Novel Co(III)/Co(II) mixed valence compound [Co(bapen)Br2]2[CoBr4] (bapen = N,N‧-bis(3-aminopropyl)ethane-1,2-diamine): Synthesis, crystal structure and magnetic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smolko, Lukáš; Černák, Juraj; Kuchár, Juraj; Miklovič, Jozef; Boča, Roman

2016-09-01

Green crystals of Co(III)/Co(II) mixed valence compound [Co(bapen)Br2]2[CoBr4] (bapen = N,N‧-bis(3-aminopropyl)ethane-1,2-diamine) were isolated from the aqueous system CoBr2 - bapen - HBr, crystallographically studied and characterized by elemental analysis and IR spectroscopy. Its ionic crystal structure is built up of [Co(bapen)Br2]+ cations and [CoBr4]2- anions. The Co(III) central atoms within the complex cations are hexacoordinated (donor set trans-N4Br2) with bromido ligands placed in the axial positions. The Co(II) atoms exhibit distorted tetrahedral coordination. Beside ionic forces weak Nsbnd H⋯Br intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions contribute to the stability of the structure. Temperature variable magnetic measurements confirm the S = 3/2 behavior with the zero-field splitting of an intermediate strength: D/hc = 8.7 cm-1.

Temperature and composition phase diagram in the iron-based ladder compounds Ba1-xCsxFe2Se3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawai, Takafumi; Nambu, Yusuke; Ohgushi, Kenya; Du, Fei; Hirata, Yasuyuki; Avdeev, Maxim; Uwatoko, Yoshiya; Sekine, Yurina; Fukazawa, Hiroshi; Ma, Jie; Chi, Songxue; Ueda, Yutaka; Yoshizawa, Hideki; Sato, Taku J.

2015-05-01

We investigated the iron-based ladder compounds (Ba,Cs ) Fe2Se3 . Their parent compounds BaFe2Se3 and CsFe2Se3 have different space groups, formal valences of Fe, and magnetic structures. Electrical resistivity, specific heat, magnetic susceptibility, x-ray diffraction, and powder neutron diffraction measurements were conducted to obtain a temperature and composition phase diagram of this system. Block magnetism observed in BaFe2Se3 is drastically suppressed with Cs doping. In contrast, stripe magnetism observed in CsFe2Se3 is not so fragile against Ba doping. A new type of magnetic structure appears in intermediate compositions, which is similar to stripe magnetism of CsFe2Se3 , but interladder spin configuration is different. Intermediate compounds show insulating behavior, nevertheless a finite T -linear contribution in specific heat was obtained at low temperatures.

Pressure-induced valence change and moderate heavy fermion state in Eu-compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Honda, Fuminori; Okauchi, Keigo; Sato, Yoshiki; Nakamura, Ai; Akamine, Hiromu; Ashitomi, Yosuke; Hedo, Masato; Nakama, Takao; Takeuchi, Tetsuya; Valenta, Jaroslav; Prchal, Jiri; Sechovský, Vladimir; Aoki, Dai; Ōnuki, Yoshichika

2018-05-01

A pressure-induced valence transition has attracted much attention in Eu-compounds. Among them, EuRh2Si2, EuNi2Ge2, and EuCo2Ge2 reveal the valence transition around 1, 2, and 3 GPa, respectively. We have succeeded in growing single crystals of EuT2X2 (T: transition metal, X: Si, Ge) and studied electronic properties under pressure. EuRh2Si2 indicates a first-order valence transition between 1 and 2 GPa, with a large and prominent hysteresis in the electrical resistivity. At higher pressures, the first-order valence transition changes to a cross-over regime with an intermediate valence state. Tuning of the valence state with pressure is reflected in a drastic change of the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity in EuRh2Si2 single crystals. Effect of pressure on the valence states on EuRh2Si2, EuIr2Si2, EuNi2Ge2, and EuCo2Ge2, as well as an isostructural related compound EuGa4, are reviewed.

Intermediate Valence Tuning and Seebeck Coefficient Optimization in Yb-based Low-Temperature Thermoelectric Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehr, Gloria; Morelli, Donald; Jin, Hyungyu; Heremans, Joseph

2014-03-01

Several Yb-based intermediate valence compounds have unique thermoelectric properties at low temperatures. These materials are interesting to study for niche applications such as cryogenic Peltier cooling of infrared sensors on satellites. Elements of different sizes, which form isostructural compounds, are used to form solid solutions creating a chemical pressure (smaller atoms - Sc) or relaxation (larger atoms - La) to alter the volume of the unit cell and thereby manipulate the average Yb valence. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show a strong correlation between the Seebeck coefficient and the ratio of trivalent to divalent Yb in these compounds. Two different Yb-based solid solution systems, Yb1-xScxAl2 and Yb1-xLaxCu2Si2, demonstrate that the concentration of Yb can be used to tune both the magnitude of the Seebeck coefficient as well as the temperature at which its absolute maximum occurs. This work is supported by Michigan State University and AFOSR-MURI ``Cryogenic Peltier Cooling'' Contract #FA9550-10-1-0533.

How does negative emotion cause false memories?

PubMed

Brainerd, C J; Stein, L M; Silveira, R A; Rohenkohl, G; Reyna, V F

2008-09-01

Remembering negative events can stimulate high levels of false memory, relative to remembering neutral events. In experiments in which the emotional valence of encoded materials was manipulated with their arousal levels controlled, valence produced a continuum of memory falsification. Falsification was highest for negative materials, intermediate for neutral materials, and lowest for positive materials. Conjoint-recognition analysis produced a simple process-level explanation: As one progresses from positive to neutral to negative valence, false memory increases because (a) the perceived meaning resemblance between false and true items increases and (b) subjects are less able to use verbatim memories of true items to suppress errors.

Context-Inappropriate Anger, Emotion Knowledge Deficits, and Negative Social Experiences in Preschool

PubMed Central

Locke, Robin L.; Miller, Alison L.; Seifer, Ronald; Heinze, Justin E.

2015-01-01

This study examined contextually-inappropriate (CI) anger in relation to emotion recognition and situation knowledge, negative social experiences, and externalizing behavior among low-income 4-year-olds attending Head Start (n=134). Approximately one-quarter of children (23%) showed anger when presented with positive/neutral slides and videos (valence-incongruent CI anger), whereas 2/5 of children (40%) showed anger when presented with negative slides and videos (valence-congruent CI anger). Valence-incongruent CI anger was associated with lower emotion situation knowledge (for boys only), more self-reported peer rejection and loneliness, and greater negative nominations by teachers and peers. Both valence-incongruent and (for boys only) valence-congruent CI anger were positively associated with externalizing behavior. Overall, valence-incongruent CI anger was more strongly associated with negative child outcomes than valence-congruent CI anger. PMID:26376288

Electronic, magnetic, transport, and thermal properties of single-crystalline UF e2A l10

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troć, R.; Samsel-Czekała, M.; Talik, E.; Wawryk, R.; Gajek, Z.; Pasturel, M.

2015-09-01

The valence and core-level x-ray photoemission spectra (XPS), performed on an UF e2A l10 single crystal, were measured using the Al Kα radiation. The results of valence XPS show practically two separate regions of spectral intensity, one just at the Fermi level (EF) and the other one being a wide content with its maximum at about 0.8 eV below EF. These give rise to two electronic configurations of the 5 f states in the studied aluminide, itinerant and localized ones, i.e., their dual character. In such a situation the corresponding valence spectra, calculated within the local density approximation (LDA), well explain the former configuration, being responsible for a metallic behavior of the studied compound. Moreover, this behavior is confirmed clearly also by our results of magnetotransport measurements. On the other hand, the obtained magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, electrical resistivity, and thermoelectric power data support very well the local character of the 5 f2 -electron configuration of the U4 + ion in UF e2A l10 having the orthorhombic and cage-type crystal structure. Based on that configuration, the magnetic and thermal characteristics of the compound were modeled by the effective crystal field (CF) potential in the intermediate coupling scheme using initial parameters obtained by the angular overlap model (AOM). The obtained final CF parameters yielded the CF level scheme, composed of only singlets, proper for orthorhombic symmetry. Such a set of singlets reproduces in a satisfactory way both the strongly anisotropic temperature variations of the magnetic susceptibility, measured along the three main crystallographic directions, as well as the Schottky anomaly, evaluated using specific heat results of isomorphic ThF e2A l10 as a phonon reference. Also, the strongly anisotropic behavior of the Seebeck coefficient and its low temperature maxima observed for the compound studied here have been explained roughly by the CF effect.

Affective experience and motivated behavior in schizophrenia spectrum disorders: Evidence from clinical and nonclinical samples.

PubMed

Lui, Simon S Y; Shi, Yan-Fang; Au, Angie C W; Li, Zhi; Tsui, Chi F; Chan, Constance K Y; Leung, Meranda M W; Wong, Peony T Y; Wang, Yi; Yan, Chao; Heerey, Erin A; Cheung, Eric F C; Chan, Raymond C K

2016-09-01

Individuals with schizophrenia have been found to exhibit emotion-behavior decoupling, particularly with respect to anticipated, rather than experienced events. However, previous research has focused on how emotion valence translates into motivated behavior, ignoring the fact that emotion arousal should also modulate emotion-behavior coupling. Few studies have examined emotion-behavior coupling in prepsychotic conditions. This investigation aimed to examine the nature and extent of emotion valence- and arousal-behavior coupling across the schizophrenia spectrum. We examine how emotional valence and arousal couple with behavior in 3 groups of individuals (25 individuals with chronic schizophrenia; 27 individuals early in the disease course, and 31 individuals reporting negative schizotypal symptoms). Participants completed a task using slides to elicit emotion and evoke motivated behavior. We compared participants with their respective matched control groups to determine differences in the correspondence between self-reported emotion valence/arousal and motivated behavior. Both groups with schizophrenia reported similar affective experiences as their controls, whereas individuals reporting negative schizotypal symptoms showed "in-the-moment" anhedonia but not emotion-behavior decoupling. In addition, the schizophrenia groups' affective experiences corresponded less well to their behavior relative to controls. Our findings suggest emotion-behavior decoupling along both valence and arousal dimensions in schizophrenia but not in participants with high levels of schizotypal symptoms. Findings appear to support the idea that emotion-behavior decoupling differs in nature and extent across the schizophrenia spectrum. Interventions to recouple emotion and behavior may be particularly helpful in allowing people with schizophrenia to gain functional independence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Reactivity of seventeen- and nineteen-valence electron complexes in organometallic chemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stiegman, Albert E.; Tyler, David R.

1986-01-01

A guideline to the reactivity of 17- and 19-valence electron species in organometallic chemistry is proposed which the authors believe will supersede all others. The thesis holds that the reactions of 17-electron metal radicals are associatively activated with reactions proceeding through a 19-valence electron species. The disparate reaction chemistry of the 17-electron metal radicals are unified in terms of this associative reaction pathway, and the intermediacy of 19-valence electron complexes in producing the observed products is discussed. It is suggested that related associatively activated pathways need to be considered in some reactions that are thought to occur by more conventional routes involving 16- and 18-electron intermediates. The basic reaction chemistry and electronic structures of these species are briefly discussed.

Electronic structure of ferromagnetic heavy fermion, YbPdSi, YbPdGe, and YbPtGe studied by photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray emission spectroscopy, and DFT + DMFT calculations

DOE PAGES

Yamaoka, Hitoshi; Thunstrom, Patrik; Tsujii, Naohito; ...

2017-11-02

Here, the electronic structures of ferromagnetic heavy fermion Yb compounds of YbPdSi, YbPdGe, and YbPtGe are studied by photoelectron spectroscopy around the Yb 4d–4f resonance, resonant x-ray emission spectroscopy at the Yb L 3 absorption edge, and density functional theory combined with dynamical mean field theory calculations. These compounds all have a temperature-independent intermediate Yb valence with largemore » $${\\rm Yb}^{3+}$$ and small $${\\rm Yb}^{2+}$$ components. The magnitude of the Yb valence is evaluated to be YbPtGe $<$ YbPdGe $$\\lesssim $$ YbPdSi, suggesting that YbPtGe is the closest to the quantum critical point among the three Yb compounds. Our results support the scenario of the coexistence of heavy fermion behavior and ferromagnetic ordering which is described by a magnetically-ordered Kondo lattice where the magnitude of the Kondo effect and the RKKY interaction are comparable.« less

Electronic structure of ferromagnetic heavy fermion, YbPdSi, YbPdGe, and YbPtGe studied by photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray emission spectroscopy, and DFT + DMFT calculations

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

Yamaoka, Hitoshi; Thunstrom, Patrik; Tsujii, Naohito

Here, the electronic structures of ferromagnetic heavy fermion Yb compounds of YbPdSi, YbPdGe, and YbPtGe are studied by photoelectron spectroscopy around the Yb 4d–4f resonance, resonant x-ray emission spectroscopy at the Yb L 3 absorption edge, and density functional theory combined with dynamical mean field theory calculations. These compounds all have a temperature-independent intermediate Yb valence with largemore » $${\\rm Yb}^{3+}$$ and small $${\\rm Yb}^{2+}$$ components. The magnitude of the Yb valence is evaluated to be YbPtGe $<$ YbPdGe $$\\lesssim $$ YbPdSi, suggesting that YbPtGe is the closest to the quantum critical point among the three Yb compounds. Our results support the scenario of the coexistence of heavy fermion behavior and ferromagnetic ordering which is described by a magnetically-ordered Kondo lattice where the magnitude of the Kondo effect and the RKKY interaction are comparable.« less

Yb7Ni4InGe12: a quaternary compound having mixed valent Yb atoms grown from indium flux.

PubMed

Subbarao, Udumula; Jana, Rajkumar; Chondroudi, Maria; Balasubramanian, Mahalingam; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G; Peter, Sebastian C

2015-03-28

The new intermetallic compound Yb7Ni4InGe12 was obtained as large silver needle shaped single crystals from reactive indium flux. Single crystal X-ray diffraction suggests that Yb7Ni4InGe12 crystallizes in the Yb7Co4InGe12 structure type, and tetragonal space group P4/m and lattice constants are a = b = 10.291(2) Å and c = 4.1460(8) Å. The crystal structure of Yb7Ni4InGe12 consists of columnar units of three different types of channels filled with the Yb atoms. The crystal structure of Yb7Ni4InGe12 is closely related to Yb5Ni4Ge10. The effective magnetic moment obtained from the magnetic susceptibility measurements in the temperature range 200-300 K is 3.66μB/Yb suggests mixed/intermediate valence behavior of ytterbium atoms. X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) confirms that Yb7Ni4InGe12 exhibits mixed valence.

(2 + 1) resonant enhanced multiphoton ionization of H2 via the E,F 1Sigma(+)g state

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rudolph, H.; Lynch, D. L.; Dixit, S. N.; Mckoy, V.; Huo, Winifred M.

1987-01-01

In this paper, the results of ab initio calculations of photoelectron angular distributions and vibrational branching ratios for the (2 + 1) resonant enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) of H2 via the E,F 1Sigma(+)g state are reported, and these are compared with the experimental data of Anderson et al. (1984). These results show that the observed non-Franck-Condon behavior is predominantly due to the R dependence of the transition matrix elements, and to a lesser degree to the energy dependence. This work presents the first molecular REMPI study employing a correlated wave function to describe the Rydberg-valence mixing in the resonant intermediate state.

Thermoelectric power as a probe of density of states in correlated actinide materials: The case of PuCoGa 5 superconductor

DOE PAGES

Gofryk, K.; Griveau, J. -C.; Riseborough, P. S.; ...

2016-11-09

We present measurements of the thermoelectric power of the plutonium-based unconventional superconductor PuCoGa 5. The data is interpreted within a phenomenological model for the quasiparticle density of states of intermediate valence systems and the results are compared with results obtained from photoemission spectroscopy. The results are consistent with intermediate valence nature of 5f-electrons, furthermore, we propose that measurements of the Seebeck coefficient can be used as a probe of density of states in this material, thereby providing a link between transport measurements and photoemission in strongly correlated materials. Here, we discuss these results and their implications for the electronic structuremore » determination of other strongly correlated systems, especially nuclear materials.« less

The impact of intonation and valence on objective and subjective attention capture by auditory alarms.

PubMed

Ljungberg, Jessica K; Parmentier, Fabrice

2012-10-01

The objective was to study the involuntary capture of attention by spoken words varying in intonation and valence. In studies of verbal alarms, the propensity of alarms to capture attention has been primarily assessed with the use of subjective ratings of their perceived urgency. Past studies suggest that such ratings vary with the alarms' spoken urgency and content. We measured attention capture by spoken words varying in valence (negative vs. neutral) and intonation (urgently vs. nonurgently spoken) through subjective ratings and behavioral measures. The key behavioral measure was the response latency to visual stimuli in the presence of spoken words breaking away from the periodical repetition of a tone. The results showed that all words captured attention relative to a baseline standard tone but that this effect was partly counteracted by a relative speeding of responses for urgently compared with nonurgently spoken words. Word valence did not affect behavioral performance. Rating data showed that both intonation and valence increased significantly perceived urgency and attention grabbing without any interaction. The data suggest a congruency between subjective ratings and behavioral performance with respect to spoken intonation but not valence. This study demonstrates the usefulness and feasibility of objective measures of attention capture to help design efficient alarm systems.

Changing the conversation: the influence of emotions on conversational valence and alcohol consumption.

PubMed

Hendriks, Hanneke; van den Putte, Bas; de Bruijn, Gert-Jan

2014-10-01

Health campaign effects may be improved by taking interpersonal communication processes into account. The current study, which employed an experimental, pretest-posttest, randomized exposure design (N = 208), investigated whether the emotions induced by anti-alcohol messages influence conversational valence about alcohol and subsequent persuasion outcomes. The study produced three main findings. First, an increase in the emotion fear induced a negative conversational valence about alcohol. Second, fear was most strongly induced by a disgusting message, whereas a humorous appeal induced the least fear. Third, a negative conversational valence elicited healthier binge drinking attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intentions, and behaviors. Thus, health campaign planners and health researchers should pay special attention to the emotional characteristics of health messages and should focus on inducing a healthy conversational valence.

Production of photocurrent due to intermediate-to-conduction-band transitions: a demonstration of a key operating principle of the intermediate-band solar cell.

PubMed

Martí, A; Antolín, E; Stanley, C R; Farmer, C D; López, N; Díaz, P; Cánovas, E; Linares, P G; Luque, A

2006-12-15

We present intermediate-band solar cells manufactured using quantum dot technology that show for the first time the production of photocurrent when two sub-band-gap energy photons are absorbed simultaneously. One photon produces an optical transition from the intermediate-band to the conduction band while the second pumps an electron from the valence band to the intermediate-band. The detection of this two-photon absorption process is essential to verify the principles of operation of the intermediate-band solar cell. The phenomenon is the cornerstone physical principle that ultimately allows the production of photocurrent in a solar cell by below band gap photon absorption, without degradation of its output voltage.

Intermediate band solar cell with extreme broadband spectrum quantum efficiency.

PubMed

Datas, A; López, E; Ramiro, I; Antolín, E; Martí, A; Luque, A; Tamaki, R; Shoji, Y; Sogabe, T; Okada, Y

2015-04-17

We report, for the first time, about an intermediate band solar cell implemented with InAs/AlGaAs quantum dots whose photoresponse expands from 250 to ∼6000  nm. To our knowledge, this is the broadest quantum efficiency reported to date for a solar cell and demonstrates that the intermediate band solar cell is capable of producing photocurrent when illuminated with photons whose energy equals the energy of the lowest band gap. We show experimental evidence indicating that this result is in agreement with the theory of the intermediate band solar cell, according to which the generation recombination between the intermediate band and the valence band makes this photocurrent detectable.

Consequences of Optimal Bond Valence on Structural Rigidity and Improved Luminescence Properties in Sr xBa 2-xSiO 4:Eu 2+ Orthosilicate Phosphors

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

Denault, Kristin A.; Brgoch, Jakoah; Gaultois, Michael W.

The orthosilicate phosphors Sr xBa 2–xSiO 4:Eu 2+ have now been known for over four decades and have found extensive recent use in solid-state white lighting. It is well-recognized in the literature and in practice that intermediate compositions in the solid-solutions between the orthosilicates Sr 2SiO 4 and Ba 2SiO 4 yield the best phosphor hosts when the thermal stability of luminescence is considered. We employ a combination of synchrotron X-ray diffraction, total scattering measurements, density functional theory calculations, and low-temperature heat capacity measurements, in conjunction with detailed temperature- and time-resolved studies of luminescence properties to understand the origins ofmore » the improved luminescence properties. We observe that in the intermediate compositions, the two cation sites in the crystal structure are optimally bonded as determined from bond valence sum calculations. Optimal bonding results in a more rigid lattice, as established by the intermediate compositions possessing the highest Debye temperature, which are determined experimentally from low-temperature heat capacity measurements. Greater rigidity in turn results in the highest luminescence efficiency for intermediate compositions at elevated temperatures.« less

Human Amygdala Represents the Complete Spectrum of Subjective Valence

PubMed Central

Jin, Jingwen; Zelano, Christina; Gottfried, Jay A.

2015-01-01

Although the amygdala is a major locus for hedonic processing, how it encodes valence information is poorly understood. Given the hedonic potency of odor stimuli and the amygdala's anatomical proximity to the peripheral olfactory system, we combined high-resolution fMRI with pattern-based multivariate techniques to examine how valence information is encoded in the amygdala. Ten human subjects underwent fMRI scanning while smelling 9 odorants that systematically varied in perceived valence. Representational similarity analyses showed that amygdala codes the entire dimension of valence, ranging from pleasantness to unpleasantness. This unidimensional representation significantly correlated with self-reported valence ratings but not with intensity ratings. Furthermore, within-trial valence representations evolved over time, prioritizing earlier differentiation of unpleasant stimuli. Together, these findings underscore the idea that both spatial and temporal features uniquely encode pleasant and unpleasant odor valence in the amygdala. The availability of a unidimensional valence code in the amygdala, distributed in both space and time, would create greater flexibility in determining the pleasantness or unpleasantness of stimuli, providing a mechanism by which expectation, context, attention, and learning could influence affective boundaries for guiding behavior. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Our findings elucidate the mechanisms of affective processing in the amygdala by demonstrating that this brain region represents the entire valence dimension from pleasant to unpleasant. An important implication of this unidimensional valence code is that pleasant and unpleasant valence cannot coexist in the amygdale because overlap of fMRI ensemble patterns for these two valence extremes obscures their unique content. This functional architecture, whereby subjective valence maps onto a pattern continuum between pleasant and unpleasant poles, offers a robust mechanism by which context, expectation, and experience could alter the set-point for valence-based behavior. Finally, identification of spatial and temporal differentiation of valence in amygdala may shed new insights into individual differences in emotional responding, with potential relevance for affective disorders. PMID:26558785

The Interaction of Arousal and Valence in Affective Priming: Behavioral and Electrophysiological Evidence

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qin; Kong, Lingyue; Jiang, Yang

2013-01-01

The affective priming paradigm has been studied extensively and applied in many fields during the past two decades. Most research thus far has focused on the valence dimension. Whether emotional arousal influences affective priming remains poorly understood. The present study demonstrates how arousal impacts evaluation of affective words using reaction time and event-related potential (ERP) measures. Eighteen younger subjects evaluated pleasantness of target words after seeing affective pictures as primes. The participants’ responses were faster and/or more accurate for valence-congruent trials than for incongruent trials, particularly with high-arousal stimuli. An ERP affective priming effect (N400) also occurred mainly in high-arousing stimulus pairs. In addition, whereas valence congruency influenced both the N400 and the LPP, arousal congruency influenced only the LPP, suggesting that arousal congruency mainly modulates post-semantic processes, but valence congruency effects begin with semantic processes. Overall, our current findings indicate that the arousal level of visual images impacts both behavioral and ERP effects of affective priming. Section Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience PMID:22820299

The temporal dynamics of reversal learning: P3 amplitude predicts valence-specific behavioral adjustment.

PubMed

Donaldson, Kayla R; Ait Oumeziane, Belel; Hélie, Sebastien; Foti, Dan

2016-07-01

Adapting behavior to dynamic stimulus-reward contingences is a core feature of reversal learning and a capacity thought to be critical to socio-emotional behavior. Impairment in reversal learning has been linked to multiple psychiatric outcomes, including depression, Parkinson's disorder, and substance abuse. A recent influential study introduced an innovative laboratory reversal-learning paradigm capable of disentangling the roles of feedback valence and expectancy. Here, we sought to use this paradigm in order to examine the time-course of reward and punishment learning using event-related potentials among a large, representative sample (N=101). Three distinct phases of processing were examined: initial feedback evaluation (reward positivity, or RewP), allocation of attention (P3), and sustained processing (late positive potential, or LPP). Results indicate a differential pattern of valence and expectancy across these processing stages: the RewP was uniquely related to valence (i.e., positive vs. negative feedback), the P3 was uniquely associated with expectancy (i.e., unexpected vs. expected feedback), and the LPP was sensitive to both valence and expectancy (i.e., main effects of each, but no interaction). The link between ERP amplitudes and behavioral performance was strongest for the P3, and this association was valence-specific. Overall, these findings highlight the potential utility of the P3 as a neural marker for feedback processing in reversal-based learning and establish a foundation for future research in clinical populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How Context Influences Our Perception of Emotional Faces: A Behavioral Study on the Kuleshov Effect.

PubMed

Calbi, Marta; Heimann, Katrin; Barratt, Daniel; Siri, Francesca; Umiltà, Maria A; Gallese, Vittorio

2017-01-01

Facial expressions are of major importance in understanding the mental and emotional states of others. So far, most studies on the perception and comprehension of emotions have used isolated facial expressions as stimuli; for example, photographs of actors displaying facial expressions corresponding to one of the so called 'basic emotions.' However, our real experience during social interactions is different: facial expressions of emotion are mostly perceived in a wider context, constituted by body language, the surrounding environment, and our beliefs and expectations. Already in the early twentieth century, the Russian filmmaker Lev Kuleshov argued that such context, established by intermediate shots of strong emotional content, could significantly change our interpretation of facial expressions in film. Prior experiments have shown behavioral effects pointing in this direction, but have only used static images as stimuli. Our study used a more ecological design with participants watching film sequences of neutral faces, crosscut with scenes of strong emotional content (evoking happiness or fear, plus neutral stimuli as a baseline condition). The task was to rate the emotion displayed by a target person's face in terms of valence, arousal, and category. Results clearly demonstrated the presence of a significant effect in terms of both valence and arousal in the fear condition only. Moreover, participants tended to categorize the target person's neutral facial expression choosing the emotion category congruent with the preceding context. Our results highlight the context-sensitivity of emotions and the importance of studying them under ecologically valid conditions.

Emotional valence and arousal interact in attentional control.

PubMed

Jefferies, Lisa N; Smilek, Daniel; Eich, Eric; Enns, James T

2008-03-01

A recent study demonstrated that observers' ability to identify targets in a rapid visual sequence was enhanced when they simultaneously listened to happy music. In the study reported here, we examined how the emotion-attention relationship is influenced by changes in both mood valence (negative vs. positive) and arousal (low vs. high). We used a standard induction procedure to generate calm, happy, sad, and anxious moods in participants. Results for an attentional blink task showed no differences in first-target accuracy, but second-target accuracy was highest for participants with low arousal and negative affect (sad), lowest for those with strong arousal and negative affect (anxious), and intermediate for those with positive affect regardless of their arousal (calm, happy). We discuss implications of this valence-arousal interaction for the control of visual attention.

Dramatic change of photoexcited quasiparticle relaxation dynamics across Yb valence state transition in YbInCu4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, M. Y.; Chen, R. Y.; Dong, T.; Wang, N. L.

2017-04-01

YbInCu4 undergoes a first-order structural phase transition near Tv=40 K associated with an abrupt change of Yb valence state. We perform an ultrafast pump-probe measurement on YbInCu4 and find that the expected heavy-fermion properties arising from the c -f hybridization exist only in a limited temperature range above Tv. Below Tv, the compound behaves as a normal metal though a prominent hybridization energy gap is still present in the infrared measurement. We elaborate that those seemingly controversial phenomena could be well explained by assuming that the Fermi level suddenly shifts up and moves away from the flat f -electron band as well as the indirect hybridization energy gap in the intermediate valence state below Tv.

Tetrathionate and Elemental Sulfur Shape the Isotope Composition of Sulfate in Acid Mine Drainage

PubMed Central

Balci, Nurgul; Brunner, Benjamin; Turchyn, Alexandra V.

2017-01-01

Sulfur compounds in intermediate valence states, for example elemental sulfur, thiosulfate, and tetrathionate, are important players in the biogeochemical sulfur cycle. However, key understanding about the pathways of oxidation involving mixed-valance state sulfur species is still missing. Here we report the sulfur and oxygen isotope fractionation effects during the oxidation of tetrathionate (S4O62−) and elemental sulfur (S°) to sulfate in bacterial cultures in acidic conditions. Oxidation of tetrathionate by Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans produced thiosulfate, elemental sulfur and sulfate. Up to 34% of the tetrathionate consumed by the bacteria could not be accounted for in sulfate or other intermediate-valence state sulfur species over the experiments. The oxidation of tetrathionate yielded sulfate that was initially enriched in 34S (ε34SSO4−S4O6) by +7.9‰, followed by a decrease to +1.4‰ over the experiment duration, with an average ε34SSO4−S4O6 of +3.5 ± 0.2‰ after a month of incubation. We attribute this significant sulfur isotope fractionation to enzymatic disproportionation reactions occurring during tetrathionate decomposition, and to the incomplete transformation of tetrathionate into sulfate. The oxygen isotope composition of sulfate (δ18OSO4) from the tetrathionate oxidation experiments indicate that 62% of the oxygen in the formed sulfate was derived from water. The remaining 38% of the oxygen was either inherited from the supplied tetrathionate, or supplied from dissolved atmospheric oxygen (O2). During the oxidation of elemental sulfur, the product sulfate became depleted in 34S between −1.8 and 0‰ relative to the elemental sulfur with an average for ε34SSO4−S0 of −0.9 ± 0.2‰ and all the oxygen atoms in the sulfate derived from water with an average normal oxygen isotope fractionation (ε18OSO4−H2O) of −4.4‰. The differences observed in δ18OSO4 and the sulfur isotope composition of sulfate (δ34SSO4), acid production, and mixed valence state sulfur species generated by the oxidation of the two different substrates suggests a metabolic flexibility in response to sulfur substrate availability. Our results demonstrate that microbial processing of mixed-valence-state sulfur species generates a significant sulfur isotope fractionation in acidic environments and oxidation of mixed-valence state sulfur species may produce sulfate with characteristic sulfur and oxygen isotope signatures. Elemental sulfur and tetrathionate are not only intermediate-valence state sulfur compounds that play a central role in sulfur oxidation pathways, but also key factors in shaping these isotope patterns. PMID:28861071

Levels of Valence

PubMed Central

Shuman, Vera; Sander, David; Scherer, Klaus R.

2013-01-01

The distinction between the positive and the negative is fundamental in our emotional life. In appraisal theories, in particular in the component process model of emotion (Scherer, 1984, 2010), qualitatively different types of valence are proposed based on appraisals of (un)pleasantness, goal obstructiveness/conduciveness, low or high power, self-(in)congruence, and moral badness/goodness. This multifaceted conceptualization of valence is highly compatible with the frequent observation of mixed feelings in real life. However, it seems to contradict the one-dimensional conceptualization of valence often encountered in psychological theories, and the notion of valence as a common currency used to explain choice behavior. Here, we propose a framework to integrate the seemingly disparate conceptualizations of multifaceted valence and one-dimensional valence by suggesting that valence should be conceived at different levels, micro and macro. Micro-valences correspond to qualitatively different types of evaluations, potentially resulting in mixed feelings, whereas one-dimensional macro-valence corresponds to an integrative “common currency” to compare alternatives for choices. We propose that conceptualizing levels of valence may focus research attention on the mechanisms that relate valence at one level (micro) to valence at another level (macro), leading to new hypotheses, and addressing various concerns that have been raised about the valence concept, such as the valence-emotion relation. PMID:23717292

Naïve Definitions of Action and Inaction: The Continuum, Spread, and Valence of Behaviors

PubMed Central

McCulloch, Kathleen C.; Li, Hong; Hong, Sungjin; Albarracin, Dolores

2011-01-01

The cohesiveness of a society depends, in part, on how its individual members manage their daily activities with respect to the goals of that society. Hence, there should be a degree of social agreement on what constitutes action and what constitutes inaction. The present research investigated the structure of action and inaction definitions, the evaluation of action versus inaction, and individual differences in these evaluations. Action-inaction ratings of behaviors and states showed more social agreement at the ends of the inaction-action continuum than at the middle, suggesting a socially shared construal of this definition. Action-inaction ratings were also shown to correlate with the valence of the rated behaviors, such that the more active the behavior the more positive its valence. Lastly, individual differences in locomotion, need for closure, and Christian religious beliefs correlated positively with a preference for action. PMID:23487013

Magnetic-field induced quantum critical points of valence transition in Ce- and Yb-based heavy fermions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Shinji; Tsuruta, Atsushi; Miyake, Kazumasa; Flouquet, Jacques

2009-03-01

Valence instability and its critical fluctuations have attracted much attention recently in the heavy-electron systems. Valence fluctuations are essentially charge fluctuations, and it is highly non-trivial how the quantum critical point (QCP) as well as the critical end point is controlled by the magnetic field. To clarify this fundamental issue, we have studied the mechanism of how the critical points of the first-order valence transitions are controlled by the magnetic field [1]. We show that the critical temperature is suppressed to be the QCP by the magnetic field and unexpectedly the QCP exhibits nonmonotonic field dependence in the ground-state phase diagram, giving rise to emergence of metamagnetism even in the intermediate valence-crossover regime. The driving force of the field-induced QCP is clarified to be a cooperative phenomenon of Zeeman effect and Kondo effect, which creates a distinct energy scale from the Kondo temperature. This mechanism explains a peculiar magnetic response in CeIrIn5 and metamagnetic transition in YbXCu4 for X=In as well as a sharp contrast between X=Ag and Cd. We present the novel phenomena under the magnetic field to discuss significance of the proximity of the critical points of the first-order valence transition. [1] S. Watanabe et al. PRL100, (2008) 236401.

How Context Influences Our Perception of Emotional Faces: A Behavioral Study on the Kuleshov Effect

PubMed Central

Calbi, Marta; Heimann, Katrin; Barratt, Daniel; Siri, Francesca; Umiltà, Maria A.; Gallese, Vittorio

2017-01-01

Facial expressions are of major importance in understanding the mental and emotional states of others. So far, most studies on the perception and comprehension of emotions have used isolated facial expressions as stimuli; for example, photographs of actors displaying facial expressions corresponding to one of the so called ‘basic emotions.’ However, our real experience during social interactions is different: facial expressions of emotion are mostly perceived in a wider context, constituted by body language, the surrounding environment, and our beliefs and expectations. Already in the early twentieth century, the Russian filmmaker Lev Kuleshov argued that such context, established by intermediate shots of strong emotional content, could significantly change our interpretation of facial expressions in film. Prior experiments have shown behavioral effects pointing in this direction, but have only used static images as stimuli. Our study used a more ecological design with participants watching film sequences of neutral faces, crosscut with scenes of strong emotional content (evoking happiness or fear, plus neutral stimuli as a baseline condition). The task was to rate the emotion displayed by a target person’s face in terms of valence, arousal, and category. Results clearly demonstrated the presence of a significant effect in terms of both valence and arousal in the fear condition only. Moreover, participants tended to categorize the target person’s neutral facial expression choosing the emotion category congruent with the preceding context. Our results highlight the context-sensitivity of emotions and the importance of studying them under ecologically valid conditions. PMID:29046652

Evidence that attitude accessibility augments the relationship between speeding attitudes and speeding behavior: a test of the MODE model in the context of driving.

PubMed

Elliott, Mark A; Lee, Emme; Robertson, Jamie S; Innes, Rhona

2015-01-01

According to the MODE model of attitude-to-behavior processes, attitude accessibility augments attitude-behavior correspondence, reflecting an automatic influence of attitudes on behavior. We therefore tested whether attitude accessibility moderates the attitude-behavior relationship in a context that is governed by characteristically automatic behavior, namely driving. In study 1 (correlational design), participants (N=130) completed online questionnaire measures of the valences and accessibilities of their attitudes towards speeding. Two weeks later, online questionnaire measures of subsequent speeding behavior were obtained. Attitude valence was a significantly better predictor of behavior at high (mean+1SD) versus low (mean-1SD) levels of attitude accessibility. In study 2 (experimental design), attitude accessibility was manipulated with a repeated attitude expression task. Immediately after the manipulation, participants (N=122) completed online questionnaire measures of attitude valence and accessibility, and two weeks later, subsequent speeding behavior. Increased attitude accessibility in the experimental (versus control) condition generated an increase in attitude-behavior correspondence. The findings are consistent with the MODE model's proposition that attitudes can exert an automatic influence on behavior. Interventions to reduce speeding could usefully increase the accessibility of anti-speeding attitudes and reduce the accessibility of pro-speeding attitudes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feedback-related negativity codes outcome valence, but not outcome expectancy, during reversal learning.

PubMed

von Borries, A K L; Verkes, R J; Bulten, B H; Cools, R; de Bruijn, E R A

2013-12-01

Optimal behavior depends on the ability to assess the predictive value of events and to adjust behavior accordingly. Outcome processing can be studied by using its electrophysiological signatures--that is, the feedback-related negativity (FRN) and the P300. A prominent reinforcement-learning model predicts an FRN on negative prediction errors, as well as implying a role for the FRN in learning and the adaptation of behavior. However, these predictions have recently been challenged. Notably, studies so far have used tasks in which the outcomes have been contingent on the response. In these paradigms, the need to adapt behavioral responses is present only for negative, not for positive feedback. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of positive as well as negative violations of expectancy on FRN amplitudes, without the usual confound of behavioral adjustments. A reversal-learning task was employed in which outcome value and outcome expectancy were orthogonalized; that is, both positive and negative outcomes were equally unexpected. The results revealed a double dissociation, with effects of valence but not expectancy on the FRN and, conversely, effects of expectancy but not valence on the P300. While FRN amplitudes were largest for negative-outcome trials, irrespective of outcome expectancy, P300 amplitudes were largest for unexpected-outcome trials, irrespective of outcome valence. These FRN effects were interpreted to reflect an evaluation along a good-bad dimension, rather than reflecting a negative prediction error or a role in behavioral adaptation. By contrast, the P300 reflects the updating of information relevant for behavior in a changing context.

Contextual blending of ingroup/outgroup face stimuli and word valence: LPP modulation and convergence of measures.

PubMed

Hurtado, Esteban; Haye, Andrés; González, Ramiro; Manes, Facundo; Ibáñez, Agustiń

2009-06-26

Several event related potential (ERP) studies have investigated the time course of different aspects of evaluative processing in social bias research. Various reports suggest that the late positive potential (LPP) is modulated by basic evaluative processes, and some reports suggest that in-/outgroup relative position affects ERP responses. In order to study possible LPP blending between facial race processing and semantic valence (positive or negative words), we recorded ERPs while indigenous and non-indigenous participants who were matched by age and gender performed an implicit association test (IAT). The task involved categorizing faces (ingroup and outgroup) and words (positive and negative). Since our paradigm implies an evaluative task with positive and negative valence association, a frontal distribution of LPPs similar to that found in previous reports was expected. At the same time, we predicted that LPP valence lateralization would be modulated not only by positive/negative associations but also by particular combinations of valence, face stimuli and participant relative position. Results showed that, during an IAT, indigenous participants with greater behavioral ingroup bias displayed a frontal LPP that was modulated in terms of complex contextual associations involving ethnic group and valence. The LPP was lateralized to the right for negative valence stimuli and to the left for positive valence stimuli. This valence lateralization was influenced by the combination of valence and membership type relevant to compatibility with prejudice toward a minority. Behavioral data from the IAT and an explicit attitudes questionnaire were used to clarify this finding and showed that ingroup bias plays an important role. Both ingroup favoritism and indigenous/non-indigenous differences were consistently present in the data. Our results suggest that frontal LPP is elicited by contextual blending of evaluative judgments of in-/outgroup information and positive vs. negative valence association and confirm recent research relating in-/outgroup ERP modulation and frontal LPP. LPP modulation may cohere with implicit measures of attitudes. The convergence of measures that were observed supports the idea that racial and valence evaluations are strongly influenced by context. This result adds to a growing set of evidence concerning contextual sensitivity of different measures of prejudice.

Inelastic collisions of positrons with one-valence-electron targets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdel-Raouf, Mohamed Assad

1990-01-01

The total elastic and positronium formation cross sections of the inelastic collisions between positrons and various one-valence-electron atoms, (namely hydrogen, lithium, sodium, potassium and rubidium), and one-valence-electron ions, (namely hydrogen-like, lithium-like and alkaline-earth positive ions) are determined using an elaborate modified coupled-static approximation. Special attention is devoted to the behavior of the Ps cross sections at the energy regions lying above the Ps formation thresholds.

Nucleus accumbens GABAergic inhibition generates intense eating and fear that resists environmental retuning and needs no dopamine

PubMed Central

Richard, Jocelyn M.; Plawecki, Andrea M.; Berridge, Kent C.

2013-01-01

Intense fearful behavior and/or intense appetitive eating behavior can be generated by localized amino acid inhibitions along a rostrocaudal anatomical gradient within medial shell of nucleus accumbens of the rat. This can be produced by microinjections in medial shell of either the GABAA agonist muscimol (mimicking intrinsic GABAergic inputs) or the AMPA antagonist DNQX (disrupting corticolimbic glutamate inputs). At rostral sites in medial shell, each drug robustly stimulates appetitive eating and food intake, whereas at more caudal sites the same drugs instead produce increasingly fearful behaviors such as escape, distress vocalizations, and defensive treading (an antipredator behavior rodents emit to snakes and scorpions). Previously we showed that intense motivated behaviors generated by glutamate blockade require local endogenous dopamine and can be modulated in valence by environmental ambience. Here we investigated whether GABAergic generation of intense appetitive and fearful motivations similarly depends on local dopamine signals, and whether the valence of motivations generated by GABAergic inhibition can also be retuned by changes in environmental ambience. We report that the answer to both questions is ‘no’. Eating and fear generated by GABAergic inhibition of accumbens shell does not need endogenous dopamine. Also, the appetitive/fearful valence generated by GABAergic muscimol microinjections resists environmental retuning and is determined almost purely by rostrocaudal anatomical placement. These results suggest that NAc GABAergic release of fear and eating are relatively independent of modulatory dopamine signals, and more anatomically pre-determined in valence balance than release of the same intense behaviors by glutamate disruptions. PMID:23551138

Temperature and composition phase diagram in the iron-based ladder compounds Ba 1 - x Cs x Fe 2 Se 3

DOE PAGES

Hawai, Takafumi; Nambu, Yusuke; Ohgushi, Kenya; ...

2015-05-28

We investigated the iron-based ladder compounds (Ba,Cs)Fe₂Se₃. Their parent compounds BaFe₂Se₃ and CsFe₂Se₃ have different space groups, formal valences of Fe, and magnetic structures. Electrical resistivity, specific heat, magnetic susceptibility, x-ray diffraction, and powder neutron diffraction measurements were conducted to obtain a temperature and composition phase diagram of this system. Block magnetism observed in BaFe₂Se₃ is drastically suppressed with Cs doping. In contrast, stripe magnetism observed in CsFe₂Se₃ is not so fragile against Ba doping. A new type of magnetic structure appears in intermediate compositions, which is similar to stripe magnetism of CsFe₂Se₃, but interladder spin configuration is different. Intermediatemore » compounds show insulating behavior, nevertheless a finite T-linear contribution in specific heat was obtained at low temperatures.« less

Architectural Representation of Valence in the Limbic System

PubMed Central

Namburi, Praneeth; Al-Hasani, Ream; Calhoon, Gwendolyn G; Bruchas, Michael R; Tye, Kay M

2016-01-01

In order to thrive, animals must be able to recognize aversive and appetitive stimuli within the environment and subsequently initiate appropriate behavioral responses. This assignment of positive or negative valence to a stimulus is a key feature of emotional processing, the neural substrates of which have been a topic of study for several decades. Until recently, the result of this work has been the identification of specific brain regions, such as the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc), as important to valence encoding. The advent of modern tools in neuroscience has allowed further dissection of these regions to identify specific populations of neurons signaling the valence of environmental stimuli. In this review, we focus upon recent work examining the mechanisms of valence encoding, and provide a model for the systematic investigation of valence within anatomically-, genetically-, and functionally defined populations of neurons. PMID:26647973

Curvilinear relationship between phonological working memory load and social-emotional modulation

PubMed Central

Mano, Quintino R.; Brown, Gregory G.; Bolden, Khalima; Aupperle, Robin; Sullivan, Sarah; Paulus, Martin P.; Stein, Murray B.

2015-01-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that working memory load is an important factor for the interplay between cognitive and facial-affective processing. However, it is unclear how distraction caused by perception of faces interacts with load-related performance. We developed a modified version of the delayed match-to-sample task wherein task-irrelevant facial distracters were presented early in the rehearsal of pseudoword memoranda that varied incrementally in load size (1-syllable, 2-syllables, or 3-syllables). Facial distracters displayed happy, sad, or neutral expressions in Experiment 1 (N=60) and happy, fearful, or neutral expressions in Experiment 2 (N=29). Facial distracters significantly disrupted task performance in the intermediate load condition (2-syllable) but not in the low or high load conditions (1- and 3-syllables, respectively), an interaction replicated and generalised in Experiment 2. All facial distracters disrupted working memory in the intermediate load condition irrespective of valence, suggesting a primary and general effect of distraction caused by faces. However, sad and fearful faces tended to be less disruptive than happy faces, suggesting a secondary and specific valence effect. Working memory appears to be most vulnerable to social-emotional information at intermediate loads. At low loads, spare capacity is capable of accommodating the combinatorial load (1-syllable plus facial distracter), whereas high loads maximised capacity and deprived facial stimuli from occupying working memory slots to cause disruption. PMID:22928750

Emotional Dimensions of Music and Painting and their Interaction.

PubMed

Campos-Bueno, J J; DeJuan-Ayala, O; Montoya, Pedro; Birbaumer, N

2015-07-20

Usually it is accepted that human manifestations such as music or painting share a common artistic trait. However, very little is known about the genetic, behavioral, developmental and neurobiological basis of such a musical-pictorial "universal". In an attempt to approach commonalities and differences between the psychology of music and pictorial art in Experiment 1 we investigated the emotional dimensions valence and arousal in a large sample (N =156, M age = 21,44 years, SD = 3,89 years, range = 16-35 years) using a representative selection of musical and pictorial artistic stimuli. We found a stronger variability of valence and arousal with paintings and stronger effects of music on valence. In Experiment 2 (N =202, M age = 21,35 years, SD = 3,57 years, range = 16-35 years) we present first quantitative data on the interaction between the two artistic categories of stimuli on a behavioral level, again observing effects of pictorial art and music on valence and arousal. Furthermore in Experiment 2 we replicated a more pronounced effect of music on the valence of pictures, particularly on positive valence the results of the ANOVA showed an increase in group A2: F(1, 120) = 6.23, p < .05, in group C2: F(1, 120) = 89.03, p < .001, and a surprisingly emotionally negative influence of pleasant paintings on the positive valence of music, group A1: F(1, 127) = 19.69, p < .001. Despite the unresolved problem of non-representativeness of the stimuli and the sample selected these results may suggest superior emotional "power" of music over painting.

The influence of positive and negative emotional associations on semantic processing in depression: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Sass, Katharina; Habel, Ute; Kellermann, Thilo; Mathiak, Klaus; Gauggel, Siegfried; Kircher, Tilo

2014-02-01

In depression, patients suffer from emotional and cognitive deficits, among others in semantic processing. If these semantic deficits are cognitive or interact with emotional dysfunctions, is still an open question. The aim of the current study was to investigate the influence of emotional valence on the neural correlates of semantic priming in major depression. In a lexical decision task, positive, negative, and neutral word pairs were presented during fMRI measurement. Nineteen inpatients and 19 demographically matched controls were recruited. Behaviorally, positive and neutral valence induced a priming effect whereas negative valence induced no effect (controls) or even inhibition (slower RT for related stimuli) in patients. At the neural level, the semantic relation effect revealed similar neural activation in right middle frontal regions for patients and controls. Group differences emerged in the right fusiform gyrus and the ACC. Activity associated with positive valence differed at the DLPFC and amygdala and for negative valence at putamen and cerebellum. The activation of amygdala and DLPFC correlated negatively with the severity of depression. To conclude, semantic processing deficits in depression are modulated by emotional valence of the stimulus on the behavioral as well as on neural level in right-lateralized prefrontal areas and the amygdala. The results highlighted an influence of depression severity on emotion information processing as the severity of symptoms correlated negatively with neural responses to positively and negatively valenced information. Hence, the dysfunctional emotion processing may further enhance the cognitive deficits in depression. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Attributions, affect, and behavior in abuse-risk mothers: a laboratory study.

PubMed

Dadds, Mark R; Mullins, Miranda J; McAllister, Ross A; Atkinson, Erin

2003-01-01

There were two main aims: first, to assess parental attributions about child behavior in abuse-risk and nonclinic parents. Second, to assess how attributions predict affective and behavioral reactions to child behavior. Internal-external attributions relating to the causes of child behavior were compared across mothers at-risk of child abuse (n = 40) and mothers who reported no significant parental or child conduct or behavior problems (n = 20). Mothers' attributions about the causes of the behavior of their own child and an unfamiliar child were recorded in response to the presentation of videotaped excerpts of the behavior. Results highlighted that compared with nonclinic mothers, abuse-risk mothers had a tendency to attribute positive child behavior to more external causes and negative child behavior to more internal causes. Differences were also found between parental cognitions about clearly positive, clearly naughty, and ambiguous child behavior. In the abuse-risk group, positive child behavior predicted coercive parenting when it elicited angry feelings in the mother; ambiguous and naughty child behavior led to coercive parenting through valence ratings of "deviant" and attributions of "internality." Analyses within the abuse-risk group showed that parental attributions are predictive of parental coerciveness for unfamiliar behavior. As behavior becomes more familiar, ratings of its valence and the affect it elicits override attributional activity. Parental attributions about the causes of child behavior differ according to the valence and familiarity of that behavior, and discriminate between parents at risk for child abuse. Further, attributions are predictive of the affective and behavioral responses the parent makes to the child's behavior for ambiguous or unfamiliar behavior. Evidence was found for the validity of using videotaped stimuli of the behavior of known and unknown children as a method of assessing parental attributions. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Spontaneous trait inference and spontaneous trait transference are both unaffected by prior evaluations of informants.

PubMed

Zengel, Bettina; Ambler, James K; McCarthy, Randy J; Skowronski, John J

2017-01-01

This article reports results from a study in which participants encountered either (a) previously known informants who were positive (e.g. Abraham Lincoln), neutral (e.g., Jay Leno), or negative (e.g., Adolf Hitler), or (b) previously unknown informants. The informants ostensibly described either a trait-implicative positive behavior, a trait-implicative negative behavior, or a neutral behavior. These descriptions were framed as either the behavior of the informant or the behavior of another person. Results yielded evidence of informant-trait linkages for both self-informants and for informants who described another person. These effects were not moderated by informant type, behavior valence, or the congruency or incongruency between the prior knowledge of the informant and the behavior valence. Results are discussed in terms of theories of Spontaneous Trait Inference and Spontaneous Trait Transference.

Acoustical phonon anomaly in the Raman spectra of intermediate valent TmSe 1-xTe x and Tm xSe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treindl, A.; Wachter, P.

1980-12-01

In the Raman spectra of intermediate valent TmSe 1- xTe x the same anomaly within the acoustical phonon band at 60 cm -1 is found as in Tm xSe. The connection of this anomaly with the valence mixing is confirmed. In a one-dimensional model calculation it is shown that a renormalized LA dispersion curve can produce the observed anomalous peak in the phonon DOS. As an alternative interpretation the possibility of a low energy electronic excitation at 60 cm -1 is discussed.

Resonant photoemission spectroscopic studies of SnO2 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Sunil; Chauhan, R. S.; Panchal, Gyanendra; Singh, C. P.; Dar, Tanveer A.; Phase, D. M.; Choudhary, R. J.

2017-09-01

We report the structural and electronic properties of single phase, polycrystalline rutile tetragonal SnO2 thin film grown on Si (100) substrate by pulsed laser deposition technique. X-ray photoelectron and resonant photoemission spectroscopic (RPES) studies divulge that Sn is present in 4+ (˜91%) valence state with a very small involvement of 2+ (˜9%) valence state at the surface. Valence band spectrum of the film shows prominent contribution due to the Sn4+ valence state. RPES measurements were performed in the Sn 4d→5p photo absorption region. This study shows that O-2p, Sn-5s, and Sn-5p partial density of states are the main contributions to the valence band of this material. The resonance behavior of these three contributions has been analyzed. Constant initial state versus photon energy plots suggest that the low binding energy feature at ˜2.8 eV results from the hybridization of the O-2p and mixed valence states of Sn, while remaining features at higher binding energies are due to the hybridization between O-2p (bonding) orbitals and Sn4+ valence state.

Electron doped layered nickelates: Spanning the phase diagram of the cuprates

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

Botana, Antia S.; Pardo, Victor; Norman, Michael R.

2017-07-01

Pr4Ni3O8 is an overdoped analog of hole-doped layered cuprates. Here we show via ab initio calculations that Ce-doped Pr4Ni3O8 (Pr3CeNi3O8) has the same electronic structure as the antiferromagnetic insulating phase of parent cuprates.We find that substantial Ce doping should be thermodynamically stable and that other 4+ cations would yield a similar antiferromagnetic insulating state, arguing this configuration is robust for layered nickelates of low-enough valence. The analogies with cuprates at different d fillings suggest that intermediate Ce-doping concentrations near 1/8 should be an appropriate place to search for superconductivity in these low-valence Ni oxides.

Facial and semantic emotional interference: A pilot study on the behavioral and cortical responses to the dual valence association task

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Integration of compatible or incompatible emotional valence and semantic information is an essential aspect of complex social interactions. A modified version of the Implicit Association Test (IAT) called Dual Valence Association Task (DVAT) was designed in order to measure conflict resolution processing from compatibility/incompatibly of semantic and facial valence. The DVAT involves two emotional valence evaluative tasks which elicits two forms of emotional compatible/incompatible associations (facial and semantic). Methods Behavioural measures and Event Related Potentials were recorded while participants performed the DVAT. Results Behavioural data showed a robust effect that distinguished compatible/incompatible tasks. The effects of valence and contextual association (between facial and semantic stimuli) showed early discrimination in N170 of faces. The LPP component was modulated by the compatibility of the DVAT. Conclusions Results suggest that DVAT is a robust paradigm for studying the emotional interference effect in the processing of simultaneous information from semantic and facial stimuli. PMID:21489277

Affective valence signals agency within and between individuals.

PubMed

Chang, Yen-Ping; Algoe, Sara B; Chen, Lung Hung

2017-03-01

Affective valence is a core component of all emotional experiences. Building on recent evidence and theory, we reason that valence informs individuals about their agency-the mental capability of doing and intending. Expressed affect may also lead to perceptions of agency by others. Supporting the hypothesis that valence influences self- and other-perception of agency, across 5 studies, we showed that participants perceived more agency in themselves in positive versus neutral and negative personal (Study 1) and interpersonal (Study 2) events. Participants also perceived more agency in fictional characters showing positive versus negative affect, regardless of how acceptable the characters' behavior was (Studies 3 and 4). Finally, we had participants personify 24 specific emotions across the valence dimension, and found that the more positive and less negative an emotion was, the more agency participants ascribed to the "person" (Study 5). We discuss the results in terms of how valence may help with human self- and social regulation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

A large-scale analysis of sex differences in facial expressions

PubMed Central

Kodra, Evan; el Kaliouby, Rana; LaFrance, Marianne

2017-01-01

There exists a stereotype that women are more expressive than men; however, research has almost exclusively focused on a single facial behavior, smiling. A large-scale study examines whether women are consistently more expressive than men or whether the effects are dependent on the emotion expressed. Studies of gender differences in expressivity have been somewhat restricted to data collected in lab settings or which required labor-intensive manual coding. In the present study, we analyze gender differences in facial behaviors as over 2,000 viewers watch a set of video advertisements in their home environments. The facial responses were recorded using participants’ own webcams. Using a new automated facial coding technology we coded facial activity. We find that women are not universally more expressive across all facial actions. Nor are they more expressive in all positive valence actions and less expressive in all negative valence actions. It appears that generally women express actions more frequently than men, and in particular express more positive valence actions. However, expressiveness is not greater in women for all negative valence actions and is dependent on the discrete emotional state. PMID:28422963

Voluntary or Mandatory? The Valence Framing Effect of Attitudes Regarding HPV Vaccination.

PubMed

Gesser-Edelsburg, Anat; Walter, Nathan; Shir-Raz, Yaffa; Green, Manfred S

2015-01-01

This study addresses the issue of valence framing effect in the context of immunization, a preventive behavior often addressed by the equation of benefit versus risk. The authors examined how framing (support vs. oppose) the issue of HPV vaccination in Israel's immunization routine affects attitudes regarding vaccine regulations. The study also examined issue involvement as a moderator of valence framing effect. The results demonstrate that participants in the positive framing condition tended to express greater support for voluntary immunization than participants in the negative framing condition (77.5% and 48.5%, respectively). Among those who supported the mandatory HPV immunization policy, the negative framing condition was more prominent than the positive condition (51.5% and 22.5%, respectively). The analysis of interaction between valence framing and issue involvement showed that the latter tends to moderate the direct effect of framing on attitudes towards vaccination. Findings indicate that even attitudes towards such consequential preventive behaviors as vaccination could be affected by different framing of the issue, especially for those who are less involved. Implications of predilection for freedom of choice regarding vaccination are also discussed.

Competition between magnetism and superconductivity in Eu-based intermetallic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stavinoha, Macy; Green, Lance; Chan, Julia; Morosan, Emilia

Eu-based intermetallic compounds present a path to discover new correlated electronic behavior in quantum materials. Reports of superconductivity, intermediate valence behavior, and heavy fermions indicate that Eu-based compounds are promising routes to study the relationship between crystallography and electronic properties. The present work is focused on EuGa4, an antiferromagnet with TN = 16 K isostructural with the tetragonal RT2M2 (R = rare earth, T = transition metal, M = metal or metalloid) family that exhibits heavy fermion behavior and unconventional superconductivity. Single crystals of the doped series (Eu1-xLax)Ga4, (Eu1-xCax)Ga4, and Eu(Ga1-xAlx)4 have been grown using the self-flux method and tested for change in unit cell volume and magnetic susceptibility. Results show that doping with Ca (isoelectronic doping) and La (hole doping) reduce TN to 12.4 K and 2.3 K, respectively, for Ca doping up to x = 0.11 and La doping up to x = 0.74 without an associated change in unit cell volume. The series Eu(Ga1-xAlx)4 has shown incommensurate-to-commensurate magnetic transitions. Future studies will aim to further decrease TN and the unit cell volume using physical pressure and chemical pressure through doping. ICAM, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Changes in symptom intensity and emotion valence during the process of assimilation of a problematic experience: A quantitative study of a good outcome case of cognitive-behavioral therapy.

PubMed

Basto, Isabel; Pinheiro, Patrícia; Stiles, William B; Rijo, Daniel; Salgado, João

2017-07-01

The assimilation model describes the change process in psychotherapy. In this study we analyzed the relation of assimilation with changes in symptom intensity, measured session by session, and changes in emotional valence, measured for each emotional episode, in the case of a 33-year-old woman treated for depression with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Results showed the theoretically expected negative relation between assimilation of the client's main concerns and symptom intensity, and the relation between assimilation levels and emotional valence corresponded closely to the assimilation model's theoretical feelings curve. The results show how emotions work as markers of the client's current assimilation level, which could help the therapist adjust the intervention, moment by moment, to the client's needs.

Carcinogenicity of chromium and chemoprevention: a brief update

PubMed Central

Gu, Yuanliang; Song, Xin; Zhao, Jinshun

2017-01-01

Chromium has two main valence states: hexavalent chromium (Cr[VI]) and trivalent chromium (Cr[III]). Cr(VI), a well-established human carcinogen, can enter cells by way of a sulfate/phosphate anion-transport system, and then be reduced to lower-valence intermediates consisting of pentavalent chromium (Cr[V]), tetravalent chromium (Cr[IV]) or Cr(III) via cellular reductants. These intermediates may directly or indirectly result in DNA damage or DNA–protein cross-links. Although Cr(III) complexes cannot pass easily through cell membranes, they have the ability to accumulate around cells to induce cell-surface morphological alteration and result in cell-membrane lipid injuries via disruption of cellular functions and integrity, and finally to cause DNA damage. In recent years, more research, including in vitro, in vivo, and epidemiological studies, has been conducted to evaluate the genotoxicity/carcinogenicity induced by Cr(VI) and/or Cr(III) compounds. At the same time, various therapeutic agents, especially antioxidants, have been explored through in vitro and in vivo studies for preventing chromium-induced genotoxicity/carcinogenesis. This review aims to provide a brief update on the carcinogenicity of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) and chemoprevention with different antioxidants. PMID:28860815

High-frequency rTMS on DLPFC increases prosocial attitude in case of decision to support people.

PubMed

Balconi, Michela; Canavesio, Ylenia

2014-02-01

Engaging in prosocial behavior was explored in the present research, by investigating the role of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in modulation of intention to support other people and of emotional attuning as it was expressed by facial feedback (electromiography, EMG). High-frequency rTMS was applied on DLPFC to 25 subjects when they were required to choose to directly intervene or not to support other people in emotionally valenced social situations (cooperative, noncooperative, conflictual, neutral contexts). Two control conditions were included in the experimental design to control the simple stimulation effect (sham condition with absence of TMS stimulation) and the location effect (control site condition with Pz stimulation). In comparison with sham and control condition, rTMS stimulation induced increased prosocial behavior in all the emotional situations. Moreover, as a function of valence, zygomatic (for positive situations) and corrugators (for negative situations) muscle activity was increased, with significant effect by DLPFC stimulation which induced a "facilitation effect". In addition, negative situations showed a higher rTMS impact for both behavioral and EMG responsiveness. Finally, prosocial behavior was found to be predicted (regression analysis) by EMG variations, as a function of the negative versus positive valence. The prefrontal circuit was suggested to support emotional responsiveness and facial feedback in order to facilitate the prosocial behavior.

Molybdenum Valence in Basaltic Silicate Melts: Effects of Temperature and Pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danielson, L. R.; Righter, K.; Newville, M.; Sutton, S.; Choi, Y.; Pando, K.

2011-01-01

The metal-silicate partitioning behavior of molybdenum has been used as a test for equilibrium core formation hypotheses [for example, 1-6]. However, current models that apply experimental data to equilibrium core-mantle differentiation infer the oxidation state of molybdenum from solubility data or from multivariable coefficients from metal-silicate partitioning data [1,3,7]. Molybdenum, a multi-valent element with a valence transition near the fO2 of interest for core formation (approx.IW-2) will be sensitive to changes in fO2 of the system and silicate melt structure. In a silicate melt, Mo can occur in either 4+ or 6+ valence state, and Mo(6+) can be either octahedrally or tetrahedrally coordinated. Here we present X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) measurements of Mo valence in basaltic run products at a range of P, T, and fO2 and further quantify the valence transition of Mo.

Cultural relativity in perceiving emotion from vocalizations.

