and the main sequence ratio for convergence step stimuli. Objective saccadic eye movements (5° and 10°) appeared normal pre-OBVT, and did not show any significant change after treatment. Conclusions This is the first report of the use of objective measures of disparity vergence as outcome measures for concussion-related convergence insufficiency. These measures provide additional information that is not accessible with clinical tests about underlying physiological mechanisms leading to changes in clinical findings and symptoms. The study results also demonstrate that patients with concussion can tolerate the visual demands (over 200 vergence and versional eye movements) during the 25-minute testing time and suggest that these measures could be used in a large-scale randomized clinical trial of concussion-related CI as outcome measures. PMID:27464574

Objective Assessment of Vergence after Treatment of Concussion-Related CI: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Scheiman, Mitchell M; Talasan, Henry; Mitchell, G Lynn; Alvarez, Tara L

2017-01-01

To evaluate changes in objective measures of disparity vergence after office-based vision therapy (OBVT) for concussion-related convergence insufficiency (CI) and determine the feasibility of using this objective assessment as an outcome measure in a clinical trial. This was a prospective, observational trial. All participants were treated with weekly OBVT with home reinforcement. Participants included two adolescents and three young adults with concussion-related, symptomatic CI. The primary outcome measure was average peak velocity for 4° symmetrical convergence steps. Other objective outcome measures of disparity vergence included time to peak velocity, latency, accuracy, settling time, and main sequence. We also evaluated saccadic eye movements using the same outcome measures. Changes in clinical measures (near point of convergence, positive fusional vergence at near, Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey [CISS] score) were evaluated. There were statistically significant and clinically meaningful changes in all clinical measures for convergence. Four of the five subjects met clinical success criteria. For the objective measures, we found a statistically significant increase in peak velocity, response accuracy to 4° symmetrical convergence and divergence step stimuli, and the main sequence ratio for convergence step stimuli. Objective saccadic eye movements (5 and 10°) appeared normal pre-OBVT and did not show any significant change after treatment. This is the first report of the use of objective measures of disparity vergence as outcome measures for concussion-related convergence insufficiency. These measures provide additional information that is not accessible with clinical tests about underlying physiological mechanisms leading to changes in clinical findings and symptoms. The study results also demonstrate that patients with concussion can tolerate the visual demands (over 200 vergence and versional eye movements) during the 25-minute testing time and suggest that these measures could be used in a large-scale randomized clinical trial of concussion-related CI as outcome measures.

The enteral vs parenteral nutrition debate revisited.

PubMed

Thomson, Andrew

2008-01-01

Many trials and several meta-analyses have been devoted to comparing enteral with parenteral nutrition support. In this review, these studies are subjected to critical analysis with particular emphasis on their methodology and clinical relevance. Evidence is produced to suggest that the heterogeneous patient populations of the studies and the rigid approach taken to comparing different nutrition therapies inter alia render their conclusions highly questionable and of very doubtful clinical significance. An alternative approach to nutrition research is suggested in which strategies of nutrition support rather than fixed menus are compared. It is suggested that objective measures of intestinal function be evaluated more fully in patients requiring nonvolitional nutrition support, and these are briefly reviewed. In addition, a more scientific approach to evaluating the physiological effects of nutrition support, including chemical tagging and evaluation of muscle function, is recommended.

When objects lose their meaning: what happens to their use?

PubMed

Bozeat, Sasha; Lambon Ralph, Matthew A; Patterson, Karalyn; Hodges, John R

2002-09-01

The 8 patients involved in this study were impaired on tests assessing knowledge of objects and on the demonstration of their use. The patients' success in object use was significantly correlated with their knowledge about the objects, providing further evidence that conceptual knowledge plays a key role in object use. Having a recipient present improved performance in the moderately impaired patients, suggesting that a certain level of conceptual knowledge must remain for the additional information to be beneficial. Although overall accuracy in using the target objects was not related to our measures of affordance, the specific aspects of use afforded by the objects' structures were relatively impervious to semantic impairment, suggesting a role for affordance information when object-specific knowledge is disrupted. The patients' familiarity with the objects was an important predictor of performance. Finally, despite good performance on tests of mechanical problem solving, the patients showed very little evidence of employing these skills in their interactions with real objects.

Lipopolysaccharide affects exploratory behaviors toward novel objects by impairing cognition and/or motivation in mice: Possible role of activation of the central amygdala.

PubMed

Haba, Ryota; Shintani, Norihito; Onaka, Yusuke; Wang, Hyper; Takenaga, Risa; Hayata, Atsuko; Baba, Akemichi; Hashimoto, Hitoshi

2012-03-17

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) produces a series of systemic and psychiatric changes called sickness behavior. In the present study, we characterized the LPS-induced decrease in novel object exploratory behaviors in BALB/c mice. As already reported, LPS (0.3-5 μg/mouse) induced dose- and time-dependent decreases in locomotor activity, food intake, social interaction, and exploration for novel objects, and an increase in immobility in the forced-swim test. Although the decrease in locomotor activity was ameliorated by 10h postinjection, novel object exploratory behaviors remained decreased at 24h and were observed even with the lowest dose of LPS. In an object exploration test, LPS shortened object exploration time but did not affect moving time or the frequency of object exploration. Although pre-exposure to the same object markedly decreased the duration of exploration and LPS did not change this reduction, LPS significantly impaired the exploration of a novel object that replaced the familiar one. LPS did not affect anxiety-like behaviors in open-field and elevated plus-maze tests. An LPS-induced increase in the number of c-Fos-immunoreactive cells was observed in several brain regions within 6h of LPS administration, but the number of cells quickly returned to control levels, except in the central amygdala where the increase continued for 24h. These results suggest that LPS most prominently affects object exploratory behaviors by impairing cognition and/or motivation including continuous attention and curiosity toward objects, and that this may be associated with activation of brain nuclei such as the central amygdala. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The shift from a response strategy to object-in-place strategy during learning is accompanied by a matching shift in neural firing correlates in the hippocampus.

PubMed

Lee, Inah; Kim, Jangjin

2010-08-01

Hippocampal-dependent tasks often involve specific associations among stimuli (including egocentric information), and such tasks are therefore prone to interference from irrelevant task strategies before a correct strategy is found. Using an object-place paired-associate task, we investigated changes in neural firing patterns in the hippocampus in association with a shift in strategy during learning. We used an object-place paired-associate task in which a pair of objects was presented in two different arms of a radial maze. Each object was associated with reward only in one of the arms, thus requiring the rats to consider both object identity and its location in the maze. Hippocampal neurons recorded in CA1 displayed a dynamic transition in their firing patterns during the acquisition of the task across days, and this corresponded to a shift in strategy manifested in behavioral data. Specifically, before the rats learned the task, they chose an object that maintained a particular egocentric relationship with their body (response strategy) irrespective of the object identity. However, as the animal acquired the task, it chose an object according to both its identity and the associated location in the maze (object-in-place strategy). We report that CA1 neurons in the hippocampus changed their prospective firing correlates according to the dominant strategy (i.e., response versus object-in-place strategy) employed at a given stage of learning. The results suggest that neural firing pattern in the hippocampus is heavily influenced by the task demand hypothesized by the animal and the firing pattern changes flexibly as the perceived task demand changes.

The 5-HT2A/1A agonist psilocybin disrupts modal object completion associated with visual hallucinations.

PubMed

Kometer, Michael; Cahn, B Rael; Andel, David; Carter, Olivia L; Vollenweider, Franz X

2011-03-01

Recent findings suggest that the serotonergic system and particularly the 5-HT2A/1A receptors are implicated in visual processing and possibly the pathophysiology of visual disturbances including hallucinations in schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. To investigate the role of 5-HT2A/1A receptors in visual processing the effect of the hallucinogenic 5-HT2A/1A agonist psilocybin (125 and 250 μg/kg vs. placebo) on the spatiotemporal dynamics of modal object completion was assessed in normal volunteers (n = 17) using visual evoked potential recordings in conjunction with topographic-mapping and source analysis. These effects were then considered in relation to the subjective intensity of psilocybin-induced visual hallucinations quantified by psychometric measurement. Psilocybin dose-dependently decreased the N170 and, in contrast, slightly enhanced the P1 component selectively over occipital electrode sites. The decrease of the N170 was most apparent during the processing of incomplete object figures. Moreover, during the time period of the N170, the overall reduction of the activation in the right extrastriate and posterior parietal areas correlated positively with the intensity of visual hallucinations. These results suggest a central role of the 5-HT2A/1A-receptors in the modulation of visual processing. Specifically, a reduced N170 component was identified as potentially reflecting a key process of 5-HT2A/1A receptor-mediated visual hallucinations and aberrant modal object completion potential. Copyright © 2011 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Low Gas Fractions Connect Compact Star-forming Galaxies to Their z ~ 2 Quiescent Descendants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spilker, Justin S.; Bezanson, Rachel; Marrone, Daniel P.; Weiner, Benjamin J.; Whitaker, Katherine E.; Williams, Christina C.

2016-11-01

Early quiescent galaxies at z˜ 2 are known to be remarkably compact compared to their nearby counterparts. Possible progenitors of these systems include galaxies that are structurally similar, but are still rapidly forming stars. Here, we present Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) observations of the CO(1-0) line toward three such compact, star-forming galaxies (SFGs) at z˜ 2.3, significantly detecting one. The VLA observations indicate baryonic gas fractions ≳ 5 times lower and gas depletion timescales ≳ 10 times shorter than normal, extended massive SFGs at these redshifts. At their current star formation rates, all three objects will deplete their gas reservoirs within 100 Myr. These objects are among the most gas-poor objects observed at z\\gt 2, and are outliers from standard gas scaling relations, a result that remains true regardless of assumptions about the CO-H2 conversion factor. Our observations are consistent with the idea that compact, SFGs are in a rapid state of transition to quiescence in tandem with the buildup of the z˜ 2 quenched population. In the detected compact galaxy, we see no evidence of rotation or that the CO-emitting gas is spatially extended relative to the stellar light. This casts doubt on recent suggestions that the gas in these compact galaxies is rotating and significantly extended compared to the stars. Instead, we suggest that, at least for this object, the gas is centrally concentrated, and only traces a small fraction of the total galaxy dynamical mass.

Urinary sediment suggests lupus nephritis histology.

PubMed

Martínez-Martínez, M U; Llamazares-Azuara, L M de G; Martínez-Galla, D; Mandeville, P B; Valadez-Castillo, F; Román-Acosta, S; Borjas-García, J A; Abud-Mendoza, C

2017-05-01

Objectives The objective of this paper was to evaluate correlations between kidney biopsy indexes (activity and chronicity) and urinary sediment findings; the secondary objective was to find which components of urinary sediment can discriminate proliferative from other classes of lupus nephritis. Methods Lupus nephritis patients scheduled for a kidney biopsy were included in our study. The morning before the kidney biopsy, we took urine samples from each patient. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to determine the area under the curve (AUC) of each test for detecting proliferative lupus nephritis; a classification tree was calculated to select a set of values that best-predicted lupus nephritis classes. Results We included 51 patients, 36 of whom were women (70.6%). Correlations of lupus nephritis activity index with the counts in the urinary sediment of erythrocytes (isomorphic and dysmorphic), acanthocytes, and leukocytes were 0.65 ( p < 0.0001) 0.62 ( p < 0.0001) and 0.22 ( p = 0.1228), respectively. Correlations of lupus nephritis chronicity index with the counts of erythrocytes, acanthocytes, and leukocytes were 0.60 ( p ≤ 0.0001), 0.52 ( p = 0.0001) and 0.17 ( p = 0.2300), respectively. Our classification tree had an accuracy of 84.3%. Conclusions Evaluation of urine sediment reflects lupus nephritis histology.

Inter-relationships between objective handwriting features and executive control among children with developmental dysgraphia

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Objective To describe handwriting and executive control features and their inter-relationships among children with developmental dysgraphia, in comparison to controls. Method Participants included 64 children, aged 10–12 years, 32 with dysgraphia based on the Handwriting Proficiency Screening Questionnaire (HPSQ) and 32 matched controls. Children copied a paragraph onto paper affixed to a digitizer that supplied handwriting process objective measures (Computerized Penmanship Evaluation Tool (ComPET). Their written product was evaluated by the Hebrew Handwriting Evaluation (HHE). Parents completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) questionnaire about their child's executive control abilities. Results Significant group differences were found for handwriting performance measures (HHE and ComPET) and executive control domains (BRIEF). Based on one discriminate function, including handwriting performance and executive control measures, 98.4% of the participants were correctly classified into groups. Significant correlations were found in each group between working memory and legibility as well as for other executive domains and handwriting measures. Furthermore, twenty percent of the variability of the mean pressure applied towards the writing surface among children with was explained by their 'emotional control' (BRIEF). Conclusion The results strongly suggest consideration of executive control domains to obtain better insight into handwriting impairment characteristics among children with dysgraphia to improve their identification, evaluation and the intervention process. PMID:29689111

Attentional Capacity Limits Gap Detection during Concurrent Sound Segregation.

PubMed

Leung, Ada W S; Jolicoeur, Pierre; Alain, Claude

2015-11-01

Detecting a brief silent interval (i.e., a gap) is more difficult when listeners perceive two concurrent sounds rather than one in a sound containing a mistuned harmonic in otherwise in-tune harmonics. This impairment in gap detection may reflect the interaction of low-level encoding or the division of attention between two sound objects, both of which could interfere with signal detection. To distinguish between these two alternatives, we compared ERPs during active and passive listening with complex harmonic tones that could include a gap, a mistuned harmonic, both features, or neither. During active listening, participants indicated whether they heard a gap irrespective of mistuning. During passive listening, participants watched a subtitled muted movie of their choice while the same sounds were presented. Gap detection was impaired when the complex sounds included a mistuned harmonic that popped out as a separate object. The ERP analysis revealed an early gap-related activity that was little affected by mistuning during the active or passive listening condition. However, during active listening, there was a marked decrease in the late positive wave that was thought to index attention and response-related processes. These results suggest that the limitation in detecting the gap is related to attentional processing, possibly divided attention induced by the concurrent sound objects, rather than deficits in preattentional sensory encoding.

What is the impact of professional learning on physical activity interventions among preschool children? A systematic review.

PubMed

Peden, M E; Okely, A D; Eady, M J; Jones, R A

2018-05-31

The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate professional learning models (length, mode, content) offered as part of objectively measured physical childcare-based interventions. A systematic review of eight electronic databases was conducted to June 2017. Only English, peer-reviewed studies that evaluated childcare-based physical activity interventions, incorporated professional learning and reported objectively measured physical activity were included. Study designs included randomized controlled trails, cluster randomized trials, experimental or pilot studies. The search identified 11 studies. Ten studies objectively measured physical activity using accelerometers; five studies used both accelerometer and direct observation tools and one study measured physical activity using direct observation only. Seven of these studies reported statistically significant intervention effects. Only six studies described all components of professional learning, but only two studies reported specific professional learning outcomes and physical activity outcomes. No patterns were identified between the length, mode and content of professional learning and children's physical activity outcomes in childcare settings. Educators play a critical role in modifying children's levels of physical activity in childcare settings. The findings of this review suggest that professional learning offered as part of a physical activity intervention that potentially impacts on children's physical activity outcomes remains under-reported. © 2018 World Obesity Federation.

Spatial and visuospatial working memory tests predict performance in classic multiple-object tracking in young adults, but nonspatial measures of the executive do not.

PubMed

Trick, Lana M; Mutreja, Rachna; Hunt, Kelly

2012-02-01

An individual-differences approach was used to investigate the roles of visuospatial working memory and the executive in multiple-object tracking. The Corsi Blocks and Visual Patterns Tests were used to assess visuospatial working memory. Two relatively nonspatial measures of the executive were used: operation span (OSPAN) and reading span (RSPAN). For purposes of comparison, the digit span test was also included (a measure not expected to correlate with tracking). The tests predicted substantial amounts of variance (R (2) = .33), and the visuospatial measures accounted for the majority (R (2) = .30), with each making a significant contribution. Although the executive measures correlated with each other, the RSPAN did not correlate with tracking. The correlation between OSPAN and tracking was similar in magnitude to that between digit span and tracking (p < .05 for both), and when regression was used to partial out shared variance between the two tests, the remaining variance predicted by the OSPAN was minimal (sr ( 2 ) = .029). When measures of spatial memory were included in the regression, the unique variance predicted by the OSPAN became negligible (sr ( 2 ) = .000004). This suggests that the executive, as measured by tests such as the OSPAN, plays little role in explaining individual differences in multiple-object tracking.

Re-Engineering the Mission Operations System (MOS) for the Prime and Extended Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, Joseph C., Jr.; Cheng, Leo Y.

2012-01-01

One of the most challenging tasks in a space science mission is designing the Mission Operations System (MOS). Whereas the focus of the project is getting the spacecraft built and tested for launch, the mission operations engineers must build a system to carry out the science objectives. The completed MOS design is then formally assessed in the many reviews. Once a mission has completed the reviews, the Mission Operation System (MOS) design has been validated to the Functional Requirements and is ready for operations. The design was built based on heritage processes, new technology, and lessons learned from past experience. Furthermore, our operational concepts must be properly mapped to the mission design and science objectives. However, during the course of implementing the science objective in the operations phase after launch, the MOS experiences an evolutional change to adapt for actual performance characteristics. This drives the re-engineering of the MOS, because the MOS includes the flight and ground segments. Using the Spitzer mission as an example we demonstrate how the MOS design evolved for both the prime and extended mission to enhance the overall efficiency for science return. In our re-engineering process, we ensured that no requirements were violated or mission objectives compromised. In most cases, optimized performance across the MOS, including gains in science return as well as savings in the budget profile was achieved. Finally, we suggest a need to better categorize the Operations Phase (Phase E) in the NASA Life-Cycle Phases of Formulation and Implementation

International Space Programs. Aerospace Education III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Air Univ., Maxwell AFB, AL. Junior Reserve Office Training Corps.

This curriculum guide is prepared for the Aerospace Education III series publication entitled "International Space Programs." The guide is organized according to specific chapters in the textbook. It provides guidelines for teachers in terms of objectives, behavioral objectives, suggested outlines, orientation, suggested key points,…

The Third EGRET Catalog of High-Energy Gamma-Ray Sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartman, R. C.; Bertsch, D. L.; Bloom, S. D.; Chen, A. W.; Deines-Jones, P.; Esposito, J. A.; Fichtel, C. E.; Friedlander, D. P.; Hunter, S. D.; McDonald, L. M.;

Individual differences in the perception of biological motion and fragmented figures are not correlated

PubMed Central

Jung, Eunice L.; Zadbood, Asieh; Lee, Sang-Hun; Tomarken, Andrew J.; Blake, Randolph

2013-01-01

We live in a cluttered, dynamic visual environment that poses a challenge for the visual system: for objects, including those that move about, to be perceived, information specifying those objects must be integrated over space and over time. Does a single, omnibus mechanism perform this grouping operation, or does grouping depend on separate processes specialized for different feature aspects of the object? To address this question, we tested a large group of healthy young adults on their abilities to perceive static fragmented figures embedded in noise and to perceive dynamic point-light biological motion figures embedded in dynamic noise. There were indeed substantial individual differences in performance on both tasks, but none of the statistical tests we applied to this data set uncovered a significant correlation between those performance measures. These results suggest that the two tasks, despite their superficial similarity, require different segmentation and grouping processes that are largely unrelated to one another. Whether those processes are embodied in distinct neural mechanisms remains an open question. PMID:24198799

Individual differences in the perception of biological motion and fragmented figures are not correlated.

PubMed

Jung, Eunice L; Zadbood, Asieh; Lee, Sang-Hun; Tomarken, Andrew J; Blake, Randolph

2013-01-01

WE LIVE IN A CLUTTERED, DYNAMIC VISUAL ENVIRONMENT THAT POSES A CHALLENGE FOR THE VISUAL SYSTEM: for objects, including those that move about, to be perceived, information specifying those objects must be integrated over space and over time. Does a single, omnibus mechanism perform this grouping operation, or does grouping depend on separate processes specialized for different feature aspects of the object? To address this question, we tested a large group of healthy young adults on their abilities to perceive static fragmented figures embedded in noise and to perceive dynamic point-light biological motion figures embedded in dynamic noise. There were indeed substantial individual differences in performance on both tasks, but none of the statistical tests we applied to this data set uncovered a significant correlation between those performance measures. These results suggest that the two tasks, despite their superficial similarity, require different segmentation and grouping processes that are largely unrelated to one another. Whether those processes are embodied in distinct neural mechanisms remains an open question.

Double frequency of difference frequency signals for optical Doppler effect measuring velocity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiufang; Zhou, Renkui; Wei, W. L.; Wang, Xiaoming

2005-12-01

The mathematical model for measuring moving objects (including fluid body, rolled steel materials in the steel works, turbulent flow, vibration body, etc.) velocity or speed by non-contact method is established using light-wave Doppler effect in this paper. In terms of concrete conditions of different optical circuits, and with the correlated conditions substituted, it is easy to obtain the measurement velocity formulas related to optical circuits. An optical circuit layout of difference Doppler effect measuring velocity is suggested in this paper. The fine beam of light emitted by laser is divided into parallel two beam by spectroscope and mirror They are focused on the object point p by a condenser lens respectively. The object point p become a diffuse source. It scatter rays to every aspect. Some rays scattered by the diffuse source p are collected by a lens. Photoelectric detecter receive the lights collected by the lens. This optical circuit layout can realize the double frequency of difference frequency signals in a novel way.

Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases among visually impaired people: educational text validation 1

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Giselly Oseni Barbosa; Cavalcante, Luana Duarte Wanderley; Pagliuca, Lorita Marlena Freitag; de Almeida, Paulo César; Rebouças, Cristiana Brasil de Almeida

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to validate an educational text in the context of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) for visually impaired persons, making it accessible to this population. Method: a validation study, in a virtual environment. Data collection occurred from May to September 2012 by emailing the subjects, and was composed by seven content experts about STDs. Analysis was based on the considerations of the experts about Objectives, Structure and Presentation, and Relevance. Results: on the Objectives and Structure and Presentation blocks, 77 (84.6%) and 48 (85.7%) were fully adequate or appropriate, respectively. In the Relevance block, items 3.2 - Allows transfer and generalization of learning, and 3.5 - Portrays aspects needed to clarify the family, showed bad agreement indices of 0.42 and 0.57, respectively. The analysis was followed by reformulating the text according to the relevant suggestions. Conclusion: the text was validated regarding the content of sexually transmitted diseases. A total of 35 stanzas were removed and nine others included, following the recommendations of the experts. PMID:27556880

Roots and decompositions of three-dimensional topological objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matveev, Sergei V.

2012-06-01

In 1942 M.H.A. Newman formulated and proved a simple lemma of great importance for various fields of mathematics, including algebra and the theory of Gröbner-Shirshov bases. Later it was called the Diamond Lemma, since its key construction was illustrated by a diamond-shaped diagram. In 2005 the author suggested a new version of this lemma suitable for topological applications. This paper gives a survey of results on the existence and uniqueness of prime decompositions of various topological objects: three-dimensional manifolds, knots in thickened surfaces, knotted graphs, three-dimensional orbifolds, and knotted theta-curves in three-dimensional manifolds. As it turned out, all these topological objects admit a prime decomposition, although it is not unique in some cases (for example, in the case of orbifolds). For theta-curves and knots of geometric degree 1 in a thickened torus, the algebraic structure of the corresponding semigroups can be completely described. In both cases the semigroups are quotients of free groups by explicit commutation relations. Bibliography: 33 titles.

UV/Visible Telescope with Hubble Disposal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benford, Dominic J.

2013-01-01

Submission Overview: Our primary objective is to convey a sense of the significant advances possible in astrophysics investigations for major Cosmic Origins COR program goals with a 2.4m telescope asset outfitted with one or more advanced UV visible instruments. Several compelling science objectives were identified based on community meetings these science objectives drove the conceptual design of instruments studied by the COR Program Office during July September 2012. This RFI submission encapsulates the results of that study, and suggests that a more detailed look into the instrument suite should be conducted to prove viability and affordability to support the demonstrated scientific value. This study was conducted in the context of a larger effort to consider the options available for a mission to dispose safely of Hubble hence, the overall architecture considered for the mission we studied for the 2.4m telescope asset included resource sharing. This mitigates combined cost and risk and provides naturally for a continued US leadership role in astrophysics with an advanced, general-purpose UV visible space telescope.

A test of object permanence in a new-world monkey species, cotton top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus).

PubMed

Neiworth, Julie J; Steinmark, Eric; Basile, Benjamin M; Wonders, Ryann; Steely, Frances; DeHart, Catherine

2003-03-01

Cotton top tamarins were tested in visible and invisible displacement tasks in a method similar to that used elsewhere to test squirrel monkeys and orangutans. All subjects performed at levels significantly above chance on visible ( n=8) and invisible ( n=7) displacements, wherein the tasks included tests of the perseverance error, tests of memory in double and triple displacements, and "catch" trials that tested for the use of the experimenter's hand as a cue for the correct cup. Performance on all nine tasks was significantly higher than chance level selection of cups, and tasks using visible displacements generated more accurate performance than tasks using invisible displacements. Performance was not accounted for by a practice effect based on exposure to successive tasks. Results suggest that tamarins possess stage 6 object permanence capabilities, and that in a situation involving brief exposure to tasks and foraging opportunities, tracking objects' movements and responding more flexibly are abilities expressed readily by the tamarins.

[Does action semantic knowledge influence mental simulation in sentence comprehension?].

PubMed

Mochizuki, Masaya; Naito, Katsuo

2012-04-01

This research investigated whether action semantic knowledge influences mental simulation during sentence comprehension. In Experiment 1, we confirmed that the words of face-related objects include the perceptual knowledge about the actions that bring the object to the face. In Experiment 2, we used an acceptability judgment task and a word-picture verification task to compare the perceptual information that is activated by the comprehension of sentences describing an action using face-related objects near the face (near-sentence) or far from the face (far-sentence). Results showed that participants took a longer time to judge the acceptability of the far-sentence than the near-sentence. Verification times were significantly faster when the actions in the pictures matched the action described in the sentences than when they were mismatched. These findings suggest that action semantic knowledge influences sentence processing, and that perceptual information corresponding to the content of the sentence is activated regardless of the action semantic knowledge at the end of the sentence processing.

Speech disturbances and quality of life in schizophrenia: differential impacts on functioning and life satisfaction.

PubMed

Tan, Eric J; Thomas, Neil; Rossell, Susan L

2014-04-01

Speech disturbances in schizophrenia impact on the individual's communicative ability. Although they are considered a core feature of schizophrenia, comparatively little work has been done to examine their impact on the life experiences of patients. This study aimed to examine the relationship between schizophrenia speech disturbances, including those traditionally known as formal thought disorder (TD), and quality of life (QoL). It assessed effects on functioning (objective QoL) and satisfaction (subjective QoL) concurrently, while controlling for the influence of neurocognition and depression. Fifty-four patients with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder were administered the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), the PANSS, MADRS (with separate ratings for negative TD [verbal underproductivity] and positive TD [verbal disorganisation and pressured speech]) and Lehman's QOLI assessing both objective and subjective QoL. Ratings of positive and negative TD, depression, and general neurocognition were entered into hierarchical regressions to explore their relationship with both life functioning and satisfaction. Verbal underproductivity was a significant predictor of objective QoL, while pressured speech had a trend association with subjective QoL. This suggests a differential relationship between speech disturbances and QoL. Verbal underproductivity seems to affect daily functioning and relations with others, while pressured speech is predictive of satisfaction with life. The impact of verbal underproductivity on QoL suggests it to be an important target for rehabilitation in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biosciences within the pre-registration (pre-requisite) curriculum: an integrative literature review of curriculum interventions 1990-2012.

PubMed

McVicar, Andrew; Andrew, Sharon; Kemble, Ross

2014-04-01

The learning of biosciences is well-documented to be problematic as students find the subjects amongst the most difficult and anxiety-provoking of their pre-registration programme. Studies suggest that learning consequently is not at the level anticipated by the profession. Curriculum innovations might improve the situation but the effectiveness of applied interventions has not been evaluated. To undertake an integrative review and narrative synthesis of curriculum interventions and evaluate their effect on the learning of biosciences by pre-registration student nurses. Review methods A systematic search of electronic databases CINAHL, Medline, British Nursing Index and Google Scholar for empirical research studies was designed to evaluate the introduction of a curriculum intervention related to the biosciences, published in 1990-2012. Studies were evaluated for design, receptivity of the intervention and impact on bioscience learning. The search generated fourteen papers that met inclusion criteria. Seven studies introduced on-line learning packages, five an active learning format into classroom teaching or practical sessions, and two applied Audience Response Technology as an exercise in self-testing and reflection. Almost all studies reported a high level of student satisfaction, though in some there were access/utilization issues for students using on-line learning. Self-reporting suggested positive experiences, but objective evaluation suggests that impacts on learning were variable and unconvincing even where an effect on course progress was identified. Adjunct on-line programmes also show promise for supporting basic science or language acquisition. Published studies of curriculum interventions, including on-line support, have focused too heavily on the perceived benefit to students rather than objective measures of impact on actual learning. Future studies should include rigorous assessment evaluations within their design if interventions are to be adopted to reduce the 'bioscience problem'. © 2013.

Effects of motor congruence on visual working memory.

PubMed

Quak, Michel; Pecher, Diane; Zeelenberg, Rene

2014-10-01

Grounded-cognition theories suggest that memory shares processing resources with perception and action. The motor system could be used to help memorize visual objects. In two experiments, we tested the hypothesis that people use motor affordances to maintain object representations in working memory. Participants performed a working memory task on photographs of manipulable and nonmanipulable objects. The manipulable objects were objects that required either a precision grip (i.e., small items) or a power grip (i.e., large items) to use. A concurrent motor task that could be congruent or incongruent with the manipulable objects caused no difference in working memory performance relative to nonmanipulable objects. Moreover, the precision- or power-grip motor task did not affect memory performance on small and large items differently. These findings suggest that the motor system plays no part in visual working memory.