PubMed

Gendron, Maria; Roberson, Debi; van der Vyver, Jacoba Marieta; Barrett, Lisa Feldman

2014-04-01

A central question in the study of human behavior is whether certain emotions, such as anger, fear, and sadness, are recognized in nonverbal cues across cultures. We predicted and found that in a concept-free experimental task, participants from an isolated cultural context (the Himba ethnic group from northwestern Namibia) did not freely label Western vocalizations with expected emotion terms. Responses indicate that Himba participants perceived more basic affective properties of valence (positivity or negativity) and to some extent arousal (high or low activation). In a second, concept-embedded task, we manipulated whether the target and foil on a given trial matched in both valence and arousal, neither valence nor arousal, valence only, or arousal only. Himba participants achieved above-chance accuracy only when foils differed from targets in valence only. Our results indicate that the voice can reliably convey affective meaning across cultures, but that perceptions of emotion from the voice are culturally variable.

Negativity bias for sad faces in depression: An event-related potential study.

PubMed

Dai, Qin; Wei, Juanjuan; Shu, Xiaorui; Feng, Zhengzhi

2016-12-01

Negativity bias in depression has been previously confirmed. However, mainly during a valence category task, it remains unclear how happy or unhappy individuals perceive emotional materials. Moreover, cerebral alteration measurements during a valence judgment task is lacking. The present study aimed to explore a valence judgment of a valence rating task, combined with event-related potential (ERP) recording. Healthy controls, individuals with sub-clinical depression, and patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) were recruited. Twenty-four subjects in each group completed a valence rating task, during which the ERP amplitudes were recorded. The MDD group had lower valence scores, faster responses, and greater N1 amplitudes for sad faces, whereas individuals with sub-clinical depression had faster responses and greater P1 amplitudes for all faces but lower valence scores and greater P2 amplitudes for happy faces. The findings suggest the tendency toward a negativity bias in valence ratings in patients with depression supported by behavioral and cerebral evidence, which is a latent trait of depression, possibly associated with the vulnerability of depression. The current study offers the first experimental evidence of cognitive and cerebral biomarkers of negativity bias in valence ratings in depression, which confirms Beck's cognitive theory and gives important direction for clinical therapy. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Voice and Valence-Altering Operations in Falam Chin: A Role and Reference Grammar Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Deborah

2010-01-01

This dissertation describes and analyzes voice and valence-altering operations in Falam Chin, a Tibeto-Burman language of Burma. The data is explained within the framework of Role and Reference Grammar (RRG), which supplies several key concepts particularly useful for generalizing the behavior of the Falam Chin operations. The first is RRG's…

Influence of affective significance on different levels of processing using pupil dilation in an analogical reasoning task.

PubMed

Prehn, Kristin; Heekeren, Hauke R; van der Meer, Elke

2011-02-01

The present study investigates the interaction of cognition and emotion in decision making, using an analogical reasoning task. In this task, two word pairs were presented simultaneously. Each word pair could be characterized by an associative conceptual relation (object, actor, or location relation) as well as an emotional relation (negative, neutral, or positive valence). Both types of relations were equally task-relevant: Participants had to identify both types of relations, to compare them, and to decide whether or not the word pairs were analogous, i.e., corresponding in both conceptual and emotional relations. Behavioral data showed that emotional relations were identified preferentially and faster than conceptual relations. Pupil dilations reflected the descending difficulty of the conditions and were greatest in amplitude when both conceptual and emotional correspondence was shown, intermediate when only one type of relation (either the emotional or the conceptual) corresponded, and least when neither correspondence existed. Additionally, a negative valence of the word material slowed down response times and increased pupil dilation relative to positive and neutral items. In summary, pupil and response time data together support recent (neurobiological) models concerning the interaction of emotion and cognition by showing that affective significance leads to a processing advantage at a cognitively lower level of information processing (here, identification or retrieval of relations from long-term memory) but can also distract people from higher level cognitive processes (here, from the controlled comparison of retrieved relations). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Attachment Patterns Trigger Differential Neural Signature of Emotional Processing in Adolescents

PubMed Central

Decety, Jean; Huepe, David; Cardona, Juan Felipe; Canales-Johnson, Andres; Sigman, Mariano; Mikulan, Ezequiel; Helgiu, Elena; Baez, Sandra; Manes, Facundo; Lopez, Vladimir; Ibañez, Agustín

2013-01-01

Background Research suggests that individuals with different attachment patterns process social information differently, especially in terms of facial emotion recognition. However, few studies have explored social information processes in adolescents. This study examined the behavioral and ERP correlates of emotional processing in adolescents with different attachment orientations (insecure attachment group and secure attachment group; IAG and SAG, respectively). This study also explored the association of these correlates to individual neuropsychological profiles. Methodology/Principal Findings We used a modified version of the dual valence task (DVT), in which participants classify stimuli (faces and words) according to emotional valence (positive or negative). Results showed that the IAG performed significantly worse than SAG on tests of executive function (EF attention, processing speed, visuospatial abilities and cognitive flexibility). In the behavioral DVT, the IAG presented lower performance and accuracy. The IAG also exhibited slower RTs for stimuli with negative valence. Compared to the SAG, the IAG showed a negative bias for faces; a larger P1 and attenuated N170 component over the right hemisphere was observed. A negative bias was also observed in the IAG for word stimuli, which was demonstrated by comparing the N170 amplitude of the IAG with the valence of the SAG. Finally, the amplitude of the N170 elicited by the facial stimuli correlated with EF in both groups (and negative valence with EF in the IAG). Conclusions/Significance Our results suggest that individuals with different attachment patterns process key emotional information and corresponding EF differently. This is evidenced by an early modulation of ERP components’ amplitudes, which are correlated with behavioral and neuropsychological effects. In brief, attachments patterns appear to impact multiple domains, such as emotional processing and EFs. PMID:23940552

The impact of odor–reward memory on chemotaxis in larval Drosophila

PubMed Central

Schleyer, Michael; Reid, Samuel F.; Pamir, Evren; Saumweber, Timo; Paisios, Emmanouil; Davies, Alexander

2015-01-01

How do animals adaptively integrate innate with learned behavioral tendencies? We tackle this question using chemotaxis as a paradigm. Chemotaxis in the Drosophila larva largely results from a sequence of runs and oriented turns. Thus, the larvae minimally need to determine (i) how fast to run, (ii) when to initiate a turn, and (iii) where to direct a turn. We first report how odor-source intensities modulate these decisions to bring about higher levels of chemotactic performance for higher odor-source intensities during innate chemotaxis. We then examine whether the same modulations are responsible for alterations of chemotactic performance by learned odor “valence” (understood throughout as level of attractiveness). We find that run speed (i) is neither modulated by the innate nor by the learned valence of an odor. Turn rate (ii), however, is modulated by both: the higher the innate or learned valence of the odor, the less often larvae turn whenever heading toward the odor source, and the more often they turn when heading away. Likewise, turning direction (iii) is modulated concordantly by innate and learned valence: turning is biased more strongly toward the odor source when either innate or learned valence is high. Using numerical simulations, we show that a modulation of both turn rate and of turning direction is sufficient to account for the empirically found differences in preference scores across experimental conditions. Our results suggest that innate and learned valence organize adaptive olfactory search behavior by their summed effects on turn rate and turning direction, but not on run speed. This work should aid studies into the neural mechanisms by which memory impacts specific aspects of behavior. PMID:25887280

An investigation into the drivers of avolition in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Suri, Gaurav; Lavaysse, Lindsey M; Young, Gerald; Moodie, Craig; Tersakyan, Alen; Gross, James J; Gard, David E

2018-03-01

Over a century of research has documented that avolition is a core symptom in schizophrenia. However, the drivers of avolition remain unclear. Conceptually, there are at least two potential mutually compatible drivers that could cause avolition in schizophrenia. First, people with schizophrenia might have differences in preferences that result in less goal-directed behavior than non-clinical populations (preference-differences). Second, people with schizophrenia might have difficulty translating their preferences into manifest behavior at rates similar to non-clinical populations (psychological-inertia). In the present work, we modified and validated a well-validated paradigm from the motivation/decision making literature to compare levels of preference-differences and psychological-inertia. To measure preference-differences, people with and without schizophrenia choose between a lower-valenced and higher-valenced image. We measured the rate at which the normatively lower-valenced image was preferred. To measure psychological-inertia, both groups were given the opportunity to volitionally switch from a lower-valenced image and view a higher-valenced image. Contrary to expectations, people with schizophrenia did not differ on either preference-differences or psychological-inertia. Statistical analysis revealed that the possibility of a Type II error for even a weak effect was small. The present data suggest new avenues for research investigating mechanisms underlying avolition and clinical interventions targeting avolition in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Promoting Healthy Eating Attitudes Among Uninsured Primary Care Patients.

PubMed

Kamimura, Akiko; Tabler, Jennifer; Nourian, Maziar M; Jess, Allison; Stephens, Tamara; Aguilera, Guadalupe; Wright, Lindsey; Ashby, Jeanie

2016-08-01

Obesity is associated with a number of chronic health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. While common prevention and treatment strategies to control unhealthy weight gain tend to target behaviors and lifestyles, the psychological factors which affect eating behaviors among underserved populations also need to be further addressed and included in practice implementations. The purpose of this study is to examine positive and negative emotional valence about food among underserved populations in a primary care setting. Uninsured primary care patients (N = 621) participated in a self-administered survey from September to December in 2015. Higher levels of perceived benefits of healthy food choice were associated with lower levels of a negative emotional valence about food while higher levels of perceived barriers to healthy food choice are related to higher levels of a negative emotional valence about food. Greater acceptance of motivation to eat was associated with higher levels of positive and negative emotional valence about food. Spanish speakers reported greater acceptance of motivation to eat and are more likely to have a negative emotional valence about food than US born or non-US born English speakers. The results of this study have important implications to promote healthy eating among underserved populations at a primary care setting. Healthy food choice or healthy eating may not always be achieved by increasing knowledge. Psychological interventions should be included to advance healthy food choice.

ERP differences between processing of physical characteristics and personality attributes

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Limited data from behavioral and brain-imaging studies indicate that personality traits and physical characteristics are processed differently by the brain. Additionally, electrophysiological results of studies comparing the processing of positive and negative words have produced mixed results. It is therefore not clear how physical and personality attributes with emotional valence (i.e., positive and negative valence) are processed. Thus, this study aimed to examine the neural activity associated with words describing personality traits and physical characteristics with positive or negative emotional valence using Event Related Potentials (ERPs). Methods A sample of 15 healthy adults (7 men, 8 women) participated in a computerized word categorization task. Participants were asked to categorize visual word stimuli as physical characteristics or personality traits, while ERPs were recorded synchronously. Results Behavioral reaction times to negative physical stimuli were shorter compared to negative personality words, however reaction times did not significantly differ for positive stimuli. Electrophysiological results showed that personality stimuli elicited larger P2 and LPC (Late Positive Component) amplitudes compared to physical stimuli, regardless of negative or positive valence. Moreover, negative as compared with positive stimuli elicited larger P2 and LPC amplitudes. Conclusion Personality and physical stimuli were processed differently regardless of positive or negative valence. These findings suggest that personality traits and physical characteristics are differentially classified and are associated with different motivational significance. PMID:22967478

Influences of Appearance-Behavior Congruity on Memory and Social Judgments

PubMed Central

Cassidy, Brittany S.; Gutchess, Angela H.

2014-01-01

Prior work shows that appearance-behavior congruity impacts memory and evaluations. Building upon prior work, we assessed influences of appearance-behavior congruity on source memory and judgment strength to illustrate ways congruity effects permeate social cognition. We paired faces varying on trustworthiness with valenced behaviors to create congruent and incongruent face-behavior pairs. Young and older adults remembered congruent pairs better than incongruent, but both were remembered better than pairs with faces rated average in appearance. This suggests that multiple, even conflicting, valenced cues improve memory over receiving fewer cues. Consistent with our manipulation of facial trustworthiness, congruity effects were present in the strength of trustworthiness-related but not dominance judgments. Subtle age differences emerged in congruity effects when learning about others, with older adults showing effects for approach judgments given both high and low arousal behaviors. Young adults had congruity effects for approach, prosociality, and trustworthiness judgments, given high arousal behaviors only. These findings deepen our understanding of how appearance-behavior congruity impacts memory for and evaluations of others. PMID:25180615

Structural and magnetic properties of SrMn1-xRuxO3 perovskites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dabrowski, B.; Kolesnik, S.; Chmaissem, O.; Maxwell, T.

2007-03-01

Ferromagnetism of SrRuO3 is unique among 4d transition metal based perovskite oxides. On substitution of Mn its TC decreases from 163 K to 0 for x˜0.5-0.6 followed by a formation of an antiferromagnetic insulating state at a quantum critical point. The other end member of the SrMn1-xRuxO3 family, a cubic perovskite SrMnO3 is a G-type antiferromagnet with TN=233 K. We have synthesized the complete SrMn1-xRuxO3 solid solution. The polycrystalline samples were characterized by neutron difraction, magnetic, and transport experiments. The incorporation of Ru in the SrMnO3 matrix (0.1<=x<=0.4) results in a phase transition to a C-type antiferromagnetic state accompanied by a cubic-tetragonal transition. The intermediate substitution level induces a spin-glass behavior, due to competing ferro- and antiferromagnetic interactions. Mixed valence Mn^3+/Mn^4+ and Ru^4+/Ru^5+ pairs introduce additional frustration to the magnetic states. The glassy behavior can be observed for x up to 0.7 in the tetragonal structure. Supported by NSF (DMR-0302617) and the U.S. Department of Education

Comparative Planetary Mineralogy: V/(Cr+Al) Systematics in Chromites as an Indicator of Relative Oxygen Fugacity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Papike, J. J.; Kamer, J. M.; Shearer, C. K.

2004-01-01

As our contribution to the new "Oxygen in the Solar System" initiative of the Lunar and Planetary Institute and the NASA Cosmochemistry Program, we have been developing oxygen barometers based largely on behavior of V which can occur in four valence states V2+, V3+, V4+, and V5+, and record at least 8 orders of magnitude of fO2. Our first efforts in measuring these valence proportions were by XANES techniques in basaltic glasses from Earth, Moon, and Mars. We now address the behavior of V valence states in chromite in basalts from Earth, Moon, and Mars. We have been looking for a "V in chromite oxybarometer" that works with data collected by the electron microprobe and thus is readily accessible to a large segment of the planetary materials community. This paper describes very early results that will be refined over the next two years.

Feeling worse to feel better: pain-offset relief simultaneously stimulates positive affect and reduces negative affect.

PubMed

Franklin, Joseph C; Lee, Kent M; Hanna, Eleanor K; Prinstein, Mitchell J

2013-04-01

Although pain itself induces negative affect, the removal (or offset) of pain induces a powerful state of relief. Despite being implicated in a wide range of psychological and behavioral phenomena, relief remains a poorly understood emotion. In particular, some theorists associate relief with increased positive affect, whereas others associate relief with diminished negative affect. In the present study, we examined the affective nature of relief in a pain-offset paradigm with psychophysiological measures that were specific to negative valence (startle eyeblink reactivity) and positive valence (startle postauricular reactivity). Results revealed that pain offset simultaneously stimulates positive affect and diminishes negative affect for at least several seconds. Results also indicated that pain intensity differentially affects the positive and negative valence aspects of relief. These findings clarify the affective nature of relief and provide insight into why people engage in both normal and abnormal behaviors associated with relief.

High-temperature fcc phase of Pr:  Negative thermal expansion and intermediate valence state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuznetsov, A. Yu.; Dmitriev, V. P.; Bandilet, O. I.; Weber, H.-P.

2003-08-01

A high-temperature angle-dispersive synchrotron radiation diffraction study has revealed the double hexagonal-close-packed-to-face-centered-cubic (dhcp-to-fcc) transformation in the Pr metal occurring martensitically between 575 and 1035 K. The high-temperature fcc phase shows a negative thermal expansion in the range 600 800 K, attributed to the 4f-electron delocalization. A phenomenological theory is developed, which explains consistently the observed effect in terms of the mean valence variation of the metal as a function of temperature; it also predicts the existence of an isostructural phase transition and of a critical end point of a gas-liquid type in compressed Pr. The analysis of published data on P-T variation of conductivity of Pr supports this prediction.

Exact valence bond entanglement entropy and probability distribution in the XXX spin chain and the potts model.

PubMed

Jacobsen, J L; Saleur, H

2008-02-29

We determine exactly the probability distribution of the number N_(c) of valence bonds connecting a subsystem of length L>1 to the rest of the system in the ground state of the XXX antiferromagnetic spin chain. This provides, in particular, the asymptotic behavior of the valence-bond entanglement entropy S_(VB)=N_(c)ln2=4ln2/pi(2)lnL disproving a recent conjecture that this should be related with the von Neumann entropy, and thus equal to 1/3lnL. Our results generalize to the Q-state Potts model.

Fetal Programming Effects of Testosterone on the Reward System and Behavioral Approach Tendencies in Humans

PubMed Central

Lombardo, Michael V.; Ashwin, Emma; Auyeung, Bonnie; Chakrabarti, Bhismadev; Lai, Meng-Chuan; Taylor, Kevin; Hackett, Gerald; Bullmore, Edward T.; Baron-Cohen, Simon

2012-01-01

Background Sex differences are present in many neuropsychiatric conditions that affect emotion and approach-avoidance behavior. One potential mechanism underlying such observations is testosterone in early development. Although much is known about the effects of testosterone in adolescence and adulthood, little is known in humans about how testosterone in fetal development influences later neural sensitivity to valenced facial cues and approach-avoidance behavioral tendencies. Methods With functional magnetic resonance imaging we scanned 25 8–11-year-old children while viewing happy, fear, neutral, or scrambled faces. Fetal testosterone (FT) was measured via amniotic fluid sampled between 13 and 20 weeks gestation. Behavioral approach-avoidance tendencies were measured via parental report on the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Rewards questionnaire. Results Increasing FT predicted enhanced selectivity for positive compared with negatively valenced facial cues in reward-related regions such as caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens but not the amygdala. Statistical mediation analyses showed that increasing FT predicts increased behavioral approach tendencies by biasing caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens but not amygdala to be more responsive to positive compared with negatively valenced cues. In contrast, FT was not predictive of behavioral avoidance tendencies, either through direct or neurally mediated paths. Conclusions This work suggests that testosterone in humans acts as a fetal programming mechanism on the reward system and influences behavioral approach tendencies later in life. As a mechanism influencing atypical development, FT might be important across a range of neuropsychiatric conditions that asymmetrically affect the sexes, the reward system, emotion processing, and approach behavior. PMID:22763187

Fetal programming effects of testosterone on the reward system and behavioral approach tendencies in humans.

PubMed

Lombardo, Michael V; Ashwin, Emma; Auyeung, Bonnie; Chakrabarti, Bhismadev; Lai, Meng-Chuan; Taylor, Kevin; Hackett, Gerald; Bullmore, Edward T; Baron-Cohen, Simon

2012-11-15

Sex differences are present in many neuropsychiatric conditions that affect emotion and approach-avoidance behavior. One potential mechanism underlying such observations is testosterone in early development. Although much is known about the effects of testosterone in adolescence and adulthood, little is known in humans about how testosterone in fetal development influences later neural sensitivity to valenced facial cues and approach-avoidance behavioral tendencies. With functional magnetic resonance imaging we scanned 25 8-11-year-old children while viewing happy, fear, neutral, or scrambled faces. Fetal testosterone (FT) was measured via amniotic fluid sampled between 13 and 20 weeks gestation. Behavioral approach-avoidance tendencies were measured via parental report on the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Rewards questionnaire. Increasing FT predicted enhanced selectivity for positive compared with negatively valenced facial cues in reward-related regions such as caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens but not the amygdala. Statistical mediation analyses showed that increasing FT predicts increased behavioral approach tendencies by biasing caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens but not amygdala to be more responsive to positive compared with negatively valenced cues. In contrast, FT was not predictive of behavioral avoidance tendencies, either through direct or neurally mediated paths. This work suggests that testosterone in humans acts as a fetal programming mechanism on the reward system and influences behavioral approach tendencies later in life. As a mechanism influencing atypical development, FT might be important across a range of neuropsychiatric conditions that asymmetrically affect the sexes, the reward system, emotion processing, and approach behavior. Copyright © 2012 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-Fermi Liquid Behavior in the Single-Impurity Mixed Valence Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Guang-Ming; Su, Zhao-Bin; Yu, Lu

An effective Hamiltonian of the Anderson single-impurity model with finite-range Coulomb interactions is derived near a particular limit, which is analogous to the Toulouse limit of the ordinary Kondo problem, and the physical properties around the mixed valence quantum critical point are calculated. At this quantum critical point, the local moment is only partially quenched and X-ray edge singularities are exhibited. Around this point, a new type of non-Fermi liquid behavior is predicted with an extra specific heat Cimp ~ T1/4 + AT ln T and spin-susceptibility χimp ~T-3/4 + B ln T.

Structure and Charge Hopping Dynamics in Green Rust

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

Wander, Matthew C; Rosso, Kevin M; Schoonen, Martin A

Green rust is a family of mixed-valent iron phases formed by a number of abiotic and biotic processes under alkaline suboxic conditions. Due to its high Fe 2+ content, green rust is a potentially important phase for pollution remediation by serving as a powerful electron donor for reductive transformation. However, mechanisms of oxidation of this material are poorly understood. An essential component of the green rust structure is a mixed-valent brucite-like Fe(OH) 2 sheet comprised of a two dimensional network of edge-sharing iron octahedra. Room temperature Mössbauer spectra show a characteristic signature for intermediate valence on the iron atoms inmore » this sheet, indicative of a Fe 2+-Fe 3+ valence interchange reaction faster than approximately 10 7 s -1. Using Fe(OH) 2 as structural analogue for reduced green rust, we performed Hartree-Fock calculations on periodic slab models and cluster representations to determine the structure and hopping mobility of Fe 3+ hole polarons in this material, providing a first principles assessment of the Fe 2+-Fe 3+ valence interchange reaction rate. The calculations show that among three possible symmetry unique iron-to-iron hops within a sheet, a hop to next-nearest neighbors at an intermediate distance of 5.6 Å is the fastest. The predicted rate is on the order of 10 12 s -1 consistent the Mössbauer-based constraint. All other possibilities, including hopping across interlayer spaces, are predicted to be slower than 10 7 s -1. Collectively, the findings suggest the possibility of hole self-diffusion along sheets as a mechanism for regeneration of lattice Fe 2+ sites, consistent with previous experimental observations of edge-inward progressive oxidation of green rust.« less

Valence of physical stimuli, not housing conditions, affects behaviour and frontal cortical brain activity in sheep.

PubMed

Vögeli, Sabine; Lutz, Janika; Wolf, Martin; Wechsler, Beat; Gygax, Lorenz

2014-07-01

Modulation of short-term emotions by long-term mood is little understood but relevant to understand the affective system and of importance in respect to animal welfare: a negative mood might taint experiences, whilst a positive mood might alleviate single negative events. To induce different mood states in sheep housing conditions were varied. Fourteen ewes were group-housed in an unpredictable, stimulus-poor and 15 ewes in a predictable, stimulus-rich environment. Sheep were tested individually for mood in a behavioural cognitive bias paradigm. Also, their reactions to three physical stimuli thought to differ in their perceived valence were observed (negative: pricking, intermediate: slight pressure, positive: kneading). General behaviour, activity, ear movements and positions, and haemodynamic changes in the cortical brain were recorded during stimulations. Generalised mixed-effects models and model probabilities based on the BIC (Bayesian information criterion) were used. Only weak evidence for mood difference was found. Sheep from the unpredictable, stimulus-poor housing condition had a somewhat more negative cognitive bias, showed slightly more aversive behaviour, were slightly more active and moved their ears somewhat more. Sheep most clearly differentiated the negative from the intermediate and positive stimulus in that they exhibited more aversive behaviour, less nibbling, were more active, showed more ear movements, more forward ear postures, fewer backward ear postures, and a stronger decrease in deoxyhaemoglobin when subjected to the negative stimulus. In conclusion, sheep reacted towards stimuli according to their presumed valence but their mood was not strongly influenced by housing conditions. Therefore, behavioural reactions and cortical brain activity towards the stimuli were hardly modulated by housing conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The associations among prior drinking consequences, subjective evaluations, and subsequent alcohol outcomes.

PubMed

Zaso, Michelle J; Park, Aesoon; Kim, Jueun; Gellis, Les A; Kwon, Hoin; Maisto, Stephen A

2016-05-01

Although the many positive and negative psychosocial consequences of alcohol use are well documented, evidence of the association between prior drinking consequences and subsequent alcohol-related outcomes is mixed. Social learning theory highlights that cognitive appraisals of prior drinking consequences play a crucial intermediate role in the relation of prior drinking consequences with subsequent alcohol-related outcomes. This prospective study was designed to test the mediating effects of subjective evaluations (i.e., perceived valence and controllability) in the association of prior drinking consequences with change in binge drinking and drinking consequences over time. Participants were 171 college students (69% female, 74% White, M age = 18.95 years, SD = 1.35) who completed 2 online surveys, with an average interval of 68 days (SD = 10.22) between assessments. Path analyses of the data did not support mediational effects of perceived valence or controllability of prior drinking consequences on subsequent alcohol-related outcomes. Specifically, greater frequency of negative consequences was associated with lower perceived valence and controllability, and greater frequency of positive consequences was associated with lower perceived controllability of the experienced consequences. However, perceptions of valence and controllability were not in turn associated with subsequent binge drinking and drinking consequences. Instead, greater frequency of positive consequences was directly associated with greater subsequent frequency of binge drinking. Findings highlight the importance of prior positive consequences in the escalation of binge drinking over a short period of time, although this relation may not be accounted for by perceptions of valence and controllability of the prior drinking consequences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Optoelectronic properties analysis of Ti-substituted GaP.

PubMed

Tablero, C

2005-11-08

A study using first principles of the electronic and optical properties of materials derived from a GaP host semiconductor where one Ti atom is substituted for one of the eight P atoms is presented. This material has a metallic intermediate band sandwiched between the valence and conduction bands of the host semiconductor for 0 < or = U < or = 8 eV where U is the Hubbard parameter. The potential of these materials is that when they are used as an absorber of photons in solar cells, the efficiency is increased significantly with respect to that of the host semiconductor. The results show that the main contribution to the intermediate band is the Ti atom and that this material can absorb photons of lower energy than that of the host semiconductor. The efficiency is increased with respect to that of the host semiconductor mainly because of the absorption from the intermediate to conduction band. As U increases, the contribution of the Ti-d orbitals to the intermediate band varies, increasing the d(z2) character at the bottom of the intermediate band.

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

Coughanowr, C.A.

The electrochemical machining (ECM) of a cemented titanium carbide/10% nickel composite has been investigated and compared to the ECM of the pure components, TiC and Ni. All three materials were machined in 2M KNO/sub 3/ electrolyte, under current densities ranging from 17 to 100 A/cm/sup 2/. The ECM behavior of the TiC/Ni composite was found to be intermediate to that of its components. The apparent valences of dissolution for all three materials were independent of current density in the range studied: 2.8 eq/gmol for Ni, and 6.6 and 6.5 eq/gmol for TiC and TiC/Ni, respectively. Linear cell voltage versus currentmore » density relationships were obtained for all three materials. Surface analysis of the TiC/Ni composite showed preferential dissolution of the TiC phase over the nickel phase for the entire range of operating conditions investigated. A polishing regime could not be identified for cemented TiC/Ni.« less

Transient dynamics of a quantum-dot: From Kondo regime to mixed valence and to empty orbital regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, YongXi; Li, ZhenHua; Wei, JianHua; Nie, YiHang; Yan, YiJing

2018-04-01

Based on the hierarchical equations of motion approach, we study the time-dependent transport properties of a strongly correlated quantum dot system in the Kondo regime (KR), mixed valence regime (MVR), and empty orbital regime (EOR). We find that the transient current in KR shows the strongest nonlinear response and the most distinct oscillation behaviors. Both behaviors become weaker in MVR and diminish in EOR. To understand the physical insight, we examine also the corresponding dot occupancies and the spectral functions, with their dependence on the Coulomb interaction, temperature, and applied step bias voltage. The above nonlinear and oscillation behaviors could be understood as the interplay between dynamical Kondo resonance and single electron resonant-tunneling.

Valence and magnitude ambiguity in feedback processing.

PubMed

Gu, Ruolei; Feng, Xue; Broster, Lucas S; Yuan, Lu; Xu, Pengfei; Luo, Yue-Jia

2017-05-01

Outcome feedback which indicates behavioral consequences are crucial for reinforcement learning and environmental adaptation. Nevertheless, outcome information in daily life is often totally or partially ambiguous. Studying how people interpret this kind of information would provide important knowledge about the human evaluative system. This study concentrates on the neural processing of partially ambiguous feedback, that is, either its valence or magnitude is unknown to participants. To address this topic, we sequentially presented valence and magnitude information; electroencephalography (EEG) response to each kind of presentation was recorded and analyzed. The event-related potential components feedback-related negativity (FRN) and P3 were used as indices of neural activity. Consistent with previous literature, the FRN elicited by ambiguous valence was not significantly different from that elicited by negative valence. On the other hand, the FRN elicited by ambiguous magnitude was larger than both the large and small magnitude, indicating the motivation to seek unambiguous magnitude information. The P3 elicited by ambiguous valence and ambiguous magnitude was not significantly different from that elicited by negative valence and small magnitude, respectively, indicating the emotional significance of feedback ambiguity. Finally, the aforementioned effects also manifested in the stage of information integration. These findings indicate both similarities and discrepancies between the processing of valence ambiguity and that of magnitude ambiguity, which may help understand the mechanisms of ambiguous information processing.

Thickness dependence of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 magnetoelectric interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Jinling; Tra, Vu Thanh; Dong, Shuai; Trappen, Robbyn; Marcus, Matthew A.; Jenkins, Catherine; Frye, Charles; Wolfe, Evan; White, Ryan; Polisetty, Srinivas; Lin, Jiunn-Yuan; LeBeau, James M.; Chu, Ying-Hao; Holcomb, Mikel Barry

2015-10-01

Magnetoelectric materials have great potential to revolutionize electronic devices due to the coupling of their electric and magnetic properties. Thickness varying La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO)/PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 (PZT) heterostructures were built and measured in this article by valence sensitive x-ray absorption spectroscopy. The sizing effects of the heterostructures on the LSMO/PZT magnetoelectric interfaces were investigated through the behavior of Mn valence, a property associated with the LSMO magnetization. We found that Mn valence increases with both LSMO and PZT thickness. Piezoresponse force microscopy revealed a transition from monodomain to polydomain structure along the PZT thickness gradient. The ferroelectric surface charge may change with domain structure and its effects on Mn valence were simulated using a two-orbital double-exchange model. The screening of ferroelectric surface charge increases the electron charges in the interface region, and greatly changes the interfacial Mn valence, which likely plays a leading role in the interfacial magnetoelectric coupling. The LSMO thickness dependence was examined through the combination of two detection modes with drastically different attenuation depths. The different length scales of these techniques' sensitivity to the atomic valence were used to estimate the depth dependence Mn valence. A smaller interfacial Mn valence than the bulk was found by globally fitting the experimental results.

Pupillary responses during lexical decisions vary with word frequency but not emotional valence.

PubMed

Kuchinke, Lars; Võ, Melissa L-H; Hofmann, Markus; Jacobs, Arthur M

2007-08-01

Pupillary responses were examined during a lexical decision task (LDT). Word frequency (high and low frequency words) and emotional valence (positive, neutral and negative words) were varied as experimental factors incidental to the subjects. Both variables significantly affected lexical decision performance and an interaction effect was observed. The behavioral results suggest that manipulating word frequency may partly account for the heterogeneous literature findings regarding emotional valence effects in the LDT. In addition, a difference between high and low frequency words was observed in the pupil data as reflected by higher peak pupil dilations for low frequency words, whereas pupillary responses to emotionally valenced words did not differ. This result was further supported by means of a principal component analysis on the pupil data, in which a late component was shown only to be affected by word frequency. Consistent with previous findings, word frequency was found to affect the resource allocation towards processing of the letter string, while emotionally valenced words tend to facilitate processing.

Divergent Routing of Positive and Negative Information from the Amygdala during Memory Retrieval.

PubMed

Beyeler, Anna; Namburi, Praneeth; Glober, Gordon F; Simonnet, Clémence; Calhoon, Gwendolyn G; Conyers, Garrett F; Luck, Robert; Wildes, Craig P; Tye, Kay M

2016-04-20

Although the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is known to play a critical role in the formation of memories of both positive and negative valence, the coding and routing of valence-related information is poorly understood. Here, we recorded BLA neurons during the retrieval of associative memories and used optogenetic-mediated phototagging to identify populations of neurons that synapse in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), the central amygdala (CeA), or ventral hippocampus (vHPC). We found that despite heterogeneous neural responses within each population, the proportions of BLA-NAc neurons excited by reward predictive cues and of BLA-CeA neurons excited by aversion predictive cues were higher than within the entire BLA. Although the BLA-vHPC projection is known to drive behaviors of innate negative valence, these neurons did not preferentially code for learned negative valence. Together, these findings suggest that valence encoding in the BLA is at least partially mediated via divergent activity of anatomically defined neural populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neurocognitive processes of linguistic cues related to death.

PubMed

Han, Shihui; Qin, Jungang; Ma, Yina

2010-10-01

Consciousness of the finiteness of one's personal existence influences human thoughts and behaviors tremendously. However, the neural substrates underlying the processing of death-related information remain unclear. The current study addressed this issue by scanning 20 female adults, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, in a modified Stroop task that required naming colors of death-related, negative-valence, and neutral-valence words. We found that, while both death-related and negative-valence words increased activity in the precuneus/posterior cingulate and lateral frontal cortex relative to neutral-valence words, the neural correlate of the processing of death-related words was characterized by decreased activity in bilateral insula relative to both negative-valence and neutral-valence words. Moreover, the decreased activity in the left insula correlated with subjective ratings of death relevance of death-related words and the decreased activity in the right insula correlated with subjective ratings of arousal induced by death-related words. Our fMRI findings suggest that, while both death-related and negative-valence words are associated with enhanced arousal and emotion regulation, the processing of linguistic cues related to death is associated with modulations of the activity in the insula that mediates neural representation of the sentient self. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Inconsistent Behaviors on Person Impressions: A Multidimensional Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vonk, Roos

1995-01-01

Examined effects of unexpected behavioral information on person impressions. Inconsistency was manipulated with respect to Implicit Personality Theory. Found that behaviors with inconsistent evaluation implications did not affect impressions and that effects of inconsistent information depended on dimension of contrast, valence of initial…

Transport, Thermal, and Magnetic Properties of YbNi3X9 (X = Al, Ga): A Newly Synthesized Yb-Based Kondo Lattice System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, Tetsuro; Miyazaki, Ryoichi; Aoki, Yuji; Ohara, Shigeo

2012-03-01

We have succeeded in synthesizing a new Yb-based Kondo lattice system, YbNi3X9 (X = Al, Ga). Our study reveals that YbNi3Al9 shows typical features of a heavy-fermion antiferromagnet with a Néel temperature of TN = 3.4 K. All of the properties reflect a competition between the Kondo effect and the crystalline electric field (CEF) effect. The moderate heavy-fermion state leads to an enhanced Sommerfeld coefficient of 100 mJ/(mol\\cdotK2), even if ordered antiferromagnetically. On the other hand, the isostructural gallide YbNi3Ga9 is an intermediate-valence system with a Kondo temperature of TK = 570 K. A large hybridization scale can overcome the CEF splitting energy, and a moderately heavy Fermi-liquid ground state with high local moment degeneracy should form at low temperatures. Note that the quality of single-crystalline YbNi3X9 is extremely high compared with those of other Yb-based Kondo lattice compounds. We conclude that YbNi3X9 is a suitable system for investigating the electronic structure of Yb-based Kondo lattice systems from a heavy-fermion system with an antiferromagnetically ordered ground state to an intermediate-valence system.

Valence electronic properties of porphyrin derivatives.

PubMed

Stenuit, G; Castellarin-Cudia, C; Plekan, O; Feyer, V; Prince, K C; Goldoni, A; Umari, P

2010-09-28

We present a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the valence electronic structure of porphyrin-derived molecules. The valence photoemission spectra of the free-base tetraphenylporphyrin and of the octaethylporphyrin molecule were measured using synchrotron radiation and compared with theoretical spectra calculated using the GW method and the density-functional method within the generalized gradient approximation. Only the GW results could reproduce the experimental data. We found that the contribution to the orbital energies due to electronic correlations has the same linear behavior in both molecules, with larger deviations in the vicinity of the HOMO level. This shows the importance of adequate treatment of electronic correlations in these organic systems.

Electron and Nucleon Localization Functions of Oganesson: Approaching the Thomas-Fermi Limit

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

Jerabek, Paul; Schuetrumpf, Bastian; Schwerdtfeger, Peter

Fermion localization functions are used to discuss electronic and nucleonic shell structure effects in the superheavy element oganesson, the heaviest element discovered to date. Spin-orbit splitting in the 7p electronic shell becomes so large (~10 eV) that Og is expected to show uniform-gas-like behavior in the valence region with a rather large dipole polarizability compared to the lighter rare gas elements. The nucleon localization in Og is also predicted to undergo a transition to the Thomas-Fermi gas behavior in the valence region. Finally, this effect, particularly strong for neutrons, is due to the high density of single-particle orbitals.

Electron and Nucleon Localization Functions of Oganesson: Approaching the Thomas-Fermi Limit

DOE PAGES

Jerabek, Paul; Schuetrumpf, Bastian; Schwerdtfeger, Peter; ...

2018-01-31

Fermion localization functions are used to discuss electronic and nucleonic shell structure effects in the superheavy element oganesson, the heaviest element discovered to date. Spin-orbit splitting in the 7p electronic shell becomes so large (~10 eV) that Og is expected to show uniform-gas-like behavior in the valence region with a rather large dipole polarizability compared to the lighter rare gas elements. The nucleon localization in Og is also predicted to undergo a transition to the Thomas-Fermi gas behavior in the valence region. Finally, this effect, particularly strong for neutrons, is due to the high density of single-particle orbitals.

Electron and Nucleon Localization Functions of Oganesson: Approaching the Thomas-Fermi Limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jerabek, Paul; Schuetrumpf, Bastian; Schwerdtfeger, Peter; Nazarewicz, Witold

2018-02-01

Fermion localization functions are used to discuss electronic and nucleonic shell structure effects in the superheavy element oganesson, the heaviest element discovered to date. Spin-orbit splitting in the 7 p electronic shell becomes so large (˜10 eV ) that Og is expected to show uniform-gas-like behavior in the valence region with a rather large dipole polarizability compared to the lighter rare gas elements. The nucleon localization in Og is also predicted to undergo a transition to the Thomas-Fermi gas behavior in the valence region. This effect, particularly strong for neutrons, is due to the high density of single-particle orbitals.

Pubertal changes in emotional information processing: pupillary, behavioral, and subjective evidence during emotional word identification.

PubMed

Silk, Jennifer S; Siegle, Greg J; Whalen, Diana J; Ostapenko, Laura J; Ladouceur, Cecile D; Dahl, Ronald E

2009-01-01

This study investigated pupillary and behavioral responses to an emotional word valence identification paradigm among 32 pre-/early pubertal and 34 mid-/late pubertal typically developing children and adolescents. Participants were asked to identify the valence of positive, negative, and neutral words while pupil dilation was assessed using an eyetracker. Mid-/late pubertal children showed greater peak pupillary reactivity to words presented during the emotional word identification task than pre-/early pubertal children, regardless of word valence. Mid-/late pubertal children also showed smaller sustained pupil dilation than pre-/early pubertal children after the word was no longer on screen. These findings were replicated controlling for participants' age. In addition, mid-/late pubertal children had faster reaction times to all words, and rated themselves as more emotional during their laboratory visit compared to pre-/early pubertal children. Greater recall of emotional words following the task was associated with mid-/late pubertal status, and greater recall of emotional words was also associated with higher peak pupil dilation. These results provide physiological, behavioral, and subjective evidence consistent with a model of puberty-specific changes in neurobehavioral systems underpinning emotional reactivity.

Pubertal Changes in Emotional Information Processing: Pupillary, Behavioral, and Subjective Evidence during Emotional Word Identification

PubMed Central

Silk, Jennifer S.; Siegle, Greg J.; Whalen, Diana J.; Ostapenko, Laura J.; Ladouceur, Cecile D.; Dahl, Ronald E.

2008-01-01

This study investigated pupillary and behavioral responses to an emotional word valence identification paradigm among 32 pre/early and 34 mid/late pubertal typically developing children and adolescents. Participants were asked to identify the valence of positive, negative, and neutral words while pupil dilation was assessed using an eye-tracker. Mid-to-late pubertal children showed greater peak pupillary reactivity to words presented during the emotional word identification task than pre-to-early pubertal children, regardless of word valence. Mid-to-late pubertal children also showed smaller sustained pupil dilation than pre-to-early pubertal children after the word was no longer on screen. These findings were replicated controlling for participants’ age. Additionally, mid-to-late pubertal children had faster reaction times to all words, and rated themselves as more emotional during their laboratory visit compared to pre-to-early pubertal children. Greater recall of emotional words following the task was associated with mid-to-late pubertal status, and greater recall of emotional words was also associated with higher peak pupil dilation. These results provide physiological, behavioral, and subjective evidence consistent with a model of puberty-specific changes in neurobehavioral systems underpinning emotional reactivity. PMID:19144220

Representational similarity of social and valence information in the medial pFC.

PubMed

Chavez, Robert S; Heatherton, Todd F

2015-01-01

The human brain is remarkably adept at integrating complex information to form unified psychological representations of agents, objects, and events in the environment. Two domains in which this ability is particularly salient are the processing of social and valence information and are supported by common cortical areas in the medial pFC (MPFC). Because social information is often embedded within valenced emotional contexts, it is possible that activation patterns within the MPFC may represent both of these types of cognitive processes when presented simultaneously. The current study tested this possibility by employing a large-scale automated meta-analysis tool, together with multivoxel pattern analysis to investigate the representational similarity of social and valence information in the MPFC during fMRI. Using a representational similarity analysis, we found a high degree of representational similarity both within social dimensions and within valence dimensions, but not across them (e.g., positive social information was highly dissimilar to negative nonsocial information), in a ventral portion of the MPFC. These results were significantly correlated with a behaviorally measured similarity structure of the same stimuli, suggesting that a psychologically meaningful representation of social and valence information is reflected by multivoxel activation patterns in the ventral MPFC.

Social Annotation Valence: The Impact on Online Informed Consent Beliefs and Behavior

PubMed Central

Shaer, Orit; Okerlund, Johanna; Westendorf, Lauren; Ball, Madeleine; Nov, Oded

2016-01-01

Background Social media, mobile and wearable technology, and connected devices have significantly expanded the opportunities for conducting biomedical research online. Electronic consent to collecting such data, however, poses new challenges when contrasted to traditional consent processes. It reduces the participant-researcher dialogue but provides an opportunity for the consent deliberation process to move from solitary to social settings. In this research, we propose that social annotations, embedded in the consent form, can help prospective participants deliberate on the research and the organization behind it in ways that traditional consent forms cannot. Furthermore, we examine the role of the comments’ valence on prospective participants’ beliefs and behavior. Objective This study focuses specifically on the influence of annotations’ valence on participants’ perceptions and behaviors surrounding online consent for biomedical research. We hope to shed light on how social annotation can be incorporated into digitally mediated consent forms responsibly and effectively. Methods In this controlled between-subjects experiment, participants were presented with an online consent form for a personal genomics study that contained social annotations embedded in its margins. Individuals were randomly assigned to view the consent form with positive-, negative-, or mixed-valence comments beside the text of the consent form. We compared participants’ perceptions of being informed and having understood the material, their trust in the organization seeking the consent, and their actual consent across conditions. Results We find that comment valence has a marginally significant main effect on participants’ perception of being informed (F2=2.40, P=.07); specifically, participants in the positive condition (mean 4.17, SD 0.94) felt less informed than those in the mixed condition (mean 4.50, SD 0.69, P=.09). Comment valence also had a marginal main effect on the extent to which participants reported trusting the organization (F2=2.566, P=.08). Participants in the negative condition (mean 3.59, SD 1.14) were marginally less trusting than participants exposed to the positive condition (mean 4.02, SD 0.90, P=.06). Finally, we found that consent rate did not differ across comment valence conditions; however, participants who spent less time studying the consent form were more likely to consent when they were exposed to positive-valence comments. Conclusions This work explores the effects of adding a computer-mediated social dimension, which inherently contains human emotions and opinions, to the consent deliberation process. We proposed that augmenting the consent deliberation process to incorporate multiple voices can enable individuals to capitalize on the knowledge of others, which brings to light questions, problems, and concerns they may not have considered on their own. We found that consent forms containing positive valence annotations are likely to lead participants to feel less informed and simultaneously more trusting of the organization seeking consent. In certain cases where participants spent little time considering the content of the consent form, participants exposed to positive valence annotations were even more likely to consent to the study. We suggest that these findings represent important considerations for the design of future electronic informed consent mechanisms. PMID:27439320

Social Annotation Valence: The Impact on Online Informed Consent Beliefs and Behavior.

PubMed

Balestra, Martina; Shaer, Orit; Okerlund, Johanna; Westendorf, Lauren; Ball, Madeleine; Nov, Oded

2016-07-20

Social media, mobile and wearable technology, and connected devices have significantly expanded the opportunities for conducting biomedical research online. Electronic consent to collecting such data, however, poses new challenges when contrasted to traditional consent processes. It reduces the participant-researcher dialogue but provides an opportunity for the consent deliberation process to move from solitary to social settings. In this research, we propose that social annotations, embedded in the consent form, can help prospective participants deliberate on the research and the organization behind it in ways that traditional consent forms cannot. Furthermore, we examine the role of the comments' valence on prospective participants' beliefs and behavior. This study focuses specifically on the influence of annotations' valence on participants' perceptions and behaviors surrounding online consent for biomedical research. We hope to shed light on how social annotation can be incorporated into digitally mediated consent forms responsibly and effectively. In this controlled between-subjects experiment, participants were presented with an online consent form for a personal genomics study that contained social annotations embedded in its margins. Individuals were randomly assigned to view the consent form with positive-, negative-, or mixed-valence comments beside the text of the consent form. We compared participants' perceptions of being informed and having understood the material, their trust in the organization seeking the consent, and their actual consent across conditions. We find that comment valence has a marginally significant main effect on participants' perception of being informed (F2=2.40, P=.07); specifically, participants in the positive condition (mean 4.17, SD 0.94) felt less informed than those in the mixed condition (mean 4.50, SD 0.69, P=.09). Comment valence also had a marginal main effect on the extent to which participants reported trusting the organization (F2=2.566, P=.08). Participants in the negative condition (mean 3.59, SD 1.14) were marginally less trusting than participants exposed to the positive condition (mean 4.02, SD 0.90, P=.06). Finally, we found that consent rate did not differ across comment valence conditions; however, participants who spent less time studying the consent form were more likely to consent when they were exposed to positive-valence comments. This work explores the effects of adding a computer-mediated social dimension, which inherently contains human emotions and opinions, to the consent deliberation process. We proposed that augmenting the consent deliberation process to incorporate multiple voices can enable individuals to capitalize on the knowledge of others, which brings to light questions, problems, and concerns they may not have considered on their own. We found that consent forms containing positive valence annotations are likely to lead participants to feel less informed and simultaneously more trusting of the organization seeking consent. In certain cases where participants spent little time considering the content of the consent form, participants exposed to positive valence annotations were even more likely to consent to the study. We suggest that these findings represent important considerations for the design of future electronic informed consent mechanisms.

Attenuating social affective learning effects with Memory Suppression manipulations.

PubMed

Molet, Mikael; Kosinski, Thierry; Craddock, Paul; Miguez, Gonzalo; Mash, Lisa E; Miller, Ralph R

2016-02-01

People can form opinions of other individuals based on information about their good or bad behavior. The present study investigated whether this affective learning might depend on memory links formed between initially neutral people and valenced information. First, participants viewed neutral faces paired with sentences describing prosocial or antisocial behaviors. Second, memory suppression manipulations with the potential to aid in the forgetting of valenced information were administered. Using the Think/No think paradigm, the effectiveness of four different suppression instructions was compared: Unguided Suppression, Guided Suppression, Distraction, and Thought Substitution. Overall, all the tasks appreciably reduced affective learning based on prosocial information, but only the Guided Suppression and Thought Substitution tasks reduced affective learning based on antisocial information. These results suggest that weakening the putative memory link between initially neutral people and valenced information can decrease the effect of learned associations on the evaluation of other people. We interpreted this as indicative that social affective learning may rely on declarative memories. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mushroom body output neurons encode valence and guide memory-based action selection in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Aso, Yoshinori; Sitaraman, Divya; Ichinose, Toshiharu; Kaun, Karla R; Vogt, Katrin; Belliart-Guérin, Ghislain; Plaçais, Pierre-Yves; Robie, Alice A; Yamagata, Nobuhiro; Schnaitmann, Christopher; Rowell, William J; Johnston, Rebecca M; Ngo, Teri-T B; Chen, Nan; Korff, Wyatt; Nitabach, Michael N; Heberlein, Ulrike; Preat, Thomas; Branson, Kristin M; Tanimoto, Hiromu; Rubin, Gerald M

2014-01-01

Animals discriminate stimuli, learn their predictive value and use this knowledge to modify their behavior. In Drosophila, the mushroom body (MB) plays a key role in these processes. Sensory stimuli are sparsely represented by ∼2000 Kenyon cells, which converge onto 34 output neurons (MBONs) of 21 types. We studied the role of MBONs in several associative learning tasks and in sleep regulation, revealing the extent to which information flow is segregated into distinct channels and suggesting possible roles for the multi-layered MBON network. We also show that optogenetic activation of MBONs can, depending on cell type, induce repulsion or attraction in flies. The behavioral effects of MBON perturbation are combinatorial, suggesting that the MBON ensemble collectively represents valence. We propose that local, stimulus-specific dopaminergic modulation selectively alters the balance within the MBON network for those stimuli. Our results suggest that valence encoded by the MBON ensemble biases memory-based action selection. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.04580.001 PMID:25535794

Emotion and language: Valence and arousal affect word recognition

PubMed Central

Brysbaert, Marc; Warriner, Amy Beth

2014-01-01

Emotion influences most aspects of cognition and behavior, but emotional factors are conspicuously absent from current models of word recognition. The influence of emotion on word recognition has mostly been reported in prior studies on the automatic vigilance for negative stimuli, but the precise nature of this relationship is unclear. Various models of automatic vigilance have claimed that the effect of valence on response times is categorical, an inverted-U, or interactive with arousal. The present study used a sample of 12,658 words, and included many lexical and semantic control factors, to determine the precise nature of the effects of arousal and valence on word recognition. Converging empirical patterns observed in word-level and trial-level data from lexical decision and naming indicate that valence and arousal exert independent monotonic effects: Negative words are recognized more slowly than positive words, and arousing words are recognized more slowly than calming words. Valence explained about 2% of the variance in word recognition latencies, whereas the effect of arousal was smaller. Valence and arousal do not interact, but both interact with word frequency, such that valence and arousal exert larger effects among low-frequency words than among high-frequency words. These results necessitate a new model of affective word processing whereby the degree of negativity monotonically and independently predicts the speed of responding. This research also demonstrates that incorporating emotional factors, especially valence, improves the performance of models of word recognition. PMID:24490848

N450 and LPC Event-Related Potential Correlates of an Emotional Stroop Task with Words Differing in Valence and Emotional Origin

PubMed Central

Imbir, Kamil K.; Spustek, Tomasz; Duda, Joanna; Bernatowicz, Gabriela; Żygierewicz, Jarosław

2017-01-01

Affective meaning of verbal stimuli was found to influence cognitive control as expressed in the Emotional Stroop Task (EST). Behavioral studies have shown that factors such as valence, arousal, and emotional origin of reaction to stimuli associated with words can lead to lengthening of reaction latencies in EST. Moreover, electrophysiological studies have revealed that affective meaning altered amplitude of some components of evoked potentials recorded during EST, and that this alteration correlated with the performance in EST. The emotional origin was defined as processing based on automatic vs. reflective mechanisms, that underlines formation of emotional reactions to words. The aim of the current study was to investigate, within the framework of EST, correlates of processing of words differing in valence and origin levels, but matched in arousal, concreteness, frequency of appearance and length. We found no behavioral differences in response latencies. When controlling for origin, we found no effects of valence. We found the effect of origin on ERP in two time windows: 290–570 and 570–800 ms. The earlier effect can be attributed to cognitive control while the latter is rather the manifestation of explicit processing of words. In each case, reflective originated stimuli evoked more positive amplitudes compared to automatic originated words. PMID:28611717

Sex differences in memory of emotional images: a behavioral and electrophysiological investigation.

PubMed

Glaser, Emma; Mendrek, Adrianna; Germain, Martine; Lakis, Nadia; Lavoie, Marc E

2012-07-01

Current research suggests that emotional responses differ between men and women. Sex differences regarding emotional effects on memory have been recently studied through brain imaging techniques. However, the majority of investigations have often neglected to balance the variable of emotional intensity (arousal) across pleasant and unpleasant pictures. Additionally, men and women were often mixed or studied separately. The current study aims at comparing men and women's electrophysiological responses related to emotional memory of photographic material. These responses were measured using Event Related brain Potentials (ERP) in response to a task of episodic memory of emotional images. The frontal N200, the parietal P300 and the central LPC were compared in 17 men and 17 women matched for age, social economic status, education and intelligence. Behavioral results showed that, in men, reaction times were modulated by valence, whereas for women, reaction times were mainly modulated by arousal. Accuracy was affected by both emotional valence and arousal, but only in women. ERP analyses revealed that emotional valence influenced earlier time components (frontal N200 and parietal P300), whereas arousal influenced memory in the later time component (central LPC). Moreover, sex differences, mediated by valence and arousal, were found in ERP responses at different times in the processing stream. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Anatomical differences in the human inferior colliculus relate to the perceived valence of musical consonance and dissonance.

PubMed

Fritz, Thomas Hans; Renders, Wiske; Müller, Karsten; Schmude, Paul; Leman, Marc; Turner, Robert; Villringer, Arno

2013-10-01

Helmholtz himself speculated about a role of the cochlea in the perception of musical dissonance. Here we indirectly investigated this issue, assessing the valence judgment of musical stimuli with variable consonance/dissonance and presented diotically (exactly the same dissonant signal was presented to both ears) or dichotically (a consonant signal was presented to each ear--both consonant signals were rhythmically identical but differed by a semitone in pitch). Differences in brain organisation underlying inter-subject differences in the percept of dichotically presented dissonance were determined with voxel-based morphometry. Behavioral results showed that diotic dissonant stimuli were perceived as more unpleasant than dichotically presented dissonance, indicating that interactions within the cochlea modulated the valence percept during dissonance. However, the behavioral data also suggested that the dissonance percept did not depend crucially on the cochlea, but also occurred as a result of binaural integration when listening to dichotic dissonance. These results also showed substantial between-participant variations in the valence response to dichotic dissonance. These differences were in a voxel-based morphometry analysis related to differences in gray matter density in the inferior colliculus, which strongly substantiated a key role of the inferior colliculus in consonance/dissonance representation in humans. © 2013 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

N450 and LPC Event-Related Potential Correlates of an Emotional Stroop Task with Words Differing in Valence and Emotional Origin.

PubMed

Imbir, Kamil K; Spustek, Tomasz; Duda, Joanna; Bernatowicz, Gabriela; Żygierewicz, Jarosław

2017-01-01

Affective meaning of verbal stimuli was found to influence cognitive control as expressed in the Emotional Stroop Task (EST). Behavioral studies have shown that factors such as valence, arousal, and emotional origin of reaction to stimuli associated with words can lead to lengthening of reaction latencies in EST. Moreover, electrophysiological studies have revealed that affective meaning altered amplitude of some components of evoked potentials recorded during EST, and that this alteration correlated with the performance in EST. The emotional origin was defined as processing based on automatic vs. reflective mechanisms, that underlines formation of emotional reactions to words. The aim of the current study was to investigate, within the framework of EST, correlates of processing of words differing in valence and origin levels, but matched in arousal, concreteness, frequency of appearance and length. We found no behavioral differences in response latencies. When controlling for origin, we found no effects of valence. We found the effect of origin on ERP in two time windows: 290-570 and 570-800 ms. The earlier effect can be attributed to cognitive control while the latter is rather the manifestation of explicit processing of words. In each case, reflective originated stimuli evoked more positive amplitudes compared to automatic originated words.

Do maladaptive behaviors exist at one or both ends of personality traits?

PubMed

Pettersson, Erik; Mendle, Jane; Turkheimer, Eric; Horn, Erin E; Ford, Derek C; Simms, Leonard J; Clark, Lee Anna

2014-06-01

In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) personality disorder trait model, maladaptive behavior is located at one end of continuous scales. Widiger and colleagues, however, have argued that maladaptive behavior exists at both ends of trait continua. We propose that the role of evaluative variance differentiates these two perspectives and that once evaluation is isolated, maladaptive behaviors emerge at both ends of nonevaluative trait dimensions. In Study 1, we argue that evaluative variance is worthwhile to measure separately from descriptive content because it clusters items by valence regardless of content (e.g., lazy and workaholic; apathetic and anxious; gullible and paranoid; timid and hostile, etc.), which is unlikely to describe a consistent behavioral style. We isolate evaluation statistically (Study 2) and at the time of measurement (Study 3) to show that factors unrelated to valence evidence maladaptive behavior at both ends. We argue that nonevaluative factors, which display maladaptive behavior at both ends of continua, may better approximate ways in which individuals actually behave.

Dynamics in higher lying excited states: Valence to Rydberg transitions in the relaxation paths of pyrrole and methylated derivatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geng, Ting; Schalk, Oliver; Neville, Simon P.; Hansson, Tony; Thomas, Richard D.

2017-04-01

The involvement of intermediate Rydberg states in the relaxation dynamics of small organic molecules which, after excitation to the valence manifold, also return to the valence manifold is rarely observed. We report here that such a transiently populated Rydberg state may offer the possibility to modify the outcome of a photochemical reaction. In a time resolved photoelectron study on pyrrole and its methylated derivatives, N-methyl pyrrole and 2,5-dimethyl pyrrole, 6.2 eV photons (200 nm) are used to excite these molecules into a bright ππ* state. In each case, a π3p-Rydberg state, either the B1(π3py) or the A2(π3pz) state, is populated within 20-50 fs after excitation. The wavepacket then proceeds to the lower lying A2(πσ*) state within a further 20 fs, at which point two competing reaction channels can be accessed: prompt N-H (N-CH3) bond cleavage or return to the ground state via a conical intersection accessed after ring puckering, the latter of which is predicted to require an additional 100-160 fs depending on the molecule.

Binding patterns of vanadium ions with different valence states to human serum transferrin studied by HPLC/high-resolution ICP-MS.

PubMed

Nagaoka, Megumi Hamano; Yamazaki, Takeshi; Maitani, Tamio

2002-09-06

Vanadium (V) is an essential metal for mammals and has different valence states. In blood, V is bound to serum transferrin (Tf), a glycoprotein which has two metal-binding sites, and carbonate is generally required for the binding. In this study, the binding patterns of V(III), V(IV), and V(V) to human serum Tf (hTf) were analyzed using an HPLC system equipped with an anion-exchange column and directly connected to a high-resolution inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer for metal detection (51V). In affinity to hTf, the three ions were ranked V(III)>V(IV)>V(V) in the presence of bicarbonate and V(III) reverse congruent V(IV)>V(V) in the absence. Intermediates in the "open forms" binding to the respective sites were detected at the initial stage. V(IV) and V(V) were bound to the N-lobe site in the "closed form" and "open form," respectively. In the absence of bicarbonate, V ions with respective valence states were bound to hTf in the "open form." In terms of binding to hTf, tri-valent V was most favorable in the presence of bicarbonate.

Organ donation video messaging: differential appeal, emotional valence, and behavioral intention.

PubMed

Rodrigue, J R; Fleishman, A; Vishnevsky, T; Fitzpatrick, S; Boger, M

2014-10-01

Video narratives increasingly are used to draw the public's attention to the need for more registered organ donors. We assessed the differential impact of donation messaging videos on appeal, emotional valence, and organ donation intentions in 781 non-registered adults. Participants watched six videos (four personal narratives, one informational video without personal narrative, and one unrelated to donation) with or without sound (subtitled), randomly sequenced to minimize order effects. We assessed appeal, emotional valence, readiness to register as organ donors, and donation information-seeking behavior. Compared to other video types, one featuring a pediatric transplant recipient (with or without sound) showed more favorable appeal (p < 0.001), generated more positive emotional valence (p < 0.01), and had the most favorable impact on organ donor willingness (p < 0.001). Ninety-five (12%) participants clicked through to a donation website after viewing all six videos. Minority race (OR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.20, 3.13, p = 0.006), positive change in organ donor readiness (OR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.14, 0.48, p < 0.001), and total positive emotion (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.07, p < 0.001) were significant multivariable predictors of clicking through to the donation website. Brief, one-min videos can have a very dramatic and positive impact on willingness to consider donation and behavioral intentions to register as an organ donor. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Molybdenum Valence in Basaltic Silicate Melts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danielson, L. R.; Righter, K.; Newville, M.; Sutton, S.; Pando, K.

2010-01-01

The moderately siderophile element molybdenum has been used as an indicator in planetary differentiation processes, and is particularly relevant to core formation [for example, 1-6]. However, models that apply experimental data to an equilibrium differentiation scenario infer the oxidation state of molybdenum from solubility data or from multivariable coefficients from metal-silicate partitioning data [1,3,7]. Partitioning behavior of molybdenum, a multivalent element with a transition near the J02 of interest for core formation (IW-2) will be sensitive to changes in JO2 of the system and silicate melt structure. In a silicate melt, Mo can occur in either 4+ or 6+ valence state, and Mo6+ can be either octahedrally or tetrahedrally coordinated. Here we present first XANES measurements of Mo valence in basaltic run products at a range of P, T, and JO2 and further quantify the valence transition of Mo.

Brand Suicide? Memory and Liking of Negative Brand Names

PubMed Central

Guest, Duncan; Estes, Zachary; Gibbert, Michael; Mazursky, David

2016-01-01

Negative brand names are surprisingly common in the marketplace (e.g., Poison perfume; Hell pizza, and Monster energy drink), yet their effects on consumer behavior are currently unknown. Three studies investigated the effects of negative brand name valence on brand name memory and liking of a branded product. Study 1 demonstrates that relative to non-negative brand names, negative brand names and their associated logos are better recognised. Studies 2 and 3 demonstrate that negative valence of a brand name tends to have a detrimental influence on product evaluation with evaluations worsening as negative valence increases. However, evaluation is also dependent on brand name arousal, with high arousal brand names resulting in more positive evaluations, such that moderately negative brand names are equally as attractive as some non-negative brand names. Study 3 shows evidence for affective habituation, whereby the effects of negative valence reduce with repeated exposures to some classes of negative brand name. PMID:27023872

Parametrization of Stillinger-Weber potential based on valence force field model: application to single-layer MoS2 and black phosphorus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Jin-Wu

2015-08-01

We propose parametrizing the Stillinger-Weber potential for covalent materials starting from the valence force-field model. All geometrical parameters in the Stillinger-Weber potential are determined analytically according to the equilibrium condition for each individual potential term, while the energy parameters are derived from the valence force-field model. This parametrization approach transfers the accuracy of the valence force field model to the Stillinger-Weber potential. Furthermore, the resulting Stilliinger-Weber potential supports stable molecular dynamics simulations, as each potential term is at an energy-minimum state separately at the equilibrium configuration. We employ this procedure to parametrize Stillinger-Weber potentials for single-layer MoS2 and black phosphorous. The obtained Stillinger-Weber potentials predict an accurate phonon spectrum and mechanical behaviors. We also provide input scripts of these Stillinger-Weber potentials used by publicly available simulation packages including GULP and LAMMPS.

Parametrization of Stillinger-Weber potential based on valence force field model: application to single-layer MoS2 and black phosphorus.