The Familial Risk and HLA Susceptibility among Narcolepsy Patients in Hong Kong Chinese

PubMed Central

Chen, Lei; Fong, S.Y.Y.; Lam, Ching W.; Tang, Nelson L.S.; Ng, Margaret H. L.; Li, Albert M.; Ho, C.K.W.; Cheng, Suk-Hang; Lau, Kin-Mang; Wing, Yun Kwok

2007-01-01

Study Objectives: To explore the familial aggregation and HLA susceptibility of narcolepsy in Hong Kong Chinese by objective sleep measurements and HLA typing. Design: Case control design Participants: Twelve narcoleptic probands, 34 first-degree relatives, and 30 healthy controls. Interventions: N/A Measurements and Results: Each subject underwent a standardized nocturnal polysomnogram (PSG), followed by a daytime multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). HLA typing was performed for all subjects. One relative (2.9%) was diagnosed as suffering from narcolepsy with cataplexy. Nearly 30% of the relatives fulfilled the criteria of narcolepsy spectrum disorder (shortened mean sleep latency [MSL] and/or the presence of sleep onset REM periods [SOREMPs]). When using the population data for comparison, the relative risk of narcolepsy in first-degree relatives was 85.3. The odds ratio of narcolepsy spectrum disorder in first-degree relatives was 5.8 (95% CI: 1.2 – 29.3) when compared to healthy controls. There existed 6 multiplex families, in which all 10 relatives with narcolepsy spectrum disorders, including all 3 relatives with multiple SOREMPs, were positive for HLA DQB1*0602. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated a definitive familial aggregation of narcolepsy, narcolepsy spectrum disorders, and possibly cataplexy in Hong Kong Chinese. This familial aggregation supported an inherited basis for narcolepsy spectrum. The tight co-segregation of HLA DQB1*0602 and narcolepsy spectrum disorders might suggest that HLA typing, especially DQB1*0602, at least partly confer the familial risk of narcolepsy. In addition, our study suggested that the subjective questionnaire measurements including Ullanlinna Narcolepsy Scale and Epworth Sleepiness Scale were unable to detect the presence of narcolepsy spectrum disorders among the relatives. A stringent objective measurement-based design for family studies is suggested for future study. Further studies are indicated for the determination of the mode and molecular level of narcolepsy transmission. Citation: Chen L; Fong SYY; Lam CW et al. The familial risk and HLA susceptibility among narcolepsy patients in Hong Kong Chinese. SLEEP 2007;30(7):851-858. PMID:17682655

Sleep deprivation effects on object discrimination task in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

PubMed

Pinheiro-da-Silva, Jaquelinne; Silva, Priscila Fernandes; Nogueira, Marcelo Borges; Luchiari, Ana Carolina

2017-03-01

The zebrafish is an ideal vertebrate model for neurobehavioral studies with translational relevance to humans. Many aspects of sleep have been studied, but we still do not understand how and why sleep deprivation alters behavioral and physiological processes. A number of hypotheses suggest its role in memory consolidation. In this respect, the aim of this study was to analyze the effects of sleep deprivation on memory in zebrafish (Danio rerio), using an object discrimination paradigm. Four treatments were tested: control, partial sleep deprivation, total sleep deprivation by light pulses, and total sleep deprivation by extended light. The control group explored the new object more than the known object, indicating clear discrimination. The partially sleep-deprived group explored the new object more than the other object in the discrimination phase, suggesting a certain degree of discriminative performance. By contrast, both total sleep deprivation groups equally explored all objects, regardless of their novelty. It seems that only one night of sleep deprivation is enough to affect discriminative response in zebrafish, indicating its negative impact on cognitive processes. We suggest that this study could be a useful screening tool for cognitive dysfunction and a better understanding of the effect of sleep-wake cycles on cognition.

Role of Father–Child Relational Quality in Early Maladaptive Schemas

PubMed Central

Monirpoor, Nader; Gholamyzarch, Morteza; Tamaddonfard, Mohsen; Khoosfi, Helen; Ganjali, Ali Reza

2012-01-01

Background Primary maladaptive schemas, which are the basis of high-risk behavior and psychological disorders, result from childhood experiences with significant objects, such as fathers, in different developmental phases. Objectives This endeavor examined the role of the father in predicting these schemas. Patients and Methods A total of 345 Islamic Azad University students (Qom Branch) who were chosen through convenience sampling completed the Young Schema Questionnaire, the Parental Bonding Instrument, and the Parent–Child Relationship Survey. Results A multivariate regression analysis indicated that anumber of aspects of the father–child relationship, including care, emotional interaction, positive affection, the effective relationship, and excessive support, predict particular schemas. Conclusions Therefore, these findings suggested that psychotherapists examine the different aspects of the father–child relationship when restructuring schemas. PMID:24971232

Evaluation of advanced propulsion options for the next manned transportation system: Propulsion evolution study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spears, L. T.; Kramer, R. D.

1990-01-01

The objectives were to examine launch vehicle applications and propulsion requirements for potential future manned space transportation systems and to support planning toward the evolution of Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) and Space Transportation Main Engine (STME) engines beyond their current or initial launch vehicle applications. As a basis for examinations of potential future manned launch vehicle applications, we used three classes of manned space transportation concepts currently under study: Space Transportation System Evolution, Personal Launch System (PLS), and Advanced Manned Launch System (AMLS). Tasks included studies of launch vehicle applications and requirements for hydrogen-oxygen rocket engines; the development of suggestions for STME engine evolution beyond the mid-1990's; the development of suggestions for STME evolution beyond the Advanced Launch System (ALS) application; the study of booster propulsion options, including LOX-Hydrocarbon options; the analysis of the prospects and requirements for utilization of a single engine configuration over the full range of vehicle applications, including manned vehicles plus ALS and Shuttle C; and a brief review of on-going and planned LOX-Hydrogen propulsion technology activities.

Covert orienting in the split brain: Right hemisphere specialization for object-based attention.

PubMed

Kingstone, Alan

2015-12-18

The present paper takes as its starting point Phil Bryden's long-standing interest in human attention and the role it can play in laterality effects. Past split-brain research has suggested that object-based attention is lateralized to the left hemisphere [e.g., Egly, R., Rafal, R. D., Driver, J., & Starreveld, Y. (1994). Covert orienting in the split brain reveals hemispheric specialization for object-based attention. Psychological Science, 5(6), 380-382]. The task used to isolate object-based attention in that previous work, however, has been found wanting [Vecera, S. P. (1994). Grouped locations and object-based attention: Comment on Egly, Driver, and Rafal (1994). Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 123(3), 316-320]; and indeed, subsequent research with healthy participants using a different task has suggested that object-based attention is lateralized to the opposite right hemisphere (RH) [Valsangkar-Smyth, M. A., Donovan, C. L., Sinnett, S., Dawson, M. R., & Kingstone, A. (2004). Hemispheric performance in object-based attention. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 11(1), 84-91]. The present study tested the same split-brain as Egly, Rafal, et al. (1994) but used the object-based attention task introduced by Valsangkar-Smyth et al. (2004). The results confirm that object-based attention is lateralized to the RH. They also suggest that subcortical interhemispheric competition may occur and be dominated by the RH.

Science aspects of a 1980 flyby of Comet Encke with a Pioneer spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaffe, L. D.; Elachi, C.; Giffin, C. E.; Huntress, W.; Newburn, R. L.; Parker, R. H.; Taylor, F. W.; Thorpe, T. E.

1974-01-01

Results are presented of an investigation of the feasibility of a 1980 flyby of Comet Encke using a Pioneer class spacecraft. Specific areas studied include: science objectives and rationale; science observables; effects of encounter velocity; science encounter and targeting requirements; selection and description of science instruments; definition of a candidate science payload; engineering characteristics of suggested payload; value of a separable probe; science instruments for a separable probe; science payload integration problems; and science operations profile.

Development and Evaluation of Integrating Details: A Complex Spatial Problem Solving Test

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-02-01

such facts as that space is locally Euclidean and three-dimensional and that significant objects, including our own bodies : (1) are bound by two...Historically, claims have been made that spatial tests favor males, although the data have been inconsistent. More recently, a growing body of evidence suggests...INTEGRATING DETAILS INTEGRATL "IME AqC7IIRAr _( PROPOTION ) LU C 4 -DFCIStO IIMI -1 TE " t -’- 4, R ET(SaTLOCp,% li’ 8) r, ---- -- -i BLOCK SEQUENCE Figure 6

Computational Materials: Modeling and Simulation of Nanostructured Materials and Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gates, Thomas S.; Hinkley, Jeffrey A.

2003-01-01

The paper provides details on the structure and implementation of the Computational Materials program at the NASA Langley Research Center. Examples are given that illustrate the suggested approaches to predicting the behavior and influencing the design of nanostructured materials such as high-performance polymers, composites, and nanotube-reinforced polymers. Primary simulation and measurement methods applicable to multi-scale modeling are outlined. Key challenges including verification and validation of models are highlighted and discussed within the context of NASA's broad mission objectives.

Dopamine reward prediction-error signalling: a two-component response

PubMed Central

Schultz, Wolfram

2017-01-01

Environmental stimuli and objects, including rewards, are often processed sequentially in the brain. Recent work suggests that the phasic dopamine reward prediction-error response follows a similar sequential pattern. An initial brief, unselective and highly sensitive increase in activity unspecifically detects a wide range of environmental stimuli, then quickly evolves into the main response component, which reflects subjective reward value and utility. This temporal evolution allows the dopamine reward prediction-error signal to optimally combine speed and accuracy. PMID:26865020

Association of Environmental Indicators with Teen Alcohol Use and Problem Behavior: Teens’ Observations vs. Objectively-Measured Indicators

PubMed Central

Byrnes, Hilary F.; Miller, Brenda A.; Morrison, Christopher N.; Wiebe, Douglas J.; Woychik, Marcie; Wiehe, Sarah E.

2017-01-01

Most prior studies use objectively measured data (e.g., census-based indicators) to assess contextual risks. However, teens’ observations might be more important for their risk behavior. Objectives: 1) determine relationships between observed and objective indicators of contextual risks 2) determine relations of observed and objective indicators with teen alcohol use and problem behavior. Teens aged 14–16 (N=170) carried GPS-enabled smartphones for one month, with locations documented. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) measured teens’ observations via texts regarding risk behaviors and environmental observations. Objective indicators of alcohol outlets and disorganization were spatially joined to EMAs based on teens’ location at the time of the texts. Observed and objective disorganization, and objective indicators of alcohol outlets were related to alcohol use. Observed disorganization was related to problem behavior, while objective indicators were unrelated. Findings suggest the importance of considering teens’ observations of contextual risk for understanding influences on risk behavior and suggest future directions for research and prevention strategies. PMID:28061392

What and where information in the caudate tail guides saccades to visual objects

PubMed Central

Yamamoto, Shinya; Monosov, Ilya E.; Yasuda, Masaharu; Hikosaka, Okihide

2012-01-01

We understand the world by making saccadic eye movements to various objects. However, it is unclear how a saccade can be aimed at a particular object, because two kinds of visual information, what the object is and where it is, are processed separately in the dorsal and ventral visual cortical pathways. Here we provide evidence suggesting that a basal ganglia circuit through the tail of the monkey caudate nucleus (CDt) guides such object-directed saccades. First, many CDt neurons responded to visual objects depending on where and what the objects were. Second, electrical stimulation in the CDt induced saccades whose directions matched the preferred directions of neurons at the stimulation site. Third, many CDt neurons increased their activity before saccades directed to the neurons’ preferred objects and directions in a free-viewing condition. Our results suggest that CDt neurons receive both ‘what’ and ‘where’ information and guide saccades to visual objects. PMID:22875934

Exploring the Outer Solar System with the ESSENCE Supernova Survey

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

Becker, A.C.; /Washington U., Seattle, Astron. Dept.; Arraki, K.

We report the discovery and orbital determination of 14 trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) from the ESSENCE Supernova Survey difference imaging data set. Two additional objects discovered in a similar search of the SDSS-II Supernova Survey database were recovered in this effort. ESSENCE repeatedly observed fields far from the solar system ecliptic (-21{sup o} < {beta} < -5{sup o}), reaching limiting magnitudes per observation of I {approx} 23.1 and R {approx} 23.7. We examine several of the newly detected objects in detail, including 2003 UC{sub 414}, which orbits entirely between Uranus and Neptune and lies very close to a dynamical region thatmore » would make it stable for the lifetime of the solar system. 2003 SS{sub 422} and 2007 TA{sub 418} have high eccentricities and large perihelia, making them candidate members of an outer class of TNOs. We also report a new member of the 'extended' or 'detached' scattered disk, 2004 VN{sub 112}, and verify the stability of its orbit using numerical simulations. This object would have been visible to ESSENCE for only {approx}2% of its orbit, suggesting a vast number of similar objects across the sky. We emphasize that off-ecliptic surveys are optimal for uncovering the diversity of such objects, which in turn will constrain the history of gravitational influences that shaped our early solar system.« less

Human Object-Similarity Judgments Reflect and Transcend the Primate-IT Object Representation

PubMed Central

Mur, Marieke; Meys, Mirjam; Bodurka, Jerzy; Goebel, Rainer; Bandettini, Peter A.; Kriegeskorte, Nikolaus

2013-01-01

Primate inferior temporal (IT) cortex is thought to contain a high-level representation of objects at the interface between vision and semantics. This suggests that the perceived similarity of real-world objects might be predicted from the IT representation. Here we show that objects that elicit similar activity patterns in human IT (hIT) tend to be judged as similar by humans. The IT representation explained the human judgments better than early visual cortex, other ventral-stream regions, and a range of computational models. Human similarity judgments exhibited category clusters that reflected several categorical divisions that are prevalent in the IT representation of both human and monkey, including the animate/inanimate and the face/body division. Human judgments also reflected the within-category representation of IT. However, the judgments transcended the IT representation in that they introduced additional categorical divisions. In particular, human judgments emphasized human-related additional divisions between human and non-human animals and between man-made and natural objects. hIT was more similar to monkey IT than to human judgments. One interpretation is that IT has evolved visual-feature detectors that distinguish between animates and inanimates and between faces and bodies because these divisions are fundamental to survival and reproduction for all primate species, and that other brain systems serve to more flexibly introduce species-dependent and evolutionarily more recent divisions. PMID:23525516

The media of sociology: tight or loose translations?

PubMed

Guggenheim, Michael

2015-06-01

Sociologists have increasingly come to recognize that the discipline has unduly privileged textual representations, but efforts to incorporate visual and other media are still only in their beginning. This paper develops an analysis of the ways objects of knowledge are translated into other media, in order to understand the visual practices of sociology and to point out unused possibilities. I argue that the discourse on visual sociology, by assuming that photographs are less objective than text, is based on an asymmetric media-determinism and on a misleading notion of objectivity. Instead, I suggest to analyse media with the concept of translations. I introduce several kinds of translations, most centrally the distinction between tight and loose ones. I show that many sciences, such as biology, focus on tight translations, using a variety of media and manipulating both research objects and representations. Sociology, in contrast, uses both tight and loose translations, but uses the latter only for texts. For visuals, sociology restricts itself to what I call 'the documentary': focusing on mechanical recording technologies without manipulating either the object of research or the representation. I conclude by discussing three rare examples of what is largely excluded in sociology: visual loose translations, visual tight translations based on non-mechanical recording technologies, and visual tight translations based on mechanical recording technologies that include the manipulation of both object and representation. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2015.

Trio of terror (pregnancy, menstruation, and breastfeeding): an existential function of literal self-objectification among women.

PubMed

Morris, Kasey Lynn; Goldenberg, Jamie L; Heflick, Nathan A

2014-07-01

Research and theorizing suggest that objectification entails perceiving a person not as a human being but, quite literally, as an object. However, the motive to regard the self as an object is not well understood. The current research tested the hypothesis that literal self-objectification can serve a terror management function. From this perspective, the female body poses a unique existential threat on account of its role in reproduction, and regarding the self as an object is posited to shield women from this threat because objects, in contrast to humans, are not mortal. Across 5 studies, 3 operationalizations of literal self-objectification were employed (a denial of essentially human traits to the self, overlap in the explicit assignment of traits to the self and objects, and implicit associations between self and objects using an implicit association test) in response to 3 aspects of women's bodies involved in reproduction (pregnancy, menstruation, and breastfeeding). In each study, priming mortality led women (but not men, included in Studies 1, 3, 4, and 5) to literally self-objectify in conditions where women's reproductive features were salient. In addition, literal self-objectification was found to mediate subsequent responsiveness to death-related stimuli (Study 4). Together, these findings are the first to demonstrate a direct link between mortality salience, women's role in reproduction, and their self-objectification, supporting an existential function of self-objectification in women.

The Influence of Objects on Place Field Expression and Size in Distal Hippocampal CA1

PubMed Central

Burke, S.N.; Maurer, A.P.; Nematollahi, S.; Uprety, A.R.; Wallace, J.L.; Barnes, C.A.

2012-01-01

The perirhinal and lateral entorhinal cortices send prominent projections to the portion of the hippocampal CA1 subfield closest to the subiculum, but relatively little is known regarding the contributions of these cortical areas to hippocampal activity patterns. The anatomical connections of the lateral entorhinal and perirhinal cortices, as well as lesion data, suggest that these brain regions may contribute to the perception of complex stimuli such as objects. The current experiments investigated the degree to which 3-dimensional objects affect place field size and activity within the distal region (closest to the subiculum) of CA1. The activity of CA1 pyramidal cells was monitored as rats traversed a circular track that contained no objects in some conditions and 3-dimensial objects in other conditions. In the area of CA1 that receives direct lateral entorhinal input, three factors differentiated the objects-on-track conditions from the no-object conditions: more pyramidal cells expressed place fields when objects were present, adding or removing objects from the environment led to partial remapping in CA1, and the size of place fields decreased when objects were present. Additionally, a proportion of place fields remapped under conditions in which the object locations were shuffled, which suggests that at least some of the CA1 neurons’ firing patterns were sensitive to a particular object in a particular location. Together, these data suggest that the activity characteristics of neurons in the areas of CA1 receiving direct input from the perirhinal and lateral entorhinal cortices are modulated by non-spatial sensory input such as 3-dimensional objects. PMID:21365714

Space-based visual attention: a marker of immature selective attention in toddlers?

PubMed

Rivière, James; Brisson, Julie

2014-11-01

Various studies suggested that attentional difficulties cause toddlers' failure in some spatial search tasks. However, attention is not a unitary construct and this study investigated two attentional mechanisms: location selection (space-based attention) and object selection (object-based attention). We investigated how toddlers' attention is distributed in the visual field during a manual search task for objects moving out of sight, namely the moving boxes task. Results show that 2.5-year-olds who failed this task allocated more attention to the location of the relevant object than to the object itself. These findings suggest that in some manual search tasks the primacy of space-based attention over object-based attention could be a marker of immature selective attention in toddlers. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Novel CT-based objective imaging biomarkers of long term radiation-induced lung damage.

PubMed

Veiga, Catarina; Landau, David; Devaraj, Anand; Doel, Tom; White, Jared; Ngai, Yenting; Hawkes, David J; McClelland, Jamie R

2018-06-14

and Purpose: Recent improvements in lung cancer survival have spurred an interest in understanding and minimizing long term radiation-induced lung damage (RILD). However, there is still no objective criteria to quantify RILD leading to variable reporting across centres and trials. We propose a set of objective imaging biomarkers to quantify common radiological findings observed 12-months after lung cancer radiotherapy (RT). Baseline and 12-month CT scans of 27 patients from a phase I/II clinical trial of isotoxic chemoradiation were included in this study. To detect and measure the severity of RILD, twelve quantitative imaging biomarkers were developed. These describe basic CT findings including parenchymal change, volume reduction and pleural change. The imaging biomarkers were implemented as semi-automated image analysis pipelines and assessed against visual assessment of the occurrence of each change. The majority of the biomarkers were measurable in each patient. Their continuous nature allows objective scoring of severity for each patient. For each imaging biomarker the cohort was split into two groups according to the presence or absence of the biomarker by visual assessment, testing the hypothesis that the imaging biomarkers were different in these two groups. All features were statistically significant except for rotation of the main bronchus and diaphragmatic curvature. The majority of the biomarkers were not strongly correlated with each other suggesting that each of the biomarkers is measuring a separate element of RILD pathology. We developed objective CT-based imaging biomarkers that quantify the severity of radiological lung damage after RT. These biomarkers are representative of typical radiological findings of RILD. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Objective Sleep Duration Is Prospectively Associated With Endothelial Health.

PubMed

Hall, Martica H; Mulukutla, Suresh; Kline, Christopher E; Samuelsson, Laura B; Taylor, Briana J; Thayer, Julian F; Krafty, Robert T; Frank, Ellen; Kupfer, David J

2017-01-01

The mechanisms linking short sleep duration to cardiovascular disease (CVD) are poorly understood. Emerging evidence suggests that endothelial dysregulation may lie along the causal pathway linking sleep duration to cardiovascular risk, although current evidence in humans is based on cross-sectional studies. Our objective was to evaluate the prospective association between objectively assessed sleep duration and clinical indices of endothelial health. A total of 141 medically healthy adults underwent an overnight laboratory sleep study when they were between the ages of 21 and 60 years. Total sleep time was objectively assessed by polysomnography at study entry. Endothelial health, including brachial artery diameter (BAD) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD), was measured 18.9 ± 4.6 years later. Medical health and psychiatric status were assessed at both time points. Approximately half of the sample had a lifetime history of major depressive disorder. In univariate analyses, shorter sleep duration was associated with increased BAD (β = -0.24, p = .004) and decreased FMD (β = 0.17, p = .042). BAD, but not FMD, remained significantly associated with sleep duration after adjusting for sex, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and lifetime history of major depressive disorder (MDD) at T2. The association between sleep duration and BAD was stronger than the association between BAD and an aggregate measure of CVD risk including three or more of the following risk factors: male sex, age ≥ 65 years, smoker, BMI ≥ 30, diabetes, hypertension, and MDD. Objectively assessed short sleep duration was prospectively associated with increased BAD over a 12- to 30-year period. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Reversibility of object recognition but not spatial memory impairment following binge-like alcohol exposure in rats.

PubMed

Cippitelli, Andrea; Zook, Michelle; Bell, Lauren; Damadzic, Ruslan; Eskay, Robert L; Schwandt, Melanie; Heilig, Markus

2010-11-01

Excessive alcohol use leads to neurodegeneration in several brain structures including the hippocampal dentate gyrus and the entorhinal cortex. Cognitive deficits that result are among the most insidious and debilitating consequences of alcoholism. The object exploration task (OET) provides a sensitive measurement of spatial memory impairment induced by hippocampal and cortical damage. In this study, we examine whether the observed neurotoxicity produced by a 4-day binge ethanol treatment results in long-term memory impairment by observing the time course of reactions to spatial change (object configuration) and non-spatial change (object recognition). Wistar rats were assessed for their abilities to detect spatial configuration in the OET at 1 week and 10 weeks following the ethanol treatment, in which ethanol groups received 9-15 g/kg/day and achieved blood alcohol levels over 300 mg/dl. At 1 week, results indicated that the binge alcohol treatment produced impairment in both spatial memory and non-spatial object recognition performance. Unlike the controls, ethanol treated rats did not increase the duration or number of contacts with the displaced object in the spatial memory task, nor did they increase the duration of contacts with the novel object in the object recognition task. After 10 weeks, spatial memory remained impaired in the ethanol treated rats but object recognition ability was recovered. Our data suggest that episodes of binge-like alcohol exposure result in long-term and possibly permanent impairments in memory for the configuration of objects during exploration, whereas the ability to detect non-spatial changes is only temporarily affected. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A conceptual lemon: theta burst stimulation to the left anterior temporal lobe untangles object representation and its canonical color.

PubMed

Chiou, Rocco; Sowman, Paul F; Etchell, Andrew C; Rich, Anina N

2014-05-01

Object recognition benefits greatly from our knowledge of typical color (e.g., a lemon is usually yellow). Most research on object color knowledge focuses on whether both knowledge and perception of object color recruit the well-established neural substrates of color vision (the V4 complex). Compared with the intensive investigation of the V4 complex, we know little about where and how neural mechanisms beyond V4 contribute to color knowledge. The anterior temporal lobe (ATL) is thought to act as a "hub" that supports semantic memory by integrating different modality-specific contents into a meaningful entity at a supramodal conceptual level, making it a good candidate zone for mediating the mappings between object attributes. Here, we explore whether the ATL is critical for integrating typical color with other object attributes (object shape and name), akin to its role in combining nonperceptual semantic representations. In separate experimental sessions, we applied TMS to disrupt neural processing in the left ATL and a control site (the occipital pole). Participants performed an object naming task that probes color knowledge and elicits a reliable color congruency effect as well as a control quantity naming task that also elicits a cognitive congruency effect but involves no conceptual integration. Critically, ATL stimulation eliminated the otherwise robust color congruency effect but had no impact on the numerical congruency effect, indicating a selective disruption of object color knowledge. Neither color nor numerical congruency effects were affected by stimulation at the control occipital site, ruling out nonspecific effects of cortical stimulation. Our findings suggest that the ATL is involved in the representation of object concepts that include their canonical colors.

Do gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) and orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) fail to represent objects in the context of cohesion violations?

PubMed

Cacchione, Trix; Call, Josep

2010-08-01

Recent research suggests that witnessing events of fission (e.g., the splitting of a solid object) impairs human infants', human adults', and non-human primates' object representations. The present studies investigated the reactions of gorillas and orangutans to cohesion violation across different types of fission events implementing a behavioral paradigm previously used with human infants. Results suggest that fission events vary in their impact on representational abilities but do not destroy apes' representations of continuously existing objects. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bias effects in the possible/impossible object decision test with matching objects.

PubMed

Soldan, Anja; Hilton, H John; Stern, Yaakov

2009-03-01

In the possible/impossible object decision test, priming has consistently been found for structurally possible, but not impossible, objects, leading Schacter, Cooper, and Delaney (1990) to suggest that priming relies on a system that represents the global 3-D structure of objects. Using a modified design with matching objects to control for the influence of episodic memory, Ratcliff and McKoon (1995) and Williams and Tarr (1997) found negative priming for impossible objects (i.e., lower performance for old than for new items). Both teams argued that priming derives from (1) episodic memory for object features and (2) bias to respond "possible" to encoded objects or their possible parts. The present study applied the matched-objects design to the original Schacter and Cooper stimuli-same possible objects and matching impossible figures-with minimal procedural variation. The data from Experiment 1 only partially supported the bias models and suggested that priming was mediated by both local and global structural descriptions. Experiment 2 showed that negative priming for impossible objects derived from the structural properties of these objects, not from the influence of episodic memory on task performance. Supplemental materials for this study may be downloaded from mc.psychonomic-journals.org/content/supplemental.

Perception of Elasticity in the Kinetic Illusory Object with Phase Differences in Inducer Motion

PubMed Central

Masuda, Tomohiro; Sato, Kazuki; Murakoshi, Takuma; Utsumi, Ken; Kimura, Atsushi; Shirai, Nobu; Kanazawa, So; Yamaguchi, Masami K.; Wada, Yuji

2013-01-01

Background It is known that subjective contours are perceived even when a figure involves motion. However, whether this includes the perception of rigidity or deformation of an illusory surface remains unknown. In particular, since most visual stimuli used in previous studies were generated in order to induce illusory rigid objects, the potential perception of material properties such as rigidity or elasticity in these illusory surfaces has not been examined. Here, we elucidate whether the magnitude of phase difference in oscillation influences the visual impressions of an object's elasticity (Experiment 1) and identify whether such elasticity perceptions are accompanied by the shape of the subjective contours, which can be assumed to be strongly correlated with the perception of rigidity (Experiment 2). Methodology/Principal Findings In Experiment 1, the phase differences in the oscillating motion of inducers were controlled to investigate whether they influenced the visual impression of an illusory object's elasticity. The results demonstrated that the impression of the elasticity of an illusory surface with subjective contours was systematically flipped with the degree of phase difference. In Experiment 2, we examined whether the subjective contours of a perceived object appeared linear or curved using multi-dimensional scaling analysis. The results indicated that the contours of a moving illusory object were perceived as more curved than linear in all phase-difference conditions. Conclusions/Significance These findings suggest that the phase difference in an object's motion is a significant factor in the material perception of motion-related elasticity. PMID:24205281

Fragility of haptic memory in human full-term newborns.

PubMed

Lejeune, Fleur; Borradori Tolsa, Cristina; Gentaz, Edouard; Barisnikov, Koviljka

2018-05-31

Numerous studies have established that newborns can memorize tactile information about the specific features of an object with their hands and detect differences with another object. However, the robustness of haptic memory abilities has already been examined in preterm newborns and in full-term infants, but not yet in full-term newborns. This research is aimed to better understand the robustness of haptic memory abilities at birth by examining the effects of a change in the objects' temperature and haptic interference. Sixty-eight full-term newborns (mean postnatal age: 2.5 days) were included. The two experiments were conducted in three phases: habituation (repeated presentation of the same object, a prism or cylinder in the newborn's hand), discrimination (presentation of a novel object), and recognition (presentation of the familiar object). In Experiment 1, the change in the objects' temperature was controlled during the three phases. Results reveal that newborns can memorize specific features that differentiate prism and cylinder shapes by touch, and discriminate between them, but surprisingly they did not show evidence of recognizing them after interference. As no significant effect of the temperature condition was observed in habituation, discrimination and recognition abilities, these findings suggest that discrimination abilities in newborns may be determined by the detection of shape differences. Overall, it seems that the ontogenesis of haptic recognition memory is not linear. The developmental schedule is likely crucial for haptic development between 34 and 40 GW. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Testing memory for unseen visual stimuli in patients with extinction and spatial neglect.

PubMed

Vuilleumier, Patrik; Schwartz, Sophie; Clarke, Karen; Husain, Masud; Driver, Jon

2002-08-15

Visual extinction after right parietal damage involves a loss of awareness for stimuli in the contralesional field when presented concurrently with ipsilesional stimuli, although contralesional stimuli are still perceived if presented alone. However, extinguished stimuli can still receive some residual on-line processing, without awareness. Here we examined whether such residual processing of extinguished stimuli can produce implicit and/or explicit memory traces lasting many minutes. We tested four patients with right parietal damage and left extinction on two sessions, each including distinct study and subsequent test phases. At study, pictures of objects were shown briefly in the right, left, or both fields. Patients were asked to name them without memory instructions (Session 1) or to make an indoor/outdoor categorization and memorize them (Session 2). They extinguished most left stimuli on bilateral presentation. During the test (up to 48 min later), fragmented pictures of the previously exposed objects (or novel objects) were presented alone in either field. Patients had to identify each object and then judge whether it had previously been exposed. Identification of fragmented pictures was better for previously exposed objects that had been consciously seen and critically also for objects that had been extinguished (as compared with novel objects), with no influence of the depth of processing during study. By contrast, explicit recollection occurred only for stimuli that were consciously seen at study and increased with depth of processing. These results suggest implicit but not explicit memory for extinguished visual stimuli in parietal patients.

Object of desire self-consciousness theory.

PubMed

Bogaert, Anthony F; Brotto, Lori A

2014-01-01

In this article, the authors discuss the construct of object of desire self-consciousness, the perception that one is romantically and sexually desirable in another's eyes. The authors discuss the nature of the construct, variations in its expression, and how it may function as part of a self-schemata or script related to romance and sexuality. The authors suggest that object of desire self-consciousness may be an adaptive, evolved psychological mechanism allowing sexual and romantic tactics suitable to one's mate value. The authors also suggest that it can act as a signal that one has high mate value in the sexual marketplace. The authors then review literature (e.g., on fantasies, on sexual activity preferences, on sexual dysfunctions, on language) suggesting that object of desire self-consciousness plays a particularly important role in heterosexual women's sexual/romantic functioning and desires.