PubMed

Jiang, Jin-Wu

2015-08-07

We propose parametrizing the Stillinger-Weber potential for covalent materials starting from the valence force-field model. All geometrical parameters in the Stillinger-Weber potential are determined analytically according to the equilibrium condition for each individual potential term, while the energy parameters are derived from the valence force-field model. This parametrization approach transfers the accuracy of the valence force field model to the Stillinger-Weber potential. Furthermore, the resulting Stilliinger-Weber potential supports stable molecular dynamics simulations, as each potential term is at an energy-minimum state separately at the equilibrium configuration. We employ this procedure to parametrize Stillinger-Weber potentials for single-layer MoS2 and black phosphorous. The obtained Stillinger-Weber potentials predict an accurate phonon spectrum and mechanical behaviors. We also provide input scripts of these Stillinger-Weber potentials used by publicly available simulation packages including GULP and LAMMPS.

Brand Suicide? Memory and Liking of Negative Brand Names.

PubMed

Guest, Duncan; Estes, Zachary; Gibbert, Michael; Mazursky, David

2016-01-01

Negative brand names are surprisingly common in the marketplace (e.g., Poison perfume; Hell pizza, and Monster energy drink), yet their effects on consumer behavior are currently unknown. Three studies investigated the effects of negative brand name valence on brand name memory and liking of a branded product. Study 1 demonstrates that relative to non-negative brand names, negative brand names and their associated logos are better recognised. Studies 2 and 3 demonstrate that negative valence of a brand name tends to have a detrimental influence on product evaluation with evaluations worsening as negative valence increases. However, evaluation is also dependent on brand name arousal, with high arousal brand names resulting in more positive evaluations, such that moderately negative brand names are equally as attractive as some non-negative brand names. Study 3 shows evidence for affective habituation, whereby the effects of negative valence reduce with repeated exposures to some classes of negative brand name.

Optogenetic dissection of neural circuits underlying emotional valence and motivated behaviors

PubMed Central

Nieh, Edward H.; Kim, Sung-Yon; Namburi, Praneeth; Tye, Kay M.

2014-01-01

The neural circuits underlying emotional valence and motivated behaviors are several synapses away from both defined sensory inputs and quantifiable motor outputs. Electrophysiology has provided us with a suitable means for observing neural activity during behavior, but methods for controlling activity for the purpose of studying motivated behaviors have been inadequate: electrical stimulation lacks cellular specificity and pharmacological manipulation lacks temporal resolution. The recent emergence of optogenetic tools provides a new means for establishing causal relationships between neural activity and behavior. Optogenetics, the use of genetically-encodable light-activated proteins, permits the modulation of specific neural circuit elements with millisecond precision. The ability to control individual cell types, and even projections between distal regions, allows us to investigate functional connectivity in a causal manner. The greatest consequence of controlling neural activity with finer precision has been the characterization of individual neural circuits within anatomical brain regions as defined functional units. Within the mesolimbic dopamine system, optogenetics has helped separate subsets of dopamine neurons with distinct functions for reward, aversion and salience processing, elucidated GABA neuronal effects on behavior, and characterized connectivity with forebrain and cortical structures. Within the striatum, optogenetics has confirmed the opposing relationship between direct and indirect pathway medium spiny neurons (MSNs), in addition to characterizing the inhibition of MSNs by cholinergic interneurons. Within the hypothalamus, optogenetics has helped overcome the heterogeneity in neuronal cell-type and revealed distinct circuits mediating aggression and feeding. Within the amygdala, optogenetics has allowed the study of intra-amygdala microcircuitry as well as interconnections with distal regions involved in fear and anxiety. In this review, we will present the body of optogenetic studies that has significantly enhanced our understanding of emotional valence and motivated behaviors. PMID:23142759

Unconscious Processing of Facial Emotional Valence Relation: Behavioral Evidence of Integration between Subliminally Perceived Stimuli.

PubMed

Liu, Chengzhen; Sun, Zhiyi; Jou, Jerwen; Cui, Qian; Zhao, Guang; Qiu, Jiang; Tu, Shen

2016-01-01

Although a few studies have investigated the integration between some types of unconscious stimuli, no research has yet explored the integration between unconscious emotional stimuli. This study was designed to provide behavioral evidence for the integration between unconsciously perceived emotional faces (same or different valence relation) using a modified priming paradigm. In two experiments, participants were asked to decide whether two faces in the target, which followed two subliminally presented faces of same or different emotional expressions, were of the same or different emotional valence. The interstimulus interval (ISI) between the prime and the target was manipulated (0, 53, 163 ms). In Experiment 1, prime visibility was assessed post-experiment. In Experiment 2, it was assessed on each trial. Interestingly, in both experiments, unconsciously processed valence relation of the two faces in the prime generated a negative priming effect in the response to the supraliminally presented target, independent of the length of ISI. Further analyses suggested that the negative priming was probably caused by a motor response incongruent relation between the subliminally perceived prime and the supraliminally perceived target. The visual feature incongruent relation across the prime and target was not found to play a role in the negative priming. Because the negative priming was found at short ISI, an attention mechanism as well as a motor inhibition mechanism were proposed in the generation of the negative priming effect. Overall, this study indicated that the subliminal valence relation was processed, and that integration between different unconsciously perceived stimuli could occur.

Unconscious Processing of Facial Emotional Valence Relation: Behavioral Evidence of Integration between Subliminally Perceived Stimuli

PubMed Central

Jou, Jerwen; Cui, Qian; Zhao, Guang; Qiu, Jiang; Tu, Shen

2016-01-01

Although a few studies have investigated the integration between some types of unconscious stimuli, no research has yet explored the integration between unconscious emotional stimuli. This study was designed to provide behavioral evidence for the integration between unconsciously perceived emotional faces (same or different valence relation) using a modified priming paradigm. In two experiments, participants were asked to decide whether two faces in the target, which followed two subliminally presented faces of same or different emotional expressions, were of the same or different emotional valence. The interstimulus interval (ISI) between the prime and the target was manipulated (0, 53, 163 ms). In Experiment 1, prime visibility was assessed post-experiment. In Experiment 2, it was assessed on each trial. Interestingly, in both experiments, unconsciously processed valence relation of the two faces in the prime generated a negative priming effect in the response to the supraliminally presented target, independent of the length of ISI. Further analyses suggested that the negative priming was probably caused by a motor response incongruent relation between the subliminally perceived prime and the supraliminally perceived target. The visual feature incongruent relation across the prime and target was not found to play a role in the negative priming. Because the negative priming was found at short ISI, an attention mechanism as well as a motor inhibition mechanism were proposed in the generation of the negative priming effect. Overall, this study indicated that the subliminal valence relation was processed, and that integration between different unconsciously perceived stimuli could occur. PMID:27622600

Effects of type of value appealed to and valence of appeal on children's dental health behavior.

PubMed

Knapp, L G

1991-12-01

Examined the effects of the type of value appealed to and valence of appeal on children's intentions to engage in toothbrushing, their self-report of toothbrushing frequency, and their plaque level. 98 fifth-grade students served as the participants. Slide shows appealed to either health- or socially oriented values and also differed with respect to valence (positive vs. negative). A control group received a message that provided basic dental health information. Group comparisons revealed that children who received the negative social appeal showed a significant improvement in plaque level. Only the negative social appeal group differed significantly from the control group on the dependent measures.

Sn Cation Valency Dependence in Cation Exchange Reactions Involving Cu2-xSe Nanocrystals

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

We studied cation exchange reactions in colloidal Cu2-xSe nanocrystals (NCs) involving the replacement of Cu+ cations with either Sn2+ or Sn4+ cations. This is a model system in several aspects: first, the +2 and +4 oxidation states for tin are relatively stable; in addition, the phase of the Cu2-xSe NCs remains cubic regardless of the degree of copper deficiency (that is, “x”) in the NC lattice. Also, Sn4+ ions are comparable in size to the Cu+ ions, while Sn2+ ones are much larger. We show here that the valency of the entering Sn ions dictates the structure and composition not only of the final products but also of the intermediate steps of the exchange. When Sn4+ cations are used, alloyed Cu2–4ySnySe NCs (with y ≤ 0.33) are formed as intermediates, with almost no distortion of the anion framework, apart from a small contraction. In this exchange reaction the final stoichiometry of the NCs cannot go beyond Cu0.66Sn0.33Se (that is Cu2SnSe3), as any further replacement of Cu+ cations with Sn4+ cations would require a drastic reorganization of the anion framework, which is not possible at the reaction conditions of the experiments. When instead Sn2+ cations are employed, SnSe NCs are formed, mostly in the orthorhombic phase, with significant, albeit not drastic, distortion of the anion framework. Intermediate steps in this exchange reaction are represented by Janus-type Cu2-xSe/SnSe heterostructures, with no Cu–Sn–Se alloys. PMID:25340627

Theory of resonant x-ray emission spectra in compounds with localized f electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolorenč, Jindřich

2018-05-01

I discuss a theoretical description of the resonant x-ray emission spectroscopy (RXES) that is based on the Anderson impurity model. The parameters entering the model are determined from material-specific LDA+DMFT calculations. The theory is applicable across the whole f series, not only in the limits of nearly empty (La, Ce) or nearly full (Yb) valence f shell. Its performance is illustrated on the pressure-enhanced intermediate valency of elemental praseodymium. The obtained results are compared to the usual interpretation of RXES, which assumes that the spectrum is a superposition of several signals, each corresponding to one configuration of the 4f shell. The present theory simplifies to such superposition only if nearly all effects of hybridization of the 4f shell with the surrounding states are neglected. Although the assumption of negligible hybridization sounds reasonable for lanthanides, the explicit calculations show that it substantially distorts the analysis of the RXES data.

Incidental encoding of emotional pictures: affective bias studied through event related brain potentials.

PubMed

Tapia, Manuel; Carretié, Luis; Sierra, Benjamín; Mercado, Francisco

2008-06-01

Emotional stimuli are better remembered than neutral stimuli. Most of the studies taking into account this emotional bias refer to explicit memory, use behavioral measures of the recall and predict better recall of negative stimuli. The few studies taking into account implicit memory and the valence emotional dimension are inconclusive on the effect of the stimulus' emotional valence. In the present study, 120 pictures (30 positive, 30 negative, 30 relaxing and 30 neutral) were shown to, and assessed by, 28 participants (study phase). Subsequently, event related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded during the presentation of 120 new (shown for the first time) and 120 old (already shown in the study phase) pictures (test phase). No explicit instructions or clues related to recovery were given to participants, and a distractor task was employed, in order to maintain implicit the memory assessment. As expected from other studies' data, our results showed that old stimuli elicited an enhanced late positive component 450 ms after stimulus onset (repetition effect). Moreover, this effect was modulated by the stimuli's emotional valence, since the most positively valenced stimuli were associated with a decreased repetition effect with respect to the most negatively valenced stimuli. This effect was located at ventromedial prefrontal cortex. These results suggest the existence of a valence-mediated bias in implicit memory.

Ligand-hole localization in oxides with unusual valence Fe

PubMed Central

Chen, Wei-Tin; Saito, Takashi; Hayashi, Naoaki; Takano, Mikio; Shimakawa, Yuichi

2012-01-01

Unusual high-valence states of iron are stabilized in a few oxides. A-site-ordered perovskite-structure oxides contain such iron cations and exhibit distinct electronic behaviors at low temperatures, e.g. charge disproportionation (4Fe4+ → 2Fe3+ + 2Fe5+) in CaCu3Fe4O12 and intersite charge transfer (3Cu2+ + 4Fe3.75+ → 3Cu3+ + 4Fe3+) in LaCu3Fe4O12. Here we report the synthesis of solid solutions of CaCu3Fe4O12 and LaCu3Fe4O12 and explain how the instabilities of their unusual valence states of iron are relieved. Although these behaviors look completely different from each other in simple ionic models, they can both be explained by the localization of ligand holes, which are produced by the strong hybridization of iron d and oxygen p orbitals in oxides. The localization behavior in the charge disproportionation of CaCu3Fe4O12 is regarded as charge ordering of the ligand holes, and that in the intersite charge transfer of LaCu3Fe4O12 is regarded as a Mott transition of the ligand holes. PMID:22690318

Universality class of non-Fermi-liquid behavior in mixed-valence systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Guang-Ming; Su, Zhao-Bin; Yu, Lu

1996-01-01

A generalized Anderson single-impurity model with off-site Coulomb interactions is derived from the extended three-band Hubbard model, originally proposed to describe the physics of the copper oxides. Using the Abelian bosonization technique and canonical transformations, an effective Hamiltonian is derived in the strong-coupling limit, which is essentially analogous to the Toulouse limit of the ordinary Kondo problem. In this limit, the effective Hamiltonian can be exactly solved, with a mixed-valence quantum critical point separating two different Fermi-liquid phases, i.e., the Kondo phase and the empty orbital phase. In the mixed-valence quantum critical regime, the local moment is only partially quenched and x-ray edge singularities are generated. Around the quantum critical point, a type of non-Fermi-liquid behavior is predicted with an extra specific heat Cimp~T1/4 and a singular spin susceptibility χimp~T-3/4. At the same time, the effective Hamiltonian under single occupancy is transformed into a resonant-level model, from which the correct Kondo physical properties (specific heat, spin susceptibility, and an enhanced Wilson ratio) are easily rederived. Finally, a brief discussion is given to relate these theoretical results to observations in UPdxCu5-x (x=1,1.5) alloys, which show single-impurity critical behavior consistent with our predictions.

Conversation and compliance: role of interpersonal discussion and social norms in public communication campaigns.

PubMed

Frank, Lauren B; Chatterjee, Joyee S; Chaudhuri, Sonal T; Lapsansky, Charlotte; Bhanot, Anurudra; Murphy, Sheila T

2012-01-01

This study explores the role of interpersonal discussion and social norms in a public health campaign, the BBC Condom Normalization Campaign, designed to promote conversation and change the public perception of condom use in India. Drawing upon the integrative model of behavioral prediction, attitudes, self-efficacy, subjective norms, and descriptive norms were predicted to relate to behavioral intentions to use condoms. It is important to note that the valence of discussion was hypothesized to relate to each of these more proximal predictors. The authors used structural equation modeling to test the model on 3 separate samples of Indian men between the ages of 15 and 49 years: (a) high-risk men who had sex with nonspouses; (b) low-risk, sexually inactive, unmarried men; and (c) low-risk, monogamous, married men. Results were similar for low- and high-risk audiences, with valence of discussion about condoms predicting condom-related attitudes, self-efficacy, and subjective and descriptive social norms with respect to condom use, which, in turn, predicted behavioral intent to use condoms. These findings underscore the need to take not only the frequency but also the valence of interpersonal discussion into account when assessing the effect of health campaigns. Implications for theory and design of future public communication campaigns are explored.

Behavioral and Emotional Dynamics of Two People Struggling to Reach Consensus about a Topic on Which They Disagree

PubMed Central

Kurt, Levent; Kugler, Katharina G.; Coleman, Peter T.; Liebovitch, Larry S.

2014-01-01

We studied the behavioral and emotional dynamics displayed by two people trying to resolve a conflict. 59 groups of two people were asked to talk for 20 minutes to try to reach a consensus about a topic on which they disagreed. The topics were abortion, affirmative action, death penalty, and euthanasia. Behavior data were determined from audio recordings where each second of the conversation was assessed as proself, neutral, or prosocial. We determined the probability density function of the durations of time spent in each behavioral state. These durations were well fit by a stretched exponential distribution, with an exponent, , of approximately 0.3. This indicates that the switching between behavioral states is not a random Markov process, but one where the probability to switch behavioral states decreases with the time already spent in that behavioral state. The degree of this “memory” was stronger in those groups who did not reach a consensus and where the conflict grew more destructive than in those that did. Emotion data were measured by having each person listen to the audio recording and moving a computer mouse to recall their negative or positive emotional valence at each moment in the conversation. We used the Hurst rescaled range analysis and power spectrum to determine the correlations in the fluctuations of the emotional valence. The emotional valence was well described by a random walk whose increments were uncorrelated. Thus, the behavior data demonstrated a “memory” of the duration already spent in a behavioral state while the emotion data fluctuated as a random walk whose steps did not have a “memory” of previous steps. This work demonstrates that statistical analysis, more commonly used to analyze physical phenomena, can also shed interesting light on the dynamics of processes in social psychology and conflict management. PMID:24427290

Solid-solution stability and preferential site-occupancy in (R-R′){sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B compounds

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

Colin, C. V.; Dempsey, N. M.; Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inst NEEL, F-38000 Grenoble

The rare-earth (R) uniaxial anisotropy of R{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B compounds with magnetic R atoms (e.g., Nd or Pr) is at the origin of the exceptional hard magnetic properties achieved in magnets based on these compounds. The uniaxial anisotropy found in Ce{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B is attributed mainly to the magnetism of Fe. Ce is the most abundant R element and there has been much recent effort to fabricate magnets in which Ce is partially substituted for Nd. In the present neutron study of (R{sub 1−x}Ce{sub x}){sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B (R = La or Nd), Ce is found to enter the R{sub 2}Fe{submore » 14}B phase over the entire composition range. The crystallographic parameters decrease with increasing Ce content and the Ce atoms preferentially occupy the smaller 4f sites. It is concluded that Ce in these (RR′){sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B compounds essentially maintains the intermediate valence character found in Ce{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B. It is proposed that, in this intermediate valence state, Ce weakly contributes to uniaxial anisotropy, thus making a link with the fact that significant coercivity is preserved in Ce-substituted NdFeB magnets.« less

Difference between resistance degradation of fixed valence acceptor (Mg) and variable valence acceptor (Mn)-doped BaTiO3 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Seok-Hyun; Randall, Clive A.; Hur, Kang-Heon

2010-09-01

The difference in the resistance degradation behavior was investigated between fixed valence acceptor (Mg) and the variable valence acceptor (Mn)-doped BaTiO3 ceramics with an increase of each acceptor concentration. Coarse-grained specimens with uniform grain sizes and different acceptor concentrations were prepared. In the case of Mg-doped BaTiO3, the time to degradation systematically decreased with the increase in Mg concentration. In contrast, there is a systematically increased time to degradation with the increase in Mn concentration in Mn-doped BaTiO3. The fast degradation by the increase in Mg concentration directly corresponded to an increase in the Warburg impedance and ionic transference number (tion) associated with an increase in oxygen vacancy concentration ([VO••]). On the other hand, no distinct Warburg impedance or ionic conduction contribution could be observed with the increase in Mn concentration. It is supposed that the increase in [VO••] is negligible in spite of the increase in acceptor Mn concentration, when it is compared to Mg-doped BaTiO3. The much lower [VO••] and more dominant electron/hole trapping effect due to multivalence nature of Mn are supposed to cause such a contrary degradation behavior between Mg and Mn-doped BaTiO3. Reoxidation in a slightly reducing atmosphere (N2) showed better resistance to degradation behavior than in a oxidizing air atmosphere in both Mg and Mn-doped BaTiO3, which is anticipated to be an increase in the electron/hole trapping sites. All these behaviors could be explained by the low temperature defect chemical model that shows difference in the defect structure between Mg and Mn-doped BaTiO3, and its dependence on the oxygen partial pressure (pO2) during reoxidation and cooling. Not only the [VO••], but also the density of electron/hole trap sites, are believed to be crucial in controlling resistance degradation.

Behavioral observations of positive and negative valence systems in early childhood predict physiological measures of emotional processing three years later.

PubMed

Kessel, Ellen M; Kujawa, Autumn; Goldstein, Brandon; Hajcak, Greg; Bufferd, Sara J; Dyson, Margaret; Klein, Daniel N

2017-07-01

The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) constructs of Positive Valence Systems (PVS) and Negative Valence Systems (NVS) are presumed to manifest behaviorally through early-emerging temperamental negative affectivity (NA) and positive affectivity (PA). The late positive potential (LPP) is a physiological measure of attention towards both negative and positive emotional stimuli; however, its associations with behavioral aspects of PVS and NVS have yet to be examined. In a community sample of children (N = 340), we examined longitudinal relationships between observational measures of temperamental PA and NA assessed at age 6, and the LPP to both pleasant and unpleasant images assessed at age 9. Lower PA at age 6 predicted reduced LPP amplitudes to pleasant, but not unpleasant, images. NA as a composite measure was not related to the LPP, but specific associations were observed with facets of NA: greater fear predicted an enhanced LPP to unpleasant images, whereas greater sadness predicted a reduced LPP to unpleasant images. We were unable to evaluate concurrent associations between behavioral observations of temperament and the LPP, and effect sizes were modest. Results support correspondence between behavioral and physiological measures of emotional processing across development, and provide evidence of discriminant validity in that PA was specifically related to the LPP to pleasant images, while facets of NA were specifically linked to the LPP to unpleasant images. Distinct associations of temperamental sadness and fear with the LPP highlight the importance of further evaluating subconstructs of NVS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of moral emotions in the development of children's sharing behavior.

PubMed

Ongley, Sophia F; Malti, Tina

2014-04-01

This study investigated the role of moral emotions in the development of children's sharing behavior (N = 244 4-, 8-, and 12-year-old children). Children's sympathy was measured with both self- and primary caregiver-reports, and participants anticipated their negatively and positively valenced moral emotions (i.e., feeling guilty, sad, or bad; and feeling proud, happy, or good) following actions that either violated or upheld moral norms. Sharing was measured through children's allocation of resources in the dictator game. Children's self-reported sympathy emerged as a significant predictor of sharing in early childhood. For children with low levels of sympathy, sharing was also predicted by negatively valenced moral emotions following the failure to perform prosocial actions. In addition, results demonstrated an age-related increase in sharing for boys between ages 4 and 8 and a decrease in sharing for boys between ages 8 and 12. We discuss the findings in relation to the emergence of 2 compensatory emotional pathways to sharing, 1 via sympathy and 1 via negatively valenced moral emotions. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Common and distinct modulation of electrophysiological indices of feedback processing by autistic and psychopathic traits.

PubMed

Carter Leno, Virginia; Naples, Adam; Cox, Anthony; Rutherford, Helena; McPartland, James C

2016-01-01

Both autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and psychopathy are primarily characterized by social dysfunction; overlapping phenotypic features may reflect altered function in common brain mechanisms. The current study examined the degree to which neural response to social and nonsocial feedback is modulated by autistic versus psychopathic traits in a sample of typically developing adults (N = 31, 11 males, 18-52 years). Event-related potentials were recorded whilst participants completed a behavioral task and received feedback on task performance. Both autistic and psychopathic traits were associated with alterations in the neural correlates of feedback processing. Sensitivity to specific forms of feedback (social, nonsocial, positively valenced, negatively valenced) differed between the two traits. Autistic traits were associated with decreased sensitivity to social feedback. In contrast, the antisocial domain of psychopathic traits was associated with an overall decrease in sensitivity to feedback, and the interpersonal manipulation domain was associated with preserved processing of positively valenced feedback. Results suggest distinct alterations within specific mechanisms of feedback processing may underlie similar difficulties in social behavior.

Murder, She Wrote

PubMed Central

Nasrallah, Maha; Carmel, David; Lavie, Nilli

2009-01-01

Enhanced sensitivity to information of negative (compared to positive) valence has an adaptive value, for example, by expediting the correct choice of avoidance behavior. However, previous evidence for such enhanced sensitivity has been inconclusive. Here we report a clear advantage for negative over positive words in categorizing them as emotional. In 3 experiments, participants classified briefly presented (33 ms or 22 ms) masked words as emotional or neutral. Categorization accuracy and valence-detection sensitivity were both higher for negative than for positive words. The results were not due to differences between emotion categories in either lexical frequency, extremeness of valence ratings, or arousal. These results conclusively establish enhanced sensitivity for negative over positive words, supporting the hypothesis that negative stimuli enjoy preferential access to perceptual processing. PMID:19803583

Valence modulates source memory for faces.

PubMed

Bell, Raoul; Buchner, Axel

2010-01-01

Previous studies in which the effects of emotional valence on old-new discrimination and source memory have been examined have yielded highly inconsistent results. Here, we present two experiments showing that old-new face discrimination was not affected by whether a face was associated with disgusting, pleasant, or neutral behavior. In contrast, source memory for faces associated with disgusting behavior (i.e., memory for the disgusting context in which the face was encountered) was consistently better than source memory for other types of faces. This data pattern replicates the findings of studies in which descriptions of cheating, neutral, and trustworthy behavior were used, which findings were previously ascribed to a highly specific cheater detection module. The present results suggest that the enhanced source memory for faces of cheaters is due to a more general source memory advantage for faces associated with negative or threatening contexts that may be instrumental in avoiding the negative consequences of encounters with persons associated with negative or threatening behaviors.

Single crystal growth and characterization of the intermetallic cubic cage system YCo1.82Mn0.18Zn20

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabrera-Baez, M.; Finatti, B. F.; Rettori, C.; Avila, M. A.

2018-05-01

We report on the growth of YCo2-xMnxZn20 cubic single crystals (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.18) and their characterization through elemental analysis, x-ray diffraction, magnetization and heat capacity. Mn intermediate and/or mixed-valence-like behavior was observed in the magnetic response of YCo1.82Mn0.18Zn20 (and all other samples) at temperatures between 100 K and 200 K, and a spin-glass state is established at low temperatures. Specific heat results for x = 0.18 show an increased Sommerfeld coefficient of γ ≈ 100 mJ / mol .K2 compared to that of the undoped compound (18 mJ / mol .K2) suggesting an enhancement of the quasiparticle effective mass ignoring spin-glass effects at very low temperatures. The combination of different experimental data provides a better understanding of the Mn2+ effects in the weakly correlated electron compound of YCo2Zn20, the first case in this family of compounds where local magnetic moments come exclusively from the transition metal.

Approach and Withdrawal Tendencies during Written Word Processing: Effects of Task, Emotional Valence, and Emotional Arousal

PubMed Central

Citron, Francesca M. M.; Abugaber, David; Herbert, Cornelia

2016-01-01

The affective dimensions of emotional valence and emotional arousal affect processing of verbal and pictorial stimuli. Traditional emotional theories assume a linear relationship between these dimensions, with valence determining the direction of a behavior (approach vs. withdrawal) and arousal its intensity or strength. In contrast, according to the valence-arousal conflict theory, both dimensions are interactively related: positive valence and low arousal (PL) are associated with an implicit tendency to approach a stimulus, whereas negative valence and high arousal (NH) are associated with withdrawal. Hence, positive, high-arousal (PH) and negative, low-arousal (NL) stimuli elicit conflicting action tendencies. By extending previous research that used several tasks and methods, the present study investigated whether and how emotional valence and arousal affect subjective approach vs. withdrawal tendencies toward emotional words during two novel tasks. In Study 1, participants had to decide whether they would approach or withdraw from concepts expressed by written words. In Studies 2 and 3 participants had to respond to each word by pressing one of two keys labeled with an arrow pointing upward or downward. Across experiments, positive and negative words, high or low in arousal, were presented. In Study 1 (explicit task), in line with the valence-arousal conflict theory, PH and NL words were responded to more slowly than PL and NH words. In addition, participants decided to approach positive words more often than negative words. In Studies 2 and 3, participants responded faster to positive than negative words, irrespective of their level of arousal. Furthermore, positive words were significantly more often associated with “up” responses than negative words, thus supporting the existence of implicit associations between stimulus valence and response coding (positive is up and negative is down). Hence, in contexts in which participants' spontaneous responses are based on implicit associations between stimulus valence and response, there is no influence of arousal. In line with the valence-arousal conflict theory, arousal seems to affect participants' approach-withdrawal tendencies only when such tendencies are made explicit by the task, and a minimal degree of processing depth is required. PMID:26779067

Approach and Withdrawal Tendencies during Written Word Processing: Effects of Task, Emotional Valence, and Emotional Arousal.

PubMed

Citron, Francesca M M; Abugaber, David; Herbert, Cornelia

2015-01-01

The affective dimensions of emotional valence and emotional arousal affect processing of verbal and pictorial stimuli. Traditional emotional theories assume a linear relationship between these dimensions, with valence determining the direction of a behavior (approach vs. withdrawal) and arousal its intensity or strength. In contrast, according to the valence-arousal conflict theory, both dimensions are interactively related: positive valence and low arousal (PL) are associated with an implicit tendency to approach a stimulus, whereas negative valence and high arousal (NH) are associated with withdrawal. Hence, positive, high-arousal (PH) and negative, low-arousal (NL) stimuli elicit conflicting action tendencies. By extending previous research that used several tasks and methods, the present study investigated whether and how emotional valence and arousal affect subjective approach vs. withdrawal tendencies toward emotional words during two novel tasks. In Study 1, participants had to decide whether they would approach or withdraw from concepts expressed by written words. In Studies 2 and 3 participants had to respond to each word by pressing one of two keys labeled with an arrow pointing upward or downward. Across experiments, positive and negative words, high or low in arousal, were presented. In Study 1 (explicit task), in line with the valence-arousal conflict theory, PH and NL words were responded to more slowly than PL and NH words. In addition, participants decided to approach positive words more often than negative words. In Studies 2 and 3, participants responded faster to positive than negative words, irrespective of their level of arousal. Furthermore, positive words were significantly more often associated with "up" responses than negative words, thus supporting the existence of implicit associations between stimulus valence and response coding (positive is up and negative is down). Hence, in contexts in which participants' spontaneous responses are based on implicit associations between stimulus valence and response, there is no influence of arousal. In line with the valence-arousal conflict theory, arousal seems to affect participants' approach-withdrawal tendencies only when such tendencies are made explicit by the task, and a minimal degree of processing depth is required.

Dissociable Effects of Valence and Arousal on Different Subtypes of Old/New Effect: Evidence from Event-Related Potentials

PubMed Central

Xu, Huifang; Zhang, Qin; Li, Bingbing; Guo, Chunyan

2015-01-01

Here, we utilized the study-test paradigm combined with recognition confidence assessment and behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) measurements to investigate the effects of valence and arousal on the different subtypes of the old-new effect. We also test the effect of valence and arousal at encoding stage to investigate the underlying mechanism of the effect of the two emotional dimension on different retrieval process. In order to test the effects of valence and arousal on old/new effect precisely, we used the “subject-oriented orthogonal design” which manipulated valence and arousal independently according to subjects’ verbal reporting to investigate the effects of valence and arousal on old/new effect respectively. Three subtypes of old/new effect were obtained in the test phase, which were FN400, LPC, and late positivity over right frontal. They are supposed to be associated with familiarity, recollection, and post-retrieval processes respectively according to previous studies. For the FN400 component, valence affected mid-frontal negativity from 350–500 ms. Pleasant items evoked an enhanced ERP old/new effect relative to unpleasant items. However, arousal only affected LPC amplitude from 500–800 ms. The old/new effect for high-arousal items was greater than for low-arousal items. Valence also affected the amplitude of a positive-going slow wave at right frontal sites from 800–1000 ms, possibly serving as an index of post-retrieval processing. At encoding stage, the valence and arousal also have dissociable effect on the frontal slow wave between 350–800 ms and the centro-parietal positivity in 500–800 ms. The pleasant items evoked a more positive frontal slow wave relative to unpleasant ones, and the high arousal items evoked a larger centro-parietal positivity relative to low arousal ones. These results suggest that valence and arousal may differentially impact these different memory processes: valence affects familiarity and post-retrieval processing, whereas arousal affects recollection. These effects may be due to the conceptual encoding strategies for pleasant information and sensory encoding strategies for high arousal information. PMID:26696862

[Valences of self-evaluation and approach-avoidance tendencies: research based on regulatory focus theory].

PubMed

Ozaki, Yuka; Karasawa, Kaori

2011-12-01

Four studies were conducted to investigate the relationship between valences of self-evaluation and approach-avoidance tendencies. Based on regulatory focus theory (Higgins, 1997, 1998), we predicted that positivity of self-evaluation is related to the tendency to approach gains, while negativity of self-evaluation is related to the tendency to avoid losses. In Study 1, a self-report measure of behavioral tendencies for approaching gains and avoiding losses was developed. In Studies 2 to 4, correlations between these approach/avoidance tendencies and various kinds of self-evaluations were examined. Overall, the authors' predictions were supported. The results suggest that the self-evaluation system and the self-regulation system work in close cooperation with each other in controlling human behavior.

Electroencephalography Based Analysis of Working Memory Load and Affective Valence in an N-back Task with Emotional Stimuli

PubMed Central

Grissmann, Sebastian; Faller, Josef; Scharinger, Christian; Spüler, Martin; Gerjets, Peter

2017-01-01

Most brain-based measures of the electroencephalogram (EEG) are used in highly controlled lab environments and only focus on narrow mental states (e.g., working memory load). However, we assume that outside the lab complex multidimensional mental states are evoked. This could potentially create interference between EEG signatures used for identification of specific mental states. In this study, we aimed to investigate more realistic conditions and therefore induced a combination of working memory load and affective valence to reveal potential interferences in EEG measures. To induce changes in working memory load and affective valence, we used a paradigm which combines an N-back task (for working memory load manipulation) with a standard method to induce affect (affective pictures taken from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) database). Subjective ratings showed that the experimental task was successful in inducing working memory load as well as affective valence. Additionally, performance measures were analyzed and it was found that behavioral performance decreased with increasing workload as well as negative valence, showing that affective valence can have an effect on cognitive processing. These findings are supported by changes in frontal theta and parietal alpha power, parameters used for measuring of working memory load in the EEG. However, these EEG measures are influenced by the negative valence condition as well and thereby show that detection of working memory load is sensitive to affective contexts. Unexpectedly, we did not find any effects for EEG measures typically used for affective valence detection (Frontal Alpha Asymmetry (FAA)). Therefore we assume that the FAA measure might not be usable if cognitive workload is induced simultaneously. We conclude that future studies should account for potential context-specifity of EEG measures. PMID:29311875

Electroencephalography Based Analysis of Working Memory Load and Affective Valence in an N-back Task with Emotional Stimuli.

PubMed

Grissmann, Sebastian; Faller, Josef; Scharinger, Christian; Spüler, Martin; Gerjets, Peter

2017-01-01

Most brain-based measures of the electroencephalogram (EEG) are used in highly controlled lab environments and only focus on narrow mental states (e.g., working memory load). However, we assume that outside the lab complex multidimensional mental states are evoked. This could potentially create interference between EEG signatures used for identification of specific mental states. In this study, we aimed to investigate more realistic conditions and therefore induced a combination of working memory load and affective valence to reveal potential interferences in EEG measures. To induce changes in working memory load and affective valence, we used a paradigm which combines an N-back task (for working memory load manipulation) with a standard method to induce affect (affective pictures taken from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) database). Subjective ratings showed that the experimental task was successful in inducing working memory load as well as affective valence. Additionally, performance measures were analyzed and it was found that behavioral performance decreased with increasing workload as well as negative valence, showing that affective valence can have an effect on cognitive processing. These findings are supported by changes in frontal theta and parietal alpha power, parameters used for measuring of working memory load in the EEG. However, these EEG measures are influenced by the negative valence condition as well and thereby show that detection of working memory load is sensitive to affective contexts. Unexpectedly, we did not find any effects for EEG measures typically used for affective valence detection (Frontal Alpha Asymmetry (FAA)). Therefore we assume that the FAA measure might not be usable if cognitive workload is induced simultaneously. We conclude that future studies should account for potential context-specifity of EEG measures.

Aging and emotional memory: the co-occurrence of neurophysiological and behavioral positivity effects.

PubMed

Langeslag, Sandra J E; van Strien, Jan W

2009-06-01

The positivity effect is a trend for adults to increasingly process positive and/or decreasingly process negative information compared with other information with advancing age. The positivity effect has been observed with behavioral measures, such as in attention and memory tests, and with measures of neurophysiological activity, such as in amygdala activation and the late positive potential (LPP). In this study, it was investigated whether these behavioral and neurophysiological positivity effects co-occur. The electroencephalogram of younger (19-26 years) and older (65-82 years) adults was recorded while they encoded unpleasant, neutral, and pleasant pictures for retrieval in free and cued recall tests. Positivity effects occurred in the late LPP amplitude (700-1,000 ms) and in the free recall test, with negativity biases in younger adults and no biases in older adults. The occurrence of a valence bias in the LPP was substantially but nonsignificantly correlated with the occurrence of a similar valence bias in memory in the older adults. In conclusion, neurophysiological and behavioral positivity effects appear to co-occur, a finding that awaits expansion using different neurophysiological and behavioral measures.

Optical and electronic properties of doped p -type CuI: Explanation of transparent conductivity from first principles

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

Li, Yuwei; Sun, Jifeng; Singh, David J.

In this paper, we report the properties of the reported transparent conductor CuI, including the effect of heavy p-type doping. The results, based on first-principles calculations, include an analysis of the electronic structure and calculations of optical and dielectric properties. We find that the origin of the favorable transparent conducting behavior lies in the absence in the visible of strong interband transitions between deeper valence bands and states at the valence-band maximum that become empty with p-type doping. Instead, strong interband transitions to the valence-band maximum are concentrated in the infrared with energies below 1.3 eV. This is contrast tomore » the valence bands of many wide-band-gapmaterials. Turning to the mobility,we find that the states at the valence-band maximum are relatively dispersive. This originates from their antibonding Cu d–I p character. We find a modest enhancement of the Born effective charges relative to nominal values, leading to a dielectric constant ε(0) = 6.3. This is sufficiently large to reduce ionized impurity scattering, leading to the expectation that the properties of CuI can still be significantly improved through sample quality.« less

Optical and electronic properties of doped p -type CuI: Explanation of transparent conductivity from first principles

DOE PAGES

Li, Yuwei; Sun, Jifeng; Singh, David J.

2018-03-26

In this paper, we report the properties of the reported transparent conductor CuI, including the effect of heavy p-type doping. The results, based on first-principles calculations, include an analysis of the electronic structure and calculations of optical and dielectric properties. We find that the origin of the favorable transparent conducting behavior lies in the absence in the visible of strong interband transitions between deeper valence bands and states at the valence-band maximum that become empty with p-type doping. Instead, strong interband transitions to the valence-band maximum are concentrated in the infrared with energies below 1.3 eV. This is contrast tomore » the valence bands of many wide-band-gapmaterials. Turning to the mobility,we find that the states at the valence-band maximum are relatively dispersive. This originates from their antibonding Cu d–I p character. We find a modest enhancement of the Born effective charges relative to nominal values, leading to a dielectric constant ε(0) = 6.3. This is sufficiently large to reduce ionized impurity scattering, leading to the expectation that the properties of CuI can still be significantly improved through sample quality.« less

Exclusive quasi-free proton knockout from oxygen isotopes at intermediate energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawase, Shoichiro; Uesaka, Tomohiro; Tang, Tsz Leung; Beaumel, Didier; Dozono, Masanori; Fukunaga, Taku; Fujii, Toshihiko; Fukuda, Naoki; Galindo-Uribarri, Alfredo; Hwang, Sanghoon; Inabe, Naoto; Kawabata, Takahiro; Kawahara, Tomomi; Kim, Wooyoung; Kisamori, Keiichi; Kobayashi, Motoki; Kubo, Toshiyuki; Kubota, Yuki; Kusaka, Kensuke; Lee, Cheongsoo; Maeda, Yukie; Matsubara, Hiroaki; Michimasa, Shin'ichiro; Miya, Hiroyuki; Noro, Tetsuo; Nozawa, Yuki; Obertelli, Alexandre; Ogata, Kazuyuki; Ota, Shinsuke; Padilla-Rodal, Elizabeth; Sakaguchi, Satoshi; Sakai, Hideyuki; Sasano, Masaki; Shimoura, Susumu; Stepanyan, Samvel; Suzuki, Hiroshi; Suzuki, Tomokazu; Takaki, Motonobu; Takeda, Hiroyuki; Tamii, Atsushi; Tokieda, Hiroshi; Wakasa, Tomotsugu; Wakui, Takashi; Yako, Kentaro; Yasuda, Jumpei; Yanagisawa, Yoshiyuki; Yokoyama, Rin; Yoshida, Kazuki; Yoshida, Koichi; Zenihiro, Juzo

2018-02-01

The dependence of the single-particle strength on the difference between proton and neutron separation energies is studied for oxygen isotopes in a wide range of isospins. The cross sections of the quasi-free (p,2p) reaction on ^{14,16,18,22,24}O were measured at intermediate energies. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions based on the distorted wave impulse approximation and shell-model psd valence-space spectroscopic factors. The reduction factors, which are the ratio of the experimental cross sections to the theoretical predictions, show no apparent dependence on the proton-neutron separation energy difference. The result is compatible with the result of the (e,e^'p) reaction on stable targets and with the predictions of recent ab initio calculations.

Intermediate-phase method for computing the natural band offset between two materials with dissimilar structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Hui-Jun; Zhang, Yue-Yu; Chen, Shi-You; Xiang, Hong-Jun; Gong, Xin-Gao

2018-06-01

The band offset between different semiconductors is an important physical quantity determining carrier transport properties near the interface in heterostructure devices. Computation of the natural band offset is a longstanding challenge. We propose an intermediate-phase method to predict the natural band offset between two structures with different symmetry, for which the superlattice model cannot be directly constructed. With this method and the intermediate phases obtained by our searching algorithm, we successfully calculate the natural band offsets for two representative systems: (i) zinc-blende CdTe and wurtzite CdS and (ii) diamond and graphite. The calculation shows that the valence band maximum (VBM) of zinc-blende CdTe lies 0.71 eV above that of wurtzite CdS, close to the result 0.76 eV obtained by the three-step method. For the natural band offset between diamond and graphite which could not be computed reliably with any superlattice methods, our calculation shows that the Fermi level of graphite lies 1.51 eV above the VBM of diamond using an intermediate phase. This method, under the assumption that the transitivity rule is valid, can be used to calculate the band offsets between any semiconductors with different symmetry on condition that the intermediate phase is reasonably designed.

Ba2F2Fe2+ 0.5Fe3+ S3: a two-dimensional inhomogeneous mixed valence iron compound.

PubMed

Kabbour, Houria; Cario, Laurent

2008-03-03

The structure of the new mixed valence compound Ba2F2Fe1.5S3 was solved by means of single crystal X-ray analysis. It crystallizes in an orthorhombic cell, in the Pnma space group with the cell parameters a = 12.528(3) A, b = 18.852(4) A, and c = 6.0896(12) A. The structure is formed by the alternated stacking of fluorite type [Ba2F2]2+ blocks and the newly discovered [Fe1.5S3]2- blocks. This [Fe1.5S3]2- block exhibits a mixed valence of iron with Fe(+II) located in octahedrons and Fe(+III) in tetrahedrons. Preliminary susceptibility measurements suggest a low dimensional antiferromagnetic behavior.

Coulomb scattering rates of excited states in monolayer electron-doped germanene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shih, Po-Hsin; Chiu, Chih-Wei; Wu, Jhao-Ying; Do, Thi-Nga; Lin, Ming-Fa

2018-05-01

Excited conduction electrons, conduction holes, and valence holes in monolayer electron-doped germanene exhibit unusual Coulomb decay rates. The deexcitation processes are studied using the screened exchange energy. They might utilize the intraband single-particle excitations (SPEs), the interband SPEs, and the plasmon modes, depending on the quasiparticle states and the Fermi energies. The low-lying valence holes can decay through the undamped acoustic plasmon, so that they present very fast Coulomb deexcitations, nonmonotonous energy dependence, and anisotropic behavior. However, the low-energy conduction electrons and holes are similar to those in a two-dimensional electron gas. The higher-energy conduction states and the deeper-energy valence ones behave similarly in the available deexcitation channels and have a similar dependence of decay rate on the wave vector k .

Kondo temperature and Heavy Fermion behavior in Yb1-xYxCuAl series of alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rojas, D. P.; Gandra, F. G.; Medina, A. N.; Fernández Barquín, L.; Gómez Sal, J. C.

2018-05-01

Results on x-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity, specific heat and magnetization on the Yb1-xYxCuAl series of compounds are reported. The analysis of the x-ray data shows the increase of the unit cell volume with the Y dilution. The electrical resistivity shows an evolution from Kondo lattice regime for x ≤ 0.6 to single impurity behavior for x = 0.8 and 0.94. The electronic coefficient γ shows values of Heavy Fermion systems along the series for 0 ≤ x < 1 . On the other hand, dc magnetic susceptibility measurements show typical curves of intermediate valence systems with a maximum around 25 K. Below this maximum, the values of low temperature susceptibility (χ (0)) decrease with the increase of Y content. From the dependence of χ (0) and γ upon Y substitution, an increase of 12% of the Kondo temperature (TK) for x = 0.8 alloy respect to the reference YbCuAl (x = 0) is estimated. This is further supported by the evolution of the temperature of the maximum in the magnetic contribution of the specific heat. The overall results can be explained by the increase of the hybridization as consequence of negative pressure effects obtained by the chemical substitution of Yb by Y, thus leading to the increase of TK, in agreement with the Doniach's diagram.

Aggression proneness: Transdiagnostic processes involving negative valence and cognitive systems.

PubMed

Verona, Edelyn; Bresin, Konrad

2015-11-01

Aggressive behavior is observed in persons with various mental health problems and has been studied from the perspectives of neuroscience and psychophysiology. The present research reviews some of the extant experimental literature to help clarify the interplay between domains of functioning implicated in aggression proneness. We then convey a process-oriented model that elucidates how the interplay of the Negative Valence and Cognitive System domains of NIMH's Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) helps explain aggression proneness, particularly reactive aggression. Finally, we report on a study involving event-related potential (ERP) indices of emotional and inhibitory control processing during an emotional-linguistic go/no-go task among 67 individuals with histories of violence and criminal offending (30% female, 44% African-American) who reported on their aggressive tendencies using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Results provide evidence that tendencies toward angry and aggressive behavior relate to reduced inhibitory control processing (no-go P3) specifically during relevant threat-word blocks, suggesting deterioration of cognitive control by acute or sustained threat sensitivity. These findings highlight the value of ERP methodologies for clarifying the interplay of Negative Valence and Cognitive System processes in aggression proneness. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Medial-lateral organization of the orbitofrontal cortex.

PubMed

Rich, Erin L; Wallis, Jonathan D

2014-07-01

Emerging evidence suggests that specific cognitive functions localize to different subregions of OFC, but the nature of these functional distinctions remains unclear. One prominent theory, derived from human neuroimaging, proposes that different stimulus valences are processed in separate orbital regions, with medial and lateral OFC processing positive and negative stimuli, respectively. Thus far, neurophysiology data have not supported this theory. We attempted to reconcile these accounts by recording neural activity from the full medial-lateral extent of the orbital surface in monkeys receiving rewards and punishments via gain or loss of secondary reinforcement. We found no convincing evidence for valence selectivity in any orbital region. Instead, we report differences between neurons in central OFC and those on the inferior-lateral orbital convexity, in that they encoded different sources of value information provided by the behavioral task. Neurons in inferior convexity encoded the value of external stimuli, whereas those in OFC encoded value information derived from the structure of the behavioral task. We interpret these results in light of recent theories of OFC function and propose that these distinctions, not valence selectivity, may shed light on a fundamental organizing principle for value processing in orbital cortex.

Positive emotion impedes emotional but not cognitive conflict processing.

PubMed

Zinchenko, Artyom; Obermeier, Christian; Kanske, Philipp; Schröger, Erich; Kotz, Sonja A

2017-06-01

Cognitive control enables successful goal-directed behavior by resolving a conflict between opposing action tendencies, while emotional control arises as a consequence of emotional conflict processing such as in irony. While negative emotion facilitates both cognitive and emotional conflict processing, it is unclear how emotional conflict processing is affected by positive emotion (e.g., humor). In 2 EEG experiments, we investigated the role of positive audiovisual target stimuli in cognitive and emotional conflict processing. Participants categorized either spoken vowels (cognitive task) or their emotional valence (emotional task) and ignored the visual stimulus dimension. Behaviorally, a positive target showed no influence on cognitive conflict processing, but impeded emotional conflict processing. In the emotional task, response time conflict costs were higher for positive than for neutral targets. In the EEG, we observed an interaction of emotion by congruence in the P200 and N200 ERP components in emotional but not in cognitive conflict processing. In the emotional conflict task, the P200 and N200 conflict effect was larger for emotional than neutral targets. Thus, our results show that emotion affects conflict processing differently as a function of conflict type and emotional valence. This suggests that there are conflict- and valence-specific mechanisms modulating executive control.

Highly efficient perturbative + variational strategy based on orthogonal valence bond theory for the evaluation of magnetic coupling constants. Application to the trinuclear Cu(ii) site of multicopper oxidases.

PubMed

Tenti, Lorenzo; Maynau, Daniel; Angeli, Celestino; Calzado, Carmen J

2016-07-21

A new strategy based on orthogonal valence-bond analysis of the wave function combined with intermediate Hamiltonian theory has been applied to the evaluation of the magnetic coupling constants in two AF systems. This approach provides both a quantitative estimate of the J value and a detailed analysis of the main physical mechanisms controlling the coupling, using a combined perturbative + variational scheme. The procedure requires a selection of the dominant excitations to be treated variationally. Two methods have been employed: a brute-force selection, using a logic similar to that of the CIPSI approach, or entanglement measures, which identify the most interacting orbitals in the system. Once a reduced set of excitations (about 300 determinants) is established, the interaction matrix is dressed at the second-order of perturbation by the remaining excitations of the CI space. The diagonalization of the dressed matrix provides J values in good agreement with experimental ones, at a very low-cost. This approach demonstrates the key role of d → d* excitations in the quantitative description of the magnetic coupling, as well as the importance of using an extended active space, including the bridging ligand orbitals, for the binuclear model of the intermediates of multicopper oxidases. The method is a promising tool for dealing with complex systems containing several active centers, as an alternative to both pure variational and DFT approaches.

Ecological Effects in Cross-Cultural Differences Between U.S. and Japanese Color Preferences.

PubMed

Yokosawa, Kazuhiko; Schloss, Karen B; Asano, Michiko; Palmer, Stephen E

2016-09-01

We investigated cultural differences between U.S. and Japanese color preferences and the ecological factors that might influence them. Japanese and U.S. color preferences have both similarities (e.g., peaks around blue, troughs around dark-yellow, and preferences for saturated colors) and differences (Japanese participants like darker colors less than U.S. participants do). Complex gender differences were also evident that did not conform to previously reported effects. Palmer and Schloss's (2010) weighted affective valence estimate (WAVE) procedure was used to test the Ecological Valence Theory's (EVT's) prediction that within-culture WAVE-preference correlations should be higher than between-culture WAVE-preference correlations. The results supported several, but not all, predictions. In the second experiment, we tested color preferences of Japanese-U.S. multicultural participants who could read and speak both Japanese and English. Multicultural color preferences were intermediate between U.S. and Japanese preferences, consistent with the hypothesis that culturally specific personal experiences during one's lifetime influence color preferences. Copyright © 2015 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

The valence-fluctuating ground state of plutonium

DOE PAGES

Janoschek, Marc; Das, Pinaki; Chakrabarti, Bismayan; ...

2015-07-10

A central issue in material science is to obtain understanding of the electronic correlations that control complex materials. Such electronic correlations frequently arise because of the competition of localized and itinerant electronic degrees of freedom. Although the respective limits of well-localized or entirely itinerant ground states are well understood, the intermediate regime that controls the functional properties of complex materials continues to challenge theoretical understanding. We have used neutron spectroscopy to investigate plutonium, which is a prototypical material at the brink between bonding and nonbonding configurations. In addition, our study reveals that the ground state of plutonium is governed bymore » valence fluctuations, that is, a quantum mechanical superposition of localized and itinerant electronic configurations as recently predicted by dynamical mean field theory. Our results not only resolve the long-standing controversy between experiment and theory on plutonium’s magnetism but also suggest an improved understanding of the effects of such electronic dichotomy in complex materials.« less

Detonation nanodiamond introduced into samarium doped ceria electrolyte improving performance of solid oxide fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pei, Kai; Li, Hongdong; Zou, Guangtian; Yu, Richeng; Zhao, Haofei; Shen, Xi; Wang, Liying; Song, Yanpeng; Qiu, Dongchao

2017-02-01

A novel electrolyte materials of introducing detonation nanodiamond (DNDs) into samarium doped ceria (SDC) is reported here. 1%wt. DNDs doping SDC (named SDC/ND) can enlarge the electrotyle grain size and change the valence of partial ceria. DNDs provide the widen channel to accelerate the mobility of oxygen ions in electrolyte. Larger grain size means that oxygen ions move easier in electrolyte, it can also reduce the alternating current (AC) impedance spectra of internal grains. The lower valence of partial Ce provides more oxygen vacancies to enhance mobility rate of oxygen ions. Hence all of them enhance the transportation of oxygen ions in SDC/ND electrolyte and the OCV. Ultimately the power density of SOFC can reach 762 mw cm-2 at 800 °C (twice higher than pure SDC, which is 319 mw cm-2 at 800 °C), and it remains high power density in the intermediate temperature (600-800 °C). It is relatively high for the electrolyte supported (300 μm) cells.

Moral stories emphasizing actors' negative emotions toward their nonhelping behavior promote preschoolers' helping behavior.

PubMed

Du, Xu; Hao, Jian

2018-04-01

Specific emotions, especially guilt, are considered to facilitate children's prosocial behavior. The current study differentiated moral stories with a helping theme in terms of the valence and source of emotions and aimed to clarify the effect of these stories on preschoolers' helping intentions and behavior. A total of 322 preschoolers between 4 and 6 years old were randomly assigned to four experimental groups and one control group. A specific type of moral story was presented to each of the experimental groups, whereas a nonmoral story was presented to the control group. The preschoolers were also asked to answer relevant questions to examine their story comprehension. The preschoolers' donating intentions and behavior were then measured. The results showed that all the experimental groups expressed more donating intentions than the control group. However, only the group that read the moral story emphasizing the actor's negative emotions toward his nonhelping behavior displayed more donating behavior than the control group. Therefore, the current study reveals that various moral stories dealing with a helping theme can facilitate helping intentions among preschoolers and that only certain stories can promote their helping behavior. Thus, it indicates the specificity of moral stories that facilitate prosocial behavior in terms of the valence and source of emotions in those stories. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Colloidal Stability in Asymmetric Electrolytes: Modifications of the Schulze-Hardy Rule.

PubMed

Trefalt, Gregor; Szilagyi, Istvan; Téllez, Gabriel; Borkovec, Michal

2017-02-21

The Schulze-Hardy rule suggests a strong dependence of the critical coagulation concentration (CCC) on the ionic valence. This rule is addressed theoretically and confronted with recent experimental results. The commonly presented derivation of this rule assumes symmetric electrolytes and highly charged particles. Both assumptions are incorrect. Symmetric electrolytes containing multivalent ions are hardly soluble, and experiments are normally carried out with the well-soluble salts of asymmetric electrolytes containing monovalent and multivalent ions. In this situation, however, the behavior is completely different whether the multivalent ions represent the counterions or co-ions. When these ions represent the counterions, meaning that the multivalent ions have the opposite sign than the charge of the particle, they adsorb strongly to the particles. Thereby, they progressively reduce the magnitude of the surface charge with increasing valence. In fact, this dependence of the charge density on the counterion valence is mainly responsible for the decrease of the CCC with the valence. In the co-ion case, where the multivalent ions have the same sign as the charge of the particle, the multivalent ions are repelled from the particles, and the surfaces remain highly charged. In this case, the inverse Schulze-Hardy rule normally applies, whereby the CCC varies inversely proportional to the co-ion valence.

Dutch taboo norms.

PubMed

Roest, Sander A; Visser, Tessa A; Zeelenberg, René

2018-04-01

This article provides norms for general taboo, personal taboo, insult, valence, and arousal for 672 Dutch words, including 202 taboo words. Norms were collected using a 7-point Likert scale and based on ratings by psychology students from the Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Netherlands. The sample consisted of 87 psychology students (58 females, 29 males). We obtained high reliability based on split-half analyses. Our norms show high correlations with arousal and valence ratings collected by another Dutch word-norms study (Moors et al.,, Behavior Research Methods, 45, 169-177, 2013). Our results show that the previously found quadratic relation (i.e., U-shaped pattern) between valence and arousal also holds when only taboo words are considered. Additionally, words rated high on taboo tended to be rated low on valence, but some words related to sex rated high on both taboo and valence. Words that rated high on taboo rated high on insult, again with the exception of words related to sex many of which rated low on insult. Finally, words rated high on taboo and insult rated high on arousal. The Dutch Taboo Norms (DTN) database is a useful tool for researchers interested in the effects of taboo words on cognitive processing. The data associated with this paper can be accessed via the Open Science Framework ( https://osf.io/vk782/ ).

Resting lateralized activity predicts the cortical response and appraisal of emotions: an fNIRS study.

PubMed

Balconi, Michela; Grippa, Elisabetta; Vanutelli, Maria Elide

2015-12-01

This study explored the effect of lateralized left-right resting brain activity on prefrontal cortical responsiveness to emotional cues and on the explicit appraisal (stimulus evaluation) of emotions based on their valence. Indeed subjective responses to different emotional stimuli should be predicted by brain resting activity and should be lateralized and valence-related (positive vs negative valence). A hemodynamic measure was considered (functional near-infrared spectroscopy). Indeed hemodynamic resting activity and brain response to emotional cues were registered when subjects (N = 19) viewed emotional positive vs negative stimuli (IAPS). Lateralized index response during resting state, LI (lateralized index) during emotional processing and self-assessment manikin rating were considered. Regression analysis showed the significant predictive effect of resting activity (more left or right lateralized) on both brain response and appraisal of emotional cues based on stimuli valence. Moreover, significant effects were found as a function of valence (more right response to negative stimuli; more left response to positive stimuli) during emotion processing. Therefore, resting state may be considered a predictive marker of the successive cortical responsiveness to emotions. The significance of resting condition for emotional behavior was discussed. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nonperturbative parton distributions and the proton spin problem

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

Simonov, Yu. A., E-mail: simonov@itep.ru

2016-05-15

The Lorentz contracted form of the static wave functions is used to calculate the valence parton distributions for mesons and baryons, boosting the rest frame solutions of the path integral Hamiltonian. It is argued that nonperturbative parton densities are due to excitedmultigluon baryon states. A simplemodel is proposed for these states ensuring realistic behavior of valence and sea quarks and gluon parton densities at Q{sup 2} = 10 (GeV/c){sup 2}. Applying the same model to the proton spin problem one obtains Σ{sub 3} = 0.18 for the same Q{sup 2}.

Memory lane and morality: how childhood memories promote prosocial behavior.

PubMed

Gino, Francesca; Desai, Sreedhari D

2012-04-01

Although research has established that autobiographical memory affects one's self-concept, little is known about how it affects moral behavior. We focus on a specific type of autobiographical memory: childhood memories. Drawing on research on memory and moral psychology, we propose that childhood memories elicit moral purity, which we define as a psychological state of feeling morally clean and innocent. In turn, heightened moral purity leads to greater prosocial behavior. In Experiment 1, participants instructed to recall childhood memories were more likely to help the experimenter with a supplementary task than were participants in a control condition, and this effect was mediated by moral purity. In Experiment 2, the same manipulation increased the amount of money participants donated to a good cause, and both implicit and explicit measures of moral purity mediated the effect. Experiment 3 provides further support for the process linking childhood memories and prosocial behavior through moderation. In Experiment 4, we found that childhood memories led to punishment of others' ethically questionable actions. Finally, in Experiment 5, both positively valenced and negatively valenced childhood memories increased helping compared to a control condition.

Multilevel analysis of facial expressions of emotion and script: self-report (arousal and valence) and psychophysiological correlates.

PubMed

Balconi, Michela; Vanutelli, Maria Elide; Finocchiaro, Roberta

2014-09-26

The paper explored emotion comprehension in children with regard to facial expression of emotion. The effect of valence and arousal evaluation, of context and of psychophysiological measures was monitored. Indeed subjective evaluation of valence (positive vs. negative) and arousal (high vs. low), and contextual (facial expression vs. facial expression and script) variables were supposed to modulate the psychophysiological responses. Self-report measures (in terms of correct recognition, arousal and valence attribution) and psychophysiological correlates (facial electromyography, EMG, skin conductance response, SCR, and heart rate, HR) were observed when children (N = 26; mean age = 8.75 y; range 6-11 y) looked at six facial expressions of emotions (happiness, anger, fear, sadness, surprise, and disgust) and six emotional scripts (contextualized facial expressions). The competencies about the recognition, the evaluation on valence and arousal was tested in concomitance with psychophysiological variations. Specifically, we tested for the congruence of these multiple measures. Log-linear analysis and repeated measure ANOVAs showed different representations across the subjects, as a function of emotion. Specifically, children' recognition and attribution were well developed for some emotions (such as anger, fear, surprise and happiness), whereas some other emotions (mainly disgust and sadness) were less clearly represented. SCR, HR and EMG measures were modulated by the evaluation based on valence and arousal, with increased psychophysiological values mainly in response to anger, fear and happiness. As shown by multiple regression analysis, a significant consonance was found between self-report measures and psychophysiological behavior, mainly for emotions rated as more arousing and negative in valence. The multilevel measures were discussed at light of dimensional attribution model.

Multilevel analysis of facial expressions of emotion and script: self-report (arousal and valence) and psychophysiological correlates

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The paper explored emotion comprehension in children with regard to facial expression of emotion. The effect of valence and arousal evaluation, of context and of psychophysiological measures was monitored. Indeed subjective evaluation of valence (positive vs. negative) and arousal (high vs. low), and contextual (facial expression vs. facial expression and script) variables were supposed to modulate the psychophysiological responses. Methods Self-report measures (in terms of correct recognition, arousal and valence attribution) and psychophysiological correlates (facial electromyography, EMG, skin conductance response, SCR, and heart rate, HR) were observed when children (N = 26; mean age = 8.75 y; range 6-11 y) looked at six facial expressions of emotions (happiness, anger, fear, sadness, surprise, and disgust) and six emotional scripts (contextualized facial expressions). The competencies about the recognition, the evaluation on valence and arousal was tested in concomitance with psychophysiological variations. Specifically, we tested for the congruence of these multiple measures. Results Log-linear analysis and repeated measure ANOVAs showed different representations across the subjects, as a function of emotion. Specifically, children’ recognition and attribution were well developed for some emotions (such as anger, fear, surprise and happiness), whereas some other emotions (mainly disgust and sadness) were less clearly represented. SCR, HR and EMG measures were modulated by the evaluation based on valence and arousal, with increased psychophysiological values mainly in response to anger, fear and happiness. Conclusions As shown by multiple regression analysis, a significant consonance was found between self-report measures and psychophysiological behavior, mainly for emotions rated as more arousing and negative in valence. The multilevel measures were discussed at light of dimensional attribution model. PMID:25261242

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

Vexler, M. I., E-mail: shulekin@mail.ioffe.ru; Grekhov, I. V.

The features of electron tunneling from or into the silicon valence band in a metal–insulator–semiconductor system with the HfO{sub 2}(ZrO{sub 2})/SiO{sub 2} double-layer insulator are theoretically analyzed for different modes. It is demonstrated that the valence-band current plays a less important role in structures with HfO{sub 2}(ZrO{sub 2})/SiO{sub 2} than in structures containing only silicon dioxide. In the case of a very wide-gap high-K oxide ZrO{sub 2}, nonmonotonic behavior related to tunneling through the upper barrier is predicted for the valence-band–metal current component. The use of an insulator stack can offer certain advantages for some devices, including diodes, bipolar tunnel-emittermore » transistors, and resonant-tunneling diodes, along with the traditional use of high-K insulators in a field-effect transistor.« less

Quantum criticality and first-order transitions in the extended periodic Anderson model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagymási, I.; Itai, K.; Sólyom, J.

2013-03-01

We investigate the behavior of the periodic Anderson model in the presence of d-f Coulomb interaction (Udf) using mean-field theory, variational calculation, and exact diagonalization of finite chains. The variational approach based on the Gutzwiller trial wave function gives a critical value of Udf and two quantum critical points (QCPs), where the valence susceptibility diverges. We derive the critical exponent for the valence susceptibility and investigate how the position of the QCP depends on the other parameters of the Hamiltonian. For larger values of Udf, the Kondo regime is bounded by two first-order transitions. These first-order transitions merge into a triple point at a certain value of Udf. For even larger Udf valence skipping occurs. Although the other methods do not give a critical point, they support this scenario.