Maintaining the ties that bind: the role of an intermediate visual memory store in the persistence of awareness.

PubMed

Ferber, Susanne; Emrich, Stephen M

2007-03-01

Segregation and feature binding are essential to the perception and awareness of objects in a visual scene. When a fragmented line-drawing of an object moves relative to a background of randomly oriented lines, the previously hidden object is segregated from the background and consequently enters awareness. Interestingly, in such shape-from-motion displays, the percept of the object persists briefly when the motion stops, suggesting that the segregated and bound representation of the object is maintained in awareness. Here, we tested whether this persistence effect is mediated by capacity-limited working-memory processes, or by the amount of object-related information available. The experiments demonstrate that persistence is affected mainly by the proportion of object information available and is independent of working-memory limits. We suggest that this persistence effect can be seen as evidence for an intermediate, form-based memory store mediating between sensory and working memory.

Discovery of the candidate Kuiper belt object 1992 QB1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jewitt, D.; Luu, J.

1993-04-01

The discovery of a new faint object in the outer solar system, 1992 QB1, moving beyond the orbit of Neptune is reported. It is suggested that the 1992 QB1 may represent the first detection of a member of the Kuiper belt (Edgworth, 1949; Kuiper, 1951), the hypothesized population of objects beyond Neptune and a possible source of the short-period comets, as suggested by Whipple (1964), Fernandez (1980), and Duncan et al. (1988).

Target-object integration, attention distribution, and object orientation interactively modulate object-based selection.

PubMed

Al-Janabi, Shahd; Greenberg, Adam S

2016-10-01

The representational basis of attentional selection can be object-based. Various studies have suggested, however, that object-based selection is less robust than spatial selection across experimental paradigms. We sought to examine the manner by which the following factors might explain this variation: Target-Object Integration (targets 'on' vs. part 'of' an object), Attention Distribution (narrow vs. wide), and Object Orientation (horizontal vs. vertical). In Experiment 1, participants discriminated between two targets presented 'on' an object in one session, or presented as a change 'of' an object in another session. There was no spatial cue-thus, attention was initially focused widely-and the objects were horizontal or vertical. We found evidence of object-based selection only when targets constituted a change 'of' an object. Additionally, object orientation modulated the sign of object-based selection: We observed a same-object advantage for horizontal objects, but a same-object cost for vertical objects. In Experiment 2, an informative cue preceded a single target presented 'on' an object or as a change 'of' an object (thus, attention was initially focused narrowly). Unlike in Experiment 1, we found evidence of object-based selection independent of target-object integration. We again found that the sign of selection was modulated by the objects' orientation. This result may reflect a meridian effect, which emerged due to anisotropies in the cortical representations when attention is oriented endogenously. Experiment 3 revealed that object orientation did not modulate object-based selection when attention was oriented exogenously. Our findings suggest that target-object integration, attention distribution, and object orientation modulate object-based selection, but only in combination.

29 CFR 102.41 - Objection to conduct of hearing; how made; objections not waived by further participation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., including any objection to the introduction of evidence, may be stated orally or in writing, accompanied by a short statement of the grounds of such objection, and included in the record. No such objection...

Special Education Scope and Sequence. Grades 1 - 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iberville Parish Schools, Plaquemine, LA.

Presented in this resource guide for teachers of mentally retarded children in grades 1 - 12 are objectives, suggested activities, and materials to be used in subject areas of arithmetic, language arts, social living, transportation, physical and mental health, safety, and use of leisure time. The objectives, suggested activities, and materials…

3-D Interpolation in Object Perception: Evidence from an Objective Performance Paradigm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellman, Philip J.; Garrigan, Patrick; Shipley, Thomas F.; Yin, Carol; Machado, Liana

2005-01-01

Object perception requires interpolation processes that connect visible regions despite spatial gaps. Some research has suggested that interpolation may be a 3-D process, but objective performance data and evidence about the conditions leading to interpolation are needed. The authors developed an objective performance paradigm for testing 3-D…

Shape Similarity, Better than Semantic Membership, Accounts for the Structure of Visual Object Representations in a Population of Monkey Inferotemporal Neurons

PubMed Central

DiCarlo, James J.; Zecchina, Riccardo; Zoccolan, Davide

2013-01-01

The anterior inferotemporal cortex (IT) is the highest stage along the hierarchy of visual areas that, in primates, processes visual objects. Although several lines of evidence suggest that IT primarily represents visual shape information, some recent studies have argued that neuronal ensembles in IT code the semantic membership of visual objects (i.e., represent conceptual classes such as animate and inanimate objects). In this study, we investigated to what extent semantic, rather than purely visual information, is represented in IT by performing a multivariate analysis of IT responses to a set of visual objects. By relying on a variety of machine-learning approaches (including a cutting-edge clustering algorithm that has been recently developed in the domain of statistical physics), we found that, in most instances, IT representation of visual objects is accounted for by their similarity at the level of shape or, more surprisingly, low-level visual properties. Only in a few cases we observed IT representations of semantic classes that were not explainable by the visual similarity of their members. Overall, these findings reassert the primary function of IT as a conveyor of explicit visual shape information, and reveal that low-level visual properties are represented in IT to a greater extent than previously appreciated. In addition, our work demonstrates how combining a variety of state-of-the-art multivariate approaches, and carefully estimating the contribution of shape similarity to the representation of object categories, can substantially advance our understanding of neuronal coding of visual objects in cortex. PMID:23950700

Mid-level perceptual features contain early cues to animacy.

PubMed

Long, Bria; Störmer, Viola S; Alvarez, George A

2017-06-01

While substantial work has focused on how the visual system achieves basic-level recognition, less work has asked about how it supports large-scale distinctions between objects, such as animacy and real-world size. Previous work has shown that these dimensions are reflected in our neural object representations (Konkle & Caramazza, 2013), and that objects of different real-world sizes have different mid-level perceptual features (Long, Konkle, Cohen, & Alvarez, 2016). Here, we test the hypothesis that animates and manmade objects also differ in mid-level perceptual features. To do so, we generated synthetic images of animals and objects that preserve some texture and form information ("texforms"), but are not identifiable at the basic level. We used visual search efficiency as an index of perceptual similarity, as search is slower when targets are perceptually similar to distractors. Across three experiments, we find that observers can find animals faster among objects than among other animals, and vice versa, and that these results hold when stimuli are reduced to unrecognizable texforms. Electrophysiological evidence revealed that this mixed-animacy search advantage emerges during early stages of target individuation, and not during later stages associated with semantic processing. Lastly, we find that perceived curvature explains part of the mixed-animacy search advantage and that observers use perceived curvature to classify texforms as animate/inanimate. Taken together, these findings suggest that mid-level perceptual features, including curvature, contain cues to whether an object may be animate versus manmade. We propose that the visual system capitalizes on these early cues to facilitate object detection, recognition, and classification.

The use of a displacement device negatively affects the performance of dogs (Canis familiaris) in visible object displacement tasks.

PubMed

Müller, Corsin A; Riemer, Stefanie; Range, Friederike; Huber, Ludwig

2014-08-01

Visible and invisible displacement tasks have been used widely for comparative studies of animals' understanding of object permanence, with evidence accumulating that some species can solve invisible displacement tasks and, thus, reach Piagetian stage 6 of object permanence. In contrast, dogs appear to rely on associative cues, such as the location of the displacement device, during invisible displacement tasks. It remains unclear, however, whether dogs, and other species that failed in invisible displacement tasks, do so because of their inability to form a mental representation of the target object, or simply because of the involvement of a more salient but potentially misleading associative cue, the displacement device. Here we show that the use of a displacement device impairs the performance of dogs also in visible displacement tasks: their search accuracy was significantly lower when a visible displacement was performed with a displacement device, and only two of initially 42 dogs passed the sham-baiting control conditions. The negative influence of the displacement device in visible displacement tasks may be explained by strong associative cues overriding explicit information about the target object's location, reminiscent of an overshadowing effect, and/or object individuation errors as the target object is placed within the displacement device and moves along a spatiotemporally identical trajectory. Our data suggest that a comprehensive appraisal of a species' performance in object permanence tasks should include visible displacement tasks with the same displacement device used in invisible displacements, which typically has not been done in the past.

Unrequited: neurochemical enhancement of love.

PubMed

Bamford, Rebecca

2015-07-01

I raise several concerns with Earp and colleagues' analysis of enhancement through neurochemical modulation of love as a key issue in contemporary neuroethics. These include: (i) strengthening their deflation of medicalization concerns by showing how the objection that love should be left outside of the scope of medicine would directly undermine the goal of medicine; (ii) developing stronger analysis of the social and political concerns relevant to neurochemical modulation of love, by exploring and suggesting possible counters to ways in which 'wellbeing' may be used as a tool of oppression; (iii) providing reasons to support a broad need for ecological investigation of, and indeed ecological education concerning, neurotechnology; (iv) suggesting ways in which philosophy, and the humanities more broadly, remain directly relevant to responding effectively to issues in contemporary neuroethics.

Diet and Physical Activity Intervention Strategies for College Students

PubMed Central

Martinez, Yannica Theda S.; Harmon, Brook E.; Bantum, Erin O.; Strayhorn, Shaila

2016-01-01

Objectives To understand perceived barriers of a diverse sample of college students and their suggestions for interventions aimed at healthy eating, cooking, and physical activity. Methods Forty students (33% Asian American, 30% mixed ethnicity) were recruited. Six focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded. Coding began with a priori codes, but allowed for additional codes to emerge. Analysis of questionnaires on participants’ dietary and physical activity practices and behaviors provided context for qualitative findings. Results Barriers included time, cost, facility quality, and intimidation. Tailoring towards a college student’s lifestyle, inclusion of hands-on skill building, and online support and resources were suggested strategies. Conclusions Findings provide direction for diet and physical activity interventions and policies aimed at college students. PMID:28480225

Acrylamine-induced autoimmune phenomena.

PubMed

Rothschild, Bruce

2010-09-01

The objective of this study is to document a series of cases of occupationally derived autoimmune disease. Individuals with occupational exposure to acrylamides were evaluated clinically and biochemically/immunologically for evidence of autoimmune disease. Symptoms and signs and immuno-reactivity were monitored during exposure-free and re-exposure as part of the individuals' clinical evaluation. Six individuals with occupational acrylamide exposure had clinical and laboratory alterations characteristic of drug-induced autoimmune disease, specifically lupus, anti-phospholipid syndrome, Sjogren's syndrome, scleroderma, and polymyositis. The similarity of the full spectrum of disease in the reported patients to that found with procainamide strongly suggests the effects of occupational exposure. This uncontrolled study suggests the need for a full epidemiologic analysis of all individuals working with such occupational exposure, including full clinical and immunological examination.

LDEF electronic systems: Successes, failures, and lessons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Emmett; Porter, Dave; Smith, Dave; Brooks, Larry; Levorsen, Joe; Mulkey, Owen

1991-01-01

Following the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) retrieval, the Systems Special Investigation Group (SIG) participated in an extensive series of tests of various electronic systems, including the NASA provided data and initiate systems, and some experiment systems. Overall, these were found to have performed remarkably well, even though most were designed and tested under limited budgets and used at least some nonspace qualified components. However, several anomalies were observed, including a few which resulted in some loss of data. The postflight test program objectives, observations, and lessons learned from these examinations are discussed. All analyses are not yet complete, but observations to date will be summarized, including the Boeing experiment component studies and failure analysis results related to the Interstellar Gas Experiment. Based upon these observations, suggestions for avoiding similar problems on future programs are presented.

Tactile agnosia. Underlying impairment and implications for normal tactile object recognition.

PubMed

Reed, C L; Caselli, R J; Farah, M J

1996-06-01

In a series of experimental investigations of a subject with a unilateral impairment of tactile object recognition without impaired tactile sensation, several issues were addressed. First, is tactile agnosia secondary to a general impairment of spatial cognition? On tests of spatial ability, including those directed at the same spatial integration process assumed to be taxed by tactile object recognition, the subject performed well, implying a more specific impairment of high level, modality specific tactile perception. Secondly, within the realm of high level tactile perception, is there a distinction between the ability to derive shape ('what') and spatial ('where') information? Our testing showed an impairment confined to shape perception. Thirdly, what aspects of shape perception are impaired in tactile agnosia? Our results indicate that despite accurate encoding of metric length and normal manual exploration strategies, the ability tactually to perceive objects with the impaired hand, deteriorated as the complexity of shape increased. In addition, asymmetrical performance was not found for other body surfaces (e.g. her feet). Our results suggest that tactile shape perception can be disrupted independent of general spatial ability, tactile spatial ability, manual shape exploration, or even the precise perception of metric length in the tactile modality.

Objectives of public participation: Which actors should be involved in the decision making for river restorations?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junker, Berit; Buchecker, Mattias; Müller-BöKer, Ulrike

2007-10-01

River restoration as a measure to improve both flood protection and ecological quality has become a common practice in river management. This new practice, however, has also become a source of conflicts arising from a neglect of the social aspects in river restoration projects. Therefore appropriate public involvement strategies have been recommended in recent years as a way of coping with these conflicts. However, an open question remains: Which stakeholders should be involved in the decision-making process? This, in turn, raises the question of the appropriate objectives of public participation. This study aims to answer these questions drawing on two case studies of Swiss river restoration projects and a related representative nationwide survey. Our findings suggest that public involvement should not be restricted to a small circle of influential stakeholder groups. As restoration projects have been found to have a substantial impact on the quality of life of the local population, avoiding conflicts is only one of several objectives of the involvement process. Including the wider public provides a special opportunity to promote social objectives, such as trust building and identification of people with their local environment.

The importance of measuring unmet healthcare needs.

PubMed

Gauld, Robin; Raymont, Antony; Bagshaw, Philip F; Nicholls, M Gary; Frampton, Christopher M

2014-10-17

Major restructuring of the health sector has been undertaken in many countries, including New Zealand and England, yet objective assessment of the outcomes has rarely been recorded. In the absence of comprehensive objective data, the success or otherwise of health reforms has been inferred from narrowly-focussed data or anecdotal accounts. A recent example relates to a buoyant King's Fund report on the quest for integrated health and social care in Canterbury, New Zealand which prompted an equally supportive editorial article in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) suggesting it may contain lessons for England's National Health Service. At the same time, a report published in the New Zealand Medical Journal expressed concerns at the level of unmet healthcare needs in Canterbury. Neither report provided objective information about changes over time in the level of unmet healthcare needs in Canterbury. We propose that the performance of healthcare systems should be measured regularly, objectively and comprehensively through documentation of unmet healthcare needs as perceived by representative segments of the population at formal interview. Thereby the success or otherwise of organisational changes to a health system and its adequacy as demographics of the population evolve, even in the absence of major restructuring of the health sector, can be better documented.

Biotoxicity of Mars Analog Soils: Microbial, Dispersal into Desiccated Soils Versus Emplacement in Salt or Ice Inclusions Fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuerger, A. C.; Ming, Doutlas W.; Golden, D. C.

2010-01-01

Recent evidence from the Opportunity and Spirit rovers and the Mars Express mission suggests that the soils on Mars might be very high in biotoxic materials including sulfate salts, chlorides, and acidifying agents. Yet, very little is known about how the chemistries of Mars soils might affect the survival and growth of terrestrial microorganisms. The primary objectives of the research included: (1) prepare and characterize Mars analog soils amended with potential biotoxic levels of sulfates, chlorides, and acidifying minerals; and (2) use the simulants to conduct a series of toxicology assays to determine if terrestrial microorganisms from spacecraft can survive direct exposure to the biotoxic soils.

Like a rolling stone: naturalistic visual kinematics facilitate tracking eye movements.

PubMed

Souto, David; Kerzel, Dirk

2013-02-06

Newtonian physics constrains object kinematics in the real world. We asked whether eye movements towards tracked objects depend on their compliance with those constraints. In particular, the force of gravity constrains round objects to roll on the ground with a particular rotational and translational motion. We measured tracking eye movements towards rolling objects. We found that objects with rotational and translational motion that was congruent with an object rolling on the ground elicited faster tracking eye movements during pursuit initiation than incongruent stimuli. Relative to a condition without rotational component, we compared objects with this motion with a condition in which there was no rotational component, we essentially obtained benefits of congruence, and, to a lesser extent, costs from incongruence. Anticipatory pursuit responses showed no congruence effect, suggesting that the effect is based on visually-driven predictions, not on velocity storage. We suggest that the eye movement system incorporates information about object kinematics acquired by a lifetime of experience with visual stimuli obeying the laws of Newtonian physics.

Age differences in the frontoparietal cognitive control network: Implications for distractibility

PubMed Central

Campbell, Karen L.; Grady, Cheryl L.; Ng, Charisa; Hasher, Lynn

2016-01-01

Current evidence suggests that older adults have reduced suppression of, and greater implicit memory for, distracting stimuli, due to age-related declines in frontal-based control mechanisms. In this study, we used fMRI to examine age differences in the neural underpinnings of attentional control and their relationship to differences in distractibility and subsequent memory for distraction. Older and younger adults were shown a rapid stream of words or nonwords superimposed on objects and performed a 1-back task on either the letters or the objects, while ignoring the other modality. Older adults were more distracted than younger adults by the overlapping words during the 1-back task, and they subsequently showed more priming for these words on an implicit memory task. A multivariate analysis of the imaging data revealed a set of regions, including the rostral PFC and inferior parietal cortex, that younger adults activated to a greater extent than older adults during the ignore-words condition, and activity in this set of regions was negatively correlated with priming for the distracting words. Functional connectivity analyses using right and left rostral PFC seeds revealed a network of putative control regions, including bilateral parietal cortex, connected to the frontal seeds at rest. Older adults showed reduced functional connectivity within this frontoparietal network, suggesting that their greater distractibility may be due to decreased activity and coherence within a cognitive control network that normally acts to reduce interference from distraction. PMID:22659108

The absence of Candida albicans in milk samples of women with clinical symptoms of ductal candidiasis.

PubMed

Hale, Thomas W; Bateman, Tiffany L; Finkelman, Malcolm A; Berens, Pamela D

2009-06-01

The objective of this prospective study was to determine if Candida albicans is present in the milk of women suffering from symptoms of severe nipple and deep breast pain. The symptomatic group included women who reported sore, inflamed, or traumatized nipples or intense stabbing or burning pain. The control group included breastfeeding women without symptoms. The skin of the nipple and areola were washed with detergent and thoroughly rinsed. Milk samples were analyzed for (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan and grown on Candida growth medium. There was no significant difference in (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan levels between the control and symptomatic group. No Candida species were culturable either before or after the addition of iron to stimulate growth, with the exception of one patient. The addition of pure C. albicans to milk samples suggested that milk does not inhibit Candida growth. These data suggest that C. albicans is not present in milk ducts and may not be associated with this syndrome.

The health impacts of semiconductor production: an epidemiologic review

PubMed Central

Kim, Myoung-Hee; Kim, Hyunjoo; Paek, Domyung

2014-01-01

Background: Despite concerns over the harmful health effects of semiconductor production, epidemiological studies have shown mixed results. Objectives: We aim to critically appraise epidemiologic studies to date, and to suggest future research and actions to protect workers in semiconductor industry. Methods: Epidemiologic studies were identified through electronic database searches, review of reference lists of relevant published works, and expert consultations, and were narratively reviewed. Results: Most evidence suggests reproductive risks from fabrication jobs, including spontaneous abortion (SAB), congenital malformation, and reduced fertility. Although chemicals have been suspected as causal agents, knowledge of the likely contribution(s) from specific exposures is still limited. Evidence of cancer risk seems to be equivocal. However, the available studies had serious limitations including healthy worker effects (HWEs), information bias, and insufficient power, all of which are associated with underestimation. Nevertheless, excess risks for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), leukemia, brain tumor, and breast cancer were observed. Conclusions: Monitoring and innovative research based on international collaboration with a focus on sentinel events are required. PMID:24999845

Developing Canadian oncology education goals and objectives for medical students: a national modified Delphi study.

PubMed

Tam, Vincent C; Ingledew, Paris-Ann; Berry, Scott; Verma, Sunil; Giuliani, Meredith E

2016-01-01

Studies have shown that there is a deficiency in focused oncology teaching during medical school in Canada. This study aimed to develop oncology education goals and objectives for medical students through consensus of oncology educators from across Canada. In 2014 we created a comprehensive list of oncology education objectives using existing resources. Experts in oncology education and undergraduate medical education from all 17 Canadian medical schools were invited to participate in a 3-round modified Delphi process. In round 1, the participants scored the objectives on a 9-point Likert scale according to the degree to which they agreed an objective should be taught to medical students. Objectives with a mean score of 7.0 or greater were retained, those with a mean score of 1.0-3.9 were excluded, and those with a mean score of 4.0-6.9 were discussed at a round 2 Web meeting. In round 3, the participants voted on inclusion and exclusion of the round 2 objectives. Thirty-four (92%) of the 37 invited oncology educators, representing 14 medical schools, participated in the study. They included oncologists, family physicians, members of undergraduate medical education curriculum committees and a psychologist. Of the 214 objectives reviewed in round 1, 146 received a mean score of 7.0 or greater, and 68 were scored 4.0-6.9; no objective received a mean score below 4.0. Nine new objectives were suggested. The main themes of participants' comments were to minimize the number of objectives and to aim objectives at the knowledge level required for family physicians. In round 2, the participants were able to combine 28 of the objectives with other existing objectives. In round 3, 7 of the 49 objectives received consensus of at least 75% for inclusion. The final Canadian Oncology Goals and Objectives for Medical Students contained 10 goals and 153 objectives. Through a systematic process, we created a comprehensive, consensus-based set of oncology goals and objectives to facilitate the design of undergraduate medical education curricula and improve oncology education for medical students.

REVIEW OF THE NEGOTIATION OF THE MODEL PROTOCOL ADDITIONAL TO THE AGREEMENT(S) BETWEEN STATE(S) AND THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY FOR THE APPLICATION OF SAFEGUARDS, INFCIRC/540 (Corrected) VOLUME III/III, IAEA COMMITTEE 24, DEVELOPMENT OF INFCIRC/540, ARTICLE-BY-ARTICLE REVIEW (1996-1997).

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

Rosenthal, M.D.; Houck, F.

In this section of the report, the development of INFCIRC/540 is traced by a compilation of citations from the IAEA documents presented to the Board of Governors and the records of discussions in the Board that took place prior to the establishment of Committee 24 as well as the documents and discussions of that committee. The evolution of the text is presented separately for each article or, for the more complex articles, for each paragraph or group of paragraphs of the article. This section covers all articles, including those involving no issues. Background, issues, interpretations and conclusions, which were addressedmore » in Volumes I, II, and III are not repeated here. The comments by states that are included are generally limited to objections and suggested changes. Requests for clarification or elaboration have been omitted, although it is recognized that such comments were sometimes veiled objections.« less

Instrumentation for Infrared Astronomy in the Collections of the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeVorkin, David H.

2017-01-01

The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution is responsible for preserving the material heritage of modern astronomical history. We place emphasis on American accomplishments, on both airborne and spaceborne instrumentation, and on ground based instrumentation that stimulated and supported spaceborne efforts. At present the astronomical collection includes over 600 objects, of which approximately 40 relate to the history of infrared astronomy. This poster will provide a simple listing of our holdings in infrared and far-infrared astronomy, and will highlight particularly significant early objects, like Cashman and Ektron cells, Leighton and Neugebauer's Caltech 2.2 micron survey telescope, Low's Lear Jet Bolometer, Harwit's first Aerobee IR payload and Fazio's balloon-borne observatory. Elements from more recent missions will also be included, such as instruments from KAO, an IRAS focal plane instrument, FIRAS from COBE, the payload from Boomerang and Woody and Richards' balloonsonde payload. The poster author will invite AAS members to comment on these holdings, provide short stories of their experiences building and using them, and suggest candidates for possible collection.

Hazardous waste management system design under population and environmental impact considerations.

PubMed

Yilmaz, Ozge; Kara, Bahar Y; Yetis, Ulku

2017-12-01

This paper presents a multi objective mixed integer location/routing model that aims to minimize transportation cost and risks for large-scale hazardous waste management systems (HWMSs). Risks induced by hazardous wastes (HWs) on both public and the environment are addressed. For this purpose, a new environmental impact definition is proposed that considers the environmentally vulnerable elements including water bodies, agricultural areas, coastal regions and forestlands located within a certain bandwidth around transportation routes. The solution procedure yields to Pareto optimal curve for two conflicting objectives. The conceptual model developed prior to mathematical formulation addresses waste-to-technology compatibility and HW processing residues to assure applicability of the model to real-life HWMSs. The suggested model was used in a case study targeting HWMS in Turkey. Based on the proposed solution, it was possible to identify not only the transportation routes but also a set of information on HW handling facilities including the types, locations, capacities, and investment/operational cost. The HWMS of this study can be utilized both by public authorities and private sector investors for planning purposes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Virtual reality for mobility devices: training applications and clinical results: a review.

PubMed

Erren-Wolters, Catelijne Victorien; van Dijk, Henk; de Kort, Alexander C; Ijzerman, Maarten J; Jannink, Michiel J

2007-06-01

Virtual reality technology is an emerging technology that possibly can address the problems encountered in training (elderly) people to handle a mobility device. The objective of this review was to study different virtual reality training applications as well as their clinical implication for patients with mobility problems. Computerized literature searches were performed using the MEDLINE, Cochrane, CIRRIE and REHABDATA databases. This resulted in eight peer reviewed journal articles. The included studies could be divided into three categories, on the basis of their study objective. Five studies were related to training driving skills, two to physical exercise training and one to leisure activity. This review suggests that virtual reality is a potentially useful means to improve the use of a mobility device, in training one's driving skills, for keeping up the physical condition and also in a way of leisure time activity. Although this field of research appears to be in its early stages, the included studies pointed out a promising transfer of training in a virtual environment to the real-life use of mobility devices.

Update on PISCES

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearson, Don; Hamm, Dustin; Kubena, Brian; Weaver, Jonathan K.

2010-01-01

An updated version of the Platform Independent Software Components for the Exploration of Space (PISCES) software library is available. A previous version was reported in Library for Developing Spacecraft-Mission-Planning Software (MSC-22983), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 25, No. 7 (July 2001), page 52. To recapitulate: This software provides for Web-based, collaborative development of computer programs for planning trajectories and trajectory- related aspects of spacecraft-mission design. The library was built using state-of-the-art object-oriented concepts and software-development methodologies. The components of PISCES include Java-language application programs arranged in a hierarchy of classes that facilitates the reuse of the components. As its full name suggests, the PISCES library affords platform-independence: The Java language makes it possible to use the classes and application programs with a Java virtual machine, which is available in most Web-browser programs. Another advantage is expandability: Object orientation facilitates expansion of the library through creation of a new class. Improvements in the library since the previous version include development of orbital-maneuver- planning and rendezvous-launch-window application programs, enhancement of capabilities for propagation of orbits, and development of a desktop user interface.

Perceptual Learning of Object Shape

PubMed Central

Golcu, Doruk; Gilbert, Charles D.

2009-01-01

Recognition of objects is accomplished through the use of cues that depend on internal representations of familiar shapes. We used a paradigm of perceptual learning during visual search to explore what features human observers use to identify objects. Human subjects were trained to search for a target object embedded in an array of distractors, until their performance improved from near-chance levels to over 80% of trials in an object specific manner. We determined the role of specific object components in the recognition of the object as a whole by measuring the transfer of learning from the trained object to other objects sharing components with it. Depending on the geometric relationship of the trained object with untrained objects, transfer to untrained objects was observed. Novel objects that shared a component with the trained object were identified at much higher levels than those that did not, and this could be used as an indicator of which features of the object were important for recognition. Training on an object also transferred to the components of the object when these components were embedded in an array of distractors of similar complexity. These results suggest that objects are not represented in a holistic manner during learning, but that their individual components are encoded. Transfer between objects was not complete, and occurred for more than one component, regardless of how well they distinguish the object from distractors. This suggests that a joint involvement of multiple components was necessary for full performance. PMID:19864574

'Looking as little like patients as persons well could': hypnotism, medicine and the problem of the suggestible subject in late nineteenth-century Britain.

PubMed

Chettiar, Teri

2012-07-01

During the late nineteenth century, many British physicians rigorously experimented with hypnosis as a therapeutic practice. Despite mounting evidence attesting to its wide-ranging therapeutic uses publicised in the 1880s and 1890s, medical hypnosis remained highly controversial. After a decade and a half of extensive medical discussion and debate surrounding the adoption of hypnosis by mainstream medical professionals--including a thorough inquiry organised by the British Medical Association--it was decisively excluded from serious medical consideration by 1900. This essay examines the complex question of why hypnosis was excluded from professional medical practice by the end of the nineteenth century. Objections to its medical adoption rarely took issue with its supposed effectiveness in producing genuine therapeutic and anaesthetic results. Instead, critics' objections were centred upon a host of social and moral concerns regarding the patient's state of suggestibility and weakened 'will-power' while under the physician's hypnotic 'spell'. The problematic question of precisely how far hypnotic 'rapport' and suggestibility might depart from the Victorian liberal ideal of rational individual autonomy lay at the heart of these concerns. As this essay demonstrates, the hypnotism debate was characterised by a tension between physicians' attempts to balance their commitment to restore patients to health and pervasive middle-class concerns about the rapid and ongoing changes transforming British society at the turn of the century.

Transient responses' optimization by means of set-based multi-objective evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avigad, Gideon; Eisenstadt, Erella; Goldvard, Alex; Salomon, Shaul

2012-04-01

In this article, a novel solution to multi-objective problems involving the optimization of transient responses is suggested. It is claimed that the common approach of treating such problems by introducing auxiliary objectives overlooks tradeoffs that should be presented to the decision makers. This means that, if at some time during the responses, one of the responses is optimal, it should not be overlooked. An evolutionary multi-objective algorithm is suggested in order to search for these optimal solutions. For this purpose, state-wise domination is utilized with a new crowding measure for ordered sets being suggested. The approach is tested on both artificial as well as on real life problems in order to explain the methodology and demonstrate its applicability and importance. The results indicate that, from an engineering point of view, the approach possesses several advantages over existing approaches. Moreover, the applications highlight the importance of set-based evolution.

Decoupling Object Detection and Categorization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mack, Michael L.; Palmeri, Thomas J.

2010-01-01

We investigated whether there exists a behavioral dependency between object detection and categorization. Previous work (Grill-Spector & Kanwisher, 2005) suggests that object detection and basic-level categorization may be the very same perceptual mechanism: As objects are parsed from the background they are categorized at the basic level. In…

On the Limits of Infants' Quantification of Small Object Arrays

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feigenson, Lisa; Carey, Susan

2005-01-01

Recent work suggests that infants rely on mechanisms of object-based attention and short-term memory to represent small numbers of objects. Such work shows that infants discriminate arrays containing 1, 2, or 3 objects, but fail with arrays greater than 3 [Feigenson, L., & Carey, S. (2003). Tracking individuals via object-files: Evidence from…

Spatiotemporal Integration and Object Perception in Infancy: Perceiving Unity versus Form.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van de Walle, Gretchen A.; Spelke, Elizabeth S.