L-Edge Xanes Measurements of the Oxidation State of Tungsten in Iron Bearing and Iron Free Silicate Glasses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danielson, L. R.; Righter, K.; Sutton, S.; Newville, M.

2008-01-01

Tungsten is important in constraining core formation of the Earth because this element is a moderately siderophile element (depleted 10 relative to chondrites) and, as a member of the Hf-W isotopic system, it is useful in constraining the timing of core formation. A number of previous experimental studies have been carried out to determine the silicate solubility and metal-silicate partitioning behavior of W, including its concomitant oxidation state. However, results of previous studies are inconsistent on whether W occurs as W(4+) or W(6+). It is assumed that W(4+) is the cation valence relevant to core formation. Given the sensitivity to silicate composition of high valence cations, knowledge of the oxidation state of W over a wide range of fO2 is critical to understanding the oxidation state of the mantle and core formation processes. This study seeks to measure the W valence and change in valence state over the range of fO2 most relevant to core formation, around IW-2.

Biogeochemistry of heavy metals in contaminated excessively moistened soils (Analytical review)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vodyanitskii, Yu. N.; Plekhanova, I. O.

2014-03-01

The biogeochemical behavior of heavy metals in contaminated excessively moistened soils depends on the development of reducing conditions (either moderate or strong). Upon the moderate biogenic reduction, Cr as the metal with variable valence forms low-soluble compounds, which decreases its availability to plants and prevents its penetration into surface- and groundwater. Creation of artificial barriers for Cr fixation on contaminated sites is based on the stimulation of natural metal-reducing bacteria. Arsenic, being a metalloid with a variable valence, is mobilized upon the moderate biogenic reduction. The mobility of siderophilic heavy metals with a constant valence grows under the moderate reducing conditions at the expense of dissolution of iron (hydr)oxides as carriers of these metals. Zinc, which can enter the newly formed goethite lattice, is an exception. Strong reduction processes in organic excessively moist and flooded soils (usually enriched in S) lead to the formation of low-soluble sulfides of heavy elements with both variable (As) and constant (Cu, Ni, Zn, and Pb) valence. On changing aquatic regime in overmoistened soils and their drying, sulfides of heavy metals are oxidized, and previously fixed metals are mobilized.

Human preference for individual colors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmer, Stephen E.; Schloss, Karen B.

2010-02-01

Color preference is an important aspect of human behavior, but little is known about why people like some colors more than others. Recent results from the Berkeley Color Project (BCP) provide detailed measurements of preferences among 32 chromatic colors as well as other relevant aspects of color perception. We describe the fit of several color preference models, including ones based on cone outputs, color-emotion associations, and Palmer and Schloss's ecological valence theory. The ecological valence theory postulates that color serves an adaptive "steering' function, analogous to taste preferences, biasing organisms to approach advantageous objects and avoid disadvantageous ones. It predicts that people will tend to like colors to the extent that they like the objects that are characteristically that color, averaged over all such objects. The ecological valence theory predicts 80% of the variance in average color preference ratings from the Weighted Affective Valence Estimates (WAVEs) of correspondingly colored objects, much more variance than any of the other models. We also describe how hue preferences for single colors differ as a function of gender, expertise, culture, social institutions, and perceptual experience.

Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental Precursors to Binge-Type Eating Disorders: Support for the Role of Negative Valence Systems

PubMed Central

Vannucci, Anna; Nelson, Eric E.; Bongiorno, Diana M.; Pine, Daniel S.; Yanovski, Jack A.; Tanofsky-Kraff, Marian

2015-01-01

Background Pediatric loss-of-control eating is a robust behavioral precursor to binge-type eating disorders. Elucidating precursors to loss-of-control eating and binge-type eating disorders may refine developmental risk models of eating disorders and inform interventions. Method We review evidence within constructs of the Negative Valence Systems (NVS)-domain, as specified by the Research Domain Criteria framework. Based on published studies, we propose an integrated NVS model of binge-type eating disorder risk. Results Data implicate altered corticolimbic functioning, neuroendocrine dysregulation, and self-reported negative affect as possible risk-factors. However, neuroimaging and physiological data in children and adolescents are sparse, and most prospective studies are limited to self-report measures. Conclusions We discuss a broad NVS framework for conceptualizing early risk for binge-type eating disorders. Future neural and behavioral research on the developmental trajectory of loss-of-control and binge-type eating disorders is required. PMID:26040923

Ferromagnetic behavior in mixed valence europium (Eu2+/Eu3+) oxide EuTi1-xMxO3 (M = Al3+ and Ga3+)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akahoshi, Daisuke; Horie, Hiroki; Sakai, Shingo; Saito, Toshiaki

2013-10-01

We have investigated the Ti-site substitution effect on the magnetic properties of antiferromagnetic insulator EuTiO3 with a Néel temperature of ˜5 K. Partial substitution of Ti4+ with heterovalent Al3+ or Ga3+ turns the corresponding amount of magnetic Eu2+ into non-magnetic Eu3+. Both EuTi1-xAlxO3 (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.10) and EuTi1-xGaxO3 (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.10) exhibit ferromagnetic (FM) insulating behavior below ˜4 K. The Eu2+/Eu3+ mixed valence state probably contributes to the emergence of the FM behavior. Fine control of the magneto-electric (ME) phases of EuTi1-xAlxO3 and EuTi1-xGaxO3 would lead to intriguing ME phenomena such as giant ME effect.

Long-range Coulomb forces and localized bonds.

PubMed

Preiser; Lösel; Brown; Kunz; Skowron

1999-10-01

The ionic model is shown to be applicable to all compounds in which the atoms carry a net charge and their electron density is spherically symmetric regardless of the covalent character of the bonding. By examining the electric field generated by an array of point charges placed at the positions of the ions in over 40 inorganic compounds, we show that the Coulomb field naturally partitions itself into localized regions (bonds) which are characterized by the electric flux that links neighbouring ions of opposite charge. This flux is identified with the bond valence, and Gauss' law with the valence-sum rule, providing a secure theoretical foundation for the bond-valence model. The localization of the Coulomb field provides an unambiguous definition of coordination number and our calculations show that, in addition to the expected primary coordination sphere, there are a number of weak bonds between cations and the anions in the second coordination sphere. Long-range Coulomb interactions are transmitted through the crystal by the application of Gauss' law at each of the intermediate atoms. Bond fluxes have also been calculated for compounds containing ions with non-spherical electron densities (e.g. cations with stereoactive lone electron pairs). In these cases the point-charge model continues to describe the distant field, but multipoles must be added to the point charges to give the correct local field.

Self-report measures, facial feedback, and personality differences (BEES) in cooperative vs. noncooperative situations: contribution of the mimic system to the sense of empathy.

PubMed

Balconi, Michela; Bortolotti, Adriana; Crivelli, Davide

2013-01-01

The present study integrated three different measures of emotional empathic behavior in a social context: verbal self-report measures (empathic response, emotional involvement, emotional significance, and valence), facial mimicry (activity of corrugator and zygomaticus muscles), and personal response to the Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES). Participants were presented with different interpersonal scene types (cooperation, noncooperation, conflict, indifference). Firstly, self-rating on empathy, emotional involvement, and valence varied as a function of interpersonal context. Secondly, corrugator activity increased in response to conflictual and noncooperative situations; zygomatic activity increased in response to cooperative situations. Third, high- and low-BEES subjects showed different empathic behavior: High-empathic subjects were more responsive to empathy-related situations than low-empathic subjects. The convergence and divergence of these multidimensional measures was discussed.

The Role of Moral Emotions in the Development of Children's Sharing Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ongley, Sophia F.; Malti, Tina

2014-01-01

This study investigated the role of moral emotions in the development of children's sharing behavior (N = 244 4-, 8-, and 12-year-old children). Children's sympathy was measured with both self- and primary caregiver-reports, and participants anticipated their negatively and positively valenced moral emotions (i.e., feeling guilty, sad, or bad; and…

Tune Yourself In: Valence and Arousal Preferences in Music-Listening Choices from Adolescence to Old Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohrdes, Caroline; Wrzus, Cornelia; Frisch, Simon; Riediger, Michaela

2017-01-01

In previous studies, older as compared with younger individuals were more strongly motivated to regulate their momentary affect toward pleasant and calm states. Whether these motivational differences are also reflected in regulatory behavior and whether this behavior is efficient in terms of affect change, however, is unclear. To address these…

Tune yourself in: Valence and arousal preferences in music-listening choices from adolescence to old age.

PubMed

Cohrdes, Caroline; Wrzus, Cornelia; Frisch, Simon; Riediger, Michaela

2017-09-01

In previous studies, older as compared with younger individuals were more strongly motivated to regulate their momentary affect toward pleasant and calm states. Whether these motivational differences are also reflected in regulatory behavior and whether this behavior is efficient in terms of affect change, however, is unclear. To address these issues, we conducted 3 studies with samples ranging in age from adolescence to old adulthood. In Study 1, we developed a novel and age-fair music browsing paradigm for music of diverse musical styles, dates of origin, and affective characteristics. The time spent listening to self-selected music with varying levels of valence and arousal served as an indicator of affect-regulatory preferences in 2 different affectively relevant situations, namely after mood induction in Study 2 and before an upcoming discussion with a stranger in Study 3. As predicted, we found a higher preference for music with positive valence and low arousal in older as compared with younger individuals in both studies. Additionally, the efficacy of music listening as an affect-regulatory strategy was supported because individuals' current affect significantly changed from before to after music listening (Studies 2 and 3), whereas that was not the case in an active control group listening to neutral nonmusical sounds (Study 3). These results extend previous research on affect regulation by demonstrating the utility of the music browsing paradigm as a behavioral indicator of affect-regulatory preferences in individuals from various age groups. They also provide evidence for age differences in, and affect-regulatory effects of, music-choice behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Experimental Constraints on the Partitioning and Valence of V and Cr in Garnet and Coexisting Glass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Righter, K.; Sutton, S.; Berthet, S.; Newville, M.

2008-01-01

A series of experiments with garnet and coexisting melt have been carried out across a range of oxygen fugacities (near hematite-magnetite (HM) to below the iron-wustite (IW) buffers) at 1.7 GPa to study the partitioning and valence of Cr and V in both phases. Experiments were carried out in a non end loaded piston cylinder apparatus, and the run products were analyzed with electron microprobe and xray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis at beamline 13-ID at the Advanced Photon Source of Argonne National Lab. The valence of vanadium and chromium were determined using the position and intensity of the Ka pre-edge peaks, calibrated on a series of Cr and Vbearing standard glasses. This technique has been applied to V and Cr in glasses and V in spinels previously, and in these isotropic phases there are no orientational effects on the XANES spectra (Righter et al., 2006, Amer. Mineral. 91, 1643-1656). We also now demonstrate this to be true for V and Cr in garnet. Also, previous work has shown that V has a higher valence in the glass (or melt) than in the coexisting spinel. This is also true for V in garnet-glass pairs in this study. Vanadium valence in garnets varies from 2.7 below the IW buffer to 3.7 near HM, and for coexisting glass it varies from 3.2 to 4.3. Vanadium valence measured in some natural garnets from mantle localities indicates V in the more reduced range at 2.5. Comparisons will be made between fO2 estimated from V valence and other methods for garnet-bearing mantle samples. In contrast, Cr valence measured in garnet and coexisting glass for all experimental and natural samples is 2.9- 3.0, suggesting that the valence of Cr does not vary within either phase across a large fO2 range. These results demonstrate that while V varies from 2+ to 3+ to 4+ in garnet-melt systems, Cr does not, and this will ultimately affect the partitioning behavior of these two elements in natural systems. Garnet/melt D(Cr) are between 12 and 17 across this range of fO2, whereas D(V) has the highest partition coefficient approx.3, near the IW buffer where the valence of V is almost entirely 3+.

Spectroscopic study of hafnium silicate alloys prepared by RPECVD: Comparisons between conduction/valence band offset energies and optical band gaps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Joon Goo

Aggressive scaling of devices has continued to improve MOSFET transistor performance. As lateral device dimensions continue to decrease, gate oxide thickness must be scaled down. As one of the promising high k alternative gate oxide materials, HfO2 and its silicates were investigated to understand their direct tunneling behavior by studying band offset energies with spectroscopy and electrical characterization. Local bonding change of remote plasma deposited (HfO2)x(SiO 2)1-x alloys were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) as a function of alloy composition, x. Two different precursors with Hf Nitrato and Hf-tert-butoxide were tested to have amorphous deposition. Film composition was determined off-line by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and these results were calibrated with on-line AES. As deposited Hf-silicate alloys were characterized by off-line XPS and AES for their chemical shifts interpreting with a partial charge transfer model as well as coordination changes. Sigmoidal dependence of valence band offset energies was observed. Hf 5d* state is fixed at the bottom of the conduction band and located at 1.3 +/- 0.2 eV above the top of the Si conduction band as a conduction band offset by x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Optical band gap energy changes were observed with vacuum ultra violet spectroscopic ellipsometry (VUVSE) to verify compositional dependence of conduction and valence band offset energy changes. 1 nm EOT normalized tunneling current with Wentzel-Kramer-Brillouin (WKB) simulation based on the band offset study and Franz two band model showed the minimum at the intermediate composition matching with the experimental data. Non-linear trend in tunneling current was observed because the increases in physical thickness were mitigated by reductions in band offset energies and effective mass for tunneling. C-V curves were compared to each other, and more hysteresis was observed with increasing x. Localized Hf 5d* state as a trap site was the reason for hysteresis and its reverse direction with temperature-dependent C-V curves. Temperature-dependent I-V study located Hf 5d* state. For the integration issue, nitridation study was done at the interface and surface, and both. Interfacial nitridaion gave more effective reduction in EOT.

Social projection increases for positive targets: ascertaining the effect and exploring its antecedents.

PubMed

Machunsky, Maya; Toma, Claudia; Yzerbyt, Vincent; Corneille, Olivier

2014-10-01

Social projection denotes the attribution of characteristics of the self to others and, therefore, increases perceived self-other similarity. The present research tests the assumption that positive but not negative targets elicit social projection. Earlier research has attributed an effect of target valence to mere consistency principles of judgment and has, thus, questioned projection processes to be the origin of self-other similarity. Building on more recent evidence, we suggest that target valence influences self-other similarity above and beyond a consistent response behavior. The results of three experiments in which target valence was manipulated through evaluative conditioning and by smiling versus neutral facial expression support our hypothesis. We discuss how cognitive versus motivated processes can account for these findings and suggest a new conceptualization of social projection whereby projection is a means to regulate social distance. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Possible quantum valence criticality in CeCu6-xAux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiino, Takayuki; Nobe, Kohei; Imura, Keiichiro; Deguchi, Kazuhiko; Sato, Noriaki K.

2018-05-01

CeCu6-xAux is known as a heavy fermion compound that exhibits antiferromagnetism for x ≳ 0 . 1 and non-Fermi-liquid (NFL) behavior around the critical concentration xc ≈ 0 . 1. Although this material has been studied by means of a lot of experiments, the origin of its NFL is still veiled in mystery. In this study, we examine the magnetic properties of CeCu6-xAux for various values of x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.8), and discuss the possibility that the quantum valence criticality might be responsible for the low-temperature magnetic properties.

Type-II InP quantum dots in wide-bandgap InGaP host for intermediate-band solar cells

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

Tayagaki, Takeshi, E-mail: tayagaki-t@aist.go.jp; Sugaya, Takeyoshi

2016-04-11

We demonstrate type-II quantum dots (QDs) with long carrier lifetimes in a wide-bandgap host as a promising candidate for intermediate-band solar cells. Type-II InP QDs are fabricated in a wide-bandgap InGaP host using molecular beam epitaxy. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements reveal an extremely long carrier lifetime (i.e., greater than 30 ns). In addition, from temperature-dependent PL spectra, we find that the type-II InP QDs form a negligible valence band offset and conduction band offset of ΔE{sub c} ≈ 0.35 eV in the InGaP host. Such a type-II confinement potential for InP/InGaP QDs has a significant advantage for realizing efficient two-step photon absorption and suppressed carriermore » capture in QDs via Auger relaxation.« less

NPS and Online WOM: Investigating the Relationship Between Customers' Promoter Scores and eWOM Behavior.

PubMed

Raassens, Néomie; Haans, Hans

2017-08-01

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is, according to Reichheld, the single most reliable indicator of company growth, and many companies use this recommendation-based technique for measuring customer loyalty. Despite its widespread adoption by many companies across multiple industries, the debate about NPS goes on. A major concern is that managers treat NPS as being equivalent across customers, which is often very misleading. By using a unique data set that combines customers' promoter scores and online word-of-mouth (eWOM) behavior, this research studies how individual customers' promoter scores are related to eWOM, including its relationship with the three categories of customers that are identified by the NPS paradigm (i.e., promoters, passives, and detractors). Based on a sample of 189 customers, their promoter scores and corresponding eWOM, the results show that there is a positive relationship between customers' promoter scores and the valence of online messages. Further, while detractors and promoters are homogeneous with respect to the valence of the eWOM messages they spread, passives show message valence heterogeneity. Thus, although passives, the largest group of customers, have no weight in calculating the NPS, our results reveal that companies should flag passives for further attention and action.

Pain-relief learning in flies, rats, and man: basic research and applied perspectives

PubMed Central

Gerber, Bertram; Yarali, Ayse; Diegelmann, Sören; Wotjak, Carsten T.; Pauli, Paul; Fendt, Markus

2014-01-01

Memories relating to a painful, negative event are adaptive and can be stored for a lifetime to support preemptive avoidance, escape, or attack behavior. However, under unfavorable circumstances such memories can become overwhelmingly powerful. They may trigger excessively negative psychological states and uncontrollable avoidance of locations, objects, or social interactions. It is therefore obvious that any process to counteract such effects will be of value. In this context, we stress from a basic-research perspective that painful, negative events are “Janus-faced” in the sense that there are actually two aspects about them that are worth remembering: What made them happen and what made them cease. We review published findings from fruit flies, rats, and man showing that both aspects, respectively related to the onset and the offset of the negative event, induce distinct and oppositely valenced memories: Stimuli experienced before an electric shock acquire negative valence as they signal upcoming punishment, whereas stimuli experienced after an electric shock acquire positive valence because of their association with the relieving cessation of pain. We discuss how memories for such punishment- and relief-learning are organized, how this organization fits into the threat-imminence model of defensive behavior, and what perspectives these considerations offer for applied psychology in the context of trauma, panic, and nonsuicidal self-injury. PMID:24643725

Positive Affect and Cognitive Restoration: Investigating the Role of Valence and Arousal

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Positive moods are thought to restore self-control resources following depletion. However, it is not well understood whether this effect is due to affective valence (pleasantness), arousal (activation), or a combination of both. Across four studies, we set out to investigate the role of positive moods on cognitive and behavioral measures of self-regulation in an ego-depletion paradigm. In studies 1 and 2, we independently manipulated affective valence and arousal and assessed self-regulation with a Stroop task. Results did not suggest a restorative effect of either on cognitive resources. In study 3, we employed both behavioral (the ‘handgrip task’) and cognitive (Stroop) assessments of self-regulation. Again, no significant effect of mood was observed on the Stroop task. Additionally, participants did not persist significantly longer on the handgrip task following a positive mood induction. Finally, in study 4, high vs. low states of arousal were manipulated and self-regulation was assessed via pre- and post-manipulation Stroop performance. In study 4, Stroop performance improved slightly more across time points for those in the high arousal condition than for those in the low arousal condition. Therefore, across four studies, we failed to find a consistent pattern of results suggesting that positive moods restore cognitive resources. PMID:26784026

Electronic and magnetic properties of epitaxial perovskite SrCrO3(001)

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

Zhang, Hongliang; Du, Yingge; Sushko, Petr

2015-06-24

We have investigated the intrinsic properties of SrCrO3 epitaxial thin films synthesized by molecular beam epitaxy. We find compelling evidence that SrCrO3 is a correlated metal. X-ray photoemission valence band and O K-edge x-ray absorption spectra indicate a strongly hybridized Cr3d-O2p state crossing the Fermi level, leading to metallic behavior. Comparison between valence band spectra near the Fermi level and the densities of states calculated using density functional theory (DFT) also suggests the presence of coherent and incoherent states and points to a strong electron-electron correlation effects. The magnetic susceptibility can be described by Pauli paramagnetism at temperatures above 100more » K, but reveals antiferromagnetic behavior at lower temperatures resulting from orbital ordering as suggested by Ortega-San-Martin et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 255701 (2007)].« less

Asymmetric behavior of the B(E2↑;0+ → 2+) values in 104-130Sn and generalized seniority

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maheshwari, Bhoomika; Jain, Ashok Kumar; Singh, Balraj

2016-08-01

We present freshly evaluated B (E 2 ↑ ;0+ →2+) values across the even-even Sn-isotopes which confirm the presence of an asymmetric behavior as well as a dip in the middle of the full valence space. We explain these features by using the concept of generalized seniority. The dip in the B (E 2) values near 116Sn is understood in terms of a change in the dominant orbits before and after the mid shell, which also explains the presence of asymmetric peaks in the B (E 2) values. This approach helps in deciding the most active valence spaces for a given set of isotopes, and single out the most useful truncation scheme for Large Scale Shell Model (LSSM) calculations. The LSSM calculations so guided by generalized seniority are also able to reproduce the experimental data on B (E 2) ↑ values quite well.

Rapid neural discrimination of communicative gestures

PubMed Central

Carlson, Thomas A.

2015-01-01

Humans are biased toward social interaction. Behaviorally, this bias is evident in the rapid effects that self-relevant communicative signals have on attention and perceptual systems. The processing of communicative cues recruits a wide network of brain regions, including mentalizing systems. Relatively less work, however, has examined the timing of the processing of self-relevant communicative cues. In the present study, we used multivariate pattern analysis (decoding) approach to the analysis of magnetoencephalography (MEG) to study the processing dynamics of social-communicative actions. Twenty-four participants viewed images of a woman performing actions that varied on a continuum of communicative factors including self-relevance (to the participant) and emotional valence, while their brain activity was recorded using MEG. Controlling for low-level visual factors, we found early discrimination of emotional valence (70 ms) and self-relevant communicative signals (100 ms). These data offer neural support for the robust and rapid effects of self-relevant communicative cues on behavior. PMID:24958087

Behavioral responses to odors from other species: introducing a complementary model of allelochemics involving vertebrates

PubMed Central

Nielsen, Birte L.; Rampin, Olivier; Meunier, Nicolas; Bombail, Vincent

2015-01-01

It has long been known that the behavior of an animal can be affected by odors from another species. Such interspecific effects of odorous compounds (allelochemics) are usually characterized according to who benefits (emitter, receiver, or both) and the odors categorized accordingly (allomones, kairomones, and synomones, respectively), which has its origin in the definition of pheromones, i.e., intraspecific communication via volatile compounds. When considering vertebrates, however, interspecific odor-based effects exist which do not fit well in this paradigm. Three aspects in particular do not encompass all interspecific semiochemical effects: one relates to the innateness of the behavioral response, another to the origin of the odor, and the third to the intent of the message. In this review we focus on vertebrates, and present examples of behavioral responses of animals to odors from other species with specific reference to these three aspects. Searching for a more useful classification of allelochemical effects we examine the relationship between the valence of odors (attractive through to aversive), and the relative contributions of learned and unconditioned (innate) behavioral responses to odors from other species. We propose that these two factors (odor valence and learning) may offer an alternative way to describe the nature of interspecific olfactory effects involving vertebrates compared to the current focus on who benefits. PMID:26161069

Excited State Trends in Bidirectionally Expanded Closed-Shell PAH and PANH Anions

PubMed Central

Moore, Megan M.; Lee, Timothy J.

2018-01-01

Some anions are known to exhibit excited states independent of external forces such as dipole moments and induced polarizabilities. Such states exist simply as a result of the stabilization of valence accepting orbitals whereby the binding energy of the extra electron is greater than the valence excitation energy. Closed-shell anions are interesting candidates for such transitions since their ground-state, spin-paired nature makes the anions more stable from the beginning. Consequently, this work shows the point beyond which deprotonated, closed-shell polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and those PAHs containing nitrogen heteroatoms (PANHs) will exhibit valence excited states. This behavior has already been demonstrated in some PANHs and for anistropically-extended PAHs. This work establishes a general trend for PAHs/PANHs of arbitrary size and directional extension, whether in one dimension or two. Once seven six-membered rings make up a PAH/PANH, valence excited states are present. For most classes of PAHs/PANHs, this number is closer to four. Even though most of these excited states are weak absorbers, the sheer number of PAHs present in various astronomical environments should make them significant contributors to astronomical spectra. PMID:27585793

The color red attracts attention in an emotional context. An ERP study.

PubMed

Kuniecki, Michał; Pilarczyk, Joanna; Wichary, Szymon

2015-01-01

The color red is known to influence psychological functioning, having both negative (e.g., blood, fire, danger), and positive (e.g., sex, food) connotations. The aim of our study was to assess the attentional capture by red-colored images, and to explore the modulatory role of the emotional valence in this process, as postulated by Elliot and Maier (2012) color-in-context theory. Participants completed a dot-probe task with each cue comprising two images of equal valence and arousal, one containing a prominent red object and the other an object of different coloration. Reaction times were measured, as well as the event-related lateralizations of the EEG. Modulation of the lateralized components revealed that the color red captured and later held the attention in both positive and negative conditions, but not in a neutral condition. An overt motor response to the target stimulus was affected mainly by attention lingering over the visual field where the red cue had been flashed. However, a weak influence of the valence could still be detected in reaction times. Therefore, red seems to guide attention, specifically in emotionally-valenced circumstances, indicating that an emotional context can alter color's impact both on attention and motor behavior.

Direct determination of europium valence state by XANES in extraterrestrial merrillite: Implications for REE crystal chemistry and martian magmatism

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

Shearer, C.K.; Papike, J.J.; Burger, P.V.

2012-03-15

The relative proportion of divalent and trivalent Eu has proven to be a useful tool for estimating f{sub O{sub 2}} in various magmatic systems. However, in most cases, direct determination of the Eu valence state has not been made. In this study, direct determination of Eu valence by XANES and REE abundance in merrillite provide insights into the crystal chemistry of these phosphates and their ability to record conditions of magmatism. Merrillite strongly prefers Eu{sup 3+} to Eu{sup 2+}, with the average valence state of Eu ranging between 2.9 and 3 over approximately six orders of magnitude in f{sub O{submore » 2}}. The dramatic shift in the REE patterns of merrillite in martian basaltic magmas, from highly LREE-depleted to LREE-enriched, parallels many other trace element and isotopic variations and reflects the sources for these magmas. The behavior of REE in the merrillite directly reflects the relationship between the eightfold-coordinated Ca1 site and adjacent sixfold Na and tetrahedral P sites that enables charge balancing through coupled substitutions.« less

Risk-taking in disorders of natural and drug rewards: neural correlates and effects of probability, valence, and magnitude.

PubMed

Voon, Valerie; Morris, Laurel S; Irvine, Michael A; Ruck, Christian; Worbe, Yulia; Derbyshire, Katherine; Rankov, Vladan; Schreiber, Liana Rn; Odlaug, Brian L; Harrison, Neil A; Wood, Jonathan; Robbins, Trevor W; Bullmore, Edward T; Grant, Jon E

2015-03-01

Pathological behaviors toward drugs and food rewards have underlying commonalities. Risk-taking has a fourfold pattern varying as a function of probability and valence leading to the nonlinearity of probability weighting with overweighting of small probabilities and underweighting of large probabilities. Here we assess these influences on risk-taking in patients with pathological behaviors toward drug and food rewards and examine structural neural correlates of nonlinearity of probability weighting in healthy volunteers. In the anticipation of rewards, subjects with binge eating disorder show greater risk-taking, similar to substance-use disorders. Methamphetamine-dependent subjects had greater nonlinearity of probability weighting along with impaired subjective discrimination of probability and reward magnitude. Ex-smokers also had lower risk-taking to rewards compared with non-smokers. In the anticipation of losses, obesity without binge eating had a similar pattern to other substance-use disorders. Obese subjects with binge eating also have impaired discrimination of subjective value similar to that of the methamphetamine-dependent subjects. Nonlinearity of probability weighting was associated with lower gray matter volume in dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal cortex in healthy volunteers. Our findings support a distinct subtype of binge eating disorder in obesity with similarities in risk-taking in the reward domain to substance use disorders. The results dovetail with the current approach of defining mechanistically based dimensional approaches rather than categorical approaches to psychiatric disorders. The relationship to risk probability and valence may underlie the propensity toward pathological behaviors toward different types of rewards.

Risk-Taking in Disorders of Natural and Drug Rewards: Neural Correlates and Effects of Probability, Valence, and Magnitude

PubMed Central

Voon, Valerie; Morris, Laurel S; Irvine, Michael A; Ruck, Christian; Worbe, Yulia; Derbyshire, Katherine; Rankov, Vladan; Schreiber, Liana RN; Odlaug, Brian L; Harrison, Neil A; Wood, Jonathan; Robbins, Trevor W; Bullmore, Edward T; Grant, Jon E

2015-01-01

Pathological behaviors toward drugs and food rewards have underlying commonalities. Risk-taking has a fourfold pattern varying as a function of probability and valence leading to the nonlinearity of probability weighting with overweighting of small probabilities and underweighting of large probabilities. Here we assess these influences on risk-taking in patients with pathological behaviors toward drug and food rewards and examine structural neural correlates of nonlinearity of probability weighting in healthy volunteers. In the anticipation of rewards, subjects with binge eating disorder show greater risk-taking, similar to substance-use disorders. Methamphetamine-dependent subjects had greater nonlinearity of probability weighting along with impaired subjective discrimination of probability and reward magnitude. Ex-smokers also had lower risk-taking to rewards compared with non-smokers. In the anticipation of losses, obesity without binge eating had a similar pattern to other substance-use disorders. Obese subjects with binge eating also have impaired discrimination of subjective value similar to that of the methamphetamine-dependent subjects. Nonlinearity of probability weighting was associated with lower gray matter volume in dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal cortex in healthy volunteers. Our findings support a distinct subtype of binge eating disorder in obesity with similarities in risk-taking in the reward domain to substance use disorders. The results dovetail with the current approach of defining mechanistically based dimensional approaches rather than categorical approaches to psychiatric disorders. The relationship to risk probability and valence may underlie the propensity toward pathological behaviors toward different types of rewards. PMID:25270821

DFT study of the polarization behaviors of various distorted barium titanate crystals: The role of atomic displacements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirseraji, Mojtaba; Shahraki, Mehran Gholipour

2018-06-01

A Local Density Approximation (LDA) was employed to investigate the influence of applied strains on valence charge distributions, atomic displacements, Tisbnd O (3) bond distances and the total polarizations in barium titanate (BaTiO3). Four types of various strains were imposed on perfect tetragonal BaTiO3 along the a, c, ab and abc axial directions. Electromechanical properties of BaTiO3 were evaluated in LDA framework and a good agreement with previous results was achieved. The results show that, in the cases of a, ab strains, the values of polarization are almost constant in negative strains and increased by gradual increasing of the positive strains after a sudden enhancement at about +0.1% strain. In the case of c-strain, axial oxygen and Ti atoms underwent the highest displacements and the polarization linearly increased by applied strain. The case of abc-strain, represent the both types of features. In negative abc-strain show a similar polarization behavior like c-strain case and in positive region, polarization behavior is the same as a- and ab-strain cases. In the abc-strains of -0.3% and +0.1%, an abrupt jump in total polarization curve and a small change, are observed due to abnormal atomic displacements. In the most cases a direct relation between polarization and Tisbnd O (3) bond distance was also beheld. Finally, the effects of valence charge distributions on the atomic displacements and total polarizations are studied. It is found that there is a direct relation between polarization and Valence Charge Asymmetry of 3d -orbitals.

Systematic study of electronic and magnetic properties for Cu{sub 12–x}TM{sub x}Sb{sub 4}S{sub 13} (TM = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn) tetrahedrite

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

Suekuni, K., E-mail: ksuekuni@hiroshima-u.ac.jp; Tomizawa, Y.; Ozaki, T.

2014-04-14

Substitution effects of 3d transition metal (TM) impurities on electronic and magnetic properties for Cu{sub 12}Sb{sub 4}S{sub 13} tetrahedrite are investigated by the combination of low-temperature experiments and first-principles electronic-structure calculations. The electrical resistivity for the cubic phase of Cu{sub 12}Sb{sub 4}S{sub 13} exhibits metallic behavior due to an electron-deficient character of the compound. Whereas that for 0.5 ≤ x ≤ 2.0 of Cu{sub 12−x}Ni{sub x}Sb{sub 4}S{sub 13} exhibits semiconducting behavior. The substituted Ni for Cu is in the divalent ionic state with a spin magnetic moment and creates impurity bands just above the Fermi level at the top of the valence band. Therefore,more » the semiconducting behavior of the electrical resistivity is attributed to the thermal excitation of electrons from the valence band to the impurity band. The substitution effect of TM on the electronic structure and the valency of TM for Cu{sub 11.0}TM{sub 1.0}Sb{sub 4}S{sub 13} are systematically studied by the calculation. The substituted Mn, Fe, and Co for Cu are found to be in the ionic states with the spin magnetic moments due to the large exchange splitting of the 3d bands between the minority- and majority-spin states.« less

Emotion categories and dimensions in the facial communication of affect: An integrated approach.

PubMed

Mehu, Marc; Scherer, Klaus R

2015-12-01

We investigated the role of facial behavior in emotional communication, using both categorical and dimensional approaches. We used a corpus of enacted emotional expressions (GEMEP) in which professional actors are instructed, with the help of scenarios, to communicate a variety of emotional experiences. The results of Study 1 replicated earlier findings showing that only a minority of facial action units are associated with specific emotional categories. Likewise, facial behavior did not show a specific association with particular emotional dimensions. Study 2 showed that facial behavior plays a significant role both in the detection of emotions and in the judgment of their dimensional aspects, such as valence, arousal, dominance, and unpredictability. In addition, a mediation model revealed that the association between facial behavior and recognition of the signaler's emotional intentions is mediated by perceived emotional dimensions. We conclude that, from a production perspective, facial action units convey neither specific emotions nor specific emotional dimensions, but are associated with several emotions and several dimensions. From the perceiver's perspective, facial behavior facilitated both dimensional and categorical judgments, and the former mediated the effect of facial behavior on recognition accuracy. The classification of emotional expressions into discrete categories may, therefore, rely on the perception of more general dimensions such as valence and arousal and, presumably, the underlying appraisals that are inferred from facial movements. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Local electronic structure and ferromagnetic interaction in La(Co,Ni)O3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuppler, S.; Nagel, P.; Fuchs, D.; Löhneysen, H. V.; Merz, M.; Huang, M.-J.

Perovskite-related transition-metal oxides exhibit properties ranging from insulating to superconducting as well as unusual magnetic phases, and cobaltates, in particular, have been known for their propensity for spin-state transitions. Nonmagnetic LaCoO3 and paramagnetic LaNiO3 are parent compounds for the La(Co1-xNix) O3 (LCNO) family, which, for intermediate Ni content x, exhibits ferromagnetism. The local electronic structure and the ferromagnetic interaction in LCNO have been studied by x-ray absorption (XAS) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). XAS indicates a mixed-valence state for both Co and Ni, with both valences changing systematically with increasing x. Simultaneously, a spin-state redistribution towards HS (Co site) and LS (Ni site) occurs, and temperature-dependent spin-state transitions are increasingly suppressed. XMCD identifies the element-specific contributions to the magnetic moment and interactions. A simple model based on a double-exchange-like mechanism between Co3+ HS and Ni3+HS can qualitatively account for the evolution of ferromagnetism in the LCNO series.

Planar screening by charge polydisperse counterions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trulsson, M.; Trizac, E.; Šamaj, L.

2018-01-01

We study how a neutralising cloud of counterions screens the electric field of a uniformly charged planar membrane (plate), when the counterions are characterised by a distribution of charges (or valence), n(q) . We work out analytically the one-plate and two-plate cases, at the level of non-linear Poisson-Boltzmann theory. The (essentially asymptotic) predictions are successfully compared to numerical solutions of the full Poisson-Boltzmann theory, but also to Monte Carlo simulations. The counterions with smallest valence control the long-distance features of interactions, and may qualitatively change the results pertaining to the classic monodisperse case where all counterions have the same charge. Emphasis is put on continuous distributions n(q) , for which new power-laws can be evidenced, be it for the ionic density or the pressure, in the one- and two-plates situations respectively. We show that for discrete distributions, more relevant for experiments, these scaling laws persist in an intermediate but yet observable range. Furthermore, it appears that from a practical point of view, hallmarks of the continuous n(q) behaviour are already featured by discrete mixtures with a relatively small number of constituents.

Exchange Coupling Interactions from the Density Matrix Renormalization Group and N-Electron Valence Perturbation Theory: Application to a Biomimetic Mixed-Valence Manganese Complex.

PubMed

Roemelt, Michael; Krewald, Vera; Pantazis, Dimitrios A

2018-01-09

The accurate description of magnetic level energetics in oligonuclear exchange-coupled transition-metal complexes remains a formidable challenge for quantum chemistry. The density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) brings such systems for the first time easily within reach of multireference wave function methods by enabling the use of unprecedentedly large active spaces. But does this guarantee systematic improvement in predictive ability and, if so, under which conditions? We identify operational parameters in the use of DMRG using as a test system an experimentally characterized mixed-valence bis-μ-oxo/μ-acetato Mn(III,IV) dimer, a model for the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II. A complete active space of all metal 3d and bridge 2p orbitals proved to be the smallest meaningful starting point; this is readily accessible with DMRG and greatly improves on the unrealistic metal-only configuration interaction or complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) values. Orbital optimization is critical for stabilizing the antiferromagnetic state, while a state-averaged approach over all spin states involved is required to avoid artificial deviations from isotropic behavior that are associated with state-specific calculations. Selective inclusion of localized orbital subspaces enables probing the relative contributions of different ligands and distinct superexchange pathways. Overall, however, full-valence DMRG-CASSCF calculations fall short of providing a quantitative description of the exchange coupling owing to insufficient recovery of dynamic correlation. Quantitatively accurate results can be achieved through a DMRG implementation of second order N-electron valence perturbation theory (NEVPT2) in conjunction with a full-valence metal and ligand active space. Perspectives for future applications of DMRG-CASSCF/NEVPT2 to exchange coupling in oligonuclear clusters are discussed.

Cobalt (II) oxide and nickel (II) oxide alloys as potential intermediate-band semiconductors: A theoretical study

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

Alidoust, Nima; Lessio, Martina; Carter, Emily A., E-mail: eac@princeton.edu

2016-01-14

Solar cells based on single pn junctions, employing single-gap semiconductors can ideally achieve efficiencies as high as 34%. Developing solar cells based on intermediate-band semiconductors (IBSCs), which can absorb light across multiple band gaps, is a possible way to defy this theoretical limit and achieve efficiencies as high as 60%. Here, we use first principles quantum mechanics methods and introduce CoO and Co{sub 0.25}Ni{sub 0.75}O as possible IBSCs. We show that the conduction band in both of these materials is divided into two distinct bands separated by a band gap. We further show that the lower conduction band (i.e., themore » intermediate band) is wider in Co{sub 0.25}Ni{sub 0.75}O compared with CoO. This should enhance light absorption from the valence band edge to the intermediate band, making Co{sub 0.25}Ni{sub 0.75}O more appropriate for use as an IBSC. Our findings provide the basis for future attempts to partially populate the intermediate band and to reduce the lower band gap in Co{sub 0.25}Ni{sub 0.75}O in order to enhance the potential of this material for use in IBSC solar cell technologies. Furthermore, with proper identification of heterojunctions and dopants, CoO and Co{sub 0.25}Ni{sub 0.75}O could be used in multi-color light emitting diode and laser technologies.« less

Evidence for gap anisotropy in SmB6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derr, J.; Knebel, G.; Lapertot, G.; Salce, B.; Kunii, S.; Flouquet, J.

2007-03-01

Resistivity measurements under uniaxial stress have been performed on the intermediate valence compound SmB6 for various directions of the crystal. The experimental technique allows us to explore a limited pressure area (basically 0-3 kbar). Nevertheless, the results clearly show an anisotropy; indeed, the effect of the stress in the decrease of the residual resistivity is much higher in the <1 1 1> direction than in the <1 0 0> and the <1 1 0> orientations. This change is witness to the gap anisotropy which must be linked to the theory of excitonic semiconductors.

Realization of the Nersesyan-Tsvelik model in (NO)[Cu(NO3)3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volkova, O.; Morozov, I.; Shutov, V.; Lapsheva, E.; Sindzingre, P.; Cépas, O.; Yehia, M.; Kataev, V.; Klingeler, R.; Büchner, B.; Vasiliev, A.

2010-08-01

The topology of the magnetic interactions of the copper spins in the nitrosonium nitratocuprate (NO)[Cu(NO3)3] suggests that it could be a realization of the Nersesyan-Tsvelik model [A. A. Nersesyan and A. M. Tsvelik, Phys. Rev. B 67, 024422 (2003)10.1103/PhysRevB.67.024422], whose ground state was argued to be either a resonating valence-bond state or a valence-bond crystal. The measurement of thermodynamic and magnetic resonance properties reveals a behavior inherent to low-dimensional spin S=(1)/(2) systems and provides indeed no evidence for the formation of long-range magnetic order down to 1.8 K.

NEVER forget: negative emotional valence enhances recapitulation.

PubMed

Bowen, Holly J; Kark, Sarah M; Kensinger, Elizabeth A

2018-06-01

A hallmark feature of episodic memory is that of "mental time travel," whereby an individual feels they have returned to a prior moment in time. Cognitive and behavioral neuroscience methods have revealed a neurobiological counterpart: Successful retrieval often is associated with reactivation of a prior brain state. We review the emerging literature on memory reactivation and recapitulation, and we describe evidence for the effects of emotion on these processes. Based on this review, we propose a new model: Negative Emotional Valence Enhances Recapitulation (NEVER). This model diverges from existing models of emotional memory in three key ways. First, it underscores the effects of emotion during retrieval. Second, it stresses the importance of sensory processing to emotional memory. Third, it emphasizes how emotional valence - whether an event is negative or positive - affects the way that information is remembered. The model specifically proposes that, as compared to positive events, negative events both trigger increased encoding of sensory detail and elicit a closer resemblance between the sensory encoding signature and the sensory retrieval signature. The model also proposes that negative valence enhances the reactivation and storage of sensory details over offline periods, leading to a greater divergence between the sensory recapitulation of negative and positive memories over time. Importantly, the model proposes that these valence-based differences occur even when events are equated for arousal, thus rendering an exclusively arousal-based theory of emotional memory insufficient. We conclude by discussing implications of the model and suggesting directions for future research to test the tenets of the model.

Type of gesture, valence, and gaze modulate the influence of gestures on observer's behaviors

PubMed Central

De Stefani, Elisa; Innocenti, Alessandro; Secchi, Claudio; Papa, Veronica; Gentilucci, Maurizio

2013-01-01

The present kinematic study aimed at determining whether the observation of arm/hand gestures performed by conspecifics affected an action apparently unrelated to the gesture (i.e., reaching-grasping). In 3 experiments we examined the influence of different gestures on action kinematics. We also analyzed the effects of words corresponding in meaning to the gestures, on the same action. In Experiment 1, the type of gesture, valence and actor's gaze were the investigated variables Participants executed the action of reaching-grasping after discriminating whether the gestures produced by a conspecific were meaningful or not. The meaningful gestures were request or symbolic and their valence was positive or negative. They were presented by the conspecific either blindfolded or not. In control Experiment 2 we searched for effects of the sole gaze, and, in Experiment 3, the effects of the same characteristics of words corresponding in meaning to the gestures and visually presented by the conspecific. Type of gesture, valence, and gaze influenced the actual action kinematics; these effects were similar, but not the same as those induced by words. We proposed that the signal activated a response which made the actual action faster for negative valence of gesture, whereas for request signals and available gaze, the response interfered with the actual action more than symbolic signals and not available gaze. Finally, we proposed the existence of a common circuit involved in the comprehension of gestures and words and in the activation of consequent responses to them. PMID:24046742

Associations among mothers' representations of their relationship with their toddlers, maternal parenting stress, and toddlers' internalizing and externalizing behaviors.

PubMed

Sher-Censor, Efrat; Shulman, Cory; Cohen, Esther

2018-02-01

This study examined the array of associations among the emotional valence and the coherence of mothers' representations of their relationship with their toddlers, mothers' reported parenting stress, and toddlers' internalizing and externalizing behaviors. To evaluate maternal representations, 55 mothers were interviewed using the Five Minute Speech Sample procedure (FMSS; Magaña et al., 1986), which was coded for criticism and positive comments (Magaňa-Amato, 1993), as well as coherence (Sher-Censor & Yates, 2015). Mothers also completed the Parenting Stress Index - Short Form (PSI; Abidin, 1997) to evaluate their parenting stress and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/1.5-5; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000) to assess their toddlers' internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Results indicated that parenting stress was associated with maternal criticism and fewer positive comments in the FMSS, but not with the coherence of mothers' FMSS. Parenting stress, criticism, and lower coherence in the FMSS were associated with maternal reports of externalizing behaviors. Only parenting stress and lower coherence in the FMSS were related to mothers' reports of internalizing behaviors of the child. Thus, the emotional valence and the coherence of mothers' representations of their relationship with their child and parenting stress may each constitute a distinct aspect of parenting and contribute to the understanding of individual differences in toddlers' internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Implications for research and practice with families of toddlers are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A study of nitrogen behavior in the formation of Ta/TaN and Ti/TaN alloyed metal electrodes on SiO2 and HfO2 dielectrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gassilloud, R.; Maunoury, C.; Leroux, C.; Piallat, F.; Saidi, B.; Martin, F.; Maitrejean, S.

2014-04-01

We studied Ta, TaN, and sub-stoichiometric TaNx electrodes (obtained by nitrogen redistribution in Ta/TaN or Ti/TaN bilayers) deposited on thermal SiO2 and HfO2/IL (0.8 nm SiO2 IL, i.e., interlayer) stacks. Effective work-functions (WF) were extracted on MOS capacitor structures on SiO2 bevelled insulator of 4.2 eV for pure Ta, 4.6 eV for TaN, and 4.3 eV for sub-stoichiometric TaNx. This intermediate WF value is explained by TaN nitrogen redistribution with reactive Ta or Ti elements shifting the gate work-function toward the Si conduction band. The same electrodes deposited on an HfO2/IL dielectric showed different behavior: First, the Ta/HfO2/IL stack shows a +200 meV WF increase (towards the Si valence band) compared to the SiO2 dielectric stack. This increase is explained by the well-known HfO2/IL dipole formation. Second, in contrast to electrodes deposited on SiO2, sub-stoichiometric TaNx/HfO2 is found to have a lower WF (4.3 eV), than pure Ta on HfO2 (4.4 eV). This inversion in work-function behavior measured on SiO2 vs. HfO2 is explained by the nitrogen redistribution in Ta/TaN bilayer together with diffusion of nitrogen through the HfO2 layer, leading to Si-N formation which prevents dipole formation at the HfO2/IL interface.

Predicting behavior change from persuasive messages using neural representational similarity and social network analyses.

PubMed

Pegors, Teresa K; Tompson, Steven; O'Donnell, Matthew Brook; Falk, Emily B

2017-08-15

Neural activity in medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), identified as engaging in self-related processing, predicts later health behavior change. However, it is unknown to what extent individual differences in neural representation of content and lived experience influence this brain-behavior relationship. We examined whether the strength of content-specific representations during persuasive messaging relates to later behavior change, and whether these relationships change as a function of individuals' social network composition. In our study, smokers viewed anti-smoking messages while undergoing fMRI and we measured changes in their smoking behavior one month later. Using representational similarity analyses, we found that the degree to which message content (i.e. health, social, or valence information) was represented in a self-related processing MPFC region was associated with later smoking behavior, with increased representations of negatively valenced (risk) information corresponding to greater message-consistent behavior change. Furthermore, the relationship between representations and behavior change depended on social network composition: smokers who had proportionally fewer smokers in their network showed increases in smoking behavior when social or health content was strongly represented in MPFC, whereas message-consistent behavior (i.e., less smoking) was more likely for those with proportionally more smokers in their social network who represented social or health consequences more strongly. These results highlight the dynamic relationship between representations in MPFC and key outcomes such as health behavior change; a complete understanding of the role of MPFC in motivation and action should take into account individual differences in neural representation of stimulus attributes and social context variables such as social network composition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fabrication and characterization of multiband solar cells based on highly mismatched alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López, N.; Braña, A. F.; García Núñez, C.; Hernández, M. J.; Cervera, M.; Martínez, M.; Yu, K. M.; Walukiewicz, W.; García, B. J.

2015-10-01

Multiband solar cells are one type of third generation photovoltaic devices in which an increase of the power conversion efficiency is achieved through the absorption of low energy photons while preserving a large band gap that determines the open circuit voltage. The ability to absorb photons from different parts of the solar spectrum originates from the presence of an intermediate energy band located within the band gap of the material. This intermediate band, acting as a stepping stone allows the absorption of low energy photons to transfer electrons from the valence band to the conduction band by a sequential two photons absorption process. It has been demonstrated that highly mismatched alloys offer a potential to be used as a model material system for practical realization of multiband solar cells. Dilute nitride GaAs1-xNx highly mismatched alloy with low mole fraction of N is a prototypical multiband semiconductor with a well-defined intermediate band. Currently, we are using chemical beam epitaxy to synthesize dilute nitride highly mismatched alloys. The materials are characterized by a variety of structural and optical methods to optimize their properties for multiband photovoltaic devices.

Aberrant approach-avoidance conflict resolution following repeated cocaine pre-exposure.

PubMed

Nguyen, David; Schumacher, Anett; Erb, Suzanne; Ito, Rutsuko

2015-10-01

Addiction is characterized by persistence to seek drug reinforcement despite negative consequences. Drug-induced aberrations in approach and avoidance processing likely facilitate the sustenance of addiction pathology. Currently, the effects of repeated drug exposure on the resolution of conflicting approach and avoidance motivational signals have yet to be thoroughly investigated. The present study sought to investigate the effects of cocaine pre-exposure on conflict resolution using novel approach-avoidance paradigms. We used a novel mixed-valence conditioning paradigm to condition cocaine-pre-exposed rats to associate visuo-tactile cues with either the delivery of sucrose reward or shock punishment in the arms in which the cues were presented. Following training, exploration of an arm containing a superimposition of the cues was assessed as a measure of conflict resolution behavior. We also used a mixed-valence runway paradigm wherein cocaine-pre-exposed rats traversed an alleyway toward a goal compartment to receive a pairing of sucrose reward and shock punishment. Latency to enter the goal compartment across trials was taken as a measure of motivational conflict. Our results reveal that cocaine pre-exposure attenuated learning for the aversive cue association in our conditioning paradigm and enhanced preference for mixed-valence stimuli in both paradigms. Repeated cocaine pre-exposure allows appetitive approach motivations to gain greater influence over behavioral output in the context of motivational conflict, due to aberrant positive and negative incentive motivational processing.

Enhanced ferromagnetism, metal-insulator transition, and large magnetoresistance in La1-xCaxMn1-xRuxO3 free of eg-orbital double-exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, M. F.; Du, Z. Z.; Liu, H. M.; Li, X.; Yan, Z. B.; Dong, S.; Liu, J.-M.

2014-03-01

The structure, ionic valences, magnetism, and magneto-transport behaviors of mixed valence oxides La1-xCaxMn1-xRuxO3 are systematically investigated. The simultaneous substitutions of La3+ and Mn3+ ions by Ca2+ and Ru4+, respectively, are confirmed by the structural and ionic valence characterizations, excluding the presence of Mn4+ and Ru3+ ions. The enhanced ferromagnetism, induced metal-insulator transition, and remarkable magnetoresistance effect are demonstrated when the substitution level x is lower than ˜0.6, in spite of the absence of the Mn3+-Ru4+ eg-orbital double-exchange. These anomalous magnetotransport effects are discussed based on the competing multifold interactions associated with the Mn3+-Ru4+ super-exchange and strong Ru4+-Ru4+ hopping, while the origins for the metal-insulator transition and magnetoresistance effect remain to be clarified.

[Spatiotemporal pattern analysis of event-related potentials elicited by emotional Stroop task].

PubMed

Liu, Qi; Liu, Ling; He, Hui; Zhou, Shu

2007-05-01

To investigate the spatiotemporal pattern of event-related potentials (ERPs) induced by emotional Stroop task. The ERPs of 19 channels were recorded from 13 healthy subjects while performing emotional Stroop task by pressing the buttons representing the colors in which the words denoting different emotions were displayed. A repeated-measures factorial design was adopted with three levels (word valence: positive, neutral and negative). The result of ERP analysis was presented in the form of statistical parametric mapping (SPM) of F value. No significant difference was found in either reaction time or accuracy. The SPM of ERPs suggested significant emotional valence effects in the occipital region (200-220 ms), the left and central frontal regions (270-300 ms), and the bilateral temporal and parietal cortex (560-580 and 620-630 ms, respectively). Processing of task-irrelevant emotional valence information involves the dynamic operation of extensive brain regions. The ERPs are more sensitive than the behavioral indices in emotional evaluation.

Correlation effects and electronic properties of Cr-substituted SZn with an intermediate band.

PubMed

Tablero, C

2005-09-15

A study using first principles of the electronic properties of S32Zn31Cr, a material derived from the SZn host semiconductor where a Cr atom has been substituted for each of the 32 Zn atoms, is presented. This material has an intermediate band sandwiched between the valence and conduction bands of the host semiconductor, which in a formal band-theoretic picture is metallic because the Fermi energy is located within the impurity band. The potential technological application of these materials is that when they are used to absorb photons in solar cells, the efficiency increases significantly with respect to the host semiconductor. An analysis of the gaps, bandwidths, density of states, total and orbital charges, and electronic density is carried out. The main effects of the local-density approximation with a Hubbard term corrections are an increase in the bandwidth, a modification of the relative composition of the five d and p transition-metal orbitals, and a splitting of the intermediate band. The results demonstrate that the main contribution to the intermediate band is the Cr atom. For values of U greater than 6 eV, where U is the empirical Hubbard term U parameter, this band is unfolded, thus creating two bands, a full one below the Fermi energy and an empty one above it, i.e., a metal-insulator transition.

Analyzing the Relationship of Organizational Trust and Organizational Culture with Knowledge Sharing Behavior in Teachers of Second Intermediate Period

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahhosseini, Sakineh; Nadi, Mohammad Ali

2015-01-01

The present paper aims to study the relationship of organizational trust, organizational culture with knowledge sharing behavior among teachers of Second Intermediate Period in the City of Isfahan. Research method was correlation and statistical population included all teachers of Second Intermediate Period of Isfahan in academic year 2013-2014 (N…

Emotional valence of stimuli modulates false recognition: Using a modified version of the simplified conjoint recognition paradigm.

PubMed

Gong, Xianmin; Xiao, Hongrui; Wang, Dahua

2016-11-01

False recognition results from the interplay of multiple cognitive processes, including verbatim memory, gist memory, phantom recollection, and response bias. In the current study, we modified the simplified Conjoint Recognition (CR) paradigm to investigate the way in which the valence of emotional stimuli affects the cognitive process and behavioral outcome of false recognition. In Study 1, we examined the applicability of the modification to the simplified CR paradigm and model. Twenty-six undergraduate students (13 females, aged 21.00±2.30years) learned and recognized both the large and small categories of photo objects. The applicability of the paradigm and model was confirmed by a fair goodness-of-fit of the model to the observational data and by their competence in detecting the memory differences between the large- and small-category conditions. In Study 2, we recruited another sample of 29 undergraduate students (14 females, aged 22.60±2.74years) to learn and recognize the categories of photo objects that were emotionally provocative. The results showed that negative valence increased false recognition, particularly the rate of false "remember" responses, by facilitating phantom recollection; positive valence did not influence false recognition significantly though enhanced gist processing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neural correlates of emotional recognition memory in schizophrenia: effects of valence and arousal.

PubMed

Lakis, Nadia; Jiménez, José A; Mancini-Marïe, Adham; Stip, Emmanuel; Lavoie, Marc E; Mendrek, Adrianna

2011-12-30

Schizophrenia patients are often impaired in their memory for emotional events compared with healthy subjects. Investigations of the neural correlates of emotional memory in schizophrenia patients are scarce in the literature. The present study aimed to compare cerebral activations in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls during memory retrieval of emotional images that varied in both valence and arousal. In a study with functional magnetic resonance imaging, 37 schizophrenia patients were compared with 37 healthy participants while performing a yes/no recognition paradigm with positive, negative (differing in arousal intensity) and neutral images. Schizophrenia patients performed worse than healthy controls in all experimental conditions. They showed less cerebral activation in limbic and prefrontal regions than controls during retrieval of negatively valenced stimuli, but had a similar pattern of brain activation compared with controls during retrieval of positively valenced stimuli (particularly in the high arousal condition) in the cerebellum, temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex. Both groups demonstrated increased brain activations in the high relative to low arousing conditions. Our results suggest atypical brain function during retrieval of negative pictures, but intact functional circuitry of positive affect during episodic memory retrieval in schizophrenia patients. The arousal data revealed that schizophrenia patients closely resemble the control group at both the behavioral and neurofunctional level. 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of channel coupling on the elastic scattering of lithium isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furumoto, T.; Suhara, T.; Itagaki, N.

2018-04-01

Herein, we investigated the channel coupling (CC) effect on the elastic scatterings of lithium (Li) isotopes (A =6 -9) for 12C and 28Si targets at E /A =50 -60 MeV. The wave functions of the Li isotopes were obtained using the stochastic multi-configuration mixing method based on the microscopic-cluster model. The proton radii of the 7Li, 8Li, and 9Li nuclei became smaller as the number of valence neutrons increased. The valence neutrons in the 8Li and 9Li nuclei exhibited a glue-like behavior, thereby attracting the α and t clusters. Based on the transition densities derived from these microscopic wave functions, the elastic-scattering cross section was calculated using a microscopic coupled-channel method with a complex G -matrix interaction. The existing experimental data for the elastic scatterings of the Li isotopes and 10Be nuclei were well reproduced. The Li isotope elastic cross sections were demonstrated for the 12C and 28Si targets at E /A =53 MeV. The glue-like effect of the valence neutrons on the Li isotope was clearly demonstrated by the CC effect on elastic scattering. Finally, we realize that the valence neutrons stabilized the bindings of the core parts and the CC effect related to core excitation was indeed reduced.

Effects of Valence and Origin of Emotions in Word Processing Evidenced by Event Related Potential Correlates in a Lexical Decision Task

PubMed Central

Imbir, Kamil K.; Spustek, Tomasz; Żygierewicz, Jarosław

2016-01-01

This paper presents behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) correlates of emotional word processing during a lexical decision task (LDT). We showed that valence and origin (two distinct affective properties of stimuli) help to account for the ERP correlates of LDT. The origin of emotion is a factor derived from the emotion duality model. This model distinguishes between the automatic and controlled elicitation of emotional states. The subjects’ task was to discriminate words from pseudo-words. The stimulus words were carefully selected to differ with respect to valence and origin whilst being matched with respect to arousal, concreteness, length and frequency in natural language. Pseudo-words were matched to words with respect to length. The subjects were 32 individuals aged from 19 to 26 years who were invited to participate in an EEG study of lexical decision making. They evaluated a list of words and pseudo-words. We found that valence modulated the amplitude of the FN400 component (290–375 ms) at centro-frontal (Fz, Cz) region, whereas origin modulated the amplitude of the component in the LPC latency range (375–670 ms). The results indicate that the origin of stimuli should be taken into consideration while deliberating on the processing of emotional words. PMID:26973569

The color red attracts attention in an emotional context. An ERP study

PubMed Central

Kuniecki, Michał; Pilarczyk, Joanna; Wichary, Szymon

2015-01-01

The color red is known to influence psychological functioning, having both negative (e.g., blood, fire, danger), and positive (e.g., sex, food) connotations. The aim of our study was to assess the attentional capture by red-colored images, and to explore the modulatory role of the emotional valence in this process, as postulated by Elliot and Maier (2012) color-in-context theory. Participants completed a dot-probe task with each cue comprising two images of equal valence and arousal, one containing a prominent red object and the other an object of different coloration. Reaction times were measured, as well as the event-related lateralizations of the EEG. Modulation of the lateralized components revealed that the color red captured and later held the attention in both positive and negative conditions, but not in a neutral condition. An overt motor response to the target stimulus was affected mainly by attention lingering over the visual field where the red cue had been flashed. However, a weak influence of the valence could still be detected in reaction times. Therefore, red seems to guide attention, specifically in emotionally-valenced circumstances, indicating that an emotional context can alter color’s impact both on attention and motor behavior. PMID:25972797

Direct Observation of Pressure-Driven Valence Electron Transfer in Ba 3 BiRu 2 O 9 , Ba 3 BiIr 2 O 9 , and Ba 4 BiIr 3 O 12

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

Blanchard, Peter E. R.; Chapman, Karena W.; Heald, Steve M.

The hexagonal perovskites Ba3BiIr2O9, Ba3BiRu2O9 and Ba4BiIr3O12 all undergo pressure-induced 1% volume collapses above 5 GPa. These first-order transitions have been ascribed to internal transfer of valence electrons between bismuth and iridium/ruthenium, which is driven by external applied pressure because the reduction in volume achieved by emptying the 6s shell of bismuth upon oxidation to Bi5+ is greater in magnitude than the increase in volume by reducing iridium or ruthenium. Here, we report direct observation of these valence transfers for the first time, using high-pressure X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) measurements. Our data also support the highly unusual “4+” nominalmore » oxidation state of bismuth in these compounds, although the possibility of local disproportionation into Bi3+/Bi5+ cannot be definitively ruled out. Ab initio calculations reproduce the transition, support its interpretation as a valence electron transfer from Bi to Ir/Ru, and suggest that the high-pressure phase may show metallic behavior (in contrast to the insulating ambient-pressure phase).« less

Arginine Vasopressin selectively enhances recognition of sexual cues in male humans.

PubMed

Guastella, Adam J; Kenyon, Amanda R; Unkelbach, Christian; Alvares, Gail A; Hickie, Ian B

2011-02-01

Arginine Vasopressin modulates complex social and sexual behavior by enhancing social recognition, pair bonding, and aggression in non-human mammals. The influence of Arginine Vasopressin in human social and sexual behavior is, however, yet to be fully understood. We evaluated whether Arginine Vasopressin nasal spray facilitated recognition of positive and negative social and sexual stimuli over non-social stimuli. We used a recognition task that has already been shown to be sensitive to the influence of Oxytocin nasal spray (Unkelbach et al., 2008). In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, between-subjects design, 41 healthy male volunteers were administered Arginine Vasopressin (20 IU) or a placebo nasal spray after a 45 min wait period and then completed the recognition task. Results showed that the participants administered Arginine Vasopressin nasal spray were faster to detect sexual words over other types of words. This effect appeared for both positively and negatively valenced words. Results demonstrate for the first time that Arginine Vasopressin selectively enhances human cognition for sexual stimuli, regardless of valence. They further extend animal and human genetic studies linking Arginine Vasopressin to sexual behavior in males. Findings suggest an important cognitive mechanism that could enhance sexual behaviors in humans. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Valence State Partitioning of Cr and V Between Olivine-Melt and Pyroxene-Melt in Experimental Basalts of a Eucritic Composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karner, J. M.; Jones, J. H.; Le, L.