1996-01-01

Investigated 5-month-olds' perception of an object whose center was occluded and whose ends were visible only in succession. Found that infants perceived the object as one connected whole when the ends underwent common motion but not when the ends were stationary. Results suggest that infants perceive object unity but not object form. (Author/BC)

No Evidence for a Fixed Object Limit in Working Memory: Spatial Ensemble Representations Inflate Estimates of Working Memory Capacity for Complex Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brady, Timothy F.; Alvarez, George A.

2015-01-01

A central question for models of visual working memory is whether the number of objects people can remember depends on object complexity. Some influential "slot" models of working memory capacity suggest that people always represent 3-4 objects and that only the fidelity with which these objects are represented is affected by object…

Infrared and Radio Observations of a Small Group of Protostellar Objects in the Molecular Core, L1251-C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jungha; Lee, Jeong-Eun; Choi, Minho; Bourke, Tyler L.; Evans, Neal J., II; Di Francesco, James; Cieza, Lucas A.; Dunham, Michael M.; Kang, Miju

2015-05-01

We present a multi-wavelength observational study of a low-mass star-forming region, L1251-C, with observational results at wavelengths from the near-infrared to the millimeter. Spitzer Space Telescope observations confirmed that IRAS 22343+7501 is a small group of protostellar objects. The extended emission in the east-west direction with its intensity peak at the center of L1251A has been detected at 350 and 850 μm with the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory and James Clerk Maxwell telescopes, tracing dense envelope material around L1251A. The single-dish data from the Korean VLBI Network and TRAO telescopes show inconsistencies between the intensity peaks of several molecular emission lines and that of the continuum emission, suggesting complex distributions of molecular abundances around L1251A. The Submillimeter Array interferometer data, however, show intensity peaks of CO 2-1 and 13CO 2-1 located at the position of IRS 1, which is both the brightest source in the Infrared Array Camera image and the weakest source in the 1.3 mm dust-continuum map. IRS 1 is the strongest candidate for the driving source of the newly detected compact CO 2-1 outflow. Over the entire region (14‧ × 14‧) of L125l-C, 3 Class I and 16 Class II sources have been detected, including three young stellar objects (YSOs) in L1251A. A comparison between the average projected distance among the 19 YSOs in L1251-C and that among the 3 YSOs in L1251A suggests that L1251-C is an example of low-mass cluster formation where protostellar objects form in a small group.

Object recognition impairment in Fmr1 knockout mice is reversed by amphetamine: involvement of dopamine in the medial prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Ventura, R; Pascucci, T; Catania, M V; Musumeci, S A; Puglisi-Allegra, S

2004-09-01

Fragile X syndrome is an X-linked form of mental retardation including, among others, symptoms such as stereotypic behaviour, hyperactivity, hyperarousal, and cognitive deficits. We hypothesized that hyperactivity and/or compromised attentional, cognitive functions may lead to impaired performance in cognitive tasks in Fmr1 knockout mice, the most widely used animal model of fragile X syndrome, and suggested that psychostimulant treatment may improve performance by acting on one or both components. Since hyperactivity and cognitive functions have been suggested to depend on striatal and prefrontal cortex dopaminergic dysfunction, we assessed whether amphetamine produced beneficial, positive effects by acting on dopaminergic corticostriatal systems. Our results show that Fmr1 knockout mice are not able to discriminate between a familiar object and a novel one in the object recognition test, thus showing a clear-cut cognitive impairment that, to date, has been difficult to demonstrate in other cognitive tasks. Amphetamine improved performance of Fmr1 knockout mice, leading to enhanced ability to discriminate novel versus familiar objects, without significantly affecting locomotor activity. In agreement with behavioural data, amphetamine produced a greater increase in dopamine release in the prefrontal cortex of Fmr1 knockout compared with the wild-type mice, while a weak striatal dopaminergic response was observed in Fmr1 knockout mice. Our data support the view that the psychostimulant ameliorates performance in Fmr1 knockout mice by improving merely cognitive functions through its action on prefrontal cortical dopamine, irrespective of its action on motor hyperactivity. These results indicate that prefrontal cortical dopamine plays a major role in cognitive impairments characterizing Fmr1 knockout mice, thus pointing to an important aetiological factor in the fragile X syndrome.

Metallurgical characterization of brass objects from the Akko 1 shipwreck, Israel

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

Ashkenazi, D., E-mail: dana@eng.tau.ac.il; Cvikel, D.; Stern, A.

2014-06-01

The Akko 1 shipwreck was a small Egyptian armed vessel or auxiliary naval brig built in the eastern Mediterranean at the beginning of the 19th century. During the underwater excavations, about 230 brass hook-and-eye closures were found, mainly in the bow area. In addition, 158 brass cases were found, mainly between midships and the aft extremity of the shipwreck. Metallurgical non-destructive and destructive characterizations of selected items were performed, including radiographic testing, XRF, lead isotope analysis, optical microscopy, SEM–EDS and microhardness tests. The hook-and-eye closures and the cases were both found to be made of binary copper–zinc alloy (about 30more » wt.% zinc). While the brass cases were made from rolled sheets, hand-made using simple tools, and joined by tin–lead soldering material, the brass hook-and-eye closures were hand-made from drawn brass wire, and manufactured from commercial drawn brass bars by a cold-working process. The lead isotope analyses suggest different provenances of the raw materials used for making the brass objects, thus the different origins of the ores may hint that the brass wire and sheet were imported to the workshops in which the objects were manufactured. - Highlights: • Brass cases and hook-and-eye closures were retrieved from the Akko 1 shipwreck. • Both types of objects were made of binary copper–zinc alloy (about 30 wt.% zinc). • The cases were hand-made from rolled sheets and joined by tin–lead soldering. • Hook-and-eye closures were made from drawn brass wire manufactured by cold-working. • Lead isotope analyses suggest that the origins of the raw material were diverse.« less

Randomized, Blinded Pilot Testing of Nonconventional Stimulation Patterns and Shapes in Parkinson's Disease and Essential Tremor: Evidence for Further Evaluating Narrow and Biphasic Pulses.

PubMed

Akbar, Umer; Raike, Robert S; Hack, Nawaz; Hess, Christopher W; Skinner, Jared; Martinez-Ramirez, Daniel; DeJesus, Sol; Okun, Michael S

2016-06-01

Evidence suggests that nonconventional programming may improve deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for movement disorders. The primary objective was to assess feasibility of testing the tolerability of several nonconventional settings in Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET) subjects in a single office visit. Secondary objectives were to explore for potential efficacy signals and to assess the energy demand on the implantable pulse-generators (IPGs). A custom firmware (FW) application was developed and acutely uploaded to the IPGs of eight PD and three ET subjects, allowing delivery of several nonconventional DBS settings, including narrow pulse widths, square biphasic pulses, and irregular pulse patterns. Standard clinical rating scales and several objective measures were used to compare motor outcomes with sham, clinically-optimal and nonconventional settings. Blinded and randomized testing was conducted in a traditional office setting. Overall, the nonconventional settings were well tolerated. Under these conditions it was also possible to detect clinically-relevant differences in DBS responses using clinical rating scales but not objective measures. Compared to the clinically-optimal settings, some nonconventional settings appeared to offer similar benefit (e.g., narrow pulse widths) and others lesser benefit. Moreover, the results suggest that square biphasic pulses may deliver greater benefit. No unexpected IPG efficiency disadvantages were associated with delivering nonconventional settings. It is feasible to acutely screen nonconventional DBS settings using controlled study designs in traditional office settings. Simple IPG FW upgrades may provide more DBS programming options for optimizing therapy. Potential advantages of narrow and biphasic pulses deserve follow up. © 2016 The Authors. Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Neuromodulation Society.

Low Gas Fractions Connect Compact Star-Forming Galaxies to their z~2 Quiescent Descendants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spilker, Justin; Bezanson, Rachel; Marrone, Daniel P.; Weiner, Benjamin J.; Whitaker, Katherine E.; Williams, Christina C.

2017-01-01

Early quiescent galaxies at z ~ 2 are known to be remarkably compact compared to their nearby counterparts. Possible progenitors of these systems include galaxies that are structurally similar, but are still rapidly forming stars. I will present Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) observations of the CO(1-0) line towards three such compact, star-forming galaxies at z ~ 2.3, significantly detecting one. The VLA observations indicate baryonic gas fractions 5 times lower and gas depletion times 10 times shorter than normal, extended massive star-forming galaxies at these redshifts. At their current star formation rates, all three objects will deplete their gas reservoirs within 100Myr. These objects are among the most gas-poor objects observed at z > 2 and are outliers from standard gas scaling relations, a result which remains true regardless of assumptions about the CO-H2 conversion factor. Our observations are consistent with the idea that compact, star-forming galaxies are in a rapid state of transition to quiescence in tandem with the build-up of the z ~ 2 quenched population. In the detected compact galaxy, we see no evidence of rotation or that the CO-emitting gas is spatially extended relative to the stellar light. This casts doubt on recent suggestions that the gas in these compact galaxies is rotating and significantly extended compared to the stars. Instead, we suggest that, at least for this object, the gas is centrally concentrated, and only traces a small fraction of the total galaxy dynamical mass. I will conclude by discussing my ongoing efforts to characterize the gas and star forming properties of this unusual population of galaxies.

Visual short-term memory always requires general attention.

PubMed

Morey, Candice C; Bieler, Malte

2013-02-01

The role of attention in visual memory remains controversial; while some evidence has suggested that memory for binding between features demands no more attention than does memory for the same features, other evidence has indicated cognitive costs or mnemonic benefits for explicitly attending to bindings. We attempted to reconcile these findings by examining how memory for binding, for features, and for features during binding is affected by a concurrent attention-demanding task. We demonstrated that performing a concurrent task impairs memory for as few as two visual objects, regardless of whether each object includes one or more features. We argue that this pattern of results reflects an essential role for domain-general attention in visual memory, regardless of the simplicity of the to-be-remembered stimuli. We then discuss the implications of these findings for theories of visual working memory.

STT Doubles with Large δM - Part VI: Cygnus Multiples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knapp, Wilfried; Nanson, John

2016-10-01

The results of visual double star observing sessions suggested a pattern for STT doubles with large delta_M of being harder to resolve than would be expected based on the WDS catalog data. It was felt this might be a problem with expectations on one hand, and on the other might be an indication of a need for new precise measurements, so we decided to take a closer look at a selected sample of STT doubles and do some research. Of these objects we found three rather complex multiples in Cygnus of special interest so we decided to write a separate report to have more room to include the non STT components as well. Again like for the other objects covered so far several of the components show parameters quite different from the current WDS data.

Infrared spectra of rotating protostars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, F. C.; Shu, F. H.

1986-01-01

Earlier calculations of the infrared emission expected from stars in the process of being made are corrected to include the most important observable effects of rotation and generalized. An improved version of the spherical model of a previous paper is developed, and the corresponding emergent spectral energy distributions are calculated for the theoretically expected mass infall rate in the cores of cool and quiescent molecular clouds. The dust grain opacity model and the temperature profile parameterization are improved. It is shown that the infrared spectrum of the IRAS source 04264+2426, which is associated with a Herbig-Haro object, can be adequately represented in terms of a rotating and accreting protostar. This strengthens the suggestion that collimated outflows in young stellar objects originate when a stellar wind tries to emerge and reverse the swirling pattern of infall which gave birth to the central star.

The Organization of Words and Symbolic Gestures in 18-Month-Olds’ Lexicons: Evidence from a Disambiguation Task

PubMed Central

Suanda, Sumarga H.; Namy, Laura L.

2012-01-01

Infants’ early communicative repertoires include both words and symbolic gestures. The current study examined the extent to which infants organize words and gestures in a single unified lexicon. As a window into lexical organization, eighteen-month-olds’ (N = 32) avoidance of word-gesture overlap was examined and compared to avoidance of word-word overlap. The current study revealed that when presented with novel words, infants avoided lexical overlap, mapping novel words onto novel objects. In contrast, when presented with novel gestures, infants sought overlap, mapping novel gestures onto familiar objects. The results suggest that infants do not treat words and gestures as equivalent lexical items and that during a period of development when word and symbolic gesture processing share many similarities, important differences also exist between these two symbolic forms. PMID:23539273

Impaired anticipatory control of grasp during obstacle crossing in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

McIsaac, Tara L; Diermayr, Gudrun; Albert, Frederic

2012-05-16

During self-paced walking, people with Parkinson's disease maintain anticipatory control during object grasping. However, common functional tasks often include carrying an object while changing step patterns mid-path and maneuvering over obstacles, increasing task complexity and attentional demands. Thus, the present study investigated the effect of Parkinson's disease on the modulation of grasping force changes as a function of gait-related inertial forces. Subjects with Parkinson's disease maintained the ability to scale and to couple over time their grip and inertial forces while walking at irregular step lengths, but were unable to maintain the temporal coupling of grasping forces compared to controls during obstacle crossing. We suggest that this deterioration in anticipatory control is associated with the increased demands of task complexity and attention during obstacle crossing. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human germline genetic modification: scientific and bioethical perspectives.

PubMed

Smith, Kevin R; Chan, Sarah; Harris, John

2012-10-01

The latest mammalian genetic modification technology offers efficient and reliable targeting of genomic sequences, in the guise of designer genetic recombination tools. These and other improvements in genetic engineering technology suggest that human germline genetic modification (HGGM) will become a safe and effective prospect in the relatively near future. Several substantive ethical objections have been raised against HGGM including claims of unacceptably high levels of risk, damage to the status of future persons, and violations of justice and autonomy. This paper critically reviews the latest GM science and discusses the key ethical objections to HGGM. We conclude that major benefits are likely to accrue through the use of safe and effective HGGM and that it would thus be unethical to take a precautionary stance against HGGM. Copyright © 2012 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potential objective biomarkers for fatigue among working women.

PubMed

Ebata, Chie; Tatsuta, Hitomi; Tatemichi, Masayuki

2017-05-25

The prediction of health impairment due to work overload is subjectively assessed based on recognized symptoms; however, objective evaluation is primarily ideal in the field of occupational health. Recently, some biomarkers of autonomic function and/or oxidative stress were reported to be associated with fatigue. This study aimed to preliminarily investigate whether these biomarkers could be objective indicators for fatigue and stress among working women. Participants included 118 full-time female workers (mean age 37.8 years), including 55 shift workers. Self-administered questionnaires, such as visual analog scale (VAS) for general health, a lifestyle questionnaire, SF-8 for health-related quality of life, and K6 for mental health screening, were used. In addition, biomarkers such as acceleration plethysmogram (APG), reactive oxygen metabolites-derived compounds (d-ROMs), and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) were measured. A significant association was observed between BAP and VAS (r=0.482, p<0.01) among shift workers. However, other biomarkers such as APG and d-ROMs were not significantly associated with symptoms. d-ROMs were significantly correlated with age and body mass index. There was a significant negative correlation between BAP and smoking. Results of the APG (low-frequency (LF) /high-frequency (HF) ratio) were significantly correlated with BAP, but not with d-ROMs. The LF/HF ratio and BAP for shift workers were significantly higher than those for day-time workers. Our results suggest that APG and BAP are potential objective biomarkers for fatigue among working women, although further follow-up studies are needed to clarify the scope of usefulness of the biomarkers for fatigue.

Application of the SP theory of intelligence to the understanding of natural vision and the development of computer vision.