2017-01-01

The partitioning of multivalent elements in basaltic systems can elucidate the oxygen fugacity (fO2) conditions under which basalts formed on planetary bodies (Earth, Moon, Mars, asteroids). Chromium and V are minor and trace elements in basaltic melts, partition into several minerals that crystallize from basaltic melts, exist in multiple valence states at differing fO2 conditions, and can therefore be used as oxybarometers for basaltic melts. Chromium is mostly 3+ in terrestrial basaltic melts at relatively high fO2 values (= IW+3.5), and mostly 2+ in melts at low fO2 values (= IW-1), such as those on the Moon and some asteroids. At intermediate fO2s, (i.e., IW-1 to IW+3.5), basaltic melts contain both Cr3+ and Cr2+. Vanadium in basaltic melts is mostly 4+ at high fO2, mostly 3+ at low fO2, and a mix of V3+ and V4+ at intermediate fO2 con-ditions. Understanding the partitioning of Cr and V into silicate phases with changing fO2 is therefore critical to the employment of Cr and V oxybarometers. In this abstract we examine the equilibrium partitioning of Cr and V between olivine/melt and pyroxene/melt in experimental charges of a eucritic composition produced at differing fO2 conditions. This study will add to the experimental data on DCr and DV (i.e., olivine/melt, pyroxene/melt) at differing fO2, and in turn these D values will be used to assess the fO2 of eucrite basalts and perhaps other compositionally similar planetary basalts.

Kaon BSM B -parameters using improved staggered fermions from N f = 2 + 1 unquenched QCD

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

Choi, Benjamin J.

2016-01-28

In this paper, we present results for the matrix elements of the additional ΔS = 2 operators that appear in models of physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM), expressed in terms of four BSM B -parameters. Combined with experimental results for ΔM K and ε K, these constrain the parameters of BSM models. We use improved staggered fermions, with valence hypercubic blocking transfromation (HYP)-smeared quarks and N f = 2 + 1 flavors of “asqtad” sea quarks. The configurations have been generated by the MILC Collaboration. The matching between lattice and continuum four-fermion operators and bilinears is done perturbatively at one-loop order. We use three lattice spacings for the continuum extrapolation: a ≈ 0.09 , 0.06 and 0.045 fm. Valence light-quark masses range down to ≈ mmore » $$phys\\atop{s}$$ /13 while the light sea-quark masses range down to ≈ m$$phys\\atop{s}$$ / 20 . Compared to our previous published work, we have added four additional lattice ensembles, leading to better controlled extrapolations in the lattice spacing and sea-quark masses. We report final results for two renormalization scales, μ = 2 and 3 GeV, and compare them to those obtained by other collaborations. Agreement is found for two of the four BSM B-parameters (B 2 and B$$SUSY\\atop{3}$$ ). The other two (B 4 and B 5) differ significantly from those obtained using regularization independent momentum subtraction (RI-MOM) renormalization as an intermediate scheme, but are in agreement with recent preliminary results obtained by the RBC-UKQCD Collaboration using regularization independent symmetric momentum subtraction (RI-SMOM) intermediate schemes.« less

Motivational valence alters memory formation without altering exploration of a real-life spatial environment.

PubMed

Chiew, Kimberly S; Hashemi, Jordan; Gans, Lee K; Lerebours, Laura; Clement, Nathaniel J; Vu, Mai-Anh T; Sapiro, Guillermo; Heller, Nicole E; Adcock, R Alison

2018-01-01

Volitional exploration and learning are key to adaptive behavior, yet their characterization remains a complex problem for cognitive science. Exploration has been posited as a mechanism by which motivation promotes memory, but this relationship is not well-understood, in part because novel stimuli that motivate exploration also reliably elicit changes in neuromodulatory brain systems that directly alter memory formation, via effects on neural plasticity. To deconfound interrelationships between motivation, exploration, and memory formation we manipulated motivational state prior to entering a spatial context, measured exploratory responses to the context and novel stimuli within it, and then examined motivation and exploration as predictors of memory outcomes. To elicit spontaneous exploration, we used the physical space of an art exhibit with affectively rich content; we expected motivated exploration and memory to reflect multiple factors, including not only motivational valence, but also individual differences. Motivation was manipulated via an introductory statement framing exhibit themes in terms of Promotion- or Prevention-oriented goals. Participants explored the exhibit while being tracked by video. They returned 24 hours later for recall and spatial memory tests, followed by measures of motivation, personality, and relevant attitude variables. Promotion and Prevention condition participants did not differ in terms of group-level exploration time or memory metrics, suggesting similar motivation to explore under both framing contexts. However, exploratory behavior and memory outcomes were significantly more closely related under Promotion than Prevention, indicating that Prevention framing disrupted expected depth-of-encoding effects. Additionally, while trait measures predicted exploration similarly across framing conditions, traits interacted with motivational framing context and facial affect to predict memory outcomes. This novel characterization of motivated learning implies that dissociable behavioral and biological mechanisms, here varying as a function of valence, contribute to memory outcomes in complex, real-life environments.

Motivational valence alters memory formation without altering exploration of a real-life spatial environment

PubMed Central

Hashemi, Jordan; Gans, Lee K.; Lerebours, Laura; Clement, Nathaniel J.; Vu, Mai-Anh T.; Sapiro, Guillermo; Heller, Nicole E.; Adcock, R. Alison

2018-01-01

Volitional exploration and learning are key to adaptive behavior, yet their characterization remains a complex problem for cognitive science. Exploration has been posited as a mechanism by which motivation promotes memory, but this relationship is not well-understood, in part because novel stimuli that motivate exploration also reliably elicit changes in neuromodulatory brain systems that directly alter memory formation, via effects on neural plasticity. To deconfound interrelationships between motivation, exploration, and memory formation we manipulated motivational state prior to entering a spatial context, measured exploratory responses to the context and novel stimuli within it, and then examined motivation and exploration as predictors of memory outcomes. To elicit spontaneous exploration, we used the physical space of an art exhibit with affectively rich content; we expected motivated exploration and memory to reflect multiple factors, including not only motivational valence, but also individual differences. Motivation was manipulated via an introductory statement framing exhibit themes in terms of Promotion- or Prevention-oriented goals. Participants explored the exhibit while being tracked by video. They returned 24 hours later for recall and spatial memory tests, followed by measures of motivation, personality, and relevant attitude variables. Promotion and Prevention condition participants did not differ in terms of group-level exploration time or memory metrics, suggesting similar motivation to explore under both framing contexts. However, exploratory behavior and memory outcomes were significantly more closely related under Promotion than Prevention, indicating that Prevention framing disrupted expected depth-of-encoding effects. Additionally, while trait measures predicted exploration similarly across framing conditions, traits interacted with motivational framing context and facial affect to predict memory outcomes. This novel characterization of motivated learning implies that dissociable behavioral and biological mechanisms, here varying as a function of valence, contribute to memory outcomes in complex, real-life environments. PMID:29558526

Negative Affect Mediates the Relation Between Trait Urgency and Behavioral Distress Tolerance

PubMed Central

Borges, Allison M.; Dahne, Jennifer; Lim, Aaron C.; MacPherson, Laura

2017-01-01

Distress tolerance is associated with a range of psychopathology and risk-taking behavior. Current research suggests that the behavioral ability to persist at goal-directed behavior when distressed may be malleable. However, little is known about the contributing factors that underlie individual differences in distress tolerance. Trait urgency, or the tendency to act impulsively in the context of acute changes in affect, may predict distress tolerance because the prepotent response to avoid or remove an aversive state may undermine persistence. To date, most research has examined the role of negative urgency, a valenced subfactor of urgency, in relation to distress tolerance. However, the broad trait of urgency may be associated with a greater change in affect that precedes the inability to tolerate distress. The current study examined whether greater changes in negative affect was indeed a mediator in the relationship between trait urgency and behavioral distress tolerance. The effects of both positive and negative urgency on affect change were examined to investigate the potential contribution of the broader urgency trait. The results suggest that a greater change in negative affect over the course of a stressor mediated the association between both subfactors of urgency and distress tolerance. These findings suggest that trait urgency, regardless of valence, may be associated with experiencing greater changes in affect that ultimately undermine the ability to tolerate distress. These findings also highlight important components of distress tolerance that could inform behavioral interventions. PMID:28080084

Negative affect mediates the relation between trait urgency and behavioral distress tolerance.

PubMed

Borges, Allison M; Dahne, Jennifer; Lim, Aaron C; MacPherson, Laura

2017-06-01

Distress tolerance is associated with a range of psychopathology and risk-taking behavior. Current research suggests that the behavioral ability to persist at goal-directed behavior when distressed may be malleable. However, little is known about the contributing factors that underlie individual differences in distress tolerance. Trait urgency, or the tendency to act impulsively in the context of acute changes in affect, may predict distress tolerance because the prepotent response to avoid or remove an aversive state may undermine persistence. To date, most research has examined the role of negative urgency, a valenced subfactor of urgency, in relation to distress tolerance. However, the broad trait of urgency may be associated with a greater change in affect that precedes the inability to tolerate distress. The current study examined whether greater changes in negative affect was indeed a mediator in the relationship between trait urgency and behavioral distress tolerance. The effects of both positive and negative urgency on affect change were examined to investigate the potential contribution of the broader urgency trait. The results suggest that a greater change in negative affect over the course of a stressor mediated the association between both subfactors of urgency and distress tolerance. These findings suggest that trait urgency, regardless of valence, may be associated with experiencing greater changes in affect that ultimately undermine the ability to tolerate distress. These findings also highlight important components of distress tolerance that could inform behavioral interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Rapid neural discrimination of communicative gestures.

PubMed

Redcay, Elizabeth; Carlson, Thomas A

2015-04-01

Humans are biased toward social interaction. Behaviorally, this bias is evident in the rapid effects that self-relevant communicative signals have on attention and perceptual systems. The processing of communicative cues recruits a wide network of brain regions, including mentalizing systems. Relatively less work, however, has examined the timing of the processing of self-relevant communicative cues. In the present study, we used multivariate pattern analysis (decoding) approach to the analysis of magnetoencephalography (MEG) to study the processing dynamics of social-communicative actions. Twenty-four participants viewed images of a woman performing actions that varied on a continuum of communicative factors including self-relevance (to the participant) and emotional valence, while their brain activity was recorded using MEG. Controlling for low-level visual factors, we found early discrimination of emotional valence (70 ms) and self-relevant communicative signals (100 ms). These data offer neural support for the robust and rapid effects of self-relevant communicative cues on behavior. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Onset of Puberty: Effects on the Psychophysiology of Defensive and Appetitive Motivation

PubMed Central

Quevedo, Karina; Benning, Stephen D; Gunnar, Megan R; Dahl, Ronald E

2010-01-01

We examined puberty-specific effects on affect-related behavior and on the psychophysiology of defensive and appetitive motivation while controlling for age. Adolescents (N=94, ages=12 and 13 years), viewed 75 pictures (IAPS: pleasant, neutral and aversive) while listening to auditory probes. Startle response and postauricular (PA) reflex were collected as measures of defensive and appetitive motivation respectively. Pubertal status and measures of anxiety/stress reaction and sensation/thrill seeking were obtained. Mid/late pubertal adolescents showed enhanced startle amplitude across all picture valences. A puberty by valence interaction revealed that mid/late pubertal adolescents showed appetitive potentiation of the PA, while pre/early pubertal adolescents showed no modulation of the PA reflex. Mid/late pubertal adolescents also scored significantly higher on measures of sensation/thrill seeking than did their pre/early pubertal peers and puberty moderated the association between psychophysiology and behavioral measures, suggesting that it plays a role in reorganizing defensive and appetitive motivational systems. PMID:19144221

Multiple valence superatoms.

PubMed

Reveles, J U; Khanna, S N; Roach, P J; Castleman, A W

2006-12-05

We recently demonstrated that, in gas phase clusters containing aluminum and iodine atoms, an Al(13) cluster behaves like a halogen atom, whereas an Al(14) cluster exhibits properties analogous to an alkaline earth atom. These observations, together with our findings that Al(13)(-) is inert like a rare gas atom, have reinforced the idea that chosen clusters can exhibit chemical behaviors reminiscent of atoms in the periodic table, offering the exciting prospect of a new dimension of the periodic table formed by cluster elements, called superatoms. As the behavior of clusters can be controlled by size and composition, the superatoms offer the potential to create unique compounds with tailored properties. In this article, we provide evidence of an additional class of superatoms, namely Al(7)(-), that exhibit multiple valences, like some of the elements in the periodic table, and hence have the potential to form stable compounds when combined with other atoms. These findings support the contention that there should be no limitation in finding clusters, which mimic virtually all members of the periodic table.

Influence of neurobehavioral incentive valence and magnitude on alcohol drinking behavior

PubMed Central

Joseph, Jane E.; Zhu, Xun; Corbly, Christine R.; DeSantis, Stacia; Lee, Dustin C.; Baik, Grace; Kiser, Seth; Jiang, Yang; Lynam, Donald R.; Kelly, Thomas H.

2014-01-01

The monetary incentive delay (MID) task is a widely used probe for isolating neural circuitry in the human brain associated with incentive motivation. In the present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, 82 young adults, characterized along dimensions of impulsive sensation seeking, completed a MID task. fMRI and behavioral incentive functions were decomposed into incentive valence and magnitude parameters, which were used as predictors in linear regression to determine whether mesolimbic response is associated with problem drinking and recent alcohol use. Alcohol use was best explained by higher fMRI response to anticipation of losses and feedback on high gains in the thalamus. In contrast, problem drinking was best explained by reduced sensitivity to large incentive values in meso-limbic regions in the anticipation phase and increased sensitivity to small incentive values in the dorsal caudate nucleus in the feedback phase. Altered fMRI responses to monetary incentives in mesolimbic circuitry, particularly those alterations associated with problem drinking, may serve as potential early indicators of substance abuse trajectories. PMID:25261001

Future Research Directions in the Positive Valence Systems: Measurement, Development, and Implications for Youth Unipolar Depression.

PubMed

Olino, Thomas M

2016-01-01

The Positive Valence Systems (PVS) have been introduced by the National Institute of Mental Health as a domain to help organize multiple constructs focusing on reward-seeking behaviors. However, the initial working model for this domain is strongly influenced by adult constructs and measures. Thus, the present review focuses on extending the PVS into a developmental context. Specifically, the review provides some hypotheses about the structure of the PVS, how PVS components may change throughout development, how family history of depression may influence PVS development, and potential means of intervening on PVS function to reduce onsets of depression. Future research needs in each of these areas are highlighted.

Effective Leadership of Surgical Teams: A Mixed Methods Study of Surgeon Behaviors and Functions.

PubMed

Stone, Juliana L; Aveling, Emma-Louise; Frean, Molly; Shields, Morgan C; Wright, Cameron; Gino, Francesca; Sundt, Thoralf M; Singer, Sara J

2017-08-01

The importance of effective team leadership for achieving surgical excellence is widely accepted, but we understand less about the behaviors that achieve this goal. We studied cardiac surgical teams to identify leadership behaviors that best support surgical teamwork. We observed, surveyed, and interviewed cardiac surgical teams, including 7 surgeons and 116 team members, from September 2013 to April 2015. We documented 1,926 surgeon/team member interactions during 22 cases, coded them by behavior type and valence (ie, positive/negative/neutral), and characterized them by leadership function (conductor, elucidator, delegator, engagement facilitator, tone setter, being human, and safe space maker) to create a novel framework of surgical leadership derived from direct observation. We surveyed nonsurgeon team members about their perceptions of individual surgeon's leadership effectiveness on a 7-point Likert scale and correlated survey measures with individual surgeon profiles created by calculating percentage of behavior types, leader functions, and valence. Surgeon leadership was rated by nonsurgeons from 4.2 to 6.2 (mean, 5.4). Among the 33 types of behaviors observed, most interactions constituted elucidating (24%) and tone setting (20%). Overall, 66% of interactions (range, 43%-84%) were positive and 11% (range, 1%-45%) were negative. The percentage of positive and negative behaviors correlated strongly (r = 0.85 for positive and r = 0.75 for negative, p < 0.05) with nonsurgeon evaluations of leadership. Facilitating engagement related most positively (r = 0.80; p = 0.03), and negative forms of elucidating, ie, criticism, related most negatively (r = -0.81; p = 0.03). We identified 7 surgeon leadership functions and related behaviors that impact perceptions of leadership. These observations suggest actionable opportunities to improve team leadership behavior. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in emotional empathy, affective responsivity, and behavior following severe traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

de Sousa, Arielle; McDonald, Skye; Rushby, Jacqueline

2012-01-01

This study was designed to examine the relationship between deficits in empathy, emotional responsivity, and social behavior in adults with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). A total of 21 patients with severe TBI and 25 control participants viewed six film clips containing pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral content whilst facial muscle responses, skin conductance, and valence and arousal ratings were measured. Emotional empathy (the Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale, BEES: self-report) and changes in drive and control in social situations (The Current Behaviour Scale, CBS: relative report) were also assessed. In comparison to control participants, those in the TBI group reported less ability to empathize emotionally and had reduced facial responding to both pleasant and unpleasant films. They also exhibited lowered autonomic arousal, as well as abnormal ratings of valence and arousal, particularly to unpleasant films. Relative reported loss of emotional control was significantly associated with heightened empathy, while there was a trend to suggest that impaired drive (or motivation) may be related to lower levels of emotional empathy. The results represent the first to suggest that level of emotional empathy post traumatic brain injury may be associated with behavioral manifestations of disorders of drive and control.

Some engineering aspects of homoionized mixed clay minerals.

PubMed

Oren, Ali Hakan; Kaya, Abidin

2003-05-01

Many studies have been conducted to investigate the physicochemical behavior of pure clay minerals and predict their engineering performance in the field. In this study, the physicochemical properties of an artificial mixture of different clay minerals namely, 40-50% montmorillonite, 20-30% illite and 10-15% kaolin were investigated. The mixture was homoionized with sodium, Na+; calcium, Ca2+; and aluminum, Al3+. The engineering properties studied were consistency limits, sediment volume, compressibility behavior, and hydraulic conductivity. The results revealed that the liquid, plastic and shrinkage limits of soil increased with increasing cation valence. The hydraulic conductivity of the soil also increased with an increase in the valence of the cation at any given void ratio. Aluminum and sodium treated clays had the highest and the lowest modified compression index values, respectively. Furthermore, trivalent cation saturated clayey soil consolidates three times faster than that of monovalent and two times faster than that of divalent. These properties of the soils determined were, in general, similar to those of kaolinite rather than those of montmorillonite. The comparison of the results obtained with the published data in the literature revealed that the physicochemical behavior of the tested clay soil was, in general, similar to that of kaolinite.

A Policy-Capturing Investigation of Expectancy Theory Models of Valence and Force.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-01

study for both managers and behavioral scientists. Ivancevich, Szilagyi , and Wallace (1977) offer three reasons for this popularity. First, competition...Evidence," Decision Sciences, 1974, S, 481-506. Ivancevich, J.M., A.D. Szilagyi and M.J. Wallace . Organiza- tional Behavior and Performance. Santa Monica...Smyser and Weed (1975); and Sims, Szilagyi , and McKemey (1976) indi- cate that people with an internal locus of control have higher expectancies than

Plutonium hexaboride is a correlated topological insulator.

PubMed

Deng, Xiaoyu; Haule, Kristjan; Kotliar, Gabriel

2013-10-25

We predict that plutonium hexaboride (PuB(6)) is a strongly correlated topological insulator, with Pu in an intermediate valence state of Pu(2.7+). Within the combination of dynamical mean field theory and density functional theory, we show that PuB(6) is an insulator in the bulk, with nontrivial Z(2) topological invariants. Its metallic surface states have a large Fermi pocket at the X[over ¯] point and the Dirac cones inside the bulk derived electronic states, causing a large surface thermal conductivity. PuB(6) has also a very high melting temperature; therefore, it has ideal solid state properties for a nuclear fuel material.

Physico-chemical study of some areas of fundamental significance to biophysics. Annual report, 1975--1976. [Chemistry Dept. , Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

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

McGlynn, S.P.

1976-05-15

Lists of titles published, symposia attended, laboratory guests, departing personnel, and equipment purchased are presented in the first part of this report. It is to be emphasized that completed work already published is mentioned only by title. Reports are provided for research recently completed or in progress in the following areas: Rydberg spectroscopy, intermediate-coupling model for linear molecules, atomic correlation lines, electronic structure of dicarbonyl compounds, absorption and emission characteristics of highly polar aromatics, valence-bond description of metal--anion interaction, and matrix elements of mono-excited Slater determinants constructed from axial spin-orbitals. (RWR)

Neutron halo in 14B studied via reaction cross sections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukuda, M.; Nishimura, D.; Suzuki, S.; Tanaka, M.; Takechi, M.; Iwamoto, K.; Wakabayashi, S.; Yaguchi, M.; Ohno, J.; Morita, Y.; Kamisho, Y.; Mihara, M.; Matsuta, K.; Nagashima, M.; Ohtsubo, T.; Izumikawa, T.; Ogura, T.; Abe, K.; Kikukawa, N.; Sakai, T.; Sera, D.; Suzuki, T.; Yamaguchi, T.; Sato, K.; Furuki, H.; Miyazawa, S.; Ichihashi, N.; Kohno, J.; Yamaki, S.; Kitagawa, A.; Sato, S.; Fukuda, S.

2014-03-01

Reaction cross sections (σR) for the neutron-rich nucleus 14B on Be, C, and Al targets have been measured at several energies in the intermediate energy range of 45-120 MeV/nucleon. The present experimental σR show a significant enhancement relative to the systematics of stable nuclei. The nucleon density distribution was deduced through the fitting procedure with the modified Glauber calculation. The necessity of a long tail in the density distribution was found, which is consistent with the valence neutron in 2s1/2 orbital with the small empirical one-neutron separation energy in 14B.

Effect of gamma-ray irradiation on the surface states of MOS tunnel junctions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ma, T. P.; Barker, R. C.

1974-01-01

Gamma-ray irradiation with doses up to 8 megarad produces no significant change on either the C(V) or the G(V) characteristics of MOS tunnel junctions with intermediate oxide thicknesses (40-60 A), whereas the expected flat-band shift toward negative electrode voltages occurs in control thick oxide capacitors. A simple tunneling model would explain the results if the radiation-generated hole traps are assumed to lie below the valence band of the silicon. The experiments also suggest that the observed radiation-generated interface states in conventional MOS devices are not due to the radiation damage of the silicon surface.

Sulfur species behavior in soil organic matter during decomposition

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schroth, A.W.; Bostick, B.C.; Graham, M.; Kaste, J.M.; Mitchell, M.J.; Friedland, A.J.

2007-01-01

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a primary re??servoir of terrestrial sulfur (S), but its role in the global S cycle remains poorly understood. We examine S speciation by X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy to describe S species behavior during SOM decomposition. Sulfur species in SOM were best represented by organic sulfide, sulfoxide, sulfonate, and sulfate. The highest fraction of S in litter was organic sulfide, but as decomposition progressed, relative fractions of sulfonate and sulfate generally increased. Over 6-month laboratory incubations, organic sulfide was most reactive, suggesting that a fraction of this species was associated with a highly labile pool of SOM. During humification, relative concentrations of sulfoxide consistently decreased, demonstrating the importance of sulfoxide as a reactive S phase in soil. Sulfonate fractional abundance increased during humification irrespective of litter type, illustrating its relative stability in soils. The proportion of S species did not differ systematically by litter type, but organic sulfide became less abundant in conifer SOM during decomposition, while sulfate fractional abundance increased. Conversely, deciduous SOM exhibited lesser or nonexistent shifts in organic sulfide and sulfate fractions during decomposition, possibly suggesting that S reactivity in deciduous litter is coupled to rapid C mineralization and independent of S speciation. All trends were consistent in soils across study sites. We conclude that S reactivity is related to spqciation in SOM, particularly in conifer forests, and S species fractions in SOM change, during decomposition. Our data highlight the importance of intermediate valence species (sulfoxide and sulfonate) in the pedochemical cycling of organic bound S. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.

Effects of valence and arousal on emotional word processing are modulated by concreteness: Behavioral and ERP evidence from a lexical decision task.

PubMed

Yao, Zhao; Yu, Deshui; Wang, Lili; Zhu, Xiangru; Guo, Jingjing; Wang, Zhenhong

2016-12-01

We investigated whether the effects of valence and arousal on emotional word processing are modulated by concreteness using event-related potentials (ERPs). The stimuli included concrete words (Experiment 1) and abstract words (Experiment 2) that were organized in an orthogonal design, with valence (positive and negative) and arousal (low and high) as factors in a lexical decision task. In Experiment 1, the impact of emotion on the effects of concrete words mainly resulted from the contribution of valence. Positive concrete words were processed more quickly than negative words and elicited a reduction of N400 (300-410ms) and enhancement of late positive complex (LPC; 450-750ms), whereas no differences in response times or ERPs were found between high and low levels of arousal. In Experiment 2, the interaction between valence and arousal influenced the impact of emotion on the effects of abstract words. Low-arousal positive words were associated with shorter response times and a reduction of LPC amplitudes compared with high-arousal positive words. Low-arousal negative words were processed more slowly and elicited a reduction of N170 (140-200ms) compared with high-arousal negative words. The present study indicates that word concreteness modulates the contributions of valence and arousal to the effects of emotion, and this modulation occurs during the early perceptual processing stage (N170) and late elaborate processing stage (LPC) for emotional words and at the end of all cognitive processes (i.e., reflected by response times). These findings support an embodied theory of semantic representation and help clarify prior inconsistent findings regarding the ways in which valance and arousal influence different stages of word processing, at least in a lexical decision task. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Evaluative Lexicon 2.0: The measurement of emotionality, extremity, and valence in language.

PubMed

Rocklage, Matthew D; Rucker, Derek D; Nordgren, Loran F

2017-10-19

The rapid expansion of the Internet and the availability of vast repositories of natural text provide researchers with the immense opportunity to study human reactions, opinions, and behavior on a massive scale. To help researchers take advantage of this new frontier, the present work introduces and validates the Evaluative Lexicon 2.0 (EL 2.0)-a quantitative linguistic tool that specializes in the measurement of the emotionality of individuals' evaluations in text. Specifically, the EL 2.0 utilizes natural language to measure the emotionality, extremity, and valence of evaluative reactions and attitudes. The present article describes how we used a combination of 9 million real-world online reviews and over 1,500 participant judges to construct the EL 2.0 and an additional 5.7 million reviews to validate it. To assess its unique value, the EL 2.0 is compared with two other prominent text analysis tools-LIWC and Warriner et al.'s (Behavior Research Methods, 45, 1191-1207, 2013) wordlist. The EL 2.0 is comparatively distinct in its ability to measure emotionality and explains a significantly greater proportion of the variance in individuals' evaluations. The EL 2.0 can be used with any data that involve speech or writing and provides researchers with the opportunity to capture evaluative reactions both in the laboratory and "in the wild." The EL 2.0 wordlist and normative emotionality, extremity, and valence ratings are freely available from www.evaluativelexicon.com .

Bidirectional relationships between client and counselor speech: the importance of reframing.

PubMed

Barnett, Elizabeth; Spruijt-Metz, Donna; Moyers, Theresa B; Smith, Caitlin; Rohrbach, Louise A; Sun, Ping; Sussman, Steve

2014-12-01

In the study of motivational interviewing (MI), counselor skill has been posited to influence client language about change or "change talk." This study investigates the relationship between a specific counselor behavior, valenced reflective listening, and client change talk in a MI intervention with substance-using adolescents. A combination of recorded in-person and telephone (n = 223) sessions were sequentially coded using the Motivational Interviewing Skill Code 2.5. Reflections were categorized by valence, meaning they included content that was either moving toward (i.e., positive reflection) or away from change (i.e., negative reflection). Client language was coded as either moving toward change, away from change, or neutral about change. Probability analyses showed positive reflections were 11 times more likely to be followed by change talk and 71% less likely to be followed by counter change talk. Negative reflections were 19 times more likely to be followed by counter change talk and 65% less likely to be followed by change talk. Client language was also predictive of counselor reflections, such that positive reflections were 10 times more likely to occur after client change talk and negative reflections were 19 times more likely to follow counter change talk. Because the percentage of change talk expressed in a session has been shown to be positively related to improved behavioral outcomes, counselors should avoid unintentional reflections of counter change talk and use reframing techniques to change the valence of client change language. Implications for MI practice and training are discussed.

Persistence of Mixed and Non-intermediate Valence in the High-Pressure Structure of Silver(I,III) Oxide, AgO: A Combined Raman, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Density Functional Theory (DFT) Study.

PubMed

Grzelak, Adam; Gawraczyński, Jakub; Jaroń, Tomasz; Somayazulu, Maddury; Derzsi, Mariana; Struzhkin, Viktor; Grochala, Wojciech

2017-05-15

The X-ray diffraction data collected up to ca. 56 GPa and the Raman spectra measured up to 74.8 GPa for AgO, or Ag I Ag III O 2 , which is a prototypical mixed valence (disproportionated) oxide, indicate that two consecutive phase transitions occur: the first-order phase transition occurs between 16.1 GPa and 19.7 GPa, and a second-order phase transition occurs at ca. 40 GPa. All polymorphic forms host the square planar [Ag III O 4 ] units typical of low-spin Ag III . The disproportionated Imma form persists at least up to 74.8 GPa, as indicated by Raman spectra. Theoretical hybrid density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the first-order transition is phonon-driven. AgO stubbornly remains disproportionated up to at least 100 GPa-in striking contrast to its copper analogue-and the fundamental band gap of AgO is ∼0.3 eV at this pressure and is weakly pressure-dependent. Metallization of AgO is yet to be achieved.

Context-Inappropriate Anger, Emotion Knowledge Deficits, and Negative Social Experiences in Preschool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Locke, Robin L.; Miller, Alison L.; Seifer, Ronald; Heinze, Justin E.

2015-01-01

This study examined contextually inappropriate (CI) anger in relation to emotion recognition and situation knowledge, negative social experiences, and externalizing behavior among low-income 4-year-olds attending Head Start (n = 134). Approximately 23% showed anger when presented with positive/neutral slides and videos (valence-incongruent CI…

The Application of Motivational Theories to Business and Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, Paul; Farrar, Lochia A.

This workshop, designed to use motivational theories in understanding work behaviors and to increase job satisfaction and performance, deals with cognitive theories in motivation, need theories, and the Equity Theory within the Expectancy Valence Model. Counseling technique areas of communication skills and rational thinking that facilitate the…

The effects of Toxoplasma infection on rodent behavior are dependent on dose of the stimulus

PubMed Central

Vyas, Ajai; Kim, Seon-Kyeong; Sapolsky, Robert M

2007-01-01

Parasite Toxoplasma gondii blocks the innate aversion of rats for cat urine, putatively increasing the likelihood of a cat predating a rat. This is thought to reflect an adaptive behavioral manipulation, because Toxoplasma can reproduce only in cat intestines. While it will be adaptive for the parasite to cause an absolute behavioral change, fitness costs associated with the manipulation itself suggest that the change be optimized and not maximized. We investigate these conflicting suggestions in the present report. Furthermore, exposure to cat odor causes long-lasting acquisition of learnt fear in the rodents. If Toxoplasma manipulates emotional valence of cat odor rather than just sensory response, infection should affect learning driven by the aversive properties of the odor. As a second aim of the present study, we investigate this assertion. We demonstrate that behavioral changes in rodents induced by Toxoplasma infection do not represent absolute all-or-none effects. Rather, these effects follow a non-monotonous function dependent on strength of stimulus, roughly resembling an inverted-U curve. Furthermore, infection affects conditioning to cat odor in a manner dependent upon strength of unconditioned stimulus employed. Non-monotonous relationship between behavioral manipulation and strength of cat odor agrees with the suggestion that a dynamic balance exists between benefit obtained and costs incurred by the parasite during the manipulation. This report also demonstrates that Toxoplasma affects emotional valence of the cat odor as indicated by altered learned fear induced by cat odor. PMID:17683872

Babies in traffic: infant vocalizations and listener sex modulate auditory motion perception.

PubMed

Neuhoff, John G; Hamilton, Grace R; Gittleson, Amanda L; Mejia, Adolfo

2014-04-01

Infant vocalizations and "looming sounds" are classes of environmental stimuli that are critically important to survival but can have dramatically different emotional valences. Here, we simultaneously presented listeners with a stationary infant vocalization and a 3D virtual looming tone for which listeners made auditory time-to-arrival judgments. Negatively valenced infant cries produced more cautious (anticipatory) estimates of auditory arrival time of the tone over a no-vocalization control. Positively valenced laughs had the opposite effect, and across all conditions, men showed smaller anticipatory biases than women. In Experiment 2, vocalization-matched vocoded noise stimuli did not influence concurrent auditory time-to-arrival estimates compared with a control condition. In Experiment 3, listeners estimated the egocentric distance of a looming tone that stopped before arriving. For distant stopping points, women estimated the stopping point as closer when the tone was presented with an infant cry than when it was presented with a laugh. For near stopping points, women showed no differential effect of vocalization type. Men did not show differential effects of vocalization type at either distance. Our results support the idea that both the sex of the listener and the emotional valence of infant vocalizations can influence auditory motion perception and can modulate motor responses to other behaviorally relevant environmental sounds. We also find support for previous work that shows sex differences in emotion processing are diminished under conditions of higher stress.

Exercise is an effective treatment for positive valence symptoms in major depression.

PubMed

Toups, Marisa; Carmody, Thomas; Greer, Tracy; Rethorst, Chad; Grannemann, Bruce; Trivedi, Madhukar H

2017-02-01

Measurement of symptoms domains and their response to treatment in relative isolation from diagnosed mental disorders has gained new urgency, as reflected by the National Institute of Mental Health's introduction of the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC). The Snaith Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) and the Motivation and Energy Inventory (MEI) are two scales measuring positive valence symptoms. We evaluated the effect of exercise on positive valence symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Subjects in the Treatment with Exercise Augmentation for Depression (TREAD) study completed self-reported SHAPS and MEI during 12 weeks of exercise augmentation for depression. We evaluated the effect of exercise on SHAPS and MEI scores, and whether the changes were related to overall MDD severity measured with the Quick Inventory of Depression Symptomatology (QIDS). SHAPS and MEI scores significantly improved with exercise. MEI score change had larger effect size and greater correlation with change in QIDS score. MEI also showed significant moderator and mediator effects of exercise in MDD. Generalizability to other treatments is limited. This study lacked other bio-behavioral markers that would enhance understanding of the relationship of RDoC and the measures used. Positive valence symptoms improve with exercise treatment for depression, and this change correlates well with overall outcome. Motivation and energy may be more clinically relevant to outcome of exercise treatment than anhedonia. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Dynamic neural processing of linguistic cues related to death.

PubMed

Liu, Xi; Shi, Zhenhao; Ma, Yina; Qin, Jungang; Han, Shihui

2013-01-01

Behavioral studies suggest that humans evolve the capacity to cope with anxiety induced by the awareness of death's inevitability. However, the neurocognitive processes that underlie online death-related thoughts remain unclear. Our recent functional MRI study found that the processing of linguistic cues related to death was characterized by decreased neural activity in human insular cortex. The current study further investigated the time course of neural processing of death-related linguistic cues. We recorded event-related potentials (ERP) to death-related, life-related, negative-valence, and neutral-valence words in a modified Stroop task that required color naming of words. We found that the amplitude of an early frontal/central negativity at 84-120 ms (N1) decreased to death-related words but increased to life-related words relative to neutral-valence words. The N1 effect associated with death-related and life-related words was correlated respectively with individuals' pessimistic and optimistic attitudes toward life. Death-related words also increased the amplitude of a frontal/central positivity at 124-300 ms (P2) and of a frontal/central positivity at 300-500 ms (P3). However, the P2 and P3 modulations were observed for both death-related and negative-valence words but not for life-related words. The ERP results suggest an early inverse coding of linguistic cues related to life and death, which is followed by negative emotional responses to death-related information.

Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering and photoemission measurement of O2: Direct evidence for dependence of Rydberg-valence mixing on vibrational states in O 1s → Rydberg states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gejo, T.; Oura, M.; Tokushima, T.; Horikawa, Y.; Arai, H.; Shin, S.; Kimberg, V.; Kosugi, N.

2017-07-01

High-resolution resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) and low-energy photoemission spectra of oxygen molecules have been measured for investigating the electronic structure of Rydberg states in the O 1s → σ* energy region. The electronic characteristics of each Rydberg state have been successfully observed, and new assignments are made for several states. The RIXS spectra clearly show that vibrational excitation is very sensitive to the electronic characteristics because of Rydberg-valence mixing and vibronic coupling in O2. This observation constitutes direct experimental evidence that the Rydberg-valence mixing characteristic depends on the vibrational excitation near the avoided crossing of potential surfaces. We also measured the photoemission spectra of metastable oxygen atoms (O*) from O2 excited to 1s → Rydberg states. The broadening of the 4p Rydberg states of O* has been found with isotropic behavior, implying that excited oxygen molecules undergo dissociation with a lifetime of the order of 10 fs in 1s → Rydberg states.

Evaluative conditioning of positive and negative valence affects P1 and N1 in verbal processing.

PubMed

Kuchinke, Lars; Fritsch, Nathalie; Müller, Christina J

2015-10-22

The present study examined the effect of contextual learning on the neural processing of previously meaningless pseudowords. During an evaluative conditioning session on 5 consecutive days, participants learned to associate 120 pseudowords with either positive, neutral or negative pictures. In a second session, participants were presented all conditioned pseudowords again together with 40 new pseudowords in a recognition memory task while their event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. The behavioral data confirm successful learning of pseudoword valence. At the neural level, early modulations of the ERPs are visible at the P1 and the N1 components discriminating between positively and negatively conditioned pseudowords. Differences to new pseudowords were visible at later processing stages as indicated by modulations of the LPC. These results support a contextual learning hypothesis that is able to explain very early emotional ERP modulations in visual word recognition. Source localization indicates a role of medial-frontal brain regions as a likely origin of these early valence discrimination signals which are discussed to promote top-down signals to sensory processing. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The effect of facial expressions on peripersonal and interpersonal spaces.

PubMed

Ruggiero, Gennaro; Frassinetti, Francesca; Coello, Yann; Rapuano, Mariachiara; di Cola, Armando Schiano; Iachini, Tina

2017-11-01

Identifying individuals' intent through the emotional valence conveyed by their facial expression influences our capacity to approach-avoid these individuals during social interactions. Here, we explore if and how the emotional valence of others' facial expressiveness modulates peripersonal-action and interpersonal-social spaces. Through Immersive Virtual Reality, participants determined reachability-distance (for peripersonal space) and comfort-distance (for interpersonal space) from male/female virtual confederates exhibiting happy, angry and neutral facial expressions while being approached by (passive-approach) or walking toward (active-approach) them. Results showed an increase of distance when seeing angry rather than happy confederates in both approach conditions of comfort-distance. The effect also appeared in reachability-distance, but only in the passive-approach. Anger prompts avoidant behaviors, and thus an expansion of distance, particularly with a potential violation of near body space by an intruder. Overall, the findings suggest that peripersonal-action space, in comparison with interpersonal-social space, is similarly sensitive to the emotional valence of stimuli. We propose that this similarity could reflect a common adaptive mechanism shared by these spaces, presumably at different degrees, for ensuring self-protection functions.

Density functional study on structure and stability of bimetallic AuNZn (N<=6) clusters and their cations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Hiromasa; Neukermans, Sven; Janssens, Ewald; Silverans, Roger E.; Lievens, Peter

2003-10-01

A systematic study on the structure and stability of zinc doped gold clusters has been performed by density functional theory calculations. All the lowest-energy isomers found have a planar structure and resemble pure gold clusters in shape. Stable isomers tend to equally delocalize valence s electrons of the constituent atoms over the entire structure and maximize the number of Au-Zn bonds in the structure. This is because the Au-Zn bond is stronger than the Au-Au bond and gives an extra σ-bonding interaction by the overlap between vacant Zn 4p and valence Au 6s(5d) orbitals. No three-dimensional isomers were found for Au5Zn+ and Au4Zn clusters containing six delocalized valence electrons. This result reflects that these clusters have a magic number of delocalized electrons for two-dimensional systems. Calculated vertical ionization energies and dissociation energies as a function of the cluster size show odd-even behavior, in agreement with recent mass spectrometric observations [Tanaka et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 2862 (2003)].

Pion and kaon valence-quark parton quasidistributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Shu-Sheng; Chang, Lei; Roberts, Craig D.; Zong, Hong-Shi

2018-05-01

Algebraic Ansätze for the Poincaré-covariant Bethe-Salpeter wave functions of the pion and kaon are used to calculate their light-front wave functions, parton distribution amplitudes, parton quasidistribution amplitudes, valence parton distribution functions, and parton quasidistribution functions (PqDFs). The light-front wave functions are broad, concave functions, and the scale of flavor-symmetry violation in the kaon is roughly 15%, being set by the ratio of emergent masses in the s - and u -quark sectors. Parton quasidistribution amplitudes computed with longitudinal momentum Pz=1.75 GeV provide a semiquantitatively accurate representation of the objective parton distribution amplitude, but even with Pz=3 GeV , they cannot provide information about this amplitude's end point behavior. On the valence-quark domain, similar outcomes characterize PqDFs. In this connection, however, the ratio of kaon-to-pion u -quark PqDFs is found to provide a good approximation to the true parton distribution function ratio on 0.4 ≲x ≲0.8 , suggesting that with existing resources computations of ratios of parton quasidistributions can yield results that support empirical comparison.

Distinct enhancement of sub-bandgap photoresponse through intermediate band in high dose implanted ZnTe:O alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jing; Ye, Jiandong; Ren, Fangfang; Tang, Dongming; Yang, Yi; Tang, Kun; Gu, Shulin; Zhang, Rong; Zheng, Youdou

2017-03-01

The demand for high efficiency intermediate band (IB) solar cells is driving efforts in producing high quality IB photovoltaic materials. Here, we demonstrate ZnTe:O highly mismatched alloys synthesized by high dose ion implantation and pulsed laser melting exhibiting optically active IB states and efficient sub-gap photoresponse, as well as investigate the effect of pulsed laser melting on the structural and optical recovery in detail. The structural evolution and vibrational dynamics indicates a significant structural recovery of ZnTe:O alloys by liquid phase epitaxy during pulsed laser melting process, but laser irradiation also aggravates the segregation of Te in ZnTe:O alloys. A distinct intermediate band located at 1.8 eV above valence band is optically activated as evidenced by photoluminescence, absorption and photoresponse characteristics. The carrier dynamics indicates that carriers in the IB electronic states have a relatively long lifetime, which is beneficial for the fast separation of carriers excited by photons with sub-gap energy and thus the improved overall conversion efficiency. The reproducible capability of implantation and laser annealing at selective area enable the realization of high efficient lateral junction solar cells, which can ensure extreme light trapping and efficient charge separation.

The good, the bad, and the hungry: how the central brain codes odor valence to facilitate food approach in Drosophila.

PubMed

Sachse, Silke; Beshel, Jennifer

2016-10-01

All animals must eat in order to survive but first they must successfully locate and appraise food resources in a manner consonant with their needs. To accomplish this, external sensory information, in particular olfactory food cues, need to be detected and appropriately categorized. Recent advances in Drosophila point to the existence of parallel processing circuits within the central brain that encode odor valence, supporting approach and avoidance behaviors. Strikingly, many elements within these neural systems are subject to modification as a function of the fly's satiety state. In this review we describe those advances and their potential impact on the decision to feed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The mechanism of valence-space metaphors: ERP evidence for affective word processing.

PubMed

Xie, Jiushu; Wang, Ruiming; Chang, Song

2014-01-01

Embodied cognition contends that the representation and processing of concepts involve perceptual, somatosensory, motoric, and other physical re-experiencing information. In this view, affective concepts are also grounded in physical information. For instance, people often say "feeling down" or "cheer up" in daily life. These phrases use spatial information to understand affective concepts. This process is referred to as valence-space metaphor. Valence-space metaphors refer to the employment of spatial information (lower/higher space) to elaborate affective concepts (negative/positive concepts). Previous studies have demonstrated that processing affective words affects performance on a spatial detection task. However, the mechanism(s) behind this effect remain unclear. In the current study, we hypothesized that processing affective words might produce spatial information. Consequently, spatial information would affect the following spatial cue detection/discrimination task. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to remember an affective word. Then, they completed a spatial cue detection task while event-related potentials were recorded. The results indicated that the top cues induced enhanced amplitude of P200 component while participants kept positive words relative to negative words in mind. On the contrary, the bottom cues induced enhanced P200 amplitudes while participants kept negative words relative to positive words in mind. In Experiment 2, we conducted a behavioral experiment that employed a similar paradigm to Experiment 1, but used arrows instead of dots to test the attentional nature of the valence-space metaphor. We found a similar facilitation effect as found in Experiment 1. Positive words facilitated the discrimination of upper arrows, whereas negative words facilitated the discrimination of lower arrows. In summary, affective words might activate spatial information and cause participants to allocate their attention to corresponding locations. Valence-space metaphors might be grounded in attention allocation.

Lateralized interactive social content and valence processing within the human amygdala

PubMed Central

Vrtička, Pascal; Sander, David; Vuilleumier, Patrik

2013-01-01

In the past, the amygdala has generally been conceptualized as a fear-processing module. Recently, however, it has been proposed to respond to all stimuli that are relevant with respect to the current needs, goals, and values of an individual. This raises the question of whether the human amygdala may differentiate between separate kinds of relevance. A distinction between emotional (vs. neutral) and social (vs. non-social) relevance is supported by previous studies showing that the human amygdala preferentially responds to both emotionally and socially significant information, and these factors might even display interactive encoding properties. However, no investigation has yet probed a full 2 (positive vs. negative valence) × 2 (social vs. non-social content) processing pattern, with neutral images as an additional baseline. Applying such an extended orthogonal factorial design, our fMRI study demonstrates that the human amygdala is (1) more strongly activated for neutral social vs. non-social information, (2) activated at a similar level when viewing social positive or negative images, but (3) displays a valence effect (negative vs. positive) for non-social images. In addition, this encoding pattern is not influenced by cognitive or behavioral emotion regulation mechanisms, and displays a hemispheric lateralization with more pronounced effects on the right side. Finally, the same valence × social content interaction was found in three additional cortical regions, namely the right fusiform gyrus, right anterior superior temporal gyrus, and medial orbitofrontal cortex. Overall, these findings suggest that valence and social content processing represent distinct kinds of relevance that interact within the human amygdala as well as in a more extensive cortical network, likely subserving a key role in relevance detection. PMID:23346054

First-principles calculations of the magnetic properties of (Cd,Mn)Te nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echeverría-Arrondo, C.; Pérez-Conde, J.; Ayuela, A.

2009-04-01

We investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of Mn-doped CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) with ˜2nm in diameter which can be experimentally synthesized with Mn atoms inside. Using the density-functional theory, we consider two doping cases: NCs containing one or two Mn impurities. Although the Mnd peaks carry five up electrons in the dot, the local magnetic moment on the Mn site is 4.65μB . It is smaller than 5μB because of the sp-d hybridization between the localized 3d electrons of the Mn atoms and the s - and p -type valence states of the host compound. The sp-d hybridization induces small magnetic moments on the Mn-nearest-neighbor Te sites, antiparallel to the Mn moment affecting the p -type valence states of the undoped dot, as usual for a kinetic-mediated exchange magnetic coupling. Furthermore, we calculate the parameters standing for the sp-d exchange interactions. Conduction N0α and valence N0β are close to the experimental bulk values when the Mn impurities occupy bulklike NCs’ central positions, and they tend to zero close to the surface. This behavior is further explained by an analysis of valence-band-edge states showing that symmetry breaking splits the states and in consequence reduces the exchange. For two Mn atoms in several positions, the valence edge states show a further departure from an interpretation based in a perturbative treatment. We also calculate the d-d exchange interactions |Jdd| between Mn spins. The largest |Jdd| value is also for Mn atoms on bulklike central sites; in comparison with the experimental d-d exchange constant in bulk Cd0.95Mn0.05Te , it is four times smaller.

The effect of illumination and electrode adjustment on the carrier behavior in special multilayer devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Yanhong; Ou, Qingdong; Wang, Jinjiang; Zhang, Dengyu; Chen, Liezun; Li, Yanqing

2017-08-01

Intermediate connectors play an important role in semiconductor devices, especially in tandem devices. In this paper, four types of different intermediate connectors (e.g. Mg:Alq3/MoO3, MoO3, Mg:Alq3, and none) and two kinds of modified electrode materials (LiF and MoO3) integrated into the special multilayer devices are proposed, with the aim of studying the impact of light illumination and electrode adjustment on the carrier behavior of intermediate connectors through the current density-voltage characteristics, interfacial electronic structures, and capacitance-voltage characteristics. The results show that the illumination enhances the charge generation and separation in intermediate connectors, and further electrode interface modifications enhance the functionality of intermediate connectors. In addition, the device with an efficient intermediate connector structure shows a photoelectric effect, which paves the way for organic photovoltaic devices to realize optical-electrical integration transformation.

Different Electrophysiological Responses to Informative Value of Feedback Between Children and Adults.

PubMed

Du, Bin; Cao, Bihua; He, Weiqi; Li, Fuhong

2018-01-01

The ability to learn from feedback is important for children's adaptive behavior and school learning. Feedback has two main components, informative value and valence. How to disentangle these two components and what is the developmental neural correlates of using the informative value of feedback is still an open question. In this study, 23 children (7-10 years old) and 19 adults (19-22 years old) were asked to perform a rule induction task, in which they were required to find a rule, based on the informative value of feedback. Behavioral results indicated that the likelihood of correct searching behavior under negative feedback was low for children. Event-related potentials showed that (1) the effect of valence was processed in a wide time window, particularly in the N2 component; (2) the encoding process of the informative value of negative feedback began later for children than for adults; (3) a clear P300 was observed for adults; for children, however, P300 was absent in the frontal region; and (4) children processed the informative value of feedback chiefly in the left sites during the P300 time window, whereas adults did not show this laterality. These results suggested that children were less sensitive to the informative value of negative feedback possibly because of the immature brain.

Drug withdrawal conceptualized as a stressor

PubMed Central

Chartoff, Elena H.; Carlezon, William A.

2015-01-01

Drug withdrawal is often conceptualized as an aversive state that motivates drug-seeking and drug-taking behaviors in humans. Stress is more difficult to define, but is also frequently associated with aversive states. Here we describe evidence for the simple theory that drug withdrawal is a stress-like state, on the basis of common effects on behavioral, neurochemical, and molecular endpoints. We also describe data suggesting a more complex relationship between drug withdrawal and stress. As one example, we will highlight evidence that, depending on drug class, components of withdrawal can produce effects that have characteristics consistent with mood elevation. In addition, some stressors can act as positive reinforcers, defined as having the ability to increase the probability of a behavior that produces it. As such, accumulating evidence supports the general principles of opponent process theory, whereby processes that have an affective valence are followed in time by an opponent process that has the opposite valence. Throughout, we identify gaps in knowledge and propose future directions for research. A better understanding of the similarities, differences, and overlaps between drug withdrawal and stress will lead to the development of improved treatments for addiction, as well as for a vast array of neuropsychiatric conditions that are triggered or exacerbated by stress. PMID:25083570

Trap controlled minority-carrier mobility in heavily doped silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neugroschel, A.; Lindholm, F. A.; Sah, C. T.

1985-01-01

The activation behavior of the minority-carrier mobility and diffusivity in heavily doped (about 10 to the 20th per cu cm) Si(Si:As) was investigated in the temperature range, 20 - 350 K. Experimental results indicate that hole transitions between the valence band and localized shallow states give rise to the observed behavior. The activation energy is about 10 meV, which suggests that the localized states originate from band tails but does not rule out trapping at boron atoms in the compensated n(+) region.

Positive Affective Priming: A Behavioral Technique to Facilitate Therapeutic Engagement by Families, Caregivers, and Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Ian M.

2010-01-01

Affective priming is a technique used in experimental psychology to investigate the organization of emotional schemata not fully available to conscious awareness. The presentation of stimuli (the prime) with strong positive emotional valence alters the accessibility of positive stimuli within the individual's emotionally encoded cognitive system.…

The Facial Expression Coding System (FACES): Development, Validation, and Utility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kring, Ann M.; Sloan, Denise M.

2007-01-01

This article presents information on the development and validation of the Facial Expression Coding System (FACES; A. M. Kring & D. Sloan, 1991). Grounded in a dimensional model of emotion, FACES provides information on the valence (positive, negative) of facial expressive behavior. In 5 studies, reliability and validity data from 13 diverse…

A periodic table of effective field theories

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

Cheung, Clifford; Kampf, Karol; Novotny, Jiri

We systematically explore the space of scalar effective field theories (EFTs) consistent with a Lorentz invariant and local S-matrix. To do so we define an EFT classification based on four parameters characterizing 1) the number of derivatives per interaction, 2) the soft properties of amplitudes, 3) the leading valency of the interactions, and 4) the spacetime dimension. Carving out the allowed space of EFTs, we prove that exceptional EFTs like the non-linear sigma model, Dirac-Born-Infeld theory, and the special Galileon lie precisely on the boundary of allowed theory space. Using on-shell momentum shifts and recursion relations, we prove that EFTsmore » with arbitrarily soft behavior are forbidden and EFTs with leading valency much greater than the spacetime dimension cannot have enhanced soft behavior. We then enumerate all single scalar EFTs in d < 6 and verify that they correspond to known theories in the literature. Finally, our results suggest that the exceptional theories are the natural EFT analogs of gauge theory and gravity because they are one-parameter theories whose interactions are strictly dictated by properties of the S-matrix.« less

A periodic table of effective field theories

DOE PAGES

Cheung, Clifford; Kampf, Karol; Novotny, Jiri; ...

2017-02-06

We systematically explore the space of scalar effective field theories (EFTs) consistent with a Lorentz invariant and local S-matrix. To do so we define an EFT classification based on four parameters characterizing 1) the number of derivatives per interaction, 2) the soft properties of amplitudes, 3) the leading valency of the interactions, and 4) the spacetime dimension. Carving out the allowed space of EFTs, we prove that exceptional EFTs like the non-linear sigma model, Dirac-Born-Infeld theory, and the special Galileon lie precisely on the boundary of allowed theory space. Using on-shell momentum shifts and recursion relations, we prove that EFTsmore » with arbitrarily soft behavior are forbidden and EFTs with leading valency much greater than the spacetime dimension cannot have enhanced soft behavior. We then enumerate all single scalar EFTs in d < 6 and verify that they correspond to known theories in the literature. Finally, our results suggest that the exceptional theories are the natural EFT analogs of gauge theory and gravity because they are one-parameter theories whose interactions are strictly dictated by properties of the S-matrix.« less

A Transition from Localized to Strongly Correlated Electron Behavior and Mixed Valence Driven by Physical or Chemical Pressure in ACo 2As 2 (A = Eu and Ca)

DOE PAGES

Tan, Xiaoyan; Fabbris, Gilberto; Haskel, Daniel; ...

2016-02-03

In this paper, we demonstrate that the action of physical pressure, chemical compression, or aliovalent substitution in ACo 2As 2 (A = Eu and Ca) has a general consequence of causing these antiferromagnetic materials to become ferromagnets. In all cases, the mixed valence triggered at the electropositive A site results in the increase of the Co 3d density of states at the Fermi level. Remarkably, the dramatic alteration of magnetic behavior results from the very minor (<0.15 electron) change in the population of the 3d orbitals. The mixed valence state of Eu observed in the high-pressure (HP) form of EuComore » 2As 2 exhibits a remarkable stability, achieving the average oxidation state of +2.25 at 12.6 GPa. In the case of CaCo 2As 2, substituting even 10% of Eu or La into the Ca site causes ferromagnetic ordering of Co moments. Similar to HP-EuCo 2As 2, the itinerant 3d ferromagnetism emerges from electronic doping into the Co layer because of chemical compression of Eu sites in Ca 0.9Eu 0.1Co 1.91As 2 or direct electron doping in Ca 0.85La 0.15Co 1.89As 2. Finally, the results reported herein demonstrate the general possibility of amplifying minor localized electronic effects to achieve major changes in material’s properties via involvement of strongly correlated electrons.« less

A Review of Multidimensional, Multifluid Intermediate-scale Experiments: Flow Behavior, Saturation Imaging, and Tracer Detection and Quantification

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

Oostrom, Mart; Dane, J. H.; Wietsma, Thomas W.

2007-08-01

A review is presented of original multidimensional, intermediate-scale experiments involving non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) flow behavior, imaging, and detection/quantification with solute tracers. In a companion paper (Oostrom, M., J.H. Dane, and T.W. Wietsma. 2006. A review of multidimensional, multifluid intermediate-scale experiments: Nonaqueous phase dissolution and enhanced remediation. Vadose Zone Journal 5:570-598) experiments related to aqueous dissolution and enhanced remediation were discussed. The experiments investigating flow behavior include infiltration and redistribution experiments with both light and dense NAPLs in homogeneous and heterogeneous porous medium systems. The techniques used for NAPL saturation mapping for intermediate-scale experiments include photon-attenuation methods such as gammamore » and X-ray techniques, and photographic methods such as the light reflection, light transmission, and multispectral image analysis techniques. Solute tracer methods used for detection and quantification of NAPL in the subsurface are primarily limited to variations of techniques comparing the behavior of conservative and partitioning tracers. Besides a discussion of the experimental efforts, recommendations for future research at this laboratory scale are provided.« less

Understanding Emotions in Frontotemporal Dementia: The Explicit and Implicit Emotional Cue Mismatch.

PubMed

Balconi, Michela; Cotelli, Maria; Brambilla, Michela; Manenti, Rosa; Cosseddu, Maura; Premi, Enrico; Gasparotti, Roberto; Zanetti, Orazio; Padovani, Alessandro; Borroni, Barbara

2015-01-01

Previous studies have reported significant deficits in emotion recognition among individuals along the frontotemporal dementia (FTD) spectrum. The basis of emotional impairment is still poorly understood and explicit (emotion appraisal) and implicit (autonomic system activity) responses have not been carefully evaluated. We investigated explicit evaluation of emotions by testing valence and arousal using self-report measures and we also assessed automatic responses to emotional cues, using autonomic measures (skin conductance response and heart rate). 16 behavioral variant FTD and 12 agrammatic variants of primary progressive aphasia patients were included. The performance of these patients was compared to a group of 14 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 20 healthy controls. Each subject was required to observe and evaluate affective pictures while autonomic parameters were recorded. FTD patients preserved a functional general competency in terms of valence (correct positive versus negative attribution) and arousal (correct dichotomy between high versus low arousal category) distinction. These patients showed significant changes in autonomic implicit response compared to the other groups. The mismatch between explicit and implicit responsiveness to emotional cues was found both in behavioral variant FTD and in agrammatic variants of primary progressive aphasia. Emotional responsiveness was related to the severity of behavioral abnormalities as measured by the Frontal Behavioral Inventory and associated with atrophy of the left putamen. The present findings indicate that FTD patients are able to explicitly "appraise" the emotion, but they cannot implicitly "feel" the emotion. This mismatch between the two levels may help explain the general emotional behavior impairment found in these patients.

ERP investigation of attentional disengagement from suicide-relevant information in patients with major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Baik, Seung Yeon; Jeong, Minkyung; Kim, Hyang Sook; Lee, Seung-Hwan

2018-01-01

Previous studies suggest the presence of attentional bias towards suicide-relevant information in suicidal individuals. However, the findings are limited by their reliance on behavioral measures. This study investigates the role of difficulty in disengaging attention from suicide-relevant stimuli using the P300 component of event-related potentials (ERPs). Forty-four adults with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) were administered the spatial cueing task using suicide-relevant and negatively-valenced words as cue stimuli. Disengagement difficulty was measured using reaction time and P300 during invalid trials. P300 amplitudes at Pz were higher in suicide-relevant compared to negatively-valenced word condition on invalid trials for participants with low rates of suicidal behavior. However, no such difference was found among participants with high rates of suicidal behavior. P300 amplitudes for suicide-relevant word condition were negatively correlated with "lifetime suicide ideation and attempt" at Pz. No significant results were found for the reaction time data, indicating that the ERP may be more sensitive in capturing the attentional disengagement effect. The groups were divided according to Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) total score. Neutral stimulus was not included as cue stimuli. Most participants were under medication during the experiment. Our results indicate that patients with MDD and low rates of suicidal behavior show difficulty in disengaging attention from suicide-relevant stimuli. We suggest that suicide-specific disengagement difficulties may be related to recentness of suicide attempt and that acquired capability for suicide may contribute to reduced disengagement difficulties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamic Neural Processing of Linguistic Cues Related to Death

PubMed Central

Ma, Yina; Qin, Jungang; Han, Shihui

2013-01-01

Behavioral studies suggest that humans evolve the capacity to cope with anxiety induced by the awareness of death’s inevitability. However, the neurocognitive processes that underlie online death-related thoughts remain unclear. Our recent functional MRI study found that the processing of linguistic cues related to death was characterized by decreased neural activity in human insular cortex. The current study further investigated the time course of neural processing of death-related linguistic cues. We recorded event-related potentials (ERP) to death-related, life-related, negative-valence, and neutral-valence words in a modified Stroop task that required color naming of words. We found that the amplitude of an early frontal/central negativity at 84–120 ms (N1) decreased to death-related words but increased to life-related words relative to neutral-valence words. The N1 effect associated with death-related and life-related words was correlated respectively with individuals’ pessimistic and optimistic attitudes toward life. Death-related words also increased the amplitude of a frontal/central positivity at 124–300 ms (P2) and of a frontal/central positivity at 300–500 ms (P3). However, the P2 and P3 modulations were observed for both death-related and negative-valence words but not for life-related words. The ERP results suggest an early inverse coding of linguistic cues related to life and death, which is followed by negative emotional responses to death-related information. PMID:23840787

On Valence-Band Splitting in Layered MoS2.

PubMed

Zhang, Youwei; Li, Hui; Wang, Haomin; Liu, Ran; Zhang, Shi-Li; Qiu, Zhi-Jun

2015-08-25

As a representative two-dimensional semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD), the electronic structure in layered MoS2 is a collective result of quantum confinement, interlayer interaction, and crystal symmetry. A prominent energy splitting in the valence band gives rise to many intriguing electronic, optical, and magnetic phenomena. Despite numerous studies, an experimental determination of valence-band splitting in few-layer MoS2 is still lacking. Here, we show how the valence-band maximum (VBM) splits for one to five layers of MoS2. Interlayer coupling is found to contribute significantly to phonon energy but weakly to VBM splitting in bilayers, due to a small interlayer hopping energy for holes. Hence, spin-orbit coupling is still predominant in the splitting. A temperature-independent VBM splitting, known for single-layer MoS2, is, thus, observed for bilayers. However, a Bose-Einstein type of temperature dependence of VBM splitting prevails in three to five layers of MoS2. In such few-layer MoS2, interlayer coupling is enhanced with a reduced interlayer distance, but thermal expansion upon temperature increase tends to decouple adjacent layers and therefore decreases the splitting energy. Our findings that shed light on the distinctive behaviors about VBM splitting in layered MoS2 may apply to other hexagonal TMDs as well. They will also be helpful in extending our understanding of the TMD electronic structure for potential applications in electronics and optoelectronics.

Site-preference and valency for rare-earth sites in (R-Ce)2Fe14B [R =La,Nd] magnets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alam, Aftab; Khan, Mahmud; McCallum, R. W.; Johnson, D. D.

2013-03-01

Rare-earth (R) permanent magnets of R2Fe14B have technological importance due to their high energy products, and they have two symmetry distinct R-sites (Wyckoff 4f and 4g) that affect chemistry and valence. Designing magnetic behavior and stability via alloying is technologically relevant to reduce critical (expensive) R-content while retaining key properties; cerium, an abundant (cheap) R-element, offers this potential. We calculate magnetic properties and Ce site preference in (R1-xCex)Fe14B [R=La,Nd] using density functional theory (DFT) methods. The Fe moments compare well with neutron scattering data - remain weakly affected by Hubbard U, but improved with spin-orbit coupling. In (La,Ce)2Fe14B, Ce alloys for 0 < x < 1 with a preference for smaller R(4f) sites, as observed, a trend we find unaffected by valence. Whereas in (Nd,Ce)2Fe14B, Ce is predicted to have limited alloying (x < 0.3) with a preference for larger R(4g) sites, resulting in weak partial ordering and segregation. Curie temperatures versus x were predicted for a typical sample processing and verified experimentally. We shall also present some initial results on the critical mixed valency of Ce in related compounds. Work at Ames Laboratory was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, ARPA-E under the REACT program (0472-1526)

Predicting the Valence of a Scene from Observers’ Eye Movements

PubMed Central

R.-Tavakoli, Hamed; Atyabi, Adham; Rantanen, Antti; Laukka, Seppo J.; Nefti-Meziani, Samia; Heikkilä, Janne

2015-01-01

Multimedia analysis benefits from understanding the emotional content of a scene in a variety of tasks such as video genre classification and content-based image retrieval. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in applying human bio-signals, particularly eye movements, to recognize the emotional gist of a scene such as its valence. In order to determine the emotional category of images using eye movements, the existing methods often learn a classifier using several features that are extracted from eye movements. Although it has been shown that eye movement is potentially useful for recognition of scene valence, the contribution of each feature is not well-studied. To address the issue, we study the contribution of features extracted from eye movements in the classification of images into pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant categories. We assess ten features and their fusion. The features are histogram of saccade orientation, histogram of saccade slope, histogram of saccade length, histogram of saccade duration, histogram of saccade velocity, histogram of fixation duration, fixation histogram, top-ten salient coordinates, and saliency map. We utilize machine learning approach to analyze the performance of features by learning a support vector machine and exploiting various feature fusion schemes. The experiments reveal that ‘saliency map’, ‘fixation histogram’, ‘histogram of fixation duration’, and ‘histogram of saccade slope’ are the most contributing features. The selected features signify the influence of fixation information and angular behavior of eye movements in the recognition of the valence of images. PMID:26407322

Direct observation of strain-induced orbital valence band splitting in HfSe2 by sodium intercalation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eknapakul, T.; Fongkaew, I.; Siriroj, S.; Jindata, W.; Chaiyachad, S.; Mo, S.-K.; Thakur, S.; Petaccia, L.; Takagi, H.; Limpijumnong, S.; Meevasana, W.

2018-05-01

By using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), the variation of the electronic structure of HfSe2 has been studied as a function of sodium intercalation. We observe how this drives a band splitting of the p -orbital valence bands and a simultaneous reduction of the indirect band gap by values of up to 400 and 280 meV, respectively. Our calculations indicate that such behavior is driven by the band deformation potential, which is a result of our observed strain induced by sodium intercalation. The applied uniaxial strain calculations based on density functional theory agree strongly with the experimental ARPES data. These findings should assist in studying the physical relationship between intercalation and strain, as well as for large-scale two-dimensional straintronics.

The Effects of Feedback Valence and Style on Need Satisfaction, Self-Talk, and Perseverance Among Tennis Players: An Experimental Study.

PubMed

De Muynck, Gert-Jan; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Delrue, Jochen; Aelterman, Nathalie; Haerens, Leen; Soenens, Bart

2017-02-01

Grounded in self-determination theory, this experimental study examined whether the valence (i.e., positive vs. negative) and style (i.e., autonomy-supportive vs. controlling) of normative feedback impact the self-talk, motivational experiences (i.e., psychological need satisfaction and enjoyment), and behavioral functioning (i.e., perseverance and performance) of tennis players (N = 120; M age  = 24.50 ± 9.86 years). Positive feedback and an autonomy-supportive style positively influenced players' enjoyment and perseverance, with psychological need satisfaction and self-talk playing an intervening role. While positive feedback yielded its beneficial effect via greater competence satisfaction and decreased negative self-talk, the beneficial impact of an autonomy-supportive communication style was explained via greater autonomy satisfaction.

Wavelength dependence of nanosecond infrared laser-induced breakdown in water: Evidence for multiphoton initiation via an intermediate state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linz, Norbert; Freidank, Sebastian; Liang, Xiao-Xuan; Vogelmann, Hannes; Trickl, Thomas; Vogel, Alfred

2015-04-01

Investigation of the wavelength dependence (725-1025 nm) of the threshold for nanosecond optical breakdown in water revealed steps consistent with breakdown initiation by multiphoton ionization, with an initiation energy of about 6.6 eV. This value is considerably smaller than the autoionization threshold of about 9.5 eV, which can be regarded as band gap relevant for avalanche ionization. Breakdown initiation is likely to occur via excitation of a valence band electron into a solvated state, followed by rapid excitation into the conduction band. Theoretical analysis based on these assumptions suggests that the seed electron density required for initiating avalanche ionization amounts to 2.5 ×1015c m-3 at 725 nm and drops to 1.1 ×1012c m-3 at 1025 nm. These results demand changes of future breakdown modeling for water, including the use of a larger band gap than previously employed, the introduction of an intermediate energy level for initiation, and consideration of the wavelength dependence of seed electron density.

Stereotypes, Emotions, and Behaviors Toward Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexual Women, and Bisexual Men.

PubMed

Vaughn, Allison A; Teeters, Stacy A; Sadler, Melody S; Cronan, Sierra B

2017-01-01

The utility of the Stereotype Content Model (Fiske, Cuddy, Glick, & Xu, 2002) and the Behaviors from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes map (Cuddy, Fiske, & Glick, 2007) were examined in the context of heterosexuals' attitudes toward sexual minorities. Heterosexual adults completed a survey measuring stereotypes, emotions, and behavioral tendencies toward lesbians, gay men, bisexual women, and bisexual men. Stereotype content differed across groups and showed "gendered" and "valenced" effects on emotions and behavioral tendencies. Competence predicted behaviors for men, whereas warmth and competence predicted behaviors for women, and, for the most part, more was better. Admiration and contempt mediated most of these relationships across most subgroups, but pity and envy played smaller roles for some subgroups. Across all groups, competence played a more predictive role than warmth.

Effective Electrostatic Interactions Between Two Overall Neutral Surfaces with Quenched Charge Heterogeneity Over Atomic Length Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, S.

2017-12-01

Using Monte Carlo results as a reference, a classical density functional theory ( CDFT) is shown to reliably predict the forces between two heterogeneously charged surfaces immersed in an electrolyte solution, whereas the Poisson-Boltzmann ( PB) theory is demonstrated to deteriorate obviously for the same system even if the system parameters considered fall within the validity range of the PB theory in the homogeneously charged surfaces. By applying the tested CDFT, we study the effective electrostatic potential of mean force ( EPMF) between two face-face planar and hard surfaces of zero net charge on which positive and negative charges are separated and considered to present as discontinuous spots on the inside edges of the two surfaces. Main conclusions are summarized as follows: (i) strength of the EPMF in the surface charge separation case is very sensitively and positively correlated with the surface charge separation level and valency of the salt ion. Particularly, the charge separation level and the salt ion valency have a synergistic effect, which makes high limit of the EPMF strength in the surface charge separation case significantly go beyond that of the ideal homogeneously charged surface counterpart at average surface charge density similar to the average surface positive or negative charge density in the charge separation case. (ii) The surface charge distribution patterns mainly influence sign of the EPMF: symmetrical and asymmetrical patterns induce repulsive and attractive (at small distances) EPMF, respectively; but with low valency salt ions and low charge separation level the opposite may be the case. With simultaneous presence of both higher valency cation and anion, the EPMF can be repulsive at intermediate distances for asymmetrical patterns. (iii) Salt ion size has a significant impact, which makes the EPMF tend to become more and more repulsive with the ion diameter regardless of the surface charge distribution patterns and the valency of the salt ion; whereas if the 1:1 type electrolyte and the symmetrical patterns are considered, then the opposite may be the case. All of these findings can be explained self-consistently from several perspectives: an excess adsorption of the salt ions (induced by the surface charge separation) serving to raise the osmotic pressure between the plates, configuration fine-tuning in the thinner ion adsorption layer driven by the energy decrease principle, direct Coulombic interactions operating between charged objects on the two face-to-face plates involved, and net charge strength in the ion adsorption layer responsible for the net electrostatic repulsion.

Yohimbine Impairs Extinction of Cocaine-Conditioned Place Preference in an [alpha] [subscript 2]-Adrenergic Receptor Independent Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Adeola R.; Shields, Angela D.; Brigman, Jonathan L.; Norcross, Maxine; McElligott, Zoe A.; Holmes, Andrew; Winder, Danny G.

2008-01-01

Extinction, a form of learning that has the ability to reshape learned behavior based on new experiences, has been heavily studied utilizing fear learning paradigms. Mechanisms underlying extinction of positive-valence associations, such as drug self-administration and place preference, are poorly understood yet may have important relevance to…

Facebook Use and the Tendency to Ruminate among College Students: Testing Mediational Hypotheses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Locatelli, Sara M.; Kluwe, Katharina; Bryant, Fred B.

2012-01-01

Studies have found that general use of Facebook influences subjective well-being. However, fewer studies have explored the impact of specific use behaviors, such as information posted in status updates. The current study uses data collected from 251 Facebook-using undergraduate students through an online survey, and examines the valence and…

The prepared emotional reflex: intentional preparation of automatic approach and avoidance tendencies as a means to regulate emotional responding.

PubMed

Eder, Andreas B; Rothermund, Klaus; Proctor, Robert W

2010-08-01

Advance preparation of action courses toward emotional stimuli is an effective means to regulate impulsive emotional behavior. Our experiment shows that performing intentional acts of approach and avoidance in an evaluation task influences the unintended activation of approach and avoidance tendencies in another task in which stimulus valence is irrelevant. For the evaluation-relevant blocks, participants received either congruent (positive-approach, negative-avoidance) or incongruent (positive-avoidance, negative-approach) mapping instructions. In the evaluation-irrelevant blocks, approach- and avoidance-related lever movements were selected in response to a stimulus feature other than valence (affective Simon task). Response mapping in the evaluation task influenced performance in the evaluation-irrelevant task: An enhanced affective Simon effect was observed with congruent mapping instructions; in contrast, the effect was reversed when the evaluation task required incongruent responses. Thus, action instructions toward affective stimuli received in one task determined affective response tendencies in another task where these instructions were not in effect. These findings suggest that intentionally prepared short-term links between affective valence and motor responses elicit associated responses without a deliberate act of will, operating like a "prepared reflex." Copyright 2010 APA

Altered processing of visual emotional stimuli in posttraumatic stress disorder: an event-related potential study.

PubMed

Saar-Ashkenazy, Rotem; Shalev, Hadar; Kanthak, Magdalena K; Guez, Jonathan; Friedman, Alon; Cohen, Jonathan E

2015-08-30

Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) display abnormal emotional processing and bias towards emotional content. Most neurophysiological studies in PTSD found higher amplitudes of event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to trauma-related visual content. Here we aimed to characterize brain electrical activity in PTSD subjects in response to non-trauma-related emotion-laden pictures (positive, neutral and negative). A combined behavioral-ERP study was conducted in 14 severe PTSD patients and 14 controls. Response time in PTSD patients was slower compared with that in controls, irrespective to emotional valence. In both PTSD and controls, response time to negative pictures was slower compared with that to neutral or positive pictures. Upon ranking, both control and PTSD subjects similarly discriminated between pictures with different emotional valences. ERP analysis revealed three distinctive components (at ~300, ~600 and ~1000 ms post-stimulus onset) for emotional valence in control subjects. In contrast, PTSD patients displayed a similar brain response across all emotional categories, resembling the response of controls to negative stimuli. We interpret these findings as a brain-circuit response tendency towards negative overgeneralization in PTSD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Site-specific intermolecular valence-band dispersion in α-phase crystalline films of cobalt phthalocyanine studied by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

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

Yamane, Hiroyuki; Kosugi, Nobuhiro; The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Okazaki 444-8585

2014-12-14

The valence band structure of α-phase crystalline films of cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) grown on Au(111) is investigated by using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) with synchrotron radiation. The photo-induced change in the ARPES peaks is noticed in shape and energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO, C 2p) and HOMO-1 (Co 3d) of CoPc, and is misleading the interpretation of the electronic properties of CoPc films. From the damage-free normal-emission ARPES measurement, the clear valence-band dispersion has been first observed, showing that orbital-specific behaviors are attributable to the interplay of the intermolecular π-π and π-d interactions. The HOMO band dispersionmore » of 0.1 eV gives the lower limit of the hole mobility for α-CoPc of 28.9 cm{sup 2} V{sup −1} s{sup −1} at 15 K. The non-dispersive character of the split HOMO-1 bands indicates that the localization of the spin state is a possible origin of the antiferromagnetism.« less

Increasing verbal knowledge mediates development of multidimensional emotion representations

PubMed Central

Nook, Erik C.; Sasse, Stephanie F.; Lambert, Hilary K.; McLaughlin, Katie A.; Somerville, Leah H.

2017-01-01

How do people represent their own and others’ emotional experiences? Contemporary emotion theories and growing evidence suggest that the conceptual representation of emotion plays a central role in how people understand the emotions both they and other people feel.1–6 Although decades of research indicate that adults typically represent emotion concepts as multidimensional, with valence (positive—negative) and arousal (activating—deactivating) as two primary dimensions,7–10 little is known about how this bidimensional (or circumplex) representation arises.11 Here we show that emotion representations develop from a monodimensional focus on valence to a bidimensional focus on both valence and arousal from age 6 to age 25. We investigated potential mechanisms underlying this effect and found that increasing verbal knowledge mediated emotion representation development over and above three other potential mediators: (i) fluid reasoning, (ii) the general ability to represent non-emotional stimuli bidimensionally, and (iii) task-related behaviors (e.g., using extreme ends of rating scales). These results suggest that verbal development facilitates the expansion of emotion concept representations (and potentially emotional experiences) from a “positive or negative” dichotomy in childhood to a multidimensional organization in adulthood. PMID:29399639

Interference Conditions of the Reconsolidation Process in Humans: The Role of Valence and Different Memory Systems

PubMed Central

Fernández, Rodrigo S.; Bavassi, Luz; Kaczer, Laura; Forcato, Cecilia; Pedreira, María E.

2016-01-01

Following the presentation of a reminder, consolidated memories become reactivated followed by a process of re-stabilization, which is referred to as reconsolidation. The most common behavioral tool used to reveal this process is interference produced by new learning shortly after memory reactivation. Memory interference is defined as a decrease in memory retrieval, the effect is generated when new information impairs an acquired memory. In general, the target memory and the interference task used are the same. Here we investigated how different memory systems and/or their valence could produce memory reconsolidation interference. We showed that a reactivated neutral declarative memory could be interfered by new learning of a different neutral declarative memory. Then, we revealed that an aversive implicit memory could be interfered by the presentation of a reminder followed by a threatening social event. Finally, we showed that the reconsolidation of a neutral declarative memory is unaffected by the acquisition of an aversive implicit memory and conversely, this memory remains intact when the neutral declarative memory is used as interference. These results suggest that the interference of memory reconsolidation is effective when two task rely on the same memory system or both evoke negative valence. PMID:28066212

Slater-Pauling behavior within quaternary intermetallic borides of the Ti{sub 3}Co{sub 5}B{sub 2} structure-type

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

Burghaus, Jens; Dronskowski, Richard, E-mail: drons@HAL9000.ac.rwth-aachen.d; Miller, Gordon J.

2009-10-15

First-principles, density-functional studies of several intermetallic borides of the general type M{sub 2}M'Ru{sub 5-n}Rh{sub n}B{sub 2} (n=0-5; M=Sc, Ti, Nb; M'=Fe, Co) show that the variation in saturation magnetic moment with valence-electron count follows a Slater-Pauling curve, with a maximum moment occurring typically at 66 valence electrons. The magnetic moments in these compounds occur primarily from the 3d electrons of the magnetically active M' sites, with some contribution from the Ru/Rh sites via magnetic polarization. Electronic DOS curves reveal that a rigid-band approach is a reasonable approximation for the estimation of saturation moments and the analysis of orbital interactions inmore » this family of complex borides. COHP analyses of the M'-M' orbital interactions indicate optimized interactions in the minority spin states for Co-containing phases, but strong bonding interactions remaining in Fe-containing phases. - Graphical abstract: Theoretically determined (spin-polarized LMTO-GGA) local magnetic moments as a function of the chemical valence Z for various intermetallic borides.« less

Interference Conditions of the Reconsolidation Process in Humans: The Role of Valence and Different Memory Systems.

PubMed

Fernández, Rodrigo S; Bavassi, Luz; Kaczer, Laura; Forcato, Cecilia; Pedreira, María E

2016-01-01

Following the presentation of a reminder, consolidated memories become reactivated followed by a process of re-stabilization, which is referred to as reconsolidation. The most common behavioral tool used to reveal this process is interference produced by new learning shortly after memory reactivation. Memory interference is defined as a decrease in memory retrieval, the effect is generated when new information impairs an acquired memory. In general, the target memory and the interference task used are the same. Here we investigated how different memory systems and/or their valence could produce memory reconsolidation interference. We showed that a reactivated neutral declarative memory could be interfered by new learning of a different neutral declarative memory. Then, we revealed that an aversive implicit memory could be interfered by the presentation of a reminder followed by a threatening social event. Finally, we showed that the reconsolidation of a neutral declarative memory is unaffected by the acquisition of an aversive implicit memory and conversely, this memory remains intact when the neutral declarative memory is used as interference. These results suggest that the interference of memory reconsolidation is effective when two task rely on the same memory system or both evoke negative valence.

X-ray powder diffraction, spectroscopic study, dielectric properties and thermal analysis of new doped compound TiGa0.67Te2.33O8

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smaoui, S.; Ben Aribia, W.; Kabadou, A.; Abdelmouleh, M.

2017-04-01

A novel mixed valence tellurium oxide, TiGa0.67Te2.33O8, was synthesized and its crystal structure determined using the X-ray powder diffraction technique. The obtained oxide was found to crystallize in a cubic unit-cell, Ia 3 bar space group, with the lattice parameter a = 10.9557(1) Å. Rietveld refinement of the structure led to ultimate confidence factors Rp = 7.63 and Rwp = 6.71. This structure was based on slabs containing groups of (Te/Ga)O4 joined by the metal cations Ti4+. The structure analysis showed a cation ordering of Te4+ and Te6+ yielding a TiGa2/3Te7/3O8 formula. The IR and RAMAN spectra confirmed the presence of the TiO6 and (Te/Ga)O4 groups. The dielectric anomalies observed at 500 K were attributed to the mixed valence structure, arising from the mixed-valence Te6+/Te4+. We detected only one peak in thermal behavior by the DTA/TG analysis; which implied a melting reaction.

The functional basis of face evaluation

PubMed Central

Oosterhof, Nikolaas N.; Todorov, Alexander

2008-01-01

People automatically evaluate faces on multiple trait dimensions, and these evaluations predict important social outcomes, ranging from electoral success to sentencing decisions. Based on behavioral studies and computer modeling, we develop a 2D model of face evaluation. First, using a principal components analysis of trait judgments of emotionally neutral faces, we identify two orthogonal dimensions, valence and dominance, that are sufficient to describe face evaluation and show that these dimensions can be approximated by judgments of trustworthiness and dominance. Second, using a data-driven statistical model for face representation, we build and validate models for representing face trustworthiness and face dominance. Third, using these models, we show that, whereas valence evaluation is more sensitive to features resembling expressions signaling whether the person should be avoided or approached, dominance evaluation is more sensitive to features signaling physical strength/weakness. Fourth, we show that important social judgments, such as threat, can be reproduced as a function of the two orthogonal dimensions of valence and dominance. The findings suggest that face evaluation involves an overgeneralization of adaptive mechanisms for inferring harmful intentions and the ability to cause harm and can account for rapid, yet not necessarily accurate, judgments from faces. PMID:18685089

NPS and Online WOM

PubMed Central

Raassens, Néomie

2017-01-01

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is, according to Reichheld, the single most reliable indicator of company growth, and many companies use this recommendation-based technique for measuring customer loyalty. Despite its widespread adoption by many companies across multiple industries, the debate about NPS goes on. A major concern is that managers treat NPS as being equivalent across customers, which is often very misleading. By using a unique data set that combines customers’ promoter scores and online word-of-mouth (eWOM) behavior, this research studies how individual customers’ promoter scores are related to eWOM, including its relationship with the three categories of customers that are identified by the NPS paradigm (i.e., promoters, passives, and detractors). Based on a sample of 189 customers, their promoter scores and corresponding eWOM, the results show that there is a positive relationship between customers’ promoter scores and the valence of online messages. Further, while detractors and promoters are homogeneous with respect to the valence of the eWOM messages they spread, passives show message valence heterogeneity. Thus, although passives, the largest group of customers, have no weight in calculating the NPS, our results reveal that companies should flag passives for further attention and action. PMID:29046609

Increasing Constructive Behavior of Intermediate Grade Students through the Use of The Response Cost Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauer, Heather; Burno, Carolyn; Millstone, Teresa

2009-01-01

The purpose of this research project was to increase constructive behavior of intermediate grade students through the use of the response cost strategy. Approximately 70 students participated in this study. Three teacher researchers conducted the research in an elementary school and two middle schools in different counties near a major mid-western…

Can the second order multireference perturbation theory be considered a reliable tool to study mixed-valence compounds?

PubMed

Pastore, Mariachiara; Helal, Wissam; Evangelisti, Stefano; Leininger, Thierry; Malrieu, Jean-Paul; Maynau, Daniel; Angeli, Celestino; Cimiraglia, Renzo

2008-05-07

In this paper, the problem of the calculation of the electronic structure of mixed-valence compounds is addressed in the frame of multireference perturbation theory (MRPT). Using a simple mixed-valence compound (the 5,5(') (4H,4H('))-spirobi[ciclopenta[c]pyrrole] 2,2('),6,6(') tetrahydro cation), and the n-electron valence state perturbation theory (NEVPT2) and CASPT2 approaches, it is shown that the ground state (GS) energy curve presents an unphysical "well" for nuclear coordinates close to the symmetric case, where a maximum is expected. For NEVPT, the correct shape of the energy curve is retrieved by applying the MPRT at the (computationally expensive) third order. This behavior is rationalized using a simple model (the ionized GS of two weakly interacting identical systems, each neutral system being described by two electrons in two orbitals), showing that the unphysical well is due to the canonical orbital energies which at the symmetric (delocalized) conformation lead to a sudden modification of the denominators in the perturbation expansion. In this model, the bias introduced in the second order correction to the energy is almost entirely removed going to the third order. With the results of the model in mind, one can predict that all MRPT methods in which the zero order Hamiltonian is based on canonical orbital energies are prone to present unreasonable energy profiles close to the symmetric situation. However, the model allows a strategy to be devised which can give a correct behavior even at the second order, by simply averaging the orbital energies of the two charge-localized electronic states. Such a strategy is adopted in a NEVPT2 scheme obtaining a good agreement with the third order results based on the canonical orbital energies. The answer to the question reported in the title (is this theoretical approach a reliable tool for a correct description of these systems?) is therefore positive, but care must be exercised, either in defining the orbital energies or by resorting to the third order using for them the standard definition.

A Qualitative Analysis of Narrative Preclerkship Assessment Data to Evaluate Teamwork Skills.

PubMed

Dolan, Brigid M; O'Brien, Celia Laird; Cameron, Kenzie A; Green, Marianne M

2018-04-16

Construct: Students entering the health professions require competency in teamwork. Although many teamwork curricula and assessments exist, studies have not demonstrated robust longitudinal assessment of preclerkship students' teamwork skills and attitudes. Assessment portfolios may serve to fill this gap, but it is unknown how narrative comments within portfolios describe student teamwork behaviors. We performed a qualitative analysis of narrative data in 15 assessment portfolios. Student portfolios were randomly selected from 3 groups stratified by quantitative ratings of teamwork performance gathered from small-group and clinical preceptor assessment forms. Narrative data included peer and faculty feedback from these same forms. Data were coded for teamwork-related behaviors using a constant comparative approach combined with an identification of the valence of the coded statements as either "positive observation" or "suggestion for improvement." Eight codes related to teamwork emerged: attitude and demeanor, information facilitation, leadership, preparation and dependability, professionalism, team orientation, values team member contributions, and nonspecific teamwork comments. The frequency of codes and valence varied across the 3 performance groups, with students in the low-performing group receiving more suggestions for improvement across all teamwork codes. Narrative data from assessment portfolios included specific descriptions of teamwork behavior, with important contributions provided by both faculty and peers. A variety of teamwork domains were represented. Such feedback as collected in an assessment portfolio can be used for longitudinal assessment of preclerkship student teamwork skills and attitudes.

Improving Robot Motor Learning with Negatively Valenced Reinforcement Signals

PubMed Central

Navarro-Guerrero, Nicolás; Lowe, Robert J.; Wermter, Stefan

2017-01-01

Both nociception and punishment signals have been used in robotics. However, the potential for using these negatively valenced types of reinforcement learning signals for robot learning has not been exploited in detail yet. Nociceptive signals are primarily used as triggers of preprogrammed action sequences. Punishment signals are typically disembodied, i.e., with no or little relation to the agent-intrinsic limitations, and they are often used to impose behavioral constraints. Here, we provide an alternative approach for nociceptive signals as drivers of learning rather than simple triggers of preprogrammed behavior. Explicitly, we use nociception to expand the state space while we use punishment as a negative reinforcement learning signal. We compare the performance—in terms of task error, the amount of perceived nociception, and length of learned action sequences—of different neural networks imbued with punishment-based reinforcement signals for inverse kinematic learning. We contrast the performance of a version of the neural network that receives nociceptive inputs to that without such a process. Furthermore, we provide evidence that nociception can improve learning—making the algorithm more robust against network initializations—as well as behavioral performance by reducing the task error, perceived nociception, and length of learned action sequences. Moreover, we provide evidence that punishment, at least as typically used within reinforcement learning applications, may be detrimental in all relevant metrics. PMID:28420976

Displacement behaviors in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): A neurogenomics investigation of the RDoC Negative Valence Systems domain.

PubMed

Latzman, Robert D; Young, Larry J; Hopkins, William D

2016-03-01

The current study aimed to systematically investigate genetic and neuroanatomical correlates of individual variation in scratching behaviors, a well-validated animal-behavioral indicator of negative emotional states with clear links to the NIMH Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) response to potential harm ("anxiety") construct within the Negative Valence Systems domain. Utilizing data from a sample of 76 captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), we (a) examined the association between scratching and presence or absence of the RS3-containing DupB element in the AVPR1A 5' flanking region, (b) utilized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to identify gray matter (GM) voxel clusters that differentiated AVPR1A genotype, and (c) conducted a VBM-guided voxel-of-interest analysis to examine the association between GM intensity and scratching. AVPR1A evidenced sexually dimorphic associations with scratching. VBM analyses revealed significant differences in GM by genotype across twelve clusters largely in the frontal cortex. Regions differentiating AVPR1A genotype showed sex-specific associations with scratching. Results suggest that sexually dimorphic associations between AVPR1A and scratching may be explained by genotype-specific neuroanatomical variation. The current study provides an example of the way in which chimpanzee research is uniquely poised for multilevel, systematic investigations of psychopathology-relevant constructs within the context of the RDoC framework. © 2016 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Differentiating the influence of incidental anger and fear on risk decision-making.

PubMed

Yang, Qiwei; Zhao, Ding; Wu, Yan; Tang, Ping; Gu, Ruolei; Luo, Yue-Jia

2018-02-01

Previous research has revealed that incidental emotions of different valence (positive/negative/neutral) produce distinct impacts on risk decision-making. This study went on to compare the effects of different emotions of which the valence are identical. We focused on anger and fear, both of which are negative emotions but differ in motivational and appraisal dimensions. Participants finished a forced-choice gambling task, during which incidental emotions (anger/fear/happy) were elicited by facial stimuli selected from the Chinese Facial Affective Picture System. Behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) data were recorded in the experiment, which showed that anger and fear were different in their influence on behavioral risk preference and the relationship between outcome processing and subsequent risk decisions. Regarding the behavioral results, risk preference in the anger condition was higher than the fear condition, but lower than the happy condition. Regarding the ERP results elicited by outcome feedback (gain/loss), in the fear condition, the feedback-related negativity (FRN) was positively correlated with risk preference; in the anger condition, the gain-related P3 component was positively correlated with risk preference; in the happy condition, both the FRN and the loss-related P3 was negatively correlated with risk preference. The current findings provide novel insight into distinguishing the effect of different incidental emotions on risk preference. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dreaming furiously? A sleep laboratory study on the dream content of people with Parkinson's disease and with or without rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.

PubMed

Valli, Katja; Frauscher, Birgit; Peltomaa, Taina; Gschliesser, Viola; Revonsuo, Antti; Högl, Birgit

2015-03-01

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) has been related to altered, action-filled, vivid, and aggressive dream content, but research comparing the possible differences in dreams of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with and without RBD is scarce. The dream content of PD patients with and without RBD was analyzed with specific focus on action-filledness, vividness, emotional valence, and threats. A total of 69 REM and NREM dream reports were collected in the sleep laboratory, 37 from nine PD patients with RBD and 32 from six PD patients without RBD. A content analysis of (1) action-filledness (actions and environmental events); (2) vividness (emotions and cognitive activity); (3) intensity of actions, events and emotions; (4) emotional valence, and (5) threatening events was performed on the transcripts. Altogether 563 dream elements expressing action-filledness and vividness were found. There were no significant between-group differences in the number or distribution of elements reflecting action-filledness or vividness, emotional valence or threats. In within-group analyses, PD patients with RBD had significantly more negative compared to positive dreams (p = 0.012) and compared to PD patients without RBD, a tendency to have more intense actions in their dreams (p = 0.066). Based on the results of this study, there are no major between-group differences in the action-filledness, vividness, or threat content of dreams of PD patients with and without RBD. However, within-group analyses revealed that dreams were more often negatively than positively toned in PD patients with RBD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of feedback valence and communication style on intrinsic motivation in middle childhood: Experimental evidence and generalization across individual differences.

PubMed

Mabbe, Elien; Soenens, Bart; De Muynck, Gert-Jan; Vansteenkiste, Maarten

2018-06-01

Prior research among adolescents and emerging adults has provided evidence for the beneficial effects of positive (relative to negative) feedback and an autonomy-supportive (relative to a controlling) communication style on students' intrinsic motivation. Unfortunately, similar experimental research in middle childhood is lacking. Moreover, little attention has been paid to the question of whether individual differences in personality and perceived parenting play a role in these effects. In the current experimental study (N = 110; M age  = 10.71 years), children completed puzzles at school under one of four experimental conditions, thereby crossing normative feedback valence (i.e., positive vs. negative) with communication style (i.e., autonomy supportive vs. controlling). Prior to the experiment, children filled out questionnaires tapping into the Big Five personality traits and into perceived maternal autonomy support and psychological control. After the experimental induction, children rated several motivational constructs (i.e., intrinsic motivation and need-based experiences). In addition, their voluntary behavioral persistence in a subsequent challenging puzzle task was recorded objectively. Providing positive normative feedback in an autonomy-supportive way yielded the most favorable motivational outcomes. Both feedback valence and communication style yielded an independent impact on children's experiences of competence and autonomy during task engagement, which in turn helped to explain children's elevated intrinsic motivation, as reflected by their perceived interest and behavioral persistence. A few effects were moderated by children's perceived parenting and personality traits, but the number of interactions was limited. The discussion focuses on the motivating role of positive normative feedback and an autonomy-supportive communication style for children. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cannabinoid transmission in the prelimbic cortex bidirectionally controls opiate reward and aversion signaling through dissociable kappa versus μ-opiate receptor dependent mechanisms.

PubMed

Ahmad, Tasha; Lauzon, Nicole M; de Jaeger, Xavier; Laviolette, Steven R

2013-09-25

Cannabinoid, dopamine (DA), and opiate receptor pathways play integrative roles in emotional learning, associative memory, and sensory perception. Modulation of cannabinoid CB1 receptor transmission within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) regulates the emotional valence of both rewarding and aversive experiences. Furthermore, CB1 receptor substrates functionally interact with opiate-related motivational processing circuits, particularly in the context of reward-related learning and memory. Considerable evidence demonstrates functional interactions between CB1 and DA signaling pathways during the processing of motivationally salient information. However, the role of mPFC CB1 receptor transmission in the modulation of behavioral opiate-reward processing is not currently known. Using an unbiased conditioned place preference paradigm with rats, we examined the role of intra-mPFC CB1 transmission during opiate reward learning. We report that activation or inhibition of CB1 transmission within the prelimbic cortical (PLC) division of the mPFC bidirectionally regulates the motivational valence of opiates; whereas CB1 activation switched morphine reward signaling into an aversive stimulus, blockade of CB1 transmission potentiated the rewarding properties of normally sub-reward threshold conditioning doses of morphine. Both of these effects were dependent upon DA transmission as systemic blockade of DAergic transmission prevented CB1-dependent modulation of morphine reward and aversion behaviors. We further report that CB1-mediated intra-PLC opiate motivational signaling is mediated through a μ-opiate receptor-dependent reward pathway, or a κ-opiate receptor-dependent aversion pathway, directly within the ventral tegmental area. Our results provide evidence for a novel CB1-mediated motivational valence switching mechanism within the PLC, controlling dissociable subcortical reward and aversion pathways.

Getting the message across: age differences in the positive and negative framing of health care messages.

PubMed

Shamaskin, Andrea M; Mikels, Joseph A; Reed, Andrew E

2010-09-01

Although valenced health care messages influence impressions, memory, and behavior (Levin, Schneider, & Gaeth, 1998) and the processing of valenced information changes with age (Carstensen & Mikels, 2005), these 2 lines of research have thus far been disconnected. This study examined impressions of, and memory for, positively and negatively framed health care messages that were presented in pamphlets to 25 older adults and 24 younger adults. Older adults relative to younger adults rated positive pamphlets more informative than negative pamphlets and remembered a higher proportion of positive to negative messages. However, older adults misremembered negative messages to be positive. These findings demonstrate the age-related positivity effect in health care messages with promise as to the persuasive nature and lingering effects of positive messages. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Effects of Ga substitution on the structural and magnetic properties of half metallic Fe2MnSi Heusler compound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedro, S. S.; Caraballo Vivas, R. J.; Andrade, V. M.; Cruz, C.; Paixão, L. S.; Contreras, C.; Costa-Soares, T.; Caldeira, L.; Coelho, A. A.; Carvalho, A. Magnus G.; Rocco, D. L.; Reis, M. S.

2015-01-01

The so-called half-metallic magnets have been proposed as good candidates for spintronic applications due to the feature of exhibiting a hundred percent spin polarization at the Fermi level. Such materials follow the Slater-Pauling rule, which relates the magnetic moment with the valence electrons in the system. In this paper, we study the bulk polycrystalline half-metallic Fe2MnSi Heusler compound replacing Si by Ga to determine how the Ga addition changes the magnetic, the structural, and the half-metal properties of this compound. The material does not follow the Slater-Pauling rule, probably due to a minor structural disorder degree in the system, but a linear dependence on the magnetic transition temperature with the valence electron number points to the half-metallic behavior of this compound.

Kicking the (barking) dog effect: the moderating role of target attributes on triggered displaced aggression.

PubMed

Pedersen, William C; Bushman, Brad J; Vasquez, Eduardo A; Miller, Norman

2008-10-01

Sometimes aggression is displaced onto a target who is not totally innocent but emits a mildly irritating behavior called a triggering event. In three experiments, the authors examine stable personal attributes of targets that can impact such triggered displaced aggression (TDA). Lower levels of TDA were directed to targets whose attitudes were similar as compared to dissimilar to those of the actor (Experiment 1) and to targets who were ingroup as compared to out-group members (Experiment 2). Conceptually replicating the findings of Experiments 1 and 2, the manipulated valence of the target (viz., liked, neutral, and disliked) functioned in a similar manner, with positive valence serving a buffering function against a triggering action that followed an initial provocation (Experiment 3). The results from all three experiments are consistent with cognitive neoassociationist theory.

Disappointment and regret enhance corrugator reactivity in a gambling task

PubMed Central

Wu, Yin; Clark, Luke

2015-01-01

This study investigated how the corrugator and zygomaticus respond to decision outcomes (i.e., gains and losses). We used a gambling task in which participants were presented with obtained followed by non-obtained outcomes. Activity at the corrugator site was sensitive to decision outcomes, such that higher obtained losses (disappointment) and higher non-obtained gains (regret) both heightened corrugator reactivity. Activity at the zygomaticus site was not responsive to obtained or non-obtained outcomes, but did show sensitivity to emotional images in the same participants, in the form of a positive linear relationship with self-reported emotional valence. Corrugator activity was negatively related to emotional valence. The findings indicate the sensitivity of corrugator to objective decision outcomes and also counterfactual comparisons, highlighting the utility of facial electromyography in research on decision making and gambling behavior. PMID:25345723

Optical polarization properties of InAs/InP quantum dot and quantum rod nanowires.

PubMed

Anufriev, Roman; Barakat, Jean-Baptiste; Patriarche, Gilles; Letartre, Xavier; Bru-Chevallier, Catherine; Harmand, Jean-Christophe; Gendry, Michel; Chauvin, Nicolas

2015-10-02

The emission polarization of single InAs/InP quantum dot (QD) and quantum rod (QR) nanowires is investigated at room temperature. Whereas the emission of the QRs is mainly polarized parallel to the nanowire axis, the opposite behavior is observed for the QDs. These optical properties can be explained by a combination of dielectric effects related to the nanowire geometry and to the configuration of the valence band in the nanostructure. A theoretical model and finite difference in time domain calculations are presented to describe the impact of the nanowire and the surroundings on the optical properties of the emitter. Using this model, the intrinsic degree of linear polarization of the two types of emitters is extracted. The strong polarization anisotropies indicate a valence band mixing in the QRs but not in the QDs.

Effects of emotion regulation strategy on brain responses to the valence and social content of visual scenes.

PubMed

Vrtička, Pascal; Sander, David; Vuilleumier, Patrik

2011-04-01

Emotion Regulation (ER) includes different mechanisms aiming at volitionally modulating emotional responses, including cognitive re-evaluation (re-appraisal; REAP) or inhibition of emotion expression and behavior (expressive suppression; ESUP). However, despite the importance of these ER strategies, previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have not sufficiently disentangled the specific neural impact of REAP versus ESUP on brain responses to different kinds of emotion-eliciting events. Moreover, although different effects have been reported for stimulus valence (positive vs. negative), no study has systematically investigated how ER may change emotional processing as a function of particular stimulus content variables (i.e., social vs. nonsocial). Our fMRI study directly compared brain activation to visual scenes during the use of different ER strategies, relative to a "natural" viewing condition, but also examined the effects of ER as a function of the social versus nonsocial content of scenes, in addition to their negative versus positive valence (by manipulating these factors orthogonally in a 2×2 factorial design). Our data revealed that several prefrontal cortical areas were differentially recruited during either REAP or ESUP, independent of the valence and content of images. In addition, selective modulations by either REAP or ESUP were found depending on the negative valence of scenes (medial fusiform gyrus, anterior insula, dmPFC), and on their nonsocial (middle insula) or social (bilateral amygdala, mPFC, posterior cingulate) significance. Furthermore, we observed a significant lateralization in the amygdala for the effect of the two different ER strategies, with a predominant modulation by REAP on the left side but by ESUP on the right side. Taken together, these results do not only highlight the distributed nature of neural changes induced by ER, but also reveal the specific impact of different strategies (REAP or ESUP), and the specific sites implicated by different dimensions of emotional information (social or negative). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differences in neural activity when processing emotional arousal and valence in autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Tseng, Angela; Wang, Zhishun; Huo, Yuankai; Goh, Suzanne; Russell, James A; Peterson, Bradley S

2016-02-01

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often have difficulty recognizing and interpreting facial expressions of emotion, which may impair their ability to navigate and communicate successfully in their social, interpersonal environments. Characterizing specific differences between individuals with ASD and their typically developing (TD) counterparts in the neural activity subserving their experience of emotional faces may provide distinct targets for ASD interventions. Thus we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a parametric experimental design to identify brain regions in which neural activity correlated with ratings of arousal and valence for a broad range of emotional faces. Participants (51 ASD, 84 TD) were group-matched by age, sex, IQ, race, and socioeconomic status. Using task-related change in blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI signal as a measure, and covarying for age, sex, FSIQ, and ADOS scores, we detected significant differences across diagnostic groups in the neural activity subserving the dimension of arousal but not valence. BOLD-signal in TD participants correlated inversely with ratings of arousal in regions associated primarily with attentional functions, whereas BOLD-signal in ASD participants correlated positively with arousal ratings in regions commonly associated with impulse control and default-mode activity. Only minor differences were detected between groups in the BOLD signal correlates of valence ratings. Our findings provide unique insight into the emotional experiences of individuals with ASD. Although behavioral responses to face-stimuli were comparable across diagnostic groups, the corresponding neural activity for our ASD and TD groups differed dramatically. The near absence of group differences for valence correlates and the presence of strong group differences for arousal correlates suggest that individuals with ASD are not atypical in all aspects of emotion-processing. Studying these similarities and differences may help us to understand the origins of divergent interpersonal emotional experience in persons with ASD. Hum Brain Mapp 37:443-461, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Differences in Neural Activity when Processing Emotional Arousal and Valence in Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Tseng, Angela; Wang, Zhishun; Huo, Yuankai; Goh, Suzanne; Russell, James A.; Peterson, Bradley S.

2016-01-01

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often have difficulty recognizing and interpreting facial expressions of emotion, which may impair their ability to navigate and communicate successfully in their social, interpersonal environments. Characterizing specific differences between individuals with ASD and their typically-developing (TD) counterparts in the neural activity subserving their experience of emotional faces may provide distinct targets for ASD interventions. Thus we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a parametric experimental design to identify brain regions in which neural activity correlated with ratings of arousal and valence for a broad range of emotional faces. Participants (51 ASD, 84 TD) were group-matched by age, sex, IQ, race, and socioeconomic status. Using task-related change in blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI signal as a measure, and covarying for age, sex, FSIQ, and ADOS scores, we detected significant differences across diagnostic groups in the neural activity subserving the dimension of arousal but not valence. BOLD-signal in TD participants correlated inversely with ratings of arousal in regions associated primarily with attentional functions, whereas BOLD-signal in ASD participants correlated positively with arousal ratings in regions commonly associated with impulse control and default-mode activity. Only minor differences were detected between groups in the BOLD signal correlates of valence ratings. Our findings provide unique insight into the emotional experiences of individuals with ASD. Although behavioral responses to face-stimuli were comparable across diagnostic groups, the corresponding neural activity for our ASD and TD groups differed dramatically. The near absence of group differences for valence correlates and the presence of strong group differences for arousal correlates suggest that individuals with ASD are not atypical in all aspects of emotion-processing. Studying these similarities and differences may help us to understand the origins of divergent interpersonal emotional experience in persons with ASD. PMID:26526072

Valence evaluation with approaching or withdrawing cues: directly testing valence-arousal conflict theory.

PubMed

Wang, Yan Mei; Li, Ting; Li, Lin

2017-07-19

The valence-arousal conflict theory assumes that both valence and arousal will trigger approaching or withdrawing tendencies. It also predicts that the speed of processing emotional stimuli will depend on whether valence and arousal trigger conflicting or congruent motivational tendencies. However, most previous studies have provided evidence of the interaction between valence and arousal only, and have not provided direct proof of the interactive links between valence, arousal and motivational tendencies. The present study provides direct evidence for the relationship between approach-withdrawal tendencies and the valence-arousal conflict. In an empirical test, participants were instructed to judge the valence of emotional words after visual-spatial cues that appeared to be either approaching or withdrawing from participants. A three-way interaction (valence, arousal, and approach-withdrawal tendency) was observed such that the response time was shorter if participants responded to a negative high-arousal stimulus after a withdrawing cue, or to a positive low-arousal stimulus after an approaching cue. These findings suggest that the approach-withdrawal tendency indeed plays a crucial role in valence-arousal conflict, and that the effect depends on the congruency of valence, arousal and tendency at an early stage of processing.

Dissociable neural effects of stimulus valence and preceding context during the inhibition of responses to emotional faces.

PubMed

Schulz, Kurt P; Clerkin, Suzanne M; Halperin, Jeffrey M; Newcorn, Jeffrey H; Tang, Cheuk Y; Fan, Jin

2009-09-01

Socially appropriate behavior requires the concurrent inhibition of actions that are inappropriate in the context. This self-regulatory function requires an interaction of inhibitory and emotional processes that recruits brain regions beyond those engaged by either processes alone. In this study, we isolated brain activity associated with response inhibition and emotional processing in 24 healthy adults using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a go/no-go task that independently manipulated the context preceding no-go trials (ie, number of go trials) and the valence (ie, happy, sad, and neutral) of the face stimuli used as trial cues. Parallel quadratic trends were seen in correct inhibitions on no-go trials preceded by increasing numbers of go trials and associated activation for correct no-go trials in inferior frontal gyrus pars opercularis, pars triangularis, and pars orbitalis, temporoparietal junction, superior parietal lobule, and temporal sensory association cortices. Conversely, the comparison of happy versus neutral faces and sad versus neutral faces revealed valence-dependent activation in the amygdala, anterior insula cortex, and posterior midcingulate cortex. Further, an interaction between inhibition and emotion was seen in valence-dependent variations in the quadratic trend in no-go activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus and left posterior insula cortex. These results suggest that the inhibition of response to emotional cues involves the interaction of partly dissociable limbic and frontoparietal networks that encode emotional cues and use these cues to exert inhibitory control over the motor, attention, and sensory functions needed to perform the task, respectively. 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Transport and retention of surfactant- and polymer-stabilized engineered silver nanoparticles in silicate-dominated aquifer material.

PubMed

Adrian, Yorck F; Schneidewind, Uwe; Bradford, Scott A; Simunek, Jirka; Fernandez-Steeger, Tomas M; Azzam, Rafig

2018-05-01

Packed column experiments were conducted to investigate the transport and blocking behavior of surfactant- and polymer-stabilized engineered silver nanoparticles (Ag-ENPs) in saturated natural aquifer media with varying content of material < 0.063 mm in diameter (silt and clay fraction), background solution chemistry, and flow velocity. Breakthrough curves for Ag-ENPs exhibited blocking behavior that frequently produced a delay in arrival time in comparison to a conservative tracer that was dependent on the physicochemical conditions, and then a rapid increase in the effluent concentration of Ag-ENPs. This breakthrough behavior was accurately described using one or two irreversible retention sites that accounted for Langmuirian blocking on one site. Simulated values for the total retention rate coefficient and the maximum solid phase concentration of Ag-ENPs increased with increasing solution ionic strength, cation valence, clay and silt content, decreasing flow velocity, and for polymer-instead of surfactant-stabilized Ag-ENPs. Increased Ag-ENP retention with ionic strength occurred because of compression of the double layer and lower magnitudes in the zeta potential, whereas lower velocities increased the residence time and decreased the hydrodynamics forces. Enhanced Ag-ENP interactions with cation valence and clay were attributed to the creation of cation bridging in the presence of Ca 2+ . The delay in breakthrough was always more pronounced for polymer-than surfactant-stabilized Ag-ENPs, because of differences in the properties of the stabilizing agents and the magnitude of their zeta-potential was lower. Our results clearly indicate that the long-term transport behavior of Ag-ENPs in natural, silicate dominated aquifer material will be strongly dependent on blocking behavior that changes with the physicochemical conditions and enhanced Ag-ENP transport may occur when retention sites are filled. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Social Context of Anger among Violent Forensic Patients: An Analysis via Experience Sampling Method.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hillbrand, Marc; Waite, Bradley M.

1992-01-01

Used Experience Sampling Method to investigate experiences of anger in 10 patients at maximum security forensic institute who had histories of severe, violent behavior. Found severity of anger influenced by type of activity in which subject was engaged and by emotional valence of preceding events but not by time of day nor by type of interpersonal…

Children's Use of Moral Behavior in Selective Trust: Discrimination versus Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doebel, Sabine; Koenig, Melissa A.

2013-01-01

Does valence play a role in children's sensitivity to and use of moral information in the service of selective learning? In the present experiment, we explored this question by presenting 3- to 5-year-old children with informants who behaved in ways consistent or inconsistent with sociomoral norms, such as helping a peer retrieve a toy or…

Cognitive and neural consequences of memory suppression in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Sacchet, Matthew D; Levy, Benjamin J; Hamilton, J Paul; Maksimovskiy, Arkadiy; Hertel, Paula T; Joormann, Jutta; Anderson, Michael C; Wagner, Anthony D; Gotlib, Ian H

2017-02-01

Negative biases in cognition have been documented consistently in major depressive disorder (MDD), including difficulties in the ability to control the processing of negative material. Although negative information-processing biases have been studied using both behavioral and neuroimaging paradigms, relatively little research has been conducted examining the difficulties of depressed persons with inhibiting the retrieval of negative information from long-term memory. In this study, we used the think/no-think paradigm and functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess the cognitive and neural consequences of memory suppression in individuals diagnosed with depression and in healthy controls. The participants showed typical behavioral forgetting effects, but contrary to our hypotheses, there were no differences between the depressed and nondepressed participants or between neutral and negative memories. Relative to controls, depressed individuals exhibited greater activity in right middle frontal gyrus during memory suppression, regardless of the valence of the suppressed stimuli, and differential activity in the amygdala and hippocampus during memory suppression involving negatively valenced stimuli. These findings indicate that depressed individuals are characterized by neural anomalies during the suppression of long-term memories, increasing our understanding of the brain bases of negative cognitive biases in MDD.

Human Amygdala Tracks a Feature-Based Valence Signal Embedded within the Facial Expression of Surprise.

PubMed

Kim, M Justin; Mattek, Alison M; Bennett, Randi H; Solomon, Kimberly M; Shin, Jin; Whalen, Paul J

2017-09-27

Human amygdala function has been traditionally associated with processing the affective valence (negative vs positive) of an emotionally charged event, especially those that signal fear or threat. However, this account of human amygdala function can be explained by alternative views, which posit that the amygdala might be tuned to either (1) general emotional arousal (activation vs deactivation) or (2) specific emotion categories (fear vs happy). Delineating the pure effects of valence independent of arousal or emotion category is a challenging task, given that these variables naturally covary under many circumstances. To circumvent this issue and test the sensitivity of the human amygdala to valence values specifically, we measured the dimension of valence within the single facial expression category of surprise. Given the inherent valence ambiguity of this category, we show that surprised expression exemplars are attributed valence and arousal values that are uniquely and naturally uncorrelated. We then present fMRI data from both sexes, showing that the amygdala tracks these consensus valence values. Finally, we provide evidence that these valence values are linked to specific visual features of the mouth region, isolating the signal by which the amygdala detects this valence information. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT There is an open question as to whether human amygdala function tracks the valence value of cues in the environment, as opposed to either a more general emotional arousal value or a more specific emotion category distinction. Here, we demonstrate the utility of surprised facial expressions because exemplars within this emotion category take on valence values spanning the dimension of bipolar valence (positive to negative) at a consistent level of emotional arousal. Functional neuroimaging data showed that amygdala responses tracked the valence of surprised facial expressions, unconfounded by arousal. Furthermore, a machine learning classifier identified particular visual features of the mouth region that predicted this valence effect, isolating the specific visual signal that might be driving this neural valence response. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/379510-09$15.00/0.

A Multidimensional Measure of Work Valences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porfeli, Erik J.; Lee, Bora; Weigold, Ingrid K.

2012-01-01

Work valence is derived from expectancy-valence theory and the literature on children's vocational development and is presumed to be a general appraisal of work that emerges during the childhood period. Work valence serves to promote and inhibit the motivation and tasks associated with vocational development. A measure of work valence, composed of…

Two-color infrared detector

DOEpatents

Klem, John F; Kim, Jin K

2014-05-13

A two-color detector includes a first absorber layer. The first absorber layer exhibits a first valence band energy characterized by a first valence band energy function. A barrier layer adjoins the first absorber layer at a first interface. The barrier layer exhibits a second valence band energy characterized by a second valence band energy function. The barrier layer also adjoins a second absorber layer at a second interface. The second absorber layer exhibits a third valence band energy characterized by a third valence band energy function. The first and second valence band energy functions are substantially functionally or physically continuous at the first interface and the second and third valence band energy functions are substantially functionally or physically continuous at the second interface.

10 years of BAWLing into affective and aesthetic processes in reading: what are the echoes?

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Arthur M.; Võ, Melissa L.-H.; Briesemeister, Benny B.; Conrad, Markus; Hofmann, Markus J.; Kuchinke, Lars; Lüdtke, Jana; Braun, Mario

2015-01-01

Reading is not only “cold” information processing, but involves affective and aesthetic processes that go far beyond what current models of word recognition, sentence processing, or text comprehension can explain. To investigate such “hot” reading processes, standardized instruments that quantify both psycholinguistic and emotional variables at the sublexical, lexical, inter-, and supralexical levels (e.g., phonological iconicity, word valence, arousal-span, or passage suspense) are necessary. One such instrument, the Berlin Affective Word List (BAWL) has been used in over 50 published studies demonstrating effects of lexical emotional variables on all relevant processing levels (experiential, behavioral, neuronal). In this paper, we first present new data from several BAWL studies. Together, these studies examine various views on affective effects in reading arising from dimensional (e.g., valence) and discrete emotion features (e.g., happiness), or embodied cognition features like smelling. Second, we extend our investigation of the complex issue of affective word processing to words characterized by a mixture of affects. These words entail positive and negative valence, and/or features making them beautiful or ugly. Finally, we discuss tentative neurocognitive models of affective word processing in the light of the present results, raising new issues for future studies. PMID:26089808

Site-preference and valency for rare-earth sites in (R-Ce)2Fe14B magnets

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

Alam, Aftab; Khan, Mahmud; McCallum, R. W.

2013-01-28

Rare-earth (R) permanent magnets of R2Fe14B have technological importance due to their high energy products, and they have two R-sites (Wyckoff 4f and 4g, with four-fold multiplicity) that affect chemistry and valence. Designing magnetic behavior and stability via alloying is technologically relevant to reduce critical (expensive) R-content while retaining key properties; cerium, an abundant (cheap) R-element, offers this potential. We calculate magnetic properties and Ce site preference in (R1-xCex)2Fe14B [R=La,Nd] using density functional theory (DFT) methods—including a DFT+U scheme to treat localized 4f-electrons. Fe moments compare well with neutron data—almost unaffected by Hubbard U, and weakly affected by spin-orbit coupling.more » In La2Fe14B, Ce alloys for 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 and prefers smaller R(4f) sites, as observed, a trend we find unaffected by valence. Whereas, in Nd2Fe14B, Ce is predicted to have limited alloying (x ≤ 0.3) with a preference for larger R(4g) sites, resulting in weak partial ordering and segregation. The Curie temperatures versus x for (Nd,Ce) were predicted for a typical sample processing and verified experimentally.« less

Valence of emotions and moral decision-making: increased pleasantness to pleasant images and decreased unpleasantness to unpleasant images are associated with utilitarian choices in healthy adults

PubMed Central

Carmona-Perera, Martina; Martí-García, Celia; Pérez-García, Miguel; Verdejo-García, Antonio

2013-01-01

Moral decision-making is a key asset for humans’ integration in social contexts, and the way we decide about moral issues seems to be strongly influenced by emotions. For example, individuals with deficits in emotional processing tend to deliver more utilitarian choices (accepting an emotionally aversive action in favor of communitarian well-being). However, little is known about the association between emotional experience and moral-related patterns of choice. We investigated whether subjective reactivity to emotional stimuli, in terms of valence, arousal, and dominance, is associated with moral decision-making in 95 healthy adults. They answered to a set of moral and non-moral dilemmas and assessed emotional experience in valence, arousal and dominance dimensions in response to neutral, pleasant, unpleasant non-moral, and unpleasant moral pictures. Results showed significant correlations between less unpleasantness to negative stimuli, more pleasantness to positive stimuli and higher proportion of utilitarian choices. We also found a positive association between higher arousal ratings to negative moral laden pictures and more utilitarian choices. Low dominance was associated with greater perceived difficulty over moral judgment. These behavioral results are in fitting with the proposed role of emotional experience in moral choice. PMID:24133433

Valence of emotions and moral decision-making: increased pleasantness to pleasant images and decreased unpleasantness to unpleasant images are associated with utilitarian choices in healthy adults.

PubMed

Carmona-Perera, Martina; Martí-García, Celia; Pérez-García, Miguel; Verdejo-García, Antonio

2013-01-01

Moral decision-making is a key asset for humans' integration in social contexts, and the way we decide about moral issues seems to be strongly influenced by emotions. For example, individuals with deficits in emotional processing tend to deliver more utilitarian choices (accepting an emotionally aversive action in favor of communitarian well-being). However, little is known about the association between emotional experience and moral-related patterns of choice. We investigated whether subjective reactivity to emotional stimuli, in terms of valence, arousal, and dominance, is associated with moral decision-making in 95 healthy adults. They answered to a set of moral and non-moral dilemmas and assessed emotional experience in valence, arousal and dominance dimensions in response to neutral, pleasant, unpleasant non-moral, and unpleasant moral pictures. Results showed significant correlations between less unpleasantness to negative stimuli, more pleasantness to positive stimuli and higher proportion of utilitarian choices. We also found a positive association between higher arousal ratings to negative moral laden pictures and more utilitarian choices. Low dominance was associated with greater perceived difficulty over moral judgment. These behavioral results are in fitting with the proposed role of emotional experience in moral choice.

Motor planning of goal-directed action is tuned by the emotional valence of the stimulus: a kinematic study.

PubMed

Esteves, P O; Oliveira, L A S; Nogueira-Campos, A A; Saunier, G; Pozzo, T; Oliveira, J M; Rodrigues, E C; Volchan, E; Vargas, C D

2016-07-01

The basic underpinnings of homeostatic behavior include interacting with positive items and avoiding negative ones. As the planning aspects of goal-directed actions can be inferred from their movement features, we investigated the kinematics of interacting with emotion-laden stimuli. Participants were instructed to grasp emotion-laden stimuli and bring them toward their bodies while the kinematics of their wrist movement was measured. The results showed that the time to peak velocity increased for bringing pleasant stimuli towards the body compared to unpleasant and neutral ones, suggesting higher easiness in undertaking the task with pleasant stimuli. Furthermore, bringing unpleasant stimuli towards the body increased movement time in comparison with both pleasant and neutral ones while the time to peak velocity for unpleasant stimuli was the same as for that of neutral stimuli. There was no change in the trajectory length among emotional categories. We conclude that during the "reach-to-grasp" and "bring-to-the-body" movements, the valence of the stimuli affects the temporal but not the spatial kinematic features of motion. To the best of our knowledge, we show for the first time that the kinematic features of a goal-directed action are tuned by the emotional valence of the stimuli.

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex encodes emotional value.

PubMed

Winecoff, Amy; Clithero, John A; Carter, R McKell; Bergman, Sara R; Wang, Lihong; Huettel, Scott A

2013-07-03

The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) plays a critical role in processing appetitive stimuli. Recent investigations have shown that reward value signals in the vmPFC can be altered by emotion regulation processes; however, to what extent the processing of positive emotion relies on neural regions implicated in reward processing is unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of emotion regulation on the valuation of emotionally evocative images. Two independent experimental samples of human participants performed a cognitive reappraisal task while undergoing fMRI. The experience of positive emotions activated the vmPFC, whereas the regulation of positive emotions led to relative decreases in vmPFC activation. During the experience of positive emotions, vmPFC activation tracked participants' own subjective ratings of the valence of stimuli. Furthermore, vmPFC activation also tracked normative valence ratings of the stimuli when participants were asked to experience their emotions, but not when asked to regulate them. A separate analysis of the predictive power of vmPFC on behavior indicated that even after accounting for normative stimulus ratings and condition, increased signal in the vmPFC was associated with more positive valence ratings. These results suggest that the vmPFC encodes a domain-general value signal that tracks the value of not only external rewards, but also emotional stimuli.

Neural evidence for reduced apprehensiveness of familiarized stimuli in a mere exposure paradigm.

PubMed

Zebrowitz, Leslie A; Zhang, Yi

2012-07-01

Mere familiarization with a stimulus increases liking for it or similar stimuli ("mere exposure" effects) as well as perceptual fluency, indexed by the speed and accuracy of categorizing it or similar stimuli ("priming" effects). Candidate mechanisms proposed to explain mere exposure effects include both increased positive affect associated with greater perceptual fluency, and reduced negative affect associated with diminished apprehensiveness of novel stimuli. Although these two mechanisms are not mutually exclusive, it is difficult for behavioral measures to disentangle them, since increased liking or other indices of greater positive affect toward exposed stimuli could result from increases in positive feelings or decreases in negative feelings or both. The present study sought to clarify this issue by building on research showing a dissociation at the neural level in which the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (LOFC) is activated more by negatively valenced than by neutral or positively valenced stimuli, with the reverse effect for medial orbitofrontal cortex (MOFC). Supporting the reduced apprehensiveness hypothesis, we found lower LOFC activation to familiarized faces and objects (repetition suppression). We did not find evidence to support the positive affect hypothesis in increased activation to familiarized stimuli in MOFC or in other parts of the reward circuit that respond more to positively valenced stimuli (repetition enhancement), although enhancement effects were shown in some regions.

Facial Expression Enhances Emotion Perception Compared to Vocal Prosody: Behavioral and fMRI Studies.

PubMed

Zhang, Heming; Chen, Xuhai; Chen, Shengdong; Li, Yansong; Chen, Changming; Long, Quanshan; Yuan, Jiajin

2018-05-09

Facial and vocal expressions are essential modalities mediating the perception of emotion and social communication. Nonetheless, currently little is known about how emotion perception and its neural substrates differ across facial expression and vocal prosody. To clarify this issue, functional MRI scans were acquired in Study 1, in which participants were asked to discriminate the valence of emotional expression (angry, happy or neutral) from facial, vocal, or bimodal stimuli. In Study 2, we used an affective priming task (unimodal materials as primers and bimodal materials as target) and participants were asked to rate the intensity, valence, and arousal of the targets. Study 1 showed higher accuracy and shorter response latencies in the facial than in the vocal modality for a happy expression. Whole-brain analysis showed enhanced activation during facial compared to vocal emotions in the inferior temporal-occipital regions. Region of interest analysis showed a higher percentage signal change for facial than for vocal anger in the superior temporal sulcus. Study 2 showed that facial relative to vocal priming of anger had a greater influence on perceived emotion for bimodal targets, irrespective of the target valence. These findings suggest that facial expression is associated with enhanced emotion perception compared to equivalent vocal prosodies.

Using ERPs to Investigate Valence Processing in the Affect Misattribution Procedure

PubMed Central

Von Gunten, Curtis D.; Bartholow, Bruce D.; Scherer, Laura D.

2016-01-01

The construct validity of the Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP) has been challenged by theories proposing that the task does not actually measure affect misattribution. The current study tested the validity of the AMP as a measure of affect misattribution by examining three components of the event-related potential (ERP) known to be associated with the allocation of motivated attention. Results revealed that ERP amplitudes varied in response to affectively ambiguous targets as a function of the valence of preceding primes. Furthermore, differences in ERP responses to the targets were largely similar to differences in ERPs elicited by the primes. The existence of valence differentiation in both the prime-locked and the target-locked ERPs, along with the similarity in this differentiation, provides evidence that the affective content of the primes is psychologically registered, and that this content influences the processing of the subsequent, evaluatively ambiguous targets, both of which are required if the priming effects found in the AMP are the result of affect misattribution. However, the behavioral priming effect was uncorrelated with ERP amplitudes, leaving some question as to the locus of this effect in the information-processing system. Findings are discussed in light of the strengths and weaknesses of using ERPs to understand the priming effects in the AMP. PMID:27754548

Valenced cues and contexts have different effects on event-based prospective memory.