PubMed

Wolff, J Gerard

2014-01-01

The SP theory of intelligence aims to simplify and integrate concepts in computing and cognition, with information compression as a unifying theme. This article is about how the SP theory may, with advantage, be applied to the understanding of natural vision and the development of computer vision. Potential benefits include an overall simplification of concepts in a universal framework for knowledge and seamless integration of vision with other sensory modalities and other aspects of intelligence. Low level perceptual features such as edges or corners may be identified by the extraction of redundancy in uniform areas in the manner of the run-length encoding technique for information compression. The concept of multiple alignment in the SP theory may be applied to the recognition of objects, and to scene analysis, with a hierarchy of parts and sub-parts, at multiple levels of abstraction, and with family-resemblance or polythetic categories. The theory has potential for the unsupervised learning of visual objects and classes of objects, and suggests how coherent concepts may be derived from fragments. As in natural vision, both recognition and learning in the SP system are robust in the face of errors of omission, commission and substitution. The theory suggests how, via vision, we may piece together a knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of objects and of our environment, it provides an account of how we may see things that are not objectively present in an image, how we may recognise something despite variations in the size of its retinal image, and how raster graphics and vector graphics may be unified. And it has things to say about the phenomena of lightness constancy and colour constancy, the role of context in recognition, ambiguities in visual perception, and the integration of vision with other senses and other aspects of intelligence.

Fourier power, subjective distance, and object categories all provide plausible models of BOLD responses in scene-selective visual areas

PubMed Central

Lescroart, Mark D.; Stansbury, Dustin E.; Gallant, Jack L.

2015-01-01

Perception of natural visual scenes activates several functional areas in the human brain, including the Parahippocampal Place Area (PPA), Retrosplenial Complex (RSC), and the Occipital Place Area (OPA). It is currently unclear what specific scene-related features are represented in these areas. Previous studies have suggested that PPA, RSC, and/or OPA might represent at least three qualitatively different classes of features: (1) 2D features related to Fourier power; (2) 3D spatial features such as the distance to objects in a scene; or (3) abstract features such as the categories of objects in a scene. To determine which of these hypotheses best describes the visual representation in scene-selective areas, we applied voxel-wise modeling (VM) to BOLD fMRI responses elicited by a set of 1386 images of natural scenes. VM provides an efficient method for testing competing hypotheses by comparing predictions of brain activity based on encoding models that instantiate each hypothesis. Here we evaluated three different encoding models that instantiate each of the three hypotheses listed above. We used linear regression to fit each encoding model to the fMRI data recorded from each voxel, and we evaluated each fit model by estimating the amount of variance it predicted in a withheld portion of the data set. We found that voxel-wise models based on Fourier power or the subjective distance to objects in each scene predicted much of the variance predicted by a model based on object categories. Furthermore, the response variance explained by these three models is largely shared, and the individual models explain little unique variance in responses. Based on an evaluation of previous studies and the data we present here, we conclude that there is currently no good basis to favor any one of the three alternative hypotheses about visual representation in scene-selective areas. We offer suggestions for further studies that may help resolve this issue. PMID:26594164

New binaries among UV-selected, hot subdwarf stars and population properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawka, A.; Vennes, S.; O'Toole, S.; Németh, P.; Burton, D.; Kotze, E.; Buckley, D. A. H.

2015-07-01

We have measured the orbital parameters of seven close binaries, including six new objects, in a radial velocity survey of 38 objects comprising a hot subdwarf star with orbital periods ranging from ˜0.17 to 3 d. One new system, GALEX J2205-3141, shows reflection on an M dwarf companion. Three other objects show significant short-period variations, but their orbital parameters could not be constrained. Two systems comprising a hot subdwarf paired with a bright main-sequence/giant companion display short-period photometric variations possibly due to irradiation or stellar activity and are also short-period candidates. All except two candidates were drawn from a selection of subluminous stars in the Galaxy Evolution Explorer ultraviolet sky survey. Our new identifications also include a low-mass subdwarf B star and likely progenitor of a low-mass white dwarf (GALEX J0805-1058) paired with an unseen, possibly substellar, companion. The mass functions of the newly identified binaries imply minimum secondary masses ranging from 0.03 to 0.39 M⊙. Photometric time series suggest that, apart from GALEX J0805-1058 and J2205-3141, the companions are most likely white dwarfs. We update the binary population statistics: close to 40 per cent of hot subdwarfs have a companion. Also, we found that the secondary mass distribution shows a low-mass peak attributed to late-type dwarfs, and a higher mass peak and tail distribution attributed to white dwarfs and a few spectroscopic composites. Also, we found that the population kinematics imply an old age and include a few likely halo population members.

Safety and efficacy of an intra-oral electrostimulator for the relief of dry mouth in patients with chronic graft versus host disease: Case series.

PubMed

Zadik, Yehuda; Zeevi, Itai; Luboshitz-Shon, Noa; Dakwar, Nasri; Wolff, Andy; Shapira, Michael Y; Or, Reuven; Elad, Sharon

2014-05-01

Patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) often suffer from dry mouth and oral mucosal lesions. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the safety of an intra-oral electrostimulator (GenNarino) in symptomatic cGVHD patients. The secondary objective was to study the impact on the salivary gland involvement of cGVHD patients. This paper presents a case series. The study included patients treated for 4 weeks, randomly assigned to the active device and then crossed-over to a sham-device or vice versa. The patients and clinicians were blind to the treatment delivered. Data regarding oral mucosal and salivary gland involvement were collected. Six patients were included in this series. Most of the intraoral areas with manifestations of cGVHD were not in contact with the GenNarino device. Two patients developed mild mucosal lesions in areas in contact with the GenNarino during the study. However, only one of them had a change in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) score for oral cGVHD. The unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rate increased in 4 out of the 5 patients included in this analysis. Symptoms of dry mouth and general oral comfort improved. This study suggests that GenNarino is safe in cGVHD patients with respect to oral tissues. Furthermore the use of GenNarino resulted in subjective and objective improvements in dry mouth symptoms. A large scale study is needed to confirm the impact and safety of GenNarino on systemic cGVHD.

The Electronic Health Record Objective Structured Clinical Examination: Assessing Student Competency in Patient Interactions While Using the Electronic Health Record.

PubMed

Biagioli, Frances E; Elliot, Diane L; Palmer, Ryan T; Graichen, Carla C; Rdesinski, Rebecca E; Ashok Kumar, Kaparaboyna; Galper, Ari B; Tysinger, James W

2017-01-01

Because many medical students do not have access to electronic health records (EHRs) in the clinical environment, simulated EHR training is necessary. Explicitly training medical students to use EHRs appropriately during patient encounters equips them to engage patients while also attending to the accuracy of the record and contributing to a culture of information safety. Faculty developed and successfully implemented an EHR objective structured clinical examination (EHR-OSCE) for clerkship students at two institutions. The EHR-OSCE objectives include assessing EHR-related communication and data management skills. The authors collected performance data for students (n = 71) at the first institution during academic years 2011-2013 and for students (n = 211) at the second institution during academic year 2013-2014. EHR-OSCE assessment checklist scores showed that students performed well in EHR-related communication tasks, such as maintaining eye contact and stopping all computer work when the patient expresses worry. Findings indicated student EHR skill deficiencies in the areas of EHR data management including medical history review, medication reconciliation, and allergy reconciliation. Most students' EHR skills failed to improve as the year progressed, suggesting that they did not gain the EHR training and experience they need in clinics and hospitals. Cross-institutional data comparisons will help determine whether differences in curricula affect students' EHR skills. National and institutional policies and faculty development are needed to ensure that students receive adequate EHR education, including hands-on experience in the clinic as well as simulated EHR practice.

Speech and Language Consequences of Unilateral Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Anne, Samantha; Lieu, Judith E C; Cohen, Michael S

2017-10-01

Objective Unilateral hearing loss has been shown to have negative consequences for speech and language development in children. The objective of this study was to systematically review the current literature to quantify the impact of unilateral hearing loss on children, with the use of objective measures of speech and language. Data Sources PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to March 2015. Manual searches of references were also completed. Review Methods All studies that described speech and language outcomes for children with unilateral hearing loss were included. Outcome measures included results from any test of speech and language that evaluated or had age-standardized norms. Due to heterogeneity of the data, quantitative analysis could not be completed. Qualitative analysis was performed on the included studies. Two independent evaluators reviewed each abstract and article. Results A total of 429 studies were identified; 13 met inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Overall, 7 studies showed poorer scores on various speech and language tests, with effects more pronounced for children with severe to profound hearing loss. Four studies did not demonstrate any difference in testing results between patients with unilateral hearing loss and those with normal hearing. Two studies that evaluated effects on speech and language longitudinally showed initial speech problems, with improvement in scores over time. Conclusions There are inconsistent data regarding effects of unilateral hearing loss on speech and language outcomes for children. The majority of recent studies suggest poorer speech and language testing results, especially for patients with severe to profound unilateral hearing loss.

Automaticity of Basic-Level Categorization Accounts for Labeling Effects in Visual Recognition Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richler, Jennifer J.; Gauthier, Isabel; Palmeri, Thomas J.

2011-01-01

Are there consequences of calling objects by their names? Lupyan (2008) suggested that overtly labeling objects impairs subsequent recognition memory because labeling shifts stored memory representations of objects toward the category prototype (representational shift hypothesis). In Experiment 1, we show that processing objects at the basic…

Preparing Instructional Objectives: Agony or Ecstasy?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Wesley K.

This paper 1) discusses the problems encountered in preparing objectives for instructional programs; 2) describes an informal research project in which seven instructional designers working on the same project attempted to determine agreement on an objective; and 3) suggests how to prepare objectives so that difficulties can be minimized. One…

Importance of perceptual representation in the visual control of action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loomis, Jack M.; Beall, Andrew C.; Kelly, Jonathan W.; Macuga, Kristen L.

2005-03-01

In recent years, many experiments have demonstrated that optic flow is sufficient for visually controlled action, with the suggestion that perceptual representations of 3-D space are superfluous. In contrast, recent research in our lab indicates that some visually controlled actions, including some thought to be based on optic flow, are indeed mediated by perceptual representations. For example, we have demonstrated that people are able to perform complex spatial behaviors, like walking, driving, and object interception, in virtual environments which are rendered visible solely by cyclopean stimulation (random-dot cinematograms). In such situations, the absence of any retinal optic flow that is correlated with the objects and surfaces within the virtual environment means that people are using stereo-based perceptual representations to perform the behavior. The fact that people can perform such behaviors without training suggests that the perceptual representations are likely the same as those used when retinal optic flow is present. Other research indicates that optic flow, whether retinal or a more abstract property of the perceptual representation, is not the basis for postural control, because postural instability is related to perceived relative motion between self and the visual surroundings rather than to optic flow, even in the abstract sense.

Contrasting Semantic versus Inhibitory Processing in the Angular Gyrus: An fMRI Study.

PubMed

Lewis, Gwyneth A; Poeppel, David; Murphy, Gregory L

2018-06-06

Recent studies of semantic memory have focused on dissociating the neural bases of two foundational components of human thought: taxonomic categories, which group similar objects like dogs and seals based on features, and thematic categories, which group dissimilar objects like dogs and leashes based on events. While there is emerging consensus that taxonomic concepts are represented in the anterior temporal lobe, there is disagreement over whether thematic concepts are represented in the angular gyrus (AG). We previously found AG sensitivity to both kinds of concepts; however, some accounts suggest that such activity reflects inhibition of irrelevant information rather than thematic activation. To test these possibilities, an fMRI experiment investigated both types of conceptual relations in the AG during two semantic judgment tasks. Each task trained participants to give negative responses (inhibition) or positive responses (activation) to word pairs based on taxonomic and thematic criteria of relatedness. Results showed AG engagement during both negative judgments and thematic judgments, but not during positive judgments about taxonomic pairs. Together, the results suggest that activity in the AG reflects functions that include both thematic (but not taxonomic) processing and inhibiting irrelevant semantic information.

Optical contact micrometer

DOEpatents

Jacobson, Steven D.

2014-08-19

Certain examples provide optical contact micrometers and methods of use. An example optical contact micrometer includes a pair of opposable lenses to receive an object and immobilize the object in a position. The example optical contact micrometer includes a pair of opposable mirrors positioned with respect to the pair of lenses to facilitate viewing of the object through the lenses. The example optical contact micrometer includes a microscope to facilitate viewing of the object through the lenses via the mirrors; and an interferometer to obtain one or more measurements of the object.

Effects of object asymmetry on visual attention.

PubMed

Maguire, Anne M; Bates, Timothy C; Boycott, Noël; Corballis, Michael C

2002-01-01

Unilateral neglect has been demonstrated relative to the intrinsic left side of objects, even when presented in the preserved hemispace. These results have been interpreted as evidence of an object-centered reference frame. In the present study, neurologically normal individuals were presented with letter stimuli having distinguishing features to the right (R) or left (J) of their intrinsic midline, shown in normal and mirror parity, and in six angle rotations. RTs confirmed that participants rotated the letters to the upright to decide parity: such rotation would align the object-centered and viewer-centered frames of reference, suggesting that not controlling for mental rotation would confound this effect. In addition, a dot, presented lateral to the main letter stimulus, resulted in quicker parity decisions when on the maximally-informative side of the letter. Together, the results suggest that apparent object-centered neglect may arise from the combined effects of mental rotation and within-object information asymmetries.

Methods and consequences of including feed intake and efficiency in genetic selection for multiple-trait merit.

PubMed

Barwick, Stephen A; Henzell, Anthony L; Walmsley, Brad J; Johnston, David J; Banks, Robert G

2018-05-04

Methods are presented for including feed intake and efficiency in genetic selection for multiple-trait merit when commercial production is from any combination of pasture or concentrates. Consequences for the production system and for individual animals are illustrated with a beef cattle example. Residual feed intake at pasture (RFI-p), residual feed intake in the feedlot (RFI-f), and cow condition score are additional traits of the breeding objective. Feed requirement change is costed in the economic values of other objective traits. Selection responses are examined when feed costs are ignored, partially or fully included in the breeding objective, and when net feed intake (NFI) EBVs are added to the index. When all feed cost was included and NFI EBVs were in the index, selection (with selection intensity, i = 1) increased production system $ net return by 6.0%, $ per unit of product by 5.2%, $ per unit of feed by 6.6%, total product by 0.7% and product per unit of feed by 1.3%. There was little change in production system total feed. When feed cost was ignored, selection decreased production system $ net return, $ per unit of product, and $ per unit of feed. At the individual trait level, when feed was fully included there were increases in weaning weight-direct (0.8 kg), feedlot entry weight (1.4 kg), dressing % (0.04%), carcass meat % (0.36%), carcase fat depth (0.12 mm), carcass marbling score (0.02 score), cow condition score (0.01 score), calving ease-direct (0.97%), calving ease-maternal (0.22%) and cow weaning rate (1.3%), and decreases in weaning weight-maternal (-0.9 kg), RFI-p (-0.09 kg DM/d), RFI-f (-0.11 kg DM/d), sale weight (-1.6 kg) and cow weight (-8.7 kg). Gains were evident over a range of feed price. Selection for $ net return also increased $ net return per unit of feed, suggesting that $ net return per unit area would increase in grazing industries. Feed cost for trait change was the source of a major genotype × environment interaction affecting animal rankings. Where industry production environments vary, and feed cost for trait change varies with the environment, we recommend that industry indexes be derived for more than one level of feed cost. Cow condition score did not decline while biological and economic efficiency of the production system and individual animal were improving, suggesting that efficiency can be improved under multiple-trait selection without compromising breeding cow welfare.