PubMed

Graf, Peter; Yu, Martin

2015-01-01

This study examined the separate influence and joint influences on event-based prospective memory task performance due to the valence of cues and the valence of contexts. We manipulated the valence of cues and contexts with pictures from the International Affective Picture System. The participants, undergraduate students, showed higher performance when neutral compared to valenced pictures were used for cueing prospective memory. In addition, neutral pictures were more effective as cues when they occurred in a valenced context than in the context of neutral pictures, but the effectiveness of valenced cues did not vary across contexts that differed in valence. The finding of an interaction between cue and context valence indicates that their respective influence on event-based prospective memory task performance cannot be understood in isolation from each other. Our findings are not consistent with by the prevailing view which holds that the scope of attention is broadened and narrowed, respectively, by positively and negatively valenced stimuli. Instead, our findings are more supportive of the recent proposal that the scope of attention is determined by the motivational intensity associated with valenced stimuli. Consistent with this proposal, we speculate that the motivational intensity associated with different retrieval cues determines the scope of attention, that contexts with different valence values determine participants' task engagement, and that prospective memory task performance is determined jointly by attention scope and task engagement.

Valenced Cues and Contexts Have Different Effects on Event-Based Prospective Memory

PubMed Central

Graf, Peter; Yu, Martin

2015-01-01

This study examined the separate influence and joint influences on event-based prospective memory task performance due to the valence of cues and the valence of contexts. We manipulated the valence of cues and contexts with pictures from the International Affective Picture System. The participants, undergraduate students, showed higher performance when neutral compared to valenced pictures were used for cueing prospective memory. In addition, neutral pictures were more effective as cues when they occurred in a valenced context than in the context of neutral pictures, but the effectiveness of valenced cues did not vary across contexts that differed in valence. The finding of an interaction between cue and context valence indicates that their respective influence on event-based prospective memory task performance cannot be understood in isolation from each other. Our findings are not consistent with by the prevailing view which holds that the scope of attention is broadened and narrowed, respectively, by positively and negatively valenced stimuli. Instead, our findings are more supportive of the recent proposal that the scope of attention is determined by the motivational intensity associated with valenced stimuli. Consistent with this proposal, we speculate that the motivational intensity associated with different retrieval cues determines the scope of attention, that contexts with different valence values determine participants’ task engagement, and that prospective memory task performance is determined jointly by attention scope and task engagement. PMID:25647484

Effects of Valenced Media Frames of Cancer Diagnoses and Therapies: Quantifying the Transformation and Establishing of Evaluative Schemas.

PubMed

Guenther, Lars; Froehlich, Klara; Milde, Jutta; Heidecke, Gitte; Ruhrmann, Georg

2015-01-01

Journalists portray health issues within different frames, which may shape news recipients' evaluations, attitudes, and behaviors. As the research on framing continues to face theoretical challenges and methodological concerns, this study examines the transformation and establishing of evaluative schemas, which are steps in the process toward attitudinal change. The study measures recipients' evaluations of actual television clips dealing with cancer diagnoses and cancer therapies. Two valenced (positive vs. negative) media frames were tested in a 3-week online panel (n = 298) using a pretest-posttest design with a German sample. The results offer limited support for the hypothesis that media frames transform participants' schemas, but do not support the hypothesis that new schemas are established in response to media frames. The study also investigates interactions between framing and participants' issue involvement, as well as between framing and topic-specific interest and media use.

Obsessive–compulsive disorder patients have a reduced sense of control on the illusion of control task

PubMed Central

Gillan, Claire M.; Morein-Zamir, Sharon; Durieux, Alice M. S.; Fineberg, Naomi A.; Sahakian, Barbara J.; Robbins, Trevor W.

2014-01-01

There is disagreement regarding the role of perceived control in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). The present study used a traditional illusion of control paradigm (Alloy and Abramson, 1979) to empirically test control estimation in OCD. Twenty-six OCD patients and 26 matched comparison subjects completed an illusion of control task wherein their goal was to attempt to exert control over a light bulb. The density of reinforcement (high, low) and the valence of trials (gain, loss) were experimentally manipulated within subjects. Unbeknownst to participants, the illumination of the light bulb was predetermined and irrespective of their behavior. OCD patients exhibited lower estimates of control compared with healthy comparison subjects. There were no interactions between group and outcome density or group and valence. We found that OCD patients endorse lower estimates of control than comparison subjects. This finding highlights a potential role for contingency learning in the disorder. PMID:24659974

Synthesis and characterization of a multifunctional inorganic-organic hybrid mixed-valence copper(I/II) coordination polymer: {[CuCN][Cu(isonic)2]}n

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Dong-Sheng; Chen, Wen-Tong; Ye, Guang-Ming; Zhang, Jing; Sui, Yan

2017-12-01

A new multifunctional mixed-valence copper(I/II) coordination polymer, {[CuCN][Cu(isonic)2]}n(1) (Hisonic = isonicotinic acid), was synthesized by treating isonicotinic acid and 5-amino-tetrazolate (Hatz = 5-amino-tetrazolate) with copper(II) salts under hydrothermal conditions, and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and single crystal X-ray diffraction, respectively. The X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that compound exhibit noncentrosymmetric polar packing arrangement. It is three-dimensional (3D) framework with (3,5)-connected 'seh-3' topological network constructed from metal organic framework {[Cu(isonic)2]}n and the inorganic linear chain{Cu(CN)}n subunits. A remarkable feature of 1 is the rhombic open channels that are occupied by a linear chain of {Cu(CN)}n. Impressively compound 1 displays not only a second harmonic generation (SHG) response, but also a ferroelectric behavior and magnetic properties.

Effects of Ga substitution on the structural and magnetic properties of half metallic Fe{sub 2}MnSi Heusler compound

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

Pedro, S. S., E-mail: sandrapedro@uerj.br; Caraballo Vivas, R. J.; Andrade, V. M.

2015-01-07

The so-called half-metallic magnets have been proposed as good candidates for spintronic applications due to the feature of exhibiting a hundred percent spin polarization at the Fermi level. Such materials follow the Slater-Pauling rule, which relates the magnetic moment with the valence electrons in the system. In this paper, we study the bulk polycrystalline half-metallic Fe{sub 2}MnSi Heusler compound replacing Si by Ga to determine how the Ga addition changes the magnetic, the structural, and the half-metal properties of this compound. The material does not follow the Slater-Pauling rule, probably due to a minor structural disorder degree in the system,more » but a linear dependence on the magnetic transition temperature with the valence electron number points to the half-metallic behavior of this compound.« less

Study of vibrational modes in CuxAg1-xIn5S8 mixed crystals by infrared reflection measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasanly, N. M.

2018-04-01

Infrared reflection spectra of CuxAg1-xIn5S8 mixed crystals, grown by Bridgman method, were studied in the wide frequency range of 50-2000 cm-1. All four infrared-active modes were detected, which are in full agreement with the prediction of group-theoretical analysis. Real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function, refractive index and the energy losses function were evaluated from reflectivity measurements. The frequencies of TO and LO modes and oscillator strengths were also determined. The bands detected in IR spectra of studied crystals were assigned to various vibration types (valence and valence-deformation) on the basis of the symmetrized displacements of atoms obtained employing the Melvin projection operators. The linear dependencies of optical mode frequencies on the composition of CuxAg1-xIn5S8 mixed crystals were obtained. These dependencies display one-mode behavior.

Nuclear structure properties of the double-charge-exchange transition amplitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auerbach, N.; Zheng, D. C.

1992-03-01

Nuclear structure aspects of the double-charge-exchange (DCX) reaction on nuclei are studied. Using a variety of DCX-type two-body transition operators, we explore the influence of two-body correlations among valence nucleons on the DCX transition amplitudes to the isobaric analog state and to other nonanalog J π=0+ states. In particular, the question of the spin dependence and of the range of the DCX transition operators is explored and the behavior of the transition amplitudes as a function of the valence nucleon number is studied. It is shown that the two-amplitude DCX formula derived by Auerbach, Gibbs, and Piasetzky for a single j n configuration holds also in some cases when configuration mixing is strong. DCX-type transitions from the Ca and Ni isotopes to the Ti and Zn isotopes and from 56Fe to 56Ni are the subject of this study.

A direct evidence of allocating yellow luminescence band in undoped GaN by two-wavelength excited photoluminescence

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

Julkarnain, M., E-mail: s13ds053@mail.saitama-u.ac.jp, E-mail: jnain.apee@ru.ac.bd; Department of Applied Physics and Electronic Engineering, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205; Fukuda, T.

2015-11-23

The behavior of below-gap luminescence of undoped GaN grown by MOCVD has been studied by the scheme of two-wavelength-excited photoluminescence. The emission intensity of shallow donor to valence band transition (I{sub OX}) increased while intensities of donor-acceptor pair transition and the Yellow Luminescence band (YLB) decreased after the irradiation of a below-gap excitation source of 1.17 eV. The conventional energy schemes and recombination models have been considered to explain our experimental result but only one model in which YLB is the transition of a shallow donor to a deep state placed at ∼1 eV above the valence band maximum satisfies our result.more » The defect related parameters that give a qualitative insight in the samples have been evaluated by systematically solving the rate equations and fitting the result with the experiment.« less

Divergent effects of different positive emotions on moral judgment.

PubMed

Strohminger, Nina; Lewis, Richard L; Meyer, David E

2011-05-01

Positive emotions are often treated as relatively similar in their cognitive-behavioral effects, and as having unambiguously beneficial consequences. For example, Valdesolo and DeSteno (2006) reported that a humorous video made people more prone to choose a utilitarian solution to a moral dilemma. They attributed this finding to increased positive affect. To determine whether such results actually stem in general from positive affect or from other more specific properties of humor, we conducted an experiment with moral dilemmas presented during an interleaved emotion-induction procedure involving mirth and another positive emotion, elevation. Mirth increased permissiveness for deontological violations, whereas elevation had the opposite effect. Furthermore, affective valence had no apparent independent influence on these judgments. Our results suggest that mirth and elevation have distinct cognitive consequences whose properties reflect their respective social functions, not their shared positive valence. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mn concentration and quantum size effects on spin-polarized transport through CdMnTe based magnetic resonant tunneling diode.

PubMed

Mnasri, S; Abdi-Ben Nasrallahl, S; Sfina, N; Lazzari, J L; Saïd, M

2012-11-01

Theoretical studies on spin-dependent transport in magnetic tunneling diodes with giant Zeeman splitting of the valence band are carried out. The studied structure consists of two nonmagnetic layers CdMgTe separated by a diluted magnetic semiconductor barrier CdMnTe, the hole is surrounded by two p-doped CdTe layers. Based on the parabolic valence band effective mass approximation and the transfer matrix method, the magnetization and the current densities for holes with spin-up and spin-down are studied in terms of the Mn concentration, the well and barrier thicknesses as well as the voltage. It is found that, the current densities depend strongly on these parameters and by choosing suitable values; this structure can be a good spin filter. Such behaviors are originated from the enhancement and suppression in the spin-dependent resonant states.

Cultural relativity in perceiving emotion from vocalizations

PubMed Central

Gendron, Maria; Roberson, Debi; van der Vyver, Jacoba Marietta; Barrett, Lisa Feldman

2014-01-01

A central question in the study of human behavior is whether or not certain emotions, such as anger, fear and sadness, are recognized across cultures in non-verbal cues. We predicted and found that in a concept-free experimental task, participants from an isolated cultural context (the Himba ethnic group from Northwest Namibia) do not freely label Western vocalizations with expected emotion terms. Responses indicated Himba participants perceived more basic affective properties of valence (positivity or negativity) and to some extent arousal (high or low activation). In a second concept-embedded task, we manipulated whether a given trial could be solved using only affective content or discrete emotion content based on the foil choice. Above chance accuracy in Himba participants occurred only when foils differed from targets in valence, indicating that the voice can reliably convey affective meaning across cultures, but that perceptions of emotion from the voice are culturally variable. PMID:24501109

Disappointment and regret enhance corrugator reactivity in a gambling task.

PubMed

Wu, Yin; Clark, Luke

2015-04-01

This study investigated how the corrugator and zygomaticus respond to decision outcomes (i.e., gains and losses). We used a gambling task in which participants were presented with obtained followed by non-obtained outcomes. Activity at the corrugator site was sensitive to decision outcomes, such that higher obtained losses (disappointment) and higher non-obtained gains (regret) both heightened corrugator reactivity. Activity at the zygomaticus site was not responsive to obtained or non-obtained outcomes, but did show sensitivity to emotional images in the same participants, in the form of a positive linear relationship with self-reported emotional valence. Corrugator activity was negatively related to emotional valence. The findings indicate the sensitivity of corrugator to objective decision outcomes and also counterfactual comparisons, highlighting the utility of facial electromyography in research on decision making and gambling behavior. © 2014 The Authors. Psychophysiology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Sleep deprivation affects reactivity to positive but not negative stimuli.

PubMed

Pilcher, June J; Callan, Christina; Posey, J Laura

2015-12-01

The current study examined the effects of partial and total sleep deprivation on emotional reactivity. Twenty-eight partially sleep-deprived participants and 31 totally sleep-deprived participants rated their valence and arousal responses to positive and negative pictures across four testing sessions during the day following partial sleep deprivation or during the night under total sleep deprivation. The results suggest that valence and arousal ratings decreased under both sleep deprivation conditions. In addition, partial and total sleep deprivation had a greater negative effect on positive events than negative events. These results suggest that sleep-deprived persons are more likely to respond less to positive events than negative events. One explanation for the current findings is that negative events could elicit more attentive behavior and thus stable responding under sleep deprivation conditions. As such, sleep deprivation could impact reactivity to emotional stimuli through automated attentional and self-regulatory processes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The blunt-edged sword: genetic explanations of misbehavior neither mitigate nor aggravate punishment

PubMed Central

Scurich, Nicholas; Appelbaum, Paul

2015-01-01

Links between genetic variants and negatively valenced behaviors have stimulated intense commentary about the implications for responsibility and punishment. Previous research has suggested that behavioral genetic evidence of a predisposition to negative behaviors has modest to no impact on mitigation of punishment, at least for serious crimes. Data are presented on the effect of such evidence in a representative sample of the general population (n = 640) asked to consider three vignettes describing lesser offenses, dealt with in less formal adjudicatory settings and in everyday life. Genetic explanations of behavior had no effect on the severity of the punishment selected in any case, in contrast to the egregiousness of the behavior and respondents’ beliefs in free-will. Public views of genetic influences on behavior may be less deterministic and more nuanced than is often thought, or genetic explanations may simply not have the salience for decision makers that is frequently attributed to them. PMID:27239327

Does Valence Matter? Effects of Negativity on Children's Early Understanding of the Truth and Lies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wandrey, Lindsay; Quas, Jodi A.; Lyon, Thomas D.

2012-01-01

Early deceptive behavior often involves acts of wrongdoings on the part of children. As a result, it has often been assumed, although not tested directly, that children are better at identifying lies about wrongdoing than lies about other activities. We tested this assumption in two studies. In Study 1, 67 3- to 5-year-olds viewed vignettes in…

Direct observation of pure pentavalent uranium in U2O5 thin films by high resolution photoemission spectroscopy.

PubMed

Gouder, T; Eloirdi, R; Caciuffo, R

2018-05-29

Thin films of the elusive intermediate uranium oxide U 2 O 5 have been prepared by exposing UO 3 precursor multilayers to atomic hydrogen. Electron photoemission spectra measured about the uranium 4f core-level doublet contain sharp satellites separated by 7.9(1) eV from the 4f main lines, whilst satellites characteristics of the U(IV) and U(VI) oxidation states, expected respectively at 6.9(1) and 9.7(1) eV from the main 4f lines, are absent. This shows that uranium ions in the films are in a pure pentavalent oxidation state, in contrast to previous investigations of binary oxides claiming that U(V) occurs only as a metastable intermediate state coexisting with U(IV) and U(VI) species. The ratio between the 5f valence band and 4f core-level uranium photoemission intensities decreases by about 50% from UO 2 to U 2 O 5 , which is consistent with the 5f  2 (UO 2 ) and 5f  1 (U 2 O 5 ) electronic configurations of the initial state. Our studies conclusively establish the stability of uranium pentoxide.

Theoretical study of bismuth-doped cadmium telluride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menendez-Proupin, E.; Rios-Gonzalez, J. A.; Pena, J. L.

Cadmium telluride heavily doped with bismuth has been proposed as an absorber with an intermediate band for solar cells. Increase in the photocurrent has been shown recently, although the overall cell efficiency has not improved. In this work, we study the electronic structure and the formation energies of the defects associated to bismuth impurities. We have performed electronic structure calculations within generalized density functional theory, using the exchange-correlation functional HSE(w) , where the range-separation parameter w has been tuned to reproduce the CdTe bandgap. Improving upon previous reports, we have included the spin-orbit interaction, which modifies the structure of the valence band and the energy levels of bismuth. We have found that interstitial Bi (Bii) tends to occupy Cd vacancies, cadmium substitution (BiCd) creates single donor level, while tellurium substitution (BiTe) is a shallow single acceptor. We investigate the interaction between these point defects and how can they be combined to create a partially filled intermediate band. Supported by FONDECYT Grant 1130437, CONACYT-SENER SUSTENTABILIDAD ENERGETICA/project CeMIE-Sol PY-207450/25 and PY-207450/26. JARG acknowledges CONACYT fellowship for research visit. Powered@NLHPC (ECM-02).

Ferromagnetic and photocatalytic behaviors observed in Ca-doped BiFeO3 nanofibres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Yan-Nan; Wang, Huan-Chun; Luo, Yi-Dong; Shen, Yang; Lin, Yuan-Hua

2013-04-01

Ca-doped BiFeO3 nanofibres have been fabricated by electrospinning method. Our results indicate that phase transition from space group R3c to C222 can be observed by the Ca doping. These BiFeO3 nanofibres show obvious room temperature ferromagnetic behaviors, and saturation magnetization can be enhanced with the Ca-doping concentration increasing, which could be correlated with the variation of the ratio of Fe2+/Fe3+ valence state. The BiFeO3 nanofibres show obvious photocatalytic performance and can be improved by the Ca-doping.

Magnetic Ordering in Sr 3YCo 4O 10+x

DOE PAGES

Kishida, Takayoshi; Kapetanakis, Myron D.; Yan, Jiaqiang; ...

2016-01-28

Transition-metal oxides often exhibit complex magnetic behavior due to the strong interplay between atomic-structure, electronic and magnetic degrees of freedom. Cobaltates, especially, exhibit complex behavior because of cobalt’s ability to adopt various valence and spin state configurations. The case of the oxygen-deficient perovskite Sr 3YCo 4O 10+x (SYCO) has gained considerable attention because of persisting uncertainties about its structure and the origin of the observed room temperature ferromagnetism. Here we report a combined investigation of SYCO using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and density functional theory calculations.

Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the series of double perovskites (Ca , Sr) 2 - xLaxFeIrO6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bufaiçal, L.; Adriano, C.; Lora-Serrano, R.; Duque, J. G. S.; Mendonça-Ferreira, L.; Rojas-Ayala, C.; Baggio-Saitovitch, E.; Bittar, E. M.; Pagliuso, P. G.

2014-04-01

Polycrystalline samples of the series of double perovskites Sr2-xLaxFeIrO6 were synthesized. Their structural, electronic and magnetic properties were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity and electrical resistivity experiments. The compounds crystallize in a monoclinic structure and were fitted in space group P21 / n, with a significant degree of Fe/Ir cationic disorder. As in Ca2-xLaxFeIrO6 the Sr-based system seems to evolve from an antiferromagnetic ground state for the end members (x=0.0 and x=2.0) to a ferrimagnetic order in the intermediate regions (x ~ 1). Since Mössbauer spectra indicate that Fe valence remains 3+ with doping, this tendency of change in the nature of the microscopic interaction could be attributed to Ir valence changes, induced by La3+ electrical doping. Upon comparing both Ca and Sr series, Sr2-xLaxFeIrO6 is more structurally homogenous and presents higher magnetization and transition temperatures. Magnetic susceptibility measurements at high temperatures on Sr1.2La0.8FeIrO6 indicate a very high ferrimagnetic Curie temperature TC ~ 700 K. For the Sr2FeIrO6 compound, electrical resistivity experiments under applied pressure suggest that this material might be a Mott insulator.

A computational study on the photoelectric properties of various Bi2O3 polymorphs as visible-light driven photocatalysts.

PubMed

Wang, Fang; Cao, Kun; Zhang, Qian; Gong, Xuedong; Zhou, Ying

2014-11-01

This paper presents first-principle studies on the photoelectric properties of various Bi2O3 polymorphs. The intrinsic reason of different photocatalytic activities was revealed by electronic structures and optical features. Results showed that for α, β, and γ-Bi2O3, the top of valence bands were mainly constructed by Bi6s and O2p orbitals, and the bottom of conduction bands were dominantly composed by Bi6p orbital. However, two intermediate bands were found at the Fermi level for γ-Bi2O3, which leads to a two-step transition from the top of valence band to the bottom of conduction band and facilitates electron transition under irradiation. Absent forbidden gap was found in δ-Bi2O3, resulting in a semimetallic character due to its intrinsic oxygen vacancy and high ionic conductivity. Moreover, the optical properties of α, β, and γ-Bi2O3 were investigated by absorption spectrum, dielectric constant function, and energy loss spectroscopy. We concluded that the photocatalytic activities followed in the order of γ-Bi2O3 > β-Bi2O3 > α-Bi2O3, in accord with the experimental report. Calculation results illustrated the experimental observations and provided a useful guidance in exploring promising visible-light semiconductor photocatalysts.

The semantics of emotion in false memory.

PubMed

Brainerd, C J; Bookbinder, S H

2018-03-26

The emotional valence of target information has been a centerpiece of recent false memory research, but in most experiments, it has been confounded with emotional arousal. We sought to clarify the results of such research by identifying a shared mathematical relation between valence and arousal ratings in commonly administered normed materials. That relation was then used to (a) decide whether arousal as well as valence influences false memory when they are confounded and to (b) determine whether semantic properties that are known to affect false memory covary with valence and arousal ratings. In Study 1, we identified a quadratic relation between valence and arousal ratings of words and pictures that has 2 key properties: Arousal increases more rapidly as function of negative valence than positive valence, and hence, a given level of negative valence is more arousing than the same level of positive valence. This quadratic function predicts that if arousal as well as valence affects false memory when they are confounded, false memory data must have certain fine-grained properties. In Study 2, those properties were absent from norming data for the Cornell-Cortland Emotional Word Lists, indicating that valence but not arousal affects false memory in those norms. In Study 3, we tested fuzzy-trace theory's explanation of that pattern: that valence ratings are positively related to semantic properties that are known to increase false memory, but arousal ratings are not. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Stigma models: Testing hypotheses of how images of Nevada are acquired and values are attached to them

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

Jenkins-Smith, H.C.

1994-12-01

This report analyzes data from surveys on the effects that images associated with nuclear power and waste (i.e., nuclear images) have on people`s preference to vacation in Nevada. The analysis was stimulated by a model of imagery and stigma which assumes that information about a potentially hazardous facility generates signals that elicit negative images about the place in which it is located. Individuals give these images negative values (valences) that lessen their desire to vacation, relocate, or retire in that place. The model has been used to argue that the proposed Yucca Mountain high-level nuclear waste repository could elicit imagesmore » of nuclear waste that would stigmatize Nevada and thus impose substantial economic losses there. This report proposes a revised model that assumes that the acquisition and valuation of images depend on individuals` ideological and cultural predispositions and that the ways in which new images will affect their preferences and behavior partly depend on these predispositions. The report tests these hypotheses: (1) individuals with distinct cultural and ideological predispositions have different propensities for acquiring nuclear images, (2) these people attach different valences to these images, (3) the variations in these valences are important, and (4) the valences of the different categories of images within an individual`s image sets for a place correlate very well. The analysis largely confirms these hypotheses, indicating that the stigma model should be revised to (1) consider the relevant ideological and cultural predispositions of the people who will potentially acquire and attach value to the image, (2) specify the kinds of images that previously attracted people to the host state, and (3) consider interactions between the old and potential new images of the place. 37 refs., 18 figs., 17 tabs.« less

What is in the feedback? Effect of induced happiness vs. sadness on probabilistic learning with vs. without exploration.

PubMed

Bakic, Jasmina; De Raedt, Rudi; Jepma, Marieke; Pourtois, Gilles

2015-01-01

According to dominant neuropsychological theories of affect, emotions signal salience of events and in turn facilitate a wide spectrum of response options or action tendencies. Valence of an emotional experience is pivotal here, as it alters reward and punishment processing, as well as the balance between safety and risk taking, which can be translated into changes in the exploration-exploitation trade-off during reinforcement learning (RL). To test this idea, we compared the behavioral performance of three groups of participants that all completed a variant of a standard probabilistic learning task, but who differed regarding which mood state was actually induced and maintained (happy, sad or neutral). To foster a change from an exploration to an exploitation-based mode, we removed feedback information once learning was reliably established. Although changes in mood were successful, learning performance was balanced between the three groups. Critically, when focusing on exploitation-driven learning only, they did not differ either. Moreover, mood valence did not alter the learning rate or exploration per se, when titrated using complementing computational modeling. By comparing systematically these results to our previous study (Bakic et al., 2014), we found that arousal levels did differ between studies, which might account for limited modulatory effects of (positive) mood on RL in the present case. These results challenge the assumption that mood valence alone is enough to create strong shifts in the way exploitation or exploration is eventually carried out during (probabilistic) learning. In this context, we discuss the possibility that both valence and arousal are actually necessary components of the emotional mood state to yield changes in the use and exploration of incentives cues during RL.

Intranasal oxytocin impedes the ability to ignore task-irrelevant facial expressions of sadness in students with depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Ellenbogen, Mark A; Linnen, Anne-Marie; Cardoso, Christopher; Joober, Ridha

2013-03-01

The administration of oxytocin promotes prosocial behavior in humans. The mechanism by which this occurs is unknown, but it likely involves changes in social information processing. In a randomized placebo-controlled study, we examined the influence of intranasal oxytocin and placebo on the interference control component of inhibition (i.e. ability to ignore task-irrelevant information) in 102 participants using a negative affective priming task with sad, angry, and happy faces. In this task, participants are instructed to respond to a facial expression of emotion while simultaneously ignoring another emotional face. On the subsequent trial, the previously-ignored emotional valence may become the emotional valence of the target face. Inhibition is operationalized as the differential delay between responding to a previously-ignored emotional valence and responding to an emotional valence unrelated to the previous one. Although no main effect of drug administration on inhibition was observed, a drug × depressive symptom interaction (β = -0.25; t = -2.6, p < 0.05) predicted the inhibition of sad faces. Relative to placebo, participants with high depression scores who were administered oxytocin were unable to inhibit the processing of sad faces. There was no relationship between drug administration and inhibition among those with low depression scores. These findings are consistent with increasing evidence that oxytocin alters social information processing in ways that have both positive and negative social outcomes. Because elevated depression scores are associated with an increased risk for major depressive disorder, difficulties inhibiting mood-congruent stimuli following oxytocin administration may be associated with risk for depression. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of average valence and valence electron distribution of several oxides using X-ray photoelectron spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, L. L.; Wu, L. Q.; Ge, X. S.; Du, Y. N.; Qian, J. J.; Tang, G. D.; Zhong, W.

2018-06-01

X-ray photoelectron spectra of the O 1s electrons of MnFe2O4, ZnFe2O4, ZnO, and CaO were used to estimate the average valence, ValO, of the oxygen anions in these samples. The absolute values of ValO for these samples were found to be distinctly lower than the traditional value of 2.0, suggesting that the total average valences of the cations are also lower than the conventionally accepted values owing to valence balance in the compounds. In addition, we analyzed the valence band spectra of the samples and investigated the distribution characteristics of the valence electrons.

Pressure dependence of Ce valence in CeRhIn 5

DOE PAGES

Brubaker, Z. E.; Stillwell, R. L.; Chow, P.; ...

2017-12-14

We have studied the Ce valence as a function of pressure in CeRhIn5 at 300 K and at 22 K using x-ray absorption spectroscopy in partial fluorescent yield mode. At room temperature, we found no detectable change in Ce valence greater than 0.01 up to a pressure of 5.5 GPa. At 22 K, the valence remains robust against pressure below 6 GPa, in contrast to the predicted valence crossover at P = 2.35 GPa. In conclusion, this work yields an upper limit for the change in Ce-valence and suggests that the critical valence fluctuation scenario, in its current form, ismore » unlikely.« less

Ba2F2Fe(1.5)Se3: An Intergrowth Compound Containing Iron Selenide Layers.

PubMed

Driss, Dalel; Janod, Etienne; Corraze, Benoit; Guillot-Deudon, Catherine; Cario, Laurent

2016-03-21

The iron selenide compound Ba2F2Fe(1.5)Se3 was synthesized by a high-temperature ceramic method. The single-crystal X-ray structure determination revealed a layered-like structure built on [Ba2F2](2+) layers of the fluorite type and iron selenide layers [Fe(1.5)Se3](2-). These [Fe1.5Se3](2-) layers contain iron in two valence states, namely, Fe(II+) and Fe(III+) located in octahedral and tetrahedral sites, respectively. Magnetic measurements are consistent with a high-spin state for Fe(II+) and an intermediate-spin state for Fe(III+). Moreover, susceptibility and resistivity measurements demonstrate that Ba2F2Fe(1.5)Se3 is an antiferromagnetic insulator.

Peculiar hydrogenation process of Ce2Ni2Ga

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwasieczko, Wacław; Kaczorowski, Dariusz

2017-02-01

Hydrogenation studies were carried out on the compound Ce2Ni2Ga that was described in the literature as an intermediate valence system. The alloy was found to absorb hydrogen very easily already at room temperature under pressure less than 0.1 MPa forming hydrides Ce2Ni2GaHx with x up 5.9, which are however multiphase and contain CeH2+δ and some other undisclosed phases. Analyses of the X-ray diffraction and magnetic data revealed that decomposition of the parent compound occurs immediately after its exposure to hydrogen. Synthesis under hydrogen pressure of 3 MPa at 470 K resulted in amorphous material with x=7.3. The Ce2Ni2GaHx system was found to exhibit a HDDR (hydrogenation, disproportionation, desorption, recombination) process.

Pressure-Induced Structural Phase Transition in CeNi: X-ray and Neutron Scattering Studies and First-Principles Calculations

DOE PAGES

Mirmelstein, A.; Podlesnyak, Andrey A.; dos Santos, Antonio M.; ...

2015-08-03

The pressure-induced structural phase transition in the intermediate-valence compound CeNi has been investigated by x-ray and neutron powder diffraction techniques. It is shown that the structure of the pressure-induced CeNi phase (phases) can be described in terms of the Pnma space group. Equations of state for CeNi on both sides of the phase transition are derived and an approximate P-T phase diagram is suggested for P<8 GPa and T<300 K. The observed Cmcm→Pnma structural transition is then analyzed using density functional theory calculations, which successfully reproduce the ground state volume, the phase transition pressure, and the volume collapse associated withmore » the phase transition.« less

Effect of electron count and chemical complexity in the Ta-Nb-Hf-Zr-Ti high-entropy alloy superconductor.

PubMed

von Rohr, Fabian; Winiarski, Michał J; Tao, Jing; Klimczuk, Tomasz; Cava, Robert Joseph

2016-11-15

High-entropy alloys are made from random mixtures of principal elements on simple lattices, stabilized by a high mixing entropy. The recently discovered body-centered cubic (BCC) Ta-Nb-Hf-Zr-Ti high-entropy alloy superconductor appears to display properties of both simple crystalline intermetallics and amorphous materials; e.g., it has a well-defined superconducting transition along with an exceptional robustness against disorder. Here we show that the valence electron count dependence of the superconducting transition temperature in the high-entropy alloy falls between those of analogous simple solid solutions and amorphous materials and test the effect of alloy complexity on the superconductivity. We propose high-entropy alloys as excellent intermediate systems for studying superconductivity as it evolves between crystalline and amorphous materials.

Electron scattering in large water clusters from photoelectron imaging with high harmonic radiation.

PubMed

Gartmann, Thomas E; Hartweg, Sebastian; Ban, Loren; Chasovskikh, Egor; Yoder, Bruce L; Signorell, Ruth

2018-06-06

Low-energy electron scattering in water clusters (H2O)n with average cluster sizes of n < 700 is investigated by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy using high harmonic radiation at photon energies of 14.0, 20.3, and 26.5 eV for ionization from the three outermost valence orbitals. The measurements probe the evolution of the photoelectron anisotropy parameter β as a function of cluster size. A remarkably steep decrease of β with increasing cluster size is observed, which for the largest clusters reaches liquid bulk values. Detailed electron scattering calculations reveal that neither gas nor condensed phase scattering can explain the cluster data. Qualitative agreement between experiment and simulations is obtained with scattering calculations that treat cluster scattering as an intermediate case between gas and condensed phase scattering.

Making sense of sexual orientation measures: findings from a cognitive processing study with adolescents on health survey questions.

PubMed

Austin, S Bryn; Conron, Kerith; Patel, Aarti; Freedner, Naomi

2007-01-01

To carry out a study using cognitive processing interview methods to explore ways in which adolescents understand sexual orientation questions currently used on epidemiologic surveys. In-depth, individual interviews were conducted to probe cognitive processes involved in answering four self-report survey questions assessing sexual identity, sexual attraction, and sex of sexual partners.A semi-structured interview guide was used to explore variation in question interpretation, information retrieval patterns and problems, item clarity, valence of reactions to items (positive, negative, neutral), respondent burden, and perceived threat associated with the measures. Thirty adolescents aged 15 to 21 of diverse sexual orientations and race/ethnicities participated in the study, including female, male, and transgender youth. A question on sexual attraction was the most consistently understood and thus was easy for nearly all youth to answer. In contrast, a measure of sexual identity with options heterosexual, bisexual, gay/lesbian, and unsure was the most difficult to answer. Most preferred a sexual identity item that also provided the intermediate options mostly heterosexual and mostly homosexual, which many said reflected their experience of feeling between categories. Participants had varying and inconsistent interpretations of sexual behavior terms, such as sex and sexual intercourse, used in assessing the sex of sexual partners. Differences in understanding could affect interpretation of survey data in important ways. Development of valid measures of sexual orientation will be essential to better monitor health disparities.

Adolescents' responses to the gender valence of cigarette advertising imagery: the role of affect and the self-concept.

PubMed

Shadel, William G; Niaura, Raymond; Abrams, David B

2004-12-01

The studies presented in this manuscript evaluated the role that affect and the self-concept play in adolescent never smokers' reactions to the gender valence of cigarette advertising imagery. Study 1 (n=29; 59% female) revealed that adolescent females have more positive affective reactions to female-valenced cigarette advertising imagery compared to male-valenced cigarette advertising imagery. Study 2 (n=101; 56% female) revealed that adolescent females viewed female-valenced cigarette advertising imagery as more relevant to their self-concepts compared to male-valenced cigarette advertising imagery. Across both studies, male adolescents did not respond differently as a function of the gender valence of cigarette advertising imagery. Thus, female-valenced cigarette advertising imagery may have specific effects on never smoking female adolescents by enhancing positive affect and suggesting that women who smoke hold the same characteristics as do the young women themselves.

Mixed valency and site-preference chemistry for cerium and its compounds: A predictive density-functional theory study

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

Alam, Aftab; Johnson, Duane D.

Cerium and its technologically relevant compounds are examples of anomalous mixed valency, originating from two competing oxidation states—itinerant Ce4+ and localized Ce3+. Under applied stress, anomalous transitions are observed but not well understood. Here we treat mixed valency as an “alloy” problem involving two valences with competing and numerous site-occupancy configurations. We use density-functional theory with Hubbard U (i.e., DFT+U) to evaluate the effective valence and predict properties, including controlling the valence by pseudoternary alloying. For Ce and its compounds, such as (Ce,La)2(Fe,Co)14B permanent magnets, we find a stable mixed-valent α state near the spectroscopic value of νs=3.53. Ce valencymore » in compounds depends on its steric volume and local chemistry. For La doping, Ce valency shifts towards γ-like Ce3+, as expected from steric volume; for Co doping, valency depends on local Ce-site chemistry and steric volume. Our approach captures the key origins of anomalous valency and site-preference chemistry in complex compounds.« less

Emotional valence and contextual affordances flexibly shape approach-avoidance movements

PubMed Central

Saraiva, Ana Carolina; Schüür, Friederike; Bestmann, Sven

2013-01-01

Behavior is influenced by the emotional content—or valence—of stimuli in our environment. Positive stimuli facilitate approach, whereas negative stimuli facilitate defensive actions such as avoidance (flight) and attack (fight). Facilitation of approach or avoidance movements may also be influenced by whether it is the self that moves relative to a stimulus (self-reference) or the stimulus that moves relative to the self (object-reference), adding flexibility and context-dependence to behavior. Alternatively, facilitation of approach avoidance movements may happen in a pre-defined and muscle-specific way, whereby arm flexion is faster to approach positive (e.g., flexing the arm brings a stimulus closer) and arm extension faster to avoid negative stimuli (e.g., extending the arm moves the stimulus away). While this allows for relatively fast responses, it may compromise the flexibility offered by contextual influences. Here we asked under which conditions approach-avoidance actions are influenced by contextual factors (i.e., reference-frame). We manipulated the reference-frame in which actions occurred by asking participants to move a symbolic manikin (representing the self) toward or away from a positive or negative stimulus, and move a stimulus toward or away from the manikin. We also controlled for the type of movements used to approach or avoid in each reference. We show that the reference-frame influences approach-avoidance actions to emotional stimuli, but additionally we find muscle-specificity for negative stimuli in self-reference contexts. We speculate this muscle-specificity may be a fast and adaptive response to threatening stimuli. Our results confirm that approach-avoidance behavior is flexible and reference-frame dependent, but can be muscle-specific depending on the context and valence of the stimulus. Reference-frame and stimulus-evaluation are key factors in guiding approach-avoidance behavior toward emotional stimuli in our environment. PMID:24379794

Individual response differences in spider phobia: comparing phobic and non-phobic women of different reactivity levels.

PubMed

Knopf, Kerstin; Pössel, Patrick

2009-01-01

In contrast to previous stress research, studies concerning phobic disorders have never systematically investigated individual response differences between phobic participants integrating numerous different response measures. The aim of this article is to clarify the existence of significant individual response differences in psychophysiological responses (e.g., heart rate, skin conductance responses (SCR), corrugator, cortisol), subjective ratings (e.g., valence, arousal), and avoidance behavior in 46 spider phobic and 44 non-phobic women when exposed to 20 phobic and 20 neutral pictures. Previous studies that did not attend to individual response differences showed that, during phobic stimulation, phobic individuals have increased psychophysiological responses (heart rate, SCR, and corrugator responses), more negative valence rating, and more subjective arousal than non-phobic individuals. These results were confirmed by our data. With regard to individual response uniqueness, 1/3-2/3 of spider-phobic women with low responsiveness in heart rate, cortisol, and avoidance behavior were indistinguishable from non-phobic women during phobic stimulation. With SCR, corrugator EMG, and subjective ratings, no individual response uniqueness was found. Based on the findings, exposure therapy might be improved by tailoring interventions to individuals with a therapeutic focus on those psychophysiological measures that show the highest individual responsivity.

Spatiotemporal neural dynamics of moral judgment: A high-density ERP study

PubMed Central

Yoder, Keith J.

2014-01-01

Morality is a pervasive aspect of human nature across all cultures, and neuroscience investigations are necessary for identifying what computational mechanisms underpin moral cognition. The current study used high-density ERPs to examine how moral evaluations are mediated by automatic and controlled processes as well as how quickly information and causal-intentional representations can be extracted when viewing morally laden behavior. The study also explored the extent to which individual dispositions in affective and cognitive empathy as well as justice sensitivity influence the encoding of moral valence when healthy participants make moral judgments about prosocial (interpersonal assistance) and antisocial (interpersonal harm) actions. Moral judgment differences were reflected in differential amplitudes for components associated with cognitive appraisal (LPP) as well as early components associated with emotional salience (N1 and N2). Moreover, source estimation was performed to indicate potential neural generators. A posterior-to-anterior shift was observed, with current density peaks first in right inferior parietal cortex (at the temporoparietal junction), then later in medial prefrontal cortex. Cognitive empathy scores predicted behavioral ratings of blame as well as differential amplitudes in LPP and component activity at posterior sites. Overall, this study offers important insights into the temporal unfolding of moral evaluations, including when in time individual differences in empathy influence neural encoding of moral valence. PMID:24905282

Experimental investigation of cognitive and affective empathy in borderline personality disorder: Effects of ambiguity in multimodal social information processing.

PubMed

Niedtfeld, Inga

2017-07-01

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by affective instability and interpersonal problems. In the context of social interaction, impairments in empathy are proposed to result in inadequate social behavior. In contrast to findings of reduced cognitive empathy, some authors suggested enhanced emotional empathy in BPD. It was investigated whether ambiguity leads to decreased cognitive or emotional empathy in BPD. Thirty-four patients with BPD and thirty-two healthy controls were presented with video clips, which were presented through prosody, facial expression, and speech content. Experimental conditions were designed to induce ambiguity by presenting neutral valence in one of these communication channels. Subjects were asked to indicate the actors' emotional valence, their decision confidence, and their own emotional state. BPD patients showed increased emotional empathy when neutral stories comprised nonverbally expressed emotions. In contrast, when all channels were emotional, patients showed lower emotional empathy than healthy controls. Regarding cognitive empathy, there were no significant differences between BPD patients and healthy control subjects in recognition accuracy, but reduced decision confidence in BPD. These results suggest that patients with BPD show altered emotional empathy, experiencing higher rates of emotional contagion when emotions are expressed nonverbally. The latter may contribute to misunderstandings and inadequate social behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnetization reversal in orthorhombic Sr-doped LaFe0.5Cr0.5O3–δ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coutinho, P. V.; Moreno, N. O.; Ochoa, E. A.; da Costa, M. E. H. Maia; Barrozo, Petrucio

2018-06-01

In this paper we studied the reversal magnetization of La1‑x Sr x Fe0.5Cr0.5O3‑δ (x  =  0, 0.1 and 0.2) samples produced by combustion synthesis. The structural analysis was carried out by x-ray diffraction with Rietveld analysis. These analyses revealed that all samples have an orthorhombic structure with space group Pbnm (62) and that the Sr-doping induces a decrease of the lattice parameter. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicates that the Sr-doping favor the change of the valence states of the Fe3+ to Fe4+. The magnetization as a function of the temperature reveals an unusual magnetic behavior with a reversal of magnetization. The increase of the Sr content induces a decrease of the temperature where occurs an inversion of the magnetization and do the value of the magnetization at 5 K more negative. This effect is attributed to the increase of the concentration of Fe4+ with increasing of the Sr content. The Fe and Cr with a valence of 4+  act as paramagnetic impurities in the antiferromagnetic lattice and are responsible for the changes in the magnetic behavior.

Emotion and goal-directed behavior: ERP evidence on cognitive and emotional conflict

PubMed Central

Kanske, Philipp; Obermeier, Christian; Schröger, Erich; Kotz, Sonja A.

2015-01-01

Cognitive control supports goal-directed behavior by resolving conflict among opposing action tendencies. Emotion can trigger cognitive control processes, thus speeding up conflict processing when the target dimension of stimuli is emotional. However, it is unclear what role emotionality of the target dimension plays in the processing of emotional conflict (e.g. in irony). In two EEG experiments, we compared the influence of emotional valence of the target (emotional, neutral) in cognitive and emotional conflict processing. To maximally approximate real-life communication, we used audiovisual stimuli. Participants either categorized spoken vowels (cognitive conflict) or their emotional valence (emotional conflict), while visual information was congruent or incongruent. Emotional target dimension facilitated both cognitive and emotional conflict processing, as shown in a reduced reaction time conflict effect. In contrast, the N100 in the event-related potentials showed a conflict-specific reversal: the conflict effect was larger for emotional compared with neutral trials in cognitive conflict and smaller in emotional conflict. Additionally, domain-general conflict effects were observed in the P200 and N200 responses. The current findings confirm that emotions have a strong influence on cognitive and emotional conflict processing. They also highlight the complexity and heterogeneity of the interaction of emotion with different types of conflict. PMID:25925271

The neural dynamics of updating person impressions

PubMed Central

Cai, Yang; Todorov, Alexander

2013-01-01

Person perception is a dynamic, evolving process. Because other people are an endless source of social information, people need to update their impressions of others based upon new information. We devised an fMRI study to identify brain regions involved in updating impressions. Participants saw faces paired with valenced behavioral information and were asked to form impressions of these individuals. Each face was seen five times in a row, each time with a different behavioral description. Critically, for half of the faces the behaviors were evaluatively consistent, while for the other half they were inconsistent. In line with prior work, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) was associated with forming impressions of individuals based on behavioral information. More importantly, a whole-brain analysis revealed a network of other regions associated with updating impressions of individuals who exhibited evaluatively inconsistent behaviors, including rostrolateral PFC, superior temporal sulcus, right inferior parietal lobule and posterior cingulate cortex. PMID:22490923

On pleasure and thrill: the interplay between arousal and valence during visual word recognition.

PubMed

Recio, Guillermo; Conrad, Markus; Hansen, Laura B; Jacobs, Arthur M

2014-07-01

We investigated the interplay between arousal and valence in the early processing of affective words. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants read words organized in an orthogonal design with the factors valence (positive, negative, neutral) and arousal (low, medium, high) in a lexical decision task. We observed faster reaction times for words of positive valence and for those of high arousal. Data from ERPs showed increased early posterior negativity (EPN) suggesting improved visual processing of these conditions. Valence effects appeared for medium and low arousal and were absent for high arousal. Arousal effects were obtained for neutral and negative words but were absent for positive words. These results suggest independent contributions of arousal and valence at early attentional stages of processing. Arousal effects preceded valence effects in the ERP data suggesting that arousal serves as an early alert system preparing a subsequent evaluation in terms of valence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Motivation but not valence modulates neuroticism-dependent cingulate cortex and insula activity.

PubMed

Deng, Yaling; Li, Shijia; Zhou, Renlai; Walter, Martin

2018-04-01

Neuroticism has been found to specifically modulate amygdala activations during differential processing of valence and motivation while other brain networks yet are unexplored for associated effects. The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether neural mechanisms processing valence or motivation are prone to neuroticism in the salience network (SN), a network that is anchored in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the anterior insula. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and an approach/avoid emotional pictures task to investigate brain activations modulated by pictures' valence or motivational status between high and low neurotic individuals. We found that neuroticism-dependent SN and the parahippocampal-fusiform area activations were modulated by motivation but not valence. Valence in contrast interacted with neuroticism in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex. We suggested that neuroticism modulated valence and motivation processing, however, under the influence of the two distinct networks. Neuroticism modulated the motivation through the SN while it modulated the valence through the orbitofrontal networks. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Functional perspectives on emotion, behavior, and cognition.

PubMed

Lench, Heather C; Darbor, Kathleen E; Berg, Logan A

2013-12-01

This Editorial reviews the challenges and advantages posed by a functional perspective on the relationships among emotion, behavior, and cognition. We identify the core themes among the articles published as part of this Special Issue. The articles generally address two important questions: (1) are emotions functional and what is their impact on behavioral and cognitive processes, and (2) how do the interactions among emotion, cognition, and behavior play out in particular situations that present adaptive challenges? We also identify two core questions raised by the articles included in this Special Issue. Future research must address the extent to which emotions are best represented as discrete emotional constructs (e.g., anger, sadness, fear) versus emotions that vary along dimensions, such as valence and arousal. Functional perspectives would also be facilitated by identification of situations or environments that are likely to elicit particular emotions and reactions.

Quatenary structure of methemoglobin II. Pulse radiolysis study of the binding of oxygen to the valence-hybrid. Progress report, December 1, 1978-November 30, 1979

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

Chevion, M; Ilan, Y A; Samuni, A

1979-01-01

The pulse-radiolysis of solutions of adult human methemoglobin was used in order to reduce a single heme-iron within the protein tetramers. The valence-hybrids thus formed were reacted with oxygen. Kinetics of the reactions were studied. The effects of pH and inositol-hexaphosphate were examined. The kinetics of the ligation of oxygen to stripped valence-hybrids showed a single-phase behavior at the pH range 6.5 to 9. As the pH was lowered below 6.5 a second, slower phase became apparent. In the presence of IHP, above pH 8, the kinetics of oxygem binding was of a single phase. As the pH was loweredmore » a transition to a second, slower phase was noticed. Below pH 7 the slower phase was the only detectable one. The analysis of the relative contribution of the faster phase to the total reaction as a function of the pH showed a typical transition curve characterized by a pK = 7.5 and a Hill parameter n =2.9. On the basis it is concluded that human adult stripped methemoglobin resides in an R quarternary structure while the presence of IHP stabilizes the T structure at pH below 7.5.« less

Site-preference and valency for rare-earth sites in (R-Ce)(2)Fe14B magnets

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

Alam, A; Khan, M; McCallum, RW

2013-01-28

Rare-earth (R) permanent magnets of R2Fe14B have technological importance due to their high energy products, and they have two R-sites (Wyckoff 4f and 4g, with four-fold multiplicity) that affect chemistry and valence. Designing magnetic behavior and stability via alloying is technologically relevant to reduce critical (expensive) R-content while retaining key properties; cerium, an abundant (cheap) R-element, offers this potential. We calculate magnetic properties and Ce site preference in (R1-xCex)(2)Fe14B [R = La, Nd] using density functional theory (DFT) methods-including a DFT+U scheme to treat localized 4f-electrons. Fe moments compare well with neutron data-almost unaffected by Hubbard U, and weakly affectedmore » by spin-orbit coupling. In La2Fe14B, Ce alloys for 0 <= x <= 1 and prefers smaller R(4f) sites, as observed, a trend we find unaffected by valence. Whereas, in Nd2Fe14B, Ce is predicted to have limited alloying (x <= 0.3) with a preference for larger R(4g) sites, resulting in weak partial ordering and segregation. The Curie temperatures versus x for (Nd, Ce) were predicted for a typical sample processing and verified experimentally. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4789527]« less

Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus modulates reward processing and action selection in Parkinson patients.

PubMed

Wagenbreth, Caroline; Zaehle, Tino; Galazky, Imke; Voges, Jürgen; Guitart-Masip, Marc; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Düzel, Emrah

2015-06-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an effective treatment for motor impairments in Parkinson's disease (PD) but its effect on the motivational regulation of action control is still not fully understood. We investigated whether DBS of the STN influences the ability of PD patients to act for anticipated reward or loss, or whether DBS improves action execution independent of motivational valence. 16 PD patients (12 male, mean age = 58.5 ± 10.17 years) treated with bilateral STN-DBS and an age- and gender-matched group of healthy controls (HC) performed a go/no-go task whose contingencies explicitly decouple valence and action. Patients were tested with (ON) and without (OFF) active STN stimulation. For HC, there was a benefit in performing rewarded actions when compared to actions that avoided punishment. PD patients showed such a benefit reliably only when STN stimulation was ON. In fact, the relative behavioral benefit for go for reward over go to avoid losing was stronger in the PD patients under DBS ON than in HC. In PD patients, rather than generally improving motor functions independent of motivational valence, modulation of the STN by DBS improves action execution specifically when rewards are anticipated. Thus, STN-DBS establishes a reliable congruency between action and reward ("Pavlovian congruency") and remarkably enhances it over the level observed in HC.

Neural Evidence for Reduced Apprehensiveness of Familiarized Stimuli in a Mere Exposure Paradigm

PubMed Central

Zebrowitz, Leslie A.; Zhang, Yi

2012-01-01

Mere familiarization with a stimulus increases liking for it or similar stimuli (‘mere exposure’ effects) as well as perceptual fluency, indexed by the speed and accuracy of categorizing it or similar stimuli (‘priming’ effects). Candidate mechanisms proposed to explain mere exposure effects include both increased positive affect associated with greater perceptual fluency, and also reduced negative affect associated with diminished apprehensiveness of novel stimuli. Although these two mechanisms are not mutually exclusive, it is difficult for behavioral measures to disentangle them, since increased liking or other indices of greater positive affect toward exposed stimuli could result from increases in positive feelings or decreases in negative feelings or both. The present study sought to clarify this issue by building on research showing a dissociation at the neural level in which the lateral orbital frontal cortex (LOFC) is activated more by negatively valenced than by neutral or positively valenced stimuli, with the reverse effect for medial orbital frontal cortex (MOFC). Supporting the reduced apprehensiveness hypothesis, we found lower LOFC activation to familiarized faces and objects (repetition suppression). We did not find evidence to support the positive affect hypothesis in increased activation to familiarized stimuli in MOFC or in other parts of the reward circuit that respond more to positively valenced stimuli (repetiton enhancement), although enhancement effects were shown in some regions. PMID:22017290

The neural signature of self-concept development in adolescence: The role of domain and valence distinctions.

PubMed

van der Cruijsen, R; Peters, S; van der Aar, L P E; Crone, E A

2017-11-22

Neuroimaging studies in adults showed that cortical midline regions including medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) are important in self-evaluations. The goals of this study were to investigate the contribution of these regions to self-evaluations in late childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, and to examine whether these differed per domain (academic, physical and prosocial) and valence (positive versus negative). Also, we tested whether this activation changes across adolescence. For this purpose, participants between ages 11-21-years (N = 150) evaluated themselves on trait sentences in an fMRI session. Behaviorally, adolescents rated their academic traits less positively than children and young adults. The neural analyses showed that evaluating self-traits versus a control condition was associated with increased activity in mPFC (domain-general effect), and positive traits were associated with increased activity in ventral mPFC (valence effect). Self-related mPFC activation increased linearly with age, but only for evaluating physical traits. Furthermore, an adolescent-specific decrease in striatum activation for positive self traits was found. Finally, we found domain-specific neural activity for evaluating traits in physical (dorsolateral PFC, dorsal mPFC) and academic (PPC) domains. Together, these results highlight the importance of domain distinctions when studying self-concept development in late childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Transverse momentum dependent (TMD) parton distribution functions generated in the modified DGLAP formalism based on the valence-like distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseinkhani, H.; Modarres, M.; Olanj, N.

2017-07-01

Transverse momentum dependent (TMD) parton distributions, also referred to as unintegrated parton distribution functions (UPDFs), are produced via the Kimber-Martin-Ryskin (KMR) prescription. The GJR08 set of parton distribution functions (PDFs) which are based on the valence-like distributions is used, at the leading order (LO) and the next-to-leading order (NLO) approximations, as inputs of the KMR formalism. The general and the relative behaviors of the generated TMD PDFs at LO and NLO and their ratios in a wide range of the transverse momentum values, i.e. kt2 = 10, 102, 104 and 108GeV2 are investigated. It is shown that the properties of the parent valence-like PDFs are imprinted on the daughter TMD PDFs. Imposing the angular ordering constraint (AOC) leads to the dynamical variable limits on the integrals which in turn increase the contributions from the lower scales at lower kt2. The results are compared with our previous studies based on the MSTW2008 input PDFs and it is shown that the present calculation gives flatter TMD PDFs. Finally, a comparison of longitudinal structure function (FL) is made by using the produced TMD PDFs and those that were generated through the MSTW2008-LO PDF from our previous work and the corresponding data from H1 and ZEUS collaborations and a reasonable agreement is found.

The bidirectional congruency effect of brightness-valence metaphoric association in the Stroop-like and priming paradigms.

PubMed

Huang, Yanli; Tse, Chi-Shing; Xie, Jiushu

2017-11-04

The conceptual metaphor theory (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980, 1999) postulates a unidirectional metaphoric association between abstract and concrete concepts: sensorimotor experience activated by concrete concepts facilitates the processing of abstract concepts, but not the other way around. However, this unidirectional view has been challenged by studies that reported a bidirectional metaphoric association. In three experiments, we tested the directionality of the brightness-valence metaphoric association, using Stroop-like paradigm, priming paradigm, and Stroop-like paradigm with a go/no-go manipulation. Both mean and vincentile analyses of reaction time data were performed. We showed that the directionality of brightness-valence metaphoric congruency effect could be modulated by the activation level of the brightness/valence information. Both brightness-to-valence and valence-to-brightness metaphoric congruency effects occurred in the priming paradigm, which could be attributed to the presentation of prime that pre-activated the brightness or valence information. However, in the Stroop-like paradigm the metaphoric congruency effect was only observed in the brightness-to-valence direction, but not in the valence-to-brightness direction. When the go/no-go manipulation was used to boost the activation of word meaning in the Stroop-like paradigm, the valence-to-brightness metaphoric congruency effect was observed. Vincentile analyses further revealed that valence-to-brightness metaphoric congruency effect approached significance in the Stroop-like paradigm when participants' reaction times were slower (at around 490ms). The implications of the current findings on the conceptual metaphor theory and embodied cognition are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic structure of Fe, Co, and Ni impurities in Pd

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

van Acker, J.F.; Weijs, P.W.J.; Fuggle, J.C.

1988-11-15

A photoemission study of the valence bands of the dilute alloys PdFe, PdCo, and PdNi is presented. We use the Cooper minimum effect to estimate the local density of states on the impurity site. The behavior of transition-metal impurities in a transition-metal matrix is shown to be very different from their behavior in s-p metals. Our conclusion is that the Fe and Co 3d states are mixed with states throughout the Pd 4d band, while the Ni contribution to the spectra is dominated by a peak of (minority) 3d states near the Fermi level.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigations of band offsets in Ga0.02Zn0.98O/ZnO heterojunction for UV photodetectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Karmvir; Rawal, Ishpal; Punia, Rajesh; Dhar, Rakesh

2017-10-01

Here, we report the valence and conduction band offset measurements in pure ZnO and the Ga0.02Zn0.98O/ZnO heterojunction by X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies for UV photodetector applications. For detailed investigations on the band offsets and UV photodetection behavior of Ga0.02Zn0.98O/ZnO heterostructures, thin films of pristine ZnO, Ga-doped ZnO (Ga0.02Zn0.98O), and heterostructures of Ga-doped ZnO with ZnO (Ga0.02Zn0.98O/ZnO) were deposited using a pulsed laser deposition technique. The deposited thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies were carried out on all the thin films for the investigation of valence and conduction band offsets. The valence band was found to be shifted by 0.28 eV, while the conduction band has a shifting of -0.272 eV in the Ga0.02Zn0.98O/ZnO heterojunction as compared to pristine ZnO thin films. All the three samples were analyzed for photoconduction behavior under UVA light of the intensity of 3.3 mW/cm2, and it was observed that the photoresponse of pristine ZnO (19.75%) was found to increase with 2 wt. % doping of Ga (22.62%) and heterostructured thin films (29.10%). The mechanism of UV photodetection in the deposited samples has been discussed in detail, and the interaction of chemisorbed oxygen on the ZnO surface with holes generated by UV light exposure has been the observed mechanism for the change in electrical conductivity responsible for UV photoresponse on the present deposited ZnO films.

Modeling the effect of 1 MeV electron irradiation on the performance of n+-p-p+ silicon space solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamache, Abdelghani; Sengouga, Nouredine; Meftah, Afak; Henini, Mohamed

2016-06-01

Energetic particles such as electrons and protons induce severe degradation on the performance of solar cells used to power satellites and space vehicles. This degradation is usually attributed to lattice damage in the active region of the solar cell. One of the phenomena observed in silicon solar cells exposed to 1 MeV electron irradiation is the anomalous degradation of the short circuit current. It initially decreases followed by a recovery before falling again with increasing electron fluence. This behavior is usually attributed to type conversion of the solar cell active region. The other figures of merit, on the other hand, decrease monotonically. In this work numerical simulator SCAPS (Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator) is used to elucidate this phenomenon. The current-voltage characteristics of a Si n+-p-p+ structure are calculated under air mass zero spectrum with the fluence of 1 MeV electrons as a variable parameter. The effect of irradiation on the solar cell is simulated by a set of defects of which the energy levels lie deep in energy gap of silicon (much larger than the characteristic thermal energy kT far from either the conduction or valence band). Although several types of deep levels are induced by irradiation including deep donors (exchange electrons mainly with the conduction band), deep acceptors (exchange electrons mainly with the valence band) and/or generation-recombination centers (exchange electrons with both the conduction and valence bands), it was found that, only one of them (the shallowest donor) is responsible for the anomalous degradation of the short circuit current. It will be also shown, by calculating the free charge carrier profile in the active region, that this behavior is not related to type conversion but to a lateral widening of the space charge region.

Work Valence as a Predictor of Academic Achievement in the Family Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porfeli, Erik; Ferrari, Lea; Nota, Laura

2013-01-01

This study asserts a theoretical model of academic and work socialization within the family setting. The presumed associations between parents' work valences, children's work valences and valence perceptions, and children's academic interest and achievement are tested. The results suggest that children's perceptions of parents mediate the…

Extended study on oxidation behaviors of UN0.68 and UN1.66 by XPS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Lizhu; Hu, Yin; Pan, Qifa; Long, Zhong; Lu, Lei; Liu, Kezhao; Wang, Xiaolin

2018-04-01

The surface oxidation behaviors of UN0.68 and UN1.66 thin films are investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the traditional U4f/N1s, O1s, valence band spectra as well as the unconventional U4d and U5d spectra are collected for the understanding of their oxidation behavior in-depth. Similar asymmetrical peak shape of the U4f spectra to uranium is observed for both uranium nitrides, despite of a slight shift to higher energy side for UN1.66 clean surface. However, significant difference among the corresponding spectra of UN0.68 and UN1.66 during oxidation reveals the distinctive properties of each own. The coexistence of UO2-x, UO2 and UO2-x.Ny on UN0.68 surface results in the peculiar features of U4f spectra as well as the others within the XPS energy scale, where peaks of the oxidized species firstly shift to higher energy side compared to the clean surface, and then return closely towards those of stoichiometric UO2. For UN1.66, the generation of U-N-O ternary compounds on the surface is identified with the symmetrical U4f peaks at 379.9eV and 390.8 eV, which locate intermediate between UO2 and UN1.66, and gradually expanding to higher energy side during the progressive oxidation. Furthermore, the formation of N-O species on UN1.66 surface is also detected as an oxidation product. The metallic character of UN1.66 is identified by the intense signal at Fermi level, which is greatly suppressed by the increasing oxygen exposure and implies the weakening metallic properties of the as-generated U-N-O compounds. Higher uranium oxides, such as UO3 and U4O9, are deduced to be the final oxidation products, and a multistage mechanism for UN1.66 following the exposure to oxygen is discussed.

AB INITIO calculation of the electromigration wind valence of interstitial hydrogen in f.c.c metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Ek, J.; Lodder, A.

1990-02-01

Calculated electromigration wind valences, obtained within a KKR-Green function description, are presented. It is shown that the electromigration wind valence of hydrogen along different migration paths in Cu, Ag and Pd can be calculated including charge transfer effects in the impurity cluster. A nice procedure for retrieving the scalar character of the wind valence in an f.c.c metal introduces an explanation for the isotope effect in the wind valence.

Core-core and core-valence correlation energy atomic and molecular benchmarks for Li through Ar

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

Ranasinghe, Duminda S.; Frisch, Michael J.; Petersson, George A., E-mail: gpetersson@wesleyan.edu

2015-12-07

We have established benchmark core-core, core-valence, and valence-valence absolute coupled-cluster single double (triple) correlation energies (±0.1%) for 210 species covering the first- and second-rows of the periodic table. These species provide 194 energy differences (±0.03 mE{sub h}) including ionization potentials, electron affinities, and total atomization energies. These results can be used for calibration of less expensive methodologies for practical routine determination of core-core and core-valence correlation energies.

Does the range of IMF affect rise and fall trend in fragmentation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Sakshi; Kumar, Rohit; Puri, Rajeev K.

2018-05-01

We study the rise and fall behavior in the multiplicity of intermediate mass fragments produced in the asymmetric reactions of 36S+ 198Pt using isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics model. We use different definitions of intermediate mass fragments according to various experimental studies. We find that the use of one or the other definition of intermediate mass fragments does not alter results significantly.

Micro-Valences: Perceiving Affective Valence in Everyday Objects

PubMed Central

Lebrecht, Sophie; Bar, Moshe; Barrett, Lisa Feldman; Tarr, Michael J.

2012-01-01

Perceiving the affective valence of objects influences how we think about and react to the world around us. Conversely, the speed and quality with which we visually recognize objects in a visual scene can vary dramatically depending on that scene’s affective content. Although typical visual scenes contain mostly “everyday” objects, the affect perception in visual objects has been studied using somewhat atypical stimuli with strong affective valences (e.g., guns or roses). Here we explore whether affective valence must be strong or overt to exert an effect on our visual perception. We conclude that everyday objects carry subtle affective valences – “micro-valences” – which are intrinsic to their perceptual representation. PMID:22529828

The Feline Mystique: Dispelling the Myth of the Independent Cat.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soltow, Willow

1984-01-01

Describes learning activities about cats for primary and intermediate grades. Primary grade activity subjects include cat behavior, needs, breeds, storybook cats, and celestial cats. Intermediate grade activity subjects include cat history, care, language, literary cats, and cats in art. (BC)

The valence of event-based prospective memory cues or the context in which they occur affects their detection.

PubMed

Clark-Foos, Arlo; Brewer, Gene A; Marsh, Richard L; Meeks, J Thadeus; Cook, Gabriel I

2009-01-01

Event-based prospective memory tasks entail detecting cues or reminders in our environment related to previously established intentions. If they are detected at an opportune time, then the intention can be fulfilled. In Experiments 1a-1c, we gave people 3 different nonfocal intentions (e.g., respond to words denoting animals) and discovered that negatively valenced cues delivered the intention to mind less frequently than positively valenced cues. In Experiment 2, this effect was extended to valenced and neutral sentential contexts with convergent results that cues embedded in negatively valenced sentences evoked remembering the intention less often than in positive contexts. In addition, both classes of valence caused the intention to be forgotten more often than a more neutral context. We propose that valence has the ability to usurp attentional resources that otherwise would have supported successful prospective memory performance.

Processing negative valence of word pairs that include a positive word.

PubMed

Itkes, Oksana; Mashal, Nira

2016-09-01

Previous research has suggested that cognitive performance is interrupted by negative relative to neutral or positive stimuli. We examined whether negative valence affects performance at the word or phrase level. Participants performed a semantic decision task on word pairs that included either a negative or a positive target word. In Experiment 1, the valence of the target word was congruent with the overall valence conveyed by the word pair (e.g., fat kid). As expected, response times were slower in the negative condition relative to the positive condition. Experiment 2 included target words that were incongruent with the overall valence of the word pair (e.g., fat salary). Response times were longer for word pairs whose overall valence was negative relative to positive, even though these word pairs included a positive word. Our findings support the Cognitive Primacy Hypothesis, according to which emotional valence is extracted after conceptual processing is complete.

Gender differences in preferences for coaching as an occupation: the role of self-efficacy, valence, and perceived barriers.

PubMed

Everhart, C B; Chelladurai, P

1998-06-01

This study investigated gender differences in the role of self-efficacy, occupational valence, valence of coaching, and perceived barriers in preference to coach at the high school, 2-year college, Division III, Division II, and Division I levels. The participants, 191 Big Ten university basketball players (94 men, 97 women), responded to a specially constructed instrument. The genders did not differ in their coaching self-efficacy, preferred occupational valence, and perceived barriers. Relative to men, women perceived greater valence in coaching (p < .001). Women with a female coach perceived greater valence in coaching (p < .05) and expressed less concern with perceived discrimination (p < .05) than those with a male coach. Perceived self-efficacy and preferred occupational valence were differentially related to the desire to coach at various levels. Working Hours most negatively affected the desire to coach at every level (R > .20).

Developmental Reversals in False Memory: Effects of Emotional Valence and Arousal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brainerd, C. J.; Holliday, R. E.; Reyna, V. F.; Yang, Y.; Toglia, M. P.

2010-01-01

Do the emotional valence and arousal of events distort children's memories? Do valence and arousal modulate counterintuitive age increases in false memory? We investigated those questions in children, adolescents, and adults using the Cornell/Cortland Emotion Lists, a word list pool that induces false memories and in which valence and arousal can…

Valence-Specific Laterality Effects in Vocal Emotion: Interactions with Stimulus Type, Blocking and Sex

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schepman, Astrid; Rodway, Paul; Geddes, Pauline

2012-01-01

Valence-specific laterality effects have been frequently obtained in facial emotion perception but not in vocal emotion perception. We report a dichotic listening study further examining whether valence-specific laterality effects generalise to vocal emotions. Based on previous literature, we tested whether valence-specific laterality effects were…

Developmental reversals in false memory: Effects of emotional valence and arousal.

PubMed

Brainerd, C J; Holliday, R E; Reyna, V F; Yang, Y; Toglia, M P

2010-10-01

Do the emotional valence and arousal of events distort children's memories? Do valence and arousal modulate counterintuitive age increases in false memory? We investigated those questions in children, adolescents, and adults using the Cornell/Cortland Emotion Lists, a word list pool that induces false memories and in which valence and arousal can be manipulated factorially. False memories increased with age for unpresented semantic associates of word lists, and net accuracy (the ratio of true memory to total memory) decreased with age. These surprising developmental trends were more pronounced for negatively valenced materials than for positively valenced materials, they were more pronounced for high-arousal materials than for low-arousal materials, and developmental increases in the effects of arousal were small in comparison with developmental increases in the effects of valence. These findings have ramifications for legal applications of false memory research; materials that share the emotional hallmark of crimes (events that are negatively valenced and arousing) produced the largest age increases in false memory and the largest age declines in net accuracy. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

One Way to Design a Valence-Skip Compound.

PubMed

Hase, I; Yanagisawa, T; Kawashima, K

2017-12-01

Valence-skip compound is a good candidate with high T c and low anisotropy because it has a large attractive interaction at the site of valence-skip atom. However, it is not easy to synthesize such compound because of (i) the instability of the skipping valence state, (ii) the competing charge order, and (iii) that formal valence may not be true in some compounds. In the present study, we show several examples of the valence-skip compounds and discuss how we can design them by first principles calculations. Furthermore, we calculated the electronic structure of a promising candidate of valence skipping compound RbTlCl 3 from first principles. We confirmed that the charge-density wave (CDW) is formed in this compound, and the Tl atoms in two crystallographic different sites take the valence Tl 1+ and Tl 3+ . Structure optimization study reveals that this CDW is stable at the ambient pressure, while this CDW gap can be collapsed when we apply pressure with several gigapascals. In this metallic phase, we can expect a large charge fluctuation and a large electron-phonon interaction.

Open-Minded Midwifes, Literate Butchers, and Greedy Hooligans-The Independent Contributions of Stereotype Valence and Consistency on Evaluative Judgments.

PubMed

Schubert, Lisa; Körner, Anita; Lindau, Berit; Strack, Fritz; Topolinski, Sascha

2017-01-01

Do people evaluate an open-minded midwife less positively than a caring midwife? Both open-minded and caring are generally seen as positive attributes. However, consistency varies-the attribute caring is consistent with the midwife stereotype while open-minded is not. In general, both stimulus valence and consistency can influence evaluations. Six experiments investigated the respective influence of valence and consistency on evaluative judgments in the domain of stereotyping. In an impression formation paradigm, valence and consistency of stereotypic information about target persons were manipulated orthogonally and spontaneous evaluations of these target persons were measured. Valence reliably influenced evaluations. However, for strongly valenced stereotypes, no effect of consistency was observed. Parameters possibly preventing the occurrence of consistency effects were ruled out, specifically, valence of inconsistent attributes, processing priority of category information, and impression formation instructions. However, consistency had subtle effects on evaluative judgments if the information about a target person was not strongly valenced and experimental conditions were optimal. Concluding, in principle, both stereotype valence and consistency can play a role in evaluative judgments of stereotypic target persons. However, the more subtle influence of consistency does not seem to substantially influence evaluations of stereotyped target persons. Implications for fluency research and stereotype disconfirmation are discussed.

If You Don't Have Valence, Ask Your Neighbor: Evaluation of Neutral Words as a Function of Affective Semantic Associates

PubMed Central

Kuhlmann, Michael; Hofmann, Markus J.; Jacobs, Arthur M.

2017-01-01

How do humans perform difficult forced-choice evaluations, e.g., of words that have been previously rated as being neutral? Here we tested the hypothesis that in this case, the valence of semantic associates is of significant influence. From corpus based co-occurrence statistics as a measure of association strength we computed individual neighborhoods for single neutral words comprised of the 10 words with the largest association strength. We then selected neutral words according to the valence of the associated words included in the neighborhoods, which were either mostly positive, mostly negative, mostly neutral or mixed positive and negative, and tested them using a valence decision task (VDT). The data showed that the valence of semantic neighbors can predict valence judgments to neutral words. However, all but the positive neighborhood items revealed a high tendency to elicit negative responses. For the positive and negative neighborhood categories responses congruent with the neighborhood's valence were faster than incongruent responses. We interpret this effect as a semantic network process that supports the evaluation of neutral words by assessing the valence of the associative semantic neighborhood. In this perspective, valence is considered a semantic super-feature, at least partially represented in associative activation patterns of semantic networks. PMID:28348538

Emotional valence and physical space: limits of interaction.

PubMed

de la Vega, Irmgard; de Filippis, Mónica; Lachmair, Martin; Dudschig, Carolin; Kaup, Barbara

2012-04-01

According to the body-specificity hypothesis, people associate positive things with the side of space that corresponds to their dominant hand and negative things with the side corresponding to their nondominant hand. Our aim was to find out whether this association holds also true for a response time study using linguistic stimuli, and whether such an association is activated automatically. Four experiments explored this association using positive and negative words. In Exp. 1, right-handers made a lexical judgment by pressing a left or right key. Attention was not explicitly drawn to the valence of the stimuli. No valence-by-side interaction emerged. In Exp. 2 and 3, right-handers and left-handers made a valence judgment by pressing a left or a right key. A valence-by-side interaction emerged: For positive words, responses were faster when participants responded with their dominant hand, whereas for negative words, responses were faster for the nondominant hand. Exp. 4 required a valence judgment without stating an explicit mapping of valence and side. No valence-by-side interaction emerged. The experiments provide evidence for an association between response side and valence, which, however, does not seem to be activated automatically but rather requires a task with an explicit response mapping to occur.

If You Don't Have Valence, Ask Your Neighbor: Evaluation of Neutral Words as a Function of Affective Semantic Associates.

PubMed

Kuhlmann, Michael; Hofmann, Markus J; Jacobs, Arthur M

2017-01-01

How do humans perform difficult forced-choice evaluations, e.g., of words that have been previously rated as being neutral? Here we tested the hypothesis that in this case, the valence of semantic associates is of significant influence. From corpus based co-occurrence statistics as a measure of association strength we computed individual neighborhoods for single neutral words comprised of the 10 words with the largest association strength. We then selected neutral words according to the valence of the associated words included in the neighborhoods, which were either mostly positive, mostly negative, mostly neutral or mixed positive and negative, and tested them using a valence decision task (VDT). The data showed that the valence of semantic neighbors can predict valence judgments to neutral words. However, all but the positive neighborhood items revealed a high tendency to elicit negative responses. For the positive and negative neighborhood categories responses congruent with the neighborhood's valence were faster than incongruent responses. We interpret this effect as a semantic network process that supports the evaluation of neutral words by assessing the valence of the associative semantic neighborhood. In this perspective, valence is considered a semantic super-feature, at least partially represented in associative activation patterns of semantic networks.

Open-Minded Midwifes, Literate Butchers, and Greedy Hooligans—The Independent Contributions of Stereotype Valence and Consistency on Evaluative Judgments

PubMed Central

Schubert, Lisa; Körner, Anita; Lindau, Berit; Strack, Fritz; Topolinski, Sascha

2017-01-01

Do people evaluate an open-minded midwife less positively than a caring midwife? Both open-minded and caring are generally seen as positive attributes. However, consistency varies—the attribute caring is consistent with the midwife stereotype while open-minded is not. In general, both stimulus valence and consistency can influence evaluations. Six experiments investigated the respective influence of valence and consistency on evaluative judgments in the domain of stereotyping. In an impression formation paradigm, valence and consistency of stereotypic information about target persons were manipulated orthogonally and spontaneous evaluations of these target persons were measured. Valence reliably influenced evaluations. However, for strongly valenced stereotypes, no effect of consistency was observed. Parameters possibly preventing the occurrence of consistency effects were ruled out, specifically, valence of inconsistent attributes, processing priority of category information, and impression formation instructions. However, consistency had subtle effects on evaluative judgments if the information about a target person was not strongly valenced and experimental conditions were optimal. Concluding, in principle, both stereotype valence and consistency can play a role in evaluative judgments of stereotypic target persons. However, the more subtle influence of consistency does not seem to substantially influence evaluations of stereotyped target persons. Implications for fluency research and stereotype disconfirmation are discussed. PMID:29062289

Sex-dependent dissociation between emotional appraisal and memory: a large-scale behavioral and fMRI study.

PubMed

Spalek, Klara; Fastenrath, Matthias; Ackermann, Sandra; Auschra, Bianca; Coynel, David; Frey, Julia; Gschwind, Leo; Hartmann, Francina; van der Maarel, Nadine; Papassotiropoulos, Andreas; de Quervain, Dominique; Milnik, Annette

2015-01-21

Extensive evidence indicates that women outperform men in episodic memory tasks. Furthermore, women are known to evaluate emotional stimuli as more arousing than men. Because emotional arousal typically increases episodic memory formation, the females' memory advantage might be more pronounced for emotionally arousing information than for neutral information. Here, we report behavioral data from 3398 subjects, who performed picture rating and memory tasks, and corresponding fMRI data from up to 696 subjects. We were interested in the interaction between sex and valence category on emotional appraisal, memory performances, and fMRI activity. The behavioral results showed that females evaluate in particular negative (p < 10(-16)) and positive (p = 2 × 10(-4)), but not neutral pictures, as emotionally more arousing (pinteraction < 10(-16)) than males. However, in the free recall females outperformed males not only in positive (p < 10(-16)) and negative (p < 5 × 10(-5)), but also in neutral picture recall (p < 3.4 × 10(-8)), with a particular advantage for positive pictures (pinteraction < 4.4 × 10(-10)). Importantly, females' memory advantage during free recall was absent in a recognition setting. We identified activation differences in fMRI, which corresponded to the females' stronger appraisal of especially negative pictures, but no activation differences that reflected the interaction effect in the free recall memory task. In conclusion, females' valence-category-specific memory advantage is only observed in a free recall, but not a recognition setting and does not depend on females' higher emotional appraisal. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/350920-16$15.00/0.

Discrete emotions predict changes in cognition, judgment, experience, behavior, and physiology: a meta-analysis of experimental emotion elicitations.

PubMed

Lench, Heather C; Flores, Sarah A; Bench, Shane W

2011-09-01

Our purpose in the present meta-analysis was to examine the extent to which discrete emotions elicit changes in cognition, judgment, experience, behavior, and physiology; whether these changes are correlated as would be expected if emotions organize responses across these systems; and which factors moderate the magnitude of these effects. Studies (687; 4,946 effects, 49,473 participants) were included that elicited the discrete emotions of happiness, sadness, anger, and anxiety as independent variables with adults. Consistent with discrete emotion theory, there were (a) moderate differences among discrete emotions; (b) differences among discrete negative emotions; and (c) correlated changes in behavior, experience, and physiology (cognition and judgment were mostly not correlated with other changes). Valence, valence-arousal, and approach-avoidance models of emotion were not as clearly supported. There was evidence that these factors are likely important components of emotion but that they could not fully account for the pattern of results. Most emotion elicitations were effective, although the efficacy varied with the emotions being compared. Picture presentations were overall the most effective elicitor of discrete emotions. Stronger effects of emotion elicitations were associated with happiness versus negative emotions, self-reported experience, a greater proportion of women (for elicitations of happiness and sadness), omission of a cover story, and participants alone versus in groups. Conclusions are limited by the inclusion of only some discrete emotions, exclusion of studies that did not elicit discrete emotions, few available effect sizes for some contrasts and moderators, and the methodological rigor of included studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved).

Positive valence music restores executive control over sustained attention

PubMed Central

Lewis, Bridget A.

2017-01-01

Music sometimes improves performance in sustained attention tasks. But the type of music employed in previous investigations has varied considerably, which can account for equivocal results. Progress has been hampered by lack of a systematic database of music varying in key characteristics like tempo and valence. The aims of this study were to establish a database of popular music varying along the dimensions of tempo and valence and to examine the impact of music varying along these dimensions on restoring attentional resources following performance of a sustained attention to response task (SART) vigil. Sixty-nine participants rated popular musical selections that varied in valence and tempo to establish a database of four musical types: fast tempo positive valence, fast tempo negative valence, slow tempo positive valence, and slow tempo negative valence. A second group of 89 participants performed two blocks of the SART task interspersed with either no break or a rest break consisting of 1 of the 4 types of music or silence. Presenting positive valence music (particularly of slow tempo) during an intermission between two successive blocks of the SART significantly decreased miss rates relative to negative valence music or silence. Results support an attentional restoration theory of the impact of music on sustained attention, rather than arousal theory and demonstrate a means of restoring sustained attention. Further, the results establish the validity of a music database that will facilitate further investigations of the impact of music on performance. PMID:29145395

Positive valence music restores executive control over sustained attention.

PubMed

Baldwin, Carryl L; Lewis, Bridget A

2017-01-01

Music sometimes improves performance in sustained attention tasks. But the type of music employed in previous investigations has varied considerably, which can account for equivocal results. Progress has been hampered by lack of a systematic database of music varying in key characteristics like tempo and valence. The aims of this study were to establish a database of popular music varying along the dimensions of tempo and valence and to examine the impact of music varying along these dimensions on restoring attentional resources following performance of a sustained attention to response task (SART) vigil. Sixty-nine participants rated popular musical selections that varied in valence and tempo to establish a database of four musical types: fast tempo positive valence, fast tempo negative valence, slow tempo positive valence, and slow tempo negative valence. A second group of 89 participants performed two blocks of the SART task interspersed with either no break or a rest break consisting of 1 of the 4 types of music or silence. Presenting positive valence music (particularly of slow tempo) during an intermission between two successive blocks of the SART significantly decreased miss rates relative to negative valence music or silence. Results support an attentional restoration theory of the impact of music on sustained attention, rather than arousal theory and demonstrate a means of restoring sustained attention. Further, the results establish the validity of a music database that will facilitate further investigations of the impact of music on performance.

Density functional theory calculations of continuum lowering in strongly coupled plasmas.

PubMed

Vinko, S M; Ciricosta, O; Wark, J S

2014-03-24

An accurate description of the ionization potential depression of ions in plasmas due to their interaction with the environment is a fundamental problem in plasma physics, playing a key role in determining the ionization balance, charge state distribution, opacity and plasma equation of state. Here we present a method to study the structure and position of the continuum of highly ionized dense plasmas using finite-temperature density functional theory in combination with excited-state projector augmented-wave potentials. The method is applied to aluminium plasmas created by intense X-ray irradiation, and shows excellent agreement with recently obtained experimental results. We find that the continuum lowering for ions in dense plasmas at intermediate temperatures is larger than predicted by standard plasma models and explain this effect through the electronic structure of the valence states in these strong-coupling conditions.

Effect of electron count and chemical complexity in the Ta-Nb-Hf-Zr-Ti high-entropy alloy superconductor

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

von Rohr, Fabian; Winiarski, Michał J.; Tao, Jing

High-entropy alloys are made from random mixtures of principal elements on simple lattices, stabilized by a high mixing entropy. The recently discovered body-centered cubic (BCC) Ta-Nb-Hf-Zr-Ti high-entropy alloy superconductor appears to display properties of both simple crystalline intermetallics and amorphous materials; e.g., it has a well-defined superconducting transition along with an exceptional robustness against disorder. Here we show that the valence electron count dependence of the superconducting transition temperature in the high-entropy alloy falls between those of analogous simple solid solutions and amorphous materials and test the effect of alloy complexity on the superconductivity. We propose high-entropy alloys as excellentmore » intermediate systems for studying superconductivity as it evolves between crystalline and amorphous materials.« less

Effect of electron count and chemical complexity in the Ta-Nb-Hf-Zr-Ti high-entropy alloy superconductor

PubMed Central

von Rohr, Fabian; Winiarski, Michał J.; Tao, Jing; Klimczuk, Tomasz; Cava, Robert Joseph

2016-01-01

High-entropy alloys are made from random mixtures of principal elements on simple lattices, stabilized by a high mixing entropy. The recently discovered body-centered cubic (BCC) Ta-Nb-Hf-Zr-Ti high-entropy alloy superconductor appears to display properties of both simple crystalline intermetallics and amorphous materials; e.g., it has a well-defined superconducting transition along with an exceptional robustness against disorder. Here we show that the valence electron count dependence of the superconducting transition temperature in the high-entropy alloy falls between those of analogous simple solid solutions and amorphous materials and test the effect of alloy complexity on the superconductivity. We propose high-entropy alloys as excellent intermediate systems for studying superconductivity as it evolves between crystalline and amorphous materials. PMID:27803330

Coherent band excitations in CePd 3: A comparison of neutron scattering and ab initio theory

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

Goremychkin, Eugene A.; Park, Hyowon; Osborn, Raymond

In common with many strongly correlated electron systems, intermediate valence compounds are believed to display a crossover from a high-temperature regime of incoherently fluctuating local moments to a low-temperature regime of coherent hybridized bands. In this work, we show that inelastic neutron scattering measurements of the dynamic magnetic susceptibility of CePd 3 provides a benchmark for ab initio calculations based on dynamical mean field theory. The magnetic response is strongly momentum dependent thanks to the formation of coherent f-electron bands at low temperature, with an amplitude that is strongly enhanced by local particle-hole interactions. Finally, the agreement between experiment andmore » theory shows that we have a robust first-principles understanding of the temperature dependence of f-electron coherence.« less

Effect of electron count and chemical complexity in the Ta-Nb-Hf-Zr-Ti high-entropy alloy superconductor

DOE PAGES

von Rohr, Fabian; Winiarski, Michał J.; Tao, Jing; ...

2016-11-01

High-entropy alloys are made from random mixtures of principal elements on simple lattices, stabilized by a high mixing entropy. The recently discovered body-centered cubic (BCC) Ta-Nb-Hf-Zr-Ti high-entropy alloy superconductor appears to display properties of both simple crystalline intermetallics and amorphous materials; e.g., it has a well-defined superconducting transition along with an exceptional robustness against disorder. Here we show that the valence electron count dependence of the superconducting transition temperature in the high-entropy alloy falls between those of analogous simple solid solutions and amorphous materials and test the effect of alloy complexity on the superconductivity. We propose high-entropy alloys as excellentmore » intermediate systems for studying superconductivity as it evolves between crystalline and amorphous materials.« less

Acceptability of Behavioral Treatments: Influence of Knowledge of Behavioral Principles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasnake, L. Kaye; And Others

1993-01-01

Fifty-seven direct care staff members from an intermediate care facility for adults with mental retardation rated the acceptability of interventions used for self-injurious behavior and completed a measure of knowledge about behavioral principles. Results indicated that staff age and educational attainment were related to knowledge scores, but…

Intrinsic Local Distortions and charge carrier behavior in CMR manganites and cobaltites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bridges, Frank

2010-03-01

We compare and contrast the local structure and electronic configurations in two oxide systems La1-xSrxCoO3 (LSCO) and La1-yCayMnO3 (LCMO). Although these oxides may appear quite similar they have rather different properties. At x=0, LaCoO3 (LCO) has unusual magnetic properties - diamagnetic at low T but developing a moment near 100K. The Sr doped LSCO materials show ferromagnetism for x > 0.2. For LCO, one of the possible spin state configurations called the intermediate spin (IS) state (S=1), should be Jahn-Teller (JT) active, while the low spin (S=0) and high spin (S=2) states have no JT distortion. Early local structure measurements suggested a JT distortion was present in LCO and therefore supported an IS spin model. However we find no evidence for any significant JT distortion (and hence no support for the IS model) for a range of bulk and nanoparticle cobaltites La1-xSrxCoO3, x = 0 - 0.35. In contrast there are large JT distortions in the manganites LCMO, 0.2 < x < 0.5 (Mn-O bonds), for which CMR behavior is observed. We have shown that the JT distortions in the manganites depend on both temperature T and magnetic field B, and from the B-field dependence, propose the size and nature of the polarons in LCMO. We also present Co K-edge XANES data that shown no significant shift of the edge for the cobaltites as the Sr concentration increases from x =0 to 0.35 indicating essentially no change in the electronic configuration about Co; consequently, the holes introduced via Sr doping appear to go primarily into the O bands. In contrast there is a large shift of the Mn K-edge with Ca doping indicating a change in the average Mn valence, and a corresponding change in the Mn electronic configuration. We briefly discuss some possible models.

The Motivational Salience of Faces Is Related to Both Their Valence and Dominance.

PubMed

Wang, Hongyi; Hahn, Amanda C; DeBruine, Lisa M; Jones, Benedict C

2016-01-01

Both behavioral and neural measures of the motivational salience of faces are positively correlated with their physical attractiveness. Whether physical characteristics other than attractiveness contribute to the motivational salience of faces is not known, however. Research with male macaques recently showed that more dominant macaques' faces hold greater motivational salience. Here we investigated whether dominance also contributes to the motivational salience of faces in human participants. Principal component analysis of third-party ratings of faces for multiple traits revealed two orthogonal components. The first component ("valence") was highly correlated with rated trustworthiness and attractiveness. The second component ("dominance") was highly correlated with rated dominance and aggressiveness. Importantly, both components were positively and independently related to the motivational salience of faces, as assessed from responses on a standard key-press task. These results show that at least two dissociable components underpin the motivational salience of faces in humans and present new evidence for similarities in how humans and non-human primates respond to facial cues of dominance.

Temperature-dependent electron paramagnetic resonance detect oxygen vacancy defects and Cr valence of tetragonal Ba(Ti1-xCrx)O3 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Dan-Dan; Lu, Da-Yong; Meng, Fan-Ling; Yu, Xin-Yu

2018-03-01

Temperature-dependent electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) study was employed to detect oxygen vacancy defects in the tetragonal Ba(Ti1-xCrx)O3 (x = 5%) ceramic for the first time. In the rhombohedral phase below -150 °C, an EPR signal at g = 1.955 appeared in the insulating Ba(Ti1-xCrx)O3 (x = 5%) ceramic with an electrical resistivity of 108 Ω cm and was assigned to ionized oxygen vacancy defects. Ba(Ti1-xCrx)O3 ceramics exhibited a tetragonal structure except Ba(Ti1-xCrx)O3 (x = 10%) with a tetragonal-hexagonal mixed phase and a first-order phase transition dielectric behavior (ε‧m > 11,000). Mixed valence Cr ions could coexist in ceramics, form CrTi‧-VOrad rad or CrTirad-TiTi‧ defect complexes and make no contribution to a dielectric peak shift towards low temperature.

Transference interventions and the process between therapist and patient.

PubMed

Ulberg, Randi; Amlo, Svein; Critchfield, Kenneth L; Marble, Alice; Høglend, Per

2014-06-01

Interpreting the transference has been considered a core ingredient in psychodynamic psychotherapy. The effects of analyzing the transference are probably dependent on certain characteristics of the interventions themselves and the context in which transference interventions are given. The present study describes the development and use of a therapy process rating scale (Transference Work Scale; TWS) constructed to identify, categorize, and explore work with the transference. TWS has subscales that rate timing, content, and valence of the transference interventions, as well as response from the patient. Transcribed segments (10 min) from 51 different patients were scored with TWS by 2 independent raters. The interrater agreement on the TWS items was good to excellent. Clinical examples of transference work were also rated using the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB). TWS and SASB supplement each other. TWS might be a potentially useful tool to explore the interaction of timing, category, and valence of transference work in predicting in-session patient response as well as treatment outcome. (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Selective visual attention and motivation: the consequences of value learning in an attentional blink task.

PubMed

Raymond, Jane E; O'Brien, Jennifer L

2009-08-01

Learning to associate the probability and value of behavioral outcomes with specific stimuli (value learning) is essential for rational decision making. However, in demanding cognitive conditions, access to learned values might be constrained by limited attentional capacity. We measured recognition of briefly presented faces seen previously in a value-learning task involving monetary wins and losses; the recognition task was performed both with and without constraints on available attention. Regardless of available attention, recognition was substantially enhanced for motivationally salient stimuli (i.e., stimuli highly predictive of outcomes), compared with equally familiar stimuli that had weak or no motivational salience, and this effect was found regardless of valence (win or loss). However, when attention was constrained (because stimuli were presented during an attentional blink, AB), valence determined recognition; win-associated faces showed no AB, but all other faces showed large ABs. Motivational salience acts independently of attention to modulate simple perceptual decisions, but when attention is limited, visual processing is biased in favor of reward-associated stimuli.

Repetition suppression of faces is modulated by emotion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishai, Alumit; Pessoa, Luiz; Bikle, Philip C.; Ungerleider, Leslie G.

2004-06-01

Single-unit recordings and functional brain imaging studies have shown reduced neural responses to repeated stimuli in the visual cortex. By using event-related functional MRI, we compared the activation evoked by repetitions of neutral and fearful faces, which were either task relevant (targets) or irrelevant (distracters). We found that within the inferior occipital gyri, lateral fusiform gyri, superior temporal sulci, amygdala, and the inferior frontal gyri/insula, targets evoked stronger responses than distracters and their repetition was associated with significantly reduced responses. Repetition suppression, as manifested by the difference in response amplitude between the first and third repetitions of a target, was stronger for fearful than neutral faces. Distracter faces, regardless of their repetition or valence, evoked negligible activation, indicating top-down attenuation of behaviorally irrelevant stimuli. Our findings demonstrate a three-way interaction between emotional valence, repetition, and task relevance and suggest that repetition suppression is influenced by high-level cognitive processes in the human brain. face perception | functional MRI

Robust fully-compensated ferrimagnetism and semiconductivity in inverse Heusler compounds: Ti2VZ (Z = P, As, Sb, Bi)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y. J.; Liu, Z. H.; Liu, G. D.; Ma, X. Q.; Cheng, Z. X.

2018-03-01

Compensated ferrimagnets, due to their zero net magnetization and potential for large spin-polarization, have been attracting more and more attention in the field of spintronics. We demonstrate potential candidate materials among the inverse Heusler compounds Ti2VZ (Z = P, As, Sb, Bi) by first principles calculations. It is found that these compounds with 18 valence electrons per unit cell have zero net magnetic moment with compensated sublattice magnetization, as anticipated by a variant of Slater-Pauling rule of Mt = NV - 18, where Mt is the total spin magnetic moment per formula unit and NV is the number of valence electrons per formula unit, and show semiconducting behavior in both spin channels with a moderate exchange splitting, as with ordinary ferromagnetic semiconductors. Furthermore, the fully compensated ferrimagnetism and semiconductivity are rather robust over a wide range of lattice contraction and expansion. Due to the above distinct advantages, these compounds will be promising candidates for spintronic applications.

Width-Dependent Band Gap in Armchair Graphene Nanoribbons Reveals Fermi Level Pinning on Au(111)

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

We report the energy level alignment evolution of valence and conduction bands of armchair-oriented graphene nanoribbons (aGNR) as their band gap shrinks with increasing width. We use 4,4″-dibromo-para-terphenyl as the molecular precursor on Au(111) to form extended poly-para-phenylene nanowires, which can subsequently be fused sideways to form atomically precise aGNRs of varying widths. We measure the frontier bands by means of scanning tunneling spectroscopy, corroborating that the nanoribbon’s band gap is inversely proportional to their width. Interestingly, valence bands are found to show Fermi level pinning as the band gap decreases below a threshold value around 1.7 eV. Such behavior is of critical importance to understand the properties of potential contacts in GNR-based devices. Our measurements further reveal a particularly interesting system for studying Fermi level pinning by modifying an adsorbate’s band gap while maintaining an almost unchanged interface chemistry defined by substrate and adsorbate. PMID:29049879

Acceptors in ZnO

DOE PAGES

Mccluskey, Matthew D.; Corolewski, Caleb; Lv, Jinpeng; ...

2015-03-21

Zinc oxide (ZnO) has potential for a range of applications in the area of optoelectronics. The quest for p-type ZnO has focused much attention on acceptors. In this paper, Cu, N, and Li acceptor impurities are discussed. Experimental evidence shows that these point defects have acceptor levels 3.2, 1.5, and 0.8 eV above the valence-band maximum, respectively. The levels are deep because the ZnO valence band is quite low compared to conventional, non-oxide semiconductors. Using MoO2 contacts, the electrical resistivity of ZnO:Li was measured and showed behavior consistent with bulk hole conduction for temperatures above 400 K. A photoluminescence peakmore » in ZnO nanocrystals has been attributed to an acceptor, which may involve a zinc vacancy. High field (W-band) electron paramagnetic resonance measurements on the nanocrystals revealed an axial center with g = 2.0033 and g = 2.0075, along with an isotropic center at g = 2.0053.« less

Grasping the invisible: semantic processing of abstract words.

PubMed

Zdrazilova, Lenka; Pexman, Penny M

2013-12-01

The problem of how abstract word meanings are represented has been a challenging one. In the present study, we extended the semantic richness approach (e.g., Yap, Tan, Pexman, & Hargreaves in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 18:742-750, 2011) to abstract words, examining the effects of six semantic richness variables on lexical-semantic processing for 207 abstract nouns. The candidate richness dimensions were context availability (CA), sensory experience rating (SER), valence, arousal, semantic neighborhood (SN), and number of associates (NoA). The behavioral tasks were lexical decision (LDT) and semantic categorization (SCT). Our results showed that the semantic richness variables were significantly related to both LDT and SCT latencies, even after lexical and orthographic factors were controlled. The patterns of richness effects varied across tasks, with CA effects in the LDT, and SER and valence effects in the SCT. These results provide new insight into how abstract meanings may be grounded, and are consistent with a dynamic, multidimensional framework for semantic processing.

Diverse magnetic quantization in bilayer silicene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Do, Thi-Nga; Shih, Po-Hsin; Gumbs, Godfrey; Huang, Danhong; Chiu, Chih-Wei; Lin, Ming-Fa

2018-03-01

The generalized tight-binding model is developed to investigate the rich and unique electronic properties of A B -bt (bottom-top) bilayer silicene under uniform perpendicular electric and magnetic fields. The first pair of conduction and valence bands, with an observable energy gap, displays unusual energy dispersions. Each group of conduction/valence Landau levels (LLs) is further classified into four subgroups, i.e., the sublattice- and spin-dominated LL subgroups. The magnetic-field-dependent LL energy spectra exhibit irregular behavior corresponding to the critical points of the band structure. Moreover, the electric field can induce many LL anticrossings. The main features of the LLs are uncovered with many van Hove singularities in the density-of-states and nonuniform delta-function-like peaks in the magnetoabsorption spectra. The feature-rich magnetic quantization directly reflects the geometric symmetries, intralayer and interlayer atomic interactions, spin-orbital couplings, and field effects. The results of this work can be applied to novel designs of Si-based nanoelectronics and nanodevices with enhanced mobilities.

Distinct Brain Systems Underlie the Processing of Valence and Arousal of Affective Pictures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielen, M. M. A.; Heslenfeld, D. J.; Heinen, K.; Van Strien, J. W.; Witter, M. P.; Jonker, C.; Veltman, D. J.

2009-01-01

Valence and arousal are thought to be the primary dimensions of human emotion. However, the degree to which valence and arousal interact in determining brain responses to emotional pictures is still elusive. This functional MRI study aimed to delineate neural systems responding to valence and arousal, and their interaction. We measured neural…

Modeling of deformation behavior and texture evolution in magnesium alloy using the intermediate $$\\phi$$-model

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

Li, Dongsheng; Ahzi, Said; M'Guil, S. M.

2014-01-06

The viscoplastic intermediate phi-model was applied in this work to predict the deformation behavior and texture evolution in a magnesium alloy, an HCP material. We simulated the deformation behavior with different intergranular interaction strengths and compared the predicted results with available experimental results. In this approach, elasticity is neglected and the plastic deformation mechanisms are assumed as a combination of crystallographic slip and twinning systems. Tests are performed for rolling (plane strain compression) of random textured Mg polycrystal as well as for tensile and compressive tests on rolled Mg sheets. Simulated texture evolutions agree well with experimental data. Activities of twinning and slip, predicted by the intermediatemore » $$\\phi$$-model, reveal the strong anisotropic behavior during tension and compression of rolled sheets.« less

Complexity and Competition in Appetitive and Aversive Neural Circuits

PubMed Central

Barberini, Crista L.; Morrison, Sara E.; Saez, Alex; Lau, Brian; Salzman, C. Daniel

2012-01-01

Decision-making often involves using sensory cues to predict possible rewarding or punishing reinforcement outcomes before selecting a course of action. Recent work has revealed complexity in how the brain learns to predict rewards and punishments. Analysis of neural signaling during and after learning in the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex, two brain areas that process appetitive and aversive stimuli, reveals a dynamic relationship between appetitive and aversive circuits. Specifically, the relationship between signaling in appetitive and aversive circuits in these areas shifts as a function of learning. Furthermore, although appetitive and aversive circuits may often drive opposite behaviors – approaching or avoiding reinforcement depending upon its valence – these circuits can also drive similar behaviors, such as enhanced arousal or attention; these processes also may influence choice behavior. These data highlight the formidable challenges ahead in dissecting how appetitive and aversive neural circuits interact to produce a complex and nuanced range of behaviors. PMID:23189037

VOLTAGE CLAMP BEHAVIOR OF IRON-NITRIC ACID SYSTEM AS COMPARED WITH THAT OF NERVE MEMBRANE

PubMed Central

Tasaki, I.; Bak, A. F.

1959-01-01

The current-voltage relation for the surface layer of an iron wire immersed in nitric acid was investigated by the voltage clamp technique. Comparing the phase of nitric acid to the axoplasm and the metallic phase to the external fluid medium for the nerve fiber, a striking analogy was found between the voltage clamp behavior of the iron-nitric acid system and that of the nerve membrane. The current voltage curve was found to consist of three parts: (a) a straight line representing the behavior of the resting (passive) membrane, (b) a straight line representing the fully excited (active) state, and (c) an intermediate zone connecting (a) and (b). It was shown that in the intermediate zone, the surface of iron consisted of a fully active patch (or patches) surrounded by a remaining resting area. The phenomenon corresponding to "repetitive firing of responses under voltage clamp" in the nerve membrane was demonstrated in the intermediate zone. The behavior of the cobalt electrode system was also investigated by the same technique. An attempt was made to interpret the phenomenon of initiation and abolition of an active potential on the basis of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes. PMID:13654740

Pathways and intermediates in forced unfolding of spectrin repeats.

PubMed

Altmann, Stephan M; Grünberg, Raik G; Lenne, Pierre-François; Ylänne, Jari; Raae, Arnt; Herbert, Kristina; Saraste, Matti; Nilges, Michael; Hörber, J K Heinrich

2002-08-01

Spectrin repeats are triple-helical coiled-coil domains found in many proteins that are regularly subjected to mechanical stress. We used atomic force microscopy technique and steered molecular dynamics simulations to study the behavior of a wild-type spectrin repeat and two mutants. The experiments indicate that spectrin repeats can form stable unfolding intermediates when subjected to external forces. In the simulations the unfolding proceeded via a variety of pathways. Stable intermediates were associated to kinking of the central helix close to a proline residue. A mutant stabilizing the central helix showed no intermediates in experiments, in agreement with simulation. Spectrin repeats may thus function as elastic elements, extendable to intermediate states at various lengths.

How Do Thoughts, Emotions, and Decisions Align? A New Way to Examine Theory of Mind in Middle Childhood and Beyond

PubMed Central

Lagattuta, Kristin Hansen

2016-01-01

The current study examined 4- to 10-year-olds’ and adults’ (N = 280) tendency to connect people’s thoughts, emotions, and decisions into valence-matched mental state triads (thought valence = emotion valence = decision valence; such as, anticipate something bad + feel worried + avoid) and valence-matched mental state dyads (thought-emotion, thought-decision, and emotion-decision). Participants heard vignettes about focal characters who re-encountered individuals who had previously harmed them twice, helped them twice, or both harmed and helped them. Baseline trials involved no past experience. Children and adults predicted the focal characters’ thoughts (anticipate something good or bad), emotions (feel happy or worried), and decisions (go near or stay away). Results showed significant increases between 4 and 10 years in the formation of valence-matched mental state triads and dyads, with thoughts and emotions most often aligned by valence. We also documented age-related improvement in awareness that uncertain situations elicit less valence-consistent mental states than more certain situations, with females expecting weaker coherence among characters’ thoughts, emotions, and decisions than males. Controlling for age and sex, individuals with stronger executive function (working memory and inhibitory control) predicted more valence-aligned mental states. These findings add to the emerging literature on development and individual differences in children’s reasoning about mental states and emotions during middle childhood and beyond. PMID:27017060

Valence Scaling of Dynamic Facial Expressions Is Altered in High-Functioning Subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An FMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahko, Jukka S.; Paakki, Jyri-Johan; Starck, Tuomo H.; Nikkinen, Juha; Pauls, David L.; Katsyri, Jari V.; Jansson-Verkasalo, Eira M.; Carter, Alice S.; Hurtig, Tuula M.; Mattila, Marja-Leena; Jussila, Katja K.; Remes, Jukka J.; Kuusikko-Gauffin, Sanna A.; Sams, Mikko E.; Bolte, Sven; Ebeling, Hanna E.; Moilanen, Irma K.; Tervonen, Osmo; Kiviniemi, Vesa

2012-01-01

FMRI was performed with the dynamic facial expressions fear and happiness. This was done to detect differences in valence processing between 25 subjects with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and 27 typically developing controls. Valence scaling was abnormal in ASDs. Positive valence induces lower deactivation and abnormally strong activity in ASD…

Modelling audiovisual integration of affect from videos and music.

PubMed

Gao, Chuanji; Wedell, Douglas H; Kim, Jongwan; Weber, Christine E; Shinkareva, Svetlana V

2018-05-01

Two experiments examined how affective values from visual and auditory modalities are integrated. Experiment 1 paired music and videos drawn from three levels of valence while holding arousal constant. Experiment 2 included a parallel combination of three levels of arousal while holding valence constant. In each experiment, participants rated their affective states after unimodal and multimodal presentations. Experiment 1 revealed a congruency effect in which stimulus combinations of the same extreme valence resulted in more extreme state ratings than component stimuli presented in isolation. An interaction between music and video valence reflected the greater influence of negative affect. Video valence was found to have a significantly greater effect on combined ratings than music valence. The pattern of data was explained by a five parameter differential weight averaging model that attributed greater weight to the visual modality and increased weight with decreasing values of valence. Experiment 2 revealed a congruency effect only for high arousal combinations and no interaction effects. This pattern was explained by a three parameter constant weight averaging model with greater weight for the auditory modality and a very low arousal value for the initial state. These results demonstrate key differences in audiovisual integration between valence and arousal.

Adding a Performance-Based Component to Surface Warfare Officer Bonuses: Will it Affect Retention?

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

2003), “job performance suffers, and the morale of the junior officers may also decline because of lower job satisfaction and resentment over...to-O expectancy: individual action or performance will lead to outcomes 3. Outcome valences: outcomes will yield one or more levels of satisfaction ... satisfaction are but a few of the intrinsic values that influence employee behavior and are tied to on-the-job performance . The decision to implement

Reversible conversion of valence-tautomeric copper metal-organic frameworks dependent single-crystal-to-single-crystal oxidation/reduction: a redox-switchable catalyst for C-H bonds activation reaction.

PubMed

Huang, Chao; Wu, Jie; Song, Chuanjun; Ding, Ran; Qiao, Yan; Hou, Hongwei; Chang, Junbiao; Fan, Yaoting

2015-06-28

Upon single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SCSC) oxidation/reduction, reversible structural transformations take place between the anionic porous zeolite-like Cu(I) framework and a topologically equivalent neutral Cu(I)Cu(II) mixed-valent framework. The unique conversion behavior of the Cu(I) framework endowed it as a redox-switchable catalyst for the direct arylation of heterocycle C-H bonds.

Emotionally Negative Pictures Enhance Gist Memory

PubMed Central

Bookbinder, S. H.; Brainerd, C. J.

2016-01-01

In prior work on how true and false memory are influenced by emotion, valence and arousal have often been conflated. Thus, it is difficult to say which specific effects are due to valence and which are due to arousal. In the present research, we used a picture-memory paradigm that allowed emotional valence to be manipulated with arousal held constant. Negatively-valenced pictures elevated both true and false memory, relative to positive and neutral pictures. Conjoint recognition modeling revealed that negative valence (a) reduced erroneous suppression of true memories and (b) increased the familiarity of the semantic content of both true and false memories. Overall, negative valence impaired the verbatim side of episodic memory but enhanced the gist side, and these effects persisted even after a week-long delay. PMID:27454002

Automating Content Analysis of Open-Ended Responses: Wordscores and Affective Intonation

PubMed Central

Baek, Young Min; Cappella, Joseph N.; Bindman, Alyssa

2014-01-01

This study presents automated methods for predicting valence and quantifying valenced thoughts of a text. First, it examines whether Wordscores, developed by Laver, Benoit, and Garry (2003), can be adapted to reliably predict the valence of open-ended responses in a survey about bioethical issues in genetics research, and then tests a complementary and novel technique for coding the number of valenced thoughts in open-ended responses, termed Affective Intonation. Results show that Wordscores successfully predicts the valence of brief and grammatically imperfect open-ended responses, and Affective Intonation achieves comparable performance to human coders when estimating number of valenced thoughts. Both Wordscores and Affective Intonation have promise as reliable, effective, and efficient methods when researchers content-analyze large amounts of textual data systematically. PMID:25558294

Brain signatures of monetary loss and gain: outcome-related potentials in a single outcome gambling task

PubMed Central

Kamarajan, Chella; Porjesz, Bernice; Rangaswamy, Madhavi; Tang, Yongqiang; Chorlian, David B.; Padmanabhapillai, Ajayan; Saunders, Ramotse; Pandey, Ashwini K.; Roopesh, Bangalore N.; Manz, Niklas; Stimus, Arthur T.; Begleiter, Henri

2009-01-01

This study evaluates the event-related potential (ERP) components in a single outcome gambling task that involved monetary losses and gains. The participants were 50 healthy young volunteers (25 males and 25 females). The gambling task involved valence (loss and gain) and amount (50¢ and 10¢) as outcomes. The outcome-related negativity (ORN/N2) and outcome-related positivity (ORP/P3) were analyzed and compared across conditions and gender. Monetary gain (compared to loss) and higher amount (50¢ compared to 10¢) produced higher amplitudes and shorter latencies in both ORN and ORP components. Difference wave plots showed that earlier processing (200-400 ms) is dominated by the valence (loss/gain) while later processing (after 400 ms) is marked by the amount (50¢/10¢). Functional mapping using Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (LORETA) indicated that the ORN separated the loss against gain in both genders, while the ORP activity distinguished the 50¢ against 10¢ in males. This study further strengthens the view that separate brain processes/circuitry may mediate loss and gain. Although there were no gender differences in behavioral and impulsivity scores, ORN and ORP measures for different task conditions had significant correlations with behavioral scores. This gambling paradigm may potentially offer valuable indicators to study outcome processing and impulsivity in normals as well as in clinical populations. PMID:18775749

Affective state influences perception by affecting decision parameters underlying bias and sensitivity.

PubMed

Lynn, Spencer K; Zhang, Xuan; Barrett, Lisa Feldman

2012-08-01

Studies of the effect of affect on perception often show consistent directional effects of a person's affective state on perception. Unpleasant emotions have been associated with a "locally focused" style of stimulus evaluation, and positive emotions with a "globally focused" style. Typically, however, studies of affect and perception have not been conducted under the conditions of perceptual uncertainty and behavioral risk inherent to perceptual judgments outside the laboratory. We investigated the influence of perceivers' experienced affect (valence and arousal) on the utility of social threat perception by combining signal detection theory and behavioral economics. We compared 3 perceptual decision environments that systematically differed with respect to factors that underlie uncertainty and risk: the base rate of threat, the costs of incorrect identification threat, and the perceptual similarity of threats and nonthreats. We found that no single affective state yielded the best performance on the threat perception task across the 3 environments. Unpleasant valence promoted calibration of response bias to base rate and costs, high arousal promoted calibration of perceptual sensitivity to perceptual similarity, and low arousal was associated with an optimal adjustment of bias to sensitivity. However, the strength of these associations was conditional upon the difficulty of attaining optimal bias and high sensitivity, such that the effect of the perceiver's affective state on perception differed with the cause and/or level of uncertainty and risk.

Affective State Influences Perception by Affecting Decision Parameters Underlying Bias and Sensitivity

PubMed Central

Lynn, Spencer K.; Zhang, Xuan; Barrett, Lisa Feldman

2012-01-01

Studies of the effect of affect on perception often show consistent directional effects of a person’s affective state on perception. Unpleasant emotions have been associated with a “locally focused” style of stimulus evaluation, and positive emotions with a “globally focused” style. Typically, however, studies of affect and perception have not been conducted under the conditions of perceptual uncertainty and behavioral risk inherent to perceptual judgments outside the laboratory. We investigated the influence of perceivers’ experience affect (valence and arousal) on the utility of social threat perception by combining signal detection theory and behavioral economics. We created three perceptual decision environments that systematically differed with respect to factors that underlie uncertainty and risk: the base rate of threat, the costs of incorrect identification threat, and the perceptual similarity of threats and non-threats. We found that no single affective state yielded the best performance on the threat perception task across the three environments. Unpleasant valence promoted calibration of response bias to base rate and costs, high arousal promoted calibration of perceptual sensitivity to perceptual similarity, and low arousal was associated with an optimal adjustment of bias to sensitivity. However, the strength of these associations was conditional upon the difficulty of attaining optimal bias and high sensitivity, such that the effect of the perceiver’s affective state on perception differed with the cause and/or level of uncertainty and risk. PMID:22251054

On the automatic link between affect and tendencies to approach and avoid: Chen and Bargh (1999) revisited

PubMed Central

Rotteveel, Mark; Gierholz, Alexander; Koch, Gijs; van Aalst, Cherelle; Pinto, Yair; Matzke, Dora; Steingroever, Helen; Verhagen, Josine; Beek, Titia F.; Selker, Ravi; Sasiadek, Adam; Wagenmakers, Eric-Jan

2015-01-01

Within the literature on emotion and behavioral action, studies on approach-avoidance take up a prominent place. Several experimental paradigms feature successful conceptual replications but many original studies have not yet been replicated directly. We present such a direct replication attempt of two seminal experiments originally conducted by Chen and Bargh (1999). In their first experiment, participants affectively evaluated attitude objects by pulling or pushing a lever. Participants who had to pull the lever with positively valenced attitude objects and push the lever with negatively valenced attitude objects (i.e., congruent instruction) did so faster than participants who had to follow the reverse (i.e., incongruent) instruction. In Chen and Bargh's second experiment, the explicit evaluative instructions were absent and participants merely responded to the attitude objects by either always pushing or always pulling the lever. Similar results were obtained as in Experiment 1. Based on these findings, Chen and Bargh concluded that (1) attitude objects are evaluated automatically; and (2) attitude objects automatically trigger a behavioral tendency to approach or avoid. We attempted to replicate both experiments and failed to find the effects reported by Chen and Bargh as indicated by our pre-registered Bayesian data analyses; nevertheless, the evidence in favor of the null hypotheses was only anecdotal, and definitive conclusions await further study. PMID:25883572

Emotion and goal-directed behavior: ERP evidence on cognitive and emotional conflict.

PubMed

Zinchenko, Artyom; Kanske, Philipp; Obermeier, Christian; Schröger, Erich; Kotz, Sonja A

2015-11-01

Cognitive control supports goal-directed behavior by resolving conflict among opposing action tendencies. Emotion can trigger cognitive control processes, thus speeding up conflict processing when the target dimension of stimuli is emotional. However, it is unclear what role emotionality of the target dimension plays in the processing of emotional conflict (e.g. in irony). In two EEG experiments, we compared the influence of emotional valence of the target (emotional, neutral) in cognitive and emotional conflict processing. To maximally approximate real-life communication, we used audiovisual stimuli. Participants either categorized spoken vowels (cognitive conflict) or their emotional valence (emotional conflict), while visual information was congruent or incongruent. Emotional target dimension facilitated both cognitive and emotional conflict processing, as shown in a reduced reaction time conflict effect. In contrast, the N100 in the event-related potentials showed a conflict-specific reversal: the conflict effect was larger for emotional compared with neutral trials in cognitive conflict and smaller in emotional conflict. Additionally, domain-general conflict effects were observed in the P200 and N200 responses. The current findings confirm that emotions have a strong influence on cognitive and emotional conflict processing. They also highlight the complexity and heterogeneity of the interaction of emotion with different types of conflict. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Transformation of CuO Nanoparticles in the Aquatic Environment: Influence of pH, Electrolytes and Natural Organic Matter

PubMed Central

Peng, Cheng; Shen, Chensi; Zheng, Siyuan; Yang, Weiling; Hu, Hang; Liu, Jianshe; Shi, Jiyan

2017-01-01

Many studies have shown the effect of solution chemistry on the environmental behavior of metal-based nanoparticles (NPs), except CuO NPs. Here, we investigated the agglomeration, sedimentation, dissolution, and speciation of CuO NPs by varying pH, ionic strength, ionic valence, and natural organic matter (NOM). The results showed that as the pH moved away from 6, the size of CuO agglomerates decreased, along with the enhanced NP suspension stabilization, due to the increase of electrostatic repulsive force. Increasing ionic strength and valence intensified the agglomeration and sedimentation of CuO NPs because of the compression of electrical double layers. The presence of humic acid and citric acid enhanced the dispersion and stabilization of CuO NP suspension, but l-cysteine showed a different impact. Decreasing pH, increasing ionic strength and all NOM improved the dissolution of CuO NPs, but the divalent electrolyte (CaCl2) inhibited the Cu2+ release from CuO NPs compared to the monovalent electrolyte (NaCl). In addition, X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis demonstrated that the presence of l-cysteine transformed more than 30% of CuO NPs to Cu(I)-cysteine by coordinating with thiol group. This study can give us an in-depth understanding on the environmental behavior and fate of CuO NPs in the aquatic environment. PMID:29036921

Intermediate selectivity in the oxidation of phenols using plasmonic Au/ZnO photocatalysts

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

Lin, Feng; Cojocaru, Bogdan E.; Williams, Luke S.

Tunable reaction selectivity on a single catalyst is a continual goal in chemical syntheses. Herein, we report an unexpected light-directed intermediate selectivity using well-known plasmonic photocatalysts. We observed distinct intermediate selectivity behaviors between using UV and visible light irradiations. Chemical computations and quenching experiments suggest that the radicals generated by the plasmonic excitation govern the light-directed selectivity. As a result, the broader impact of this work ranges from selective yield of desirable intermediates for subsequent syntheses without tedious separation procedures, to arousing interest in examining new opportunities for plasmonic photocatalysts.

Intermediate selectivity in the oxidation of phenols using plasmonic Au/ZnO photocatalysts

DOE PAGES

Lin, Feng; Cojocaru, Bogdan E.; Williams, Luke S.; ...

2017-06-20

Tunable reaction selectivity on a single catalyst is a continual goal in chemical syntheses. Herein, we report an unexpected light-directed intermediate selectivity using well-known plasmonic photocatalysts. We observed distinct intermediate selectivity behaviors between using UV and visible light irradiations. Chemical computations and quenching experiments suggest that the radicals generated by the plasmonic excitation govern the light-directed selectivity. As a result, the broader impact of this work ranges from selective yield of desirable intermediates for subsequent syntheses without tedious separation procedures, to arousing interest in examining new opportunities for plasmonic photocatalysts.

Motivation and attention: Incongruent effects of feedback on the processing of valence.

PubMed

Rothermund, Klaus

2003-09-01

Four experiments investigated the relation between outcome-related motivational states and processes of automatic attention allocation. Experiments 1-3 analyzed influences of feedback on evaluative decisions. Words of opposite valence to the feedback were processed faster, indicating that it is easier to allocate attention to the valence of an affectively incongruent word. Experiment 4 replicated the incongruent effect with interference effects of word valence in a grammatical-categorization task, indicating that the effect reflects automatic attentional capture. In all experiments, incongruent effects of feedback emerged only in a situation involving an attentional shift between words that differed in valence.

Negative, but not positive emotional images modulate the startle response independent of conscious awareness.

PubMed

Reagh, Zachariah M; Knight, David C

2013-08-01

The emotional response to a threat is influenced by the valence of other stimuli in the environment. This emotional modulation of the threat-elicited response occurs even when negative valence stimuli are not consciously perceived. Relatively little prior research has investigated whether nonconsciously perceived positive valence stimuli modify the response to a threat, and the work that has been completed is in need of additional rigorous testing of stimulus and valence perception. The current study presented images of negative, neutral, and positive valence (1,000 ms and 17 ms durations), followed by a mask. A startle probe (100 dB whitenoise) was presented during 33% of each trial type while eyeblink electromyography (EMG) and skin conductance response (SCR) were measured. During the study, participants rated the emotional content of each image to assess valence perception. Participants accurately classified the valence of 1,000 ms images, but not 17 ms images. Further, participants performed at chance levels on an independent postexperimental forced-choice perception task using 17 ms masked images, indicating they were unable to perceive the valence and content of these images. Greater EMG and SCR were elicited by the startle probe during perceived and unperceived negative images compared to perceived and unperceived positive and neutral images. In addition, perceived, but not unperceived positive images diminished startle responses. The current findings suggest that images of negative valence potentiate the startle response in the absence of conscious stimulus perception. However, the attenuation of the startle response by positive images appears to require perception of the emotional valence of an image. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Ventromedial hypothalamic neurons control a defensive emotion state

PubMed Central

Kunwar, Prabhat S; Zelikowsky, Moriel; Remedios, Ryan; Cai, Haijiang; Yilmaz, Melis; Meister, Markus; Anderson, David J

2015-01-01

Defensive behaviors reflect underlying emotion states, such as fear. The hypothalamus plays a role in such behaviors, but prevailing textbook views depict it as an effector of upstream emotion centers, such as the amygdala, rather than as an emotion center itself. We used optogenetic manipulations to probe the function of a specific hypothalamic cell type that mediates innate defensive responses. These neurons are sufficient to drive multiple defensive actions, and required for defensive behaviors in diverse contexts. The behavioral consequences of activating these neurons, moreover, exhibit properties characteristic of emotion states in general, including scalability, (negative) valence, generalization and persistence. Importantly, these neurons can also condition learned defensive behavior, further refuting long-standing claims that the hypothalamus is unable to support emotional learning and therefore is not an emotion center. These data indicate that the hypothalamus plays an integral role to instantiate emotion states, and is not simply a passive effector of upstream emotion centers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06633.001 PMID:25748136

Estradiol levels in women predict skin conductance response but not valence and expectancy ratings in conditioned fear extinction.

PubMed

White, Emily C; Graham, Bronwyn M

2016-10-01

Anxiety disorders are more prevalent in women than men. One contributing factor may be the sex hormone estradiol, which is known to impact the long term recall of conditioned fear extinction, a laboratory procedure that forms the basis of exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. To date, the literature examining estradiol and fear extinction in humans has focused primarily on physiological measures of fear, such as skin conductance response (SCR) and fear potentiated startle. This is surprising, given that models of anxiety identify at least three important components: physiological symptoms, cognitive beliefs, and avoidance behavior. To help address this gap, we exposed women with naturally high (n=20) or low estradiol (n=19), women using hormonal contraceptives (n=16), and a male control group (n=18) to a fear extinction task, and measured SCR, US expectancy and CS valence ratings. During extinction recall, low estradiol was associated with greater recovery of SCR, but was not related to US expectancy or CS evaluation. Importantly, women using hormonal contraceptives showed a dissociation between SCR and cognitive beliefs: they exhibited a greater recovery of SCR during extinction recall, yet reported similar US expectancy and CS valence ratings to the other female groups. This divergence underscores the importance of assessing multiple measures of fear when examining the role of estradiol in human fear extinction, especially when considering the potential of estradiol as an enhancement for psychological treatments for anxiety disorders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How mood challenges emotional memory formation: an fMRI investigation.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Daniel A; Arnold, Jennifer F; Becker, Eni S; Speckens, Anne E M; Rinck, Mike; Rijpkema, Mark; Fernández, Guillén; Tendolkar, Indira

2011-06-01

Experimental mood manipulations and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provide a unique opportunity for examining the neural correlates of mood-congruent memory formation. While prior studies in mood-disorder patients point to the medial temporal lobe in the genesis of mood-congruent memory (MCM) bias, the interaction between mood and emotional memory formation has not been investigated in healthy participants. In particular it remains unclear how regulatory structures in the pre-frontal cortex may be involved in mediating this phenomenon. In this study, event-related fMRI was performed on 20 healthy participants using a full-factorial, within-subjects repeated-measures design to examine how happy and sad moods impact memory for valenced stimuli (positive, negative and neutral words). Main effects of mood, stimulus valence and memory were examined as was activity related to successful memory formation during congruent and in-congruent moods. Behavioral results confirm an MCM bias while imaging results show amygdala and hippocampal engagement in a global mood and successful recall, respectively. MCM formation was characterized by increased activity during mood-congruent encoding of negative words in the orbito-frontal cortex (OFC) and for mood-incongruent processing of negative words in medial- and inferior-frontal gyri (MFG/IFG). These findings indicate that different pre-frontal regions facilitate mood-congruent and incongruent encoding of successfully recalled negative words at the time of learning, with OFC enhancing congruency and the left IFG and MFG helping overcome semantic incongruities between mood and stimulus valence. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen narcosis and emotional processing during compressed air breathing.

PubMed

Löfdahl, Per; Andersson, Daniel; Bennett, Michael

2013-01-01

Previous studies on nitrogen narcosis have focused on how it affects behavior, performance, and cognitive function. However, little is known about the effects of nitrogen narcosis on the emotional processing of external stimuli. We presented 20 volunteers with images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) and categorized as unpleasant, neutral, or pleasant, while sitting in a hyperbaric chamber at the surface (101,3kPa) and at 39 m equivalent depth (496.4 kPa). The participants rated the images along three affective dimensions: valence (intrinsic attractiveness or aversiveness of a stimuli), arousal, and dominance. In the valence dimension there was no significant effect of increased pressure or interaction between increased pressure and image category. There was a significant interaction between image category and the pressure at which the images were viewed in the arousal dimension. The mean arousal rating score for unpleasant stimuli was 0.5 point (on a 9-point scale) lower at hyperbaric conditions and equal arousal rating score for neutral stimuli in general. The absence of any effect of pressure in the valence dimension suggests that divers have no impairment in their ability to determine the pleasantness or unpleasantness of different stimuli. Furthermore, this study suggests that the effects of nitrogen narcosis on the emotional processing of external stimuli are primarily evident in the arousal dimension. Although differences in arousal ratings were relatively small in magnitude, even a small alteration in emotional response to external stimuli might be important in the context of deep diving.

Altered reward expectancy in individuals with recent methamphetamine dependence.

PubMed

Bischoff-Grethe, Amanda; Connolly, Colm G; Jordan, Stephan J; Brown, Gregory G; Paulus, Martin P; Tapert, Susan F; Heaton, Robert K; Woods, Steven P; Grant, Igor

2017-01-01

Chronic methamphetamine use may lead to changes in reward-related function of the ventral striatum and caudate nucleus. Whether methamphetamine-dependent individuals show heightened reactivity to positively valenced stimuli (i.e. positive reinforcement mechanisms), or an exaggerated response to negatively valenced stimuli (i.e. driven by negative reinforcement mechanisms) remains unclear. This study investigated neural functioning of expectancy and receipt for gains and losses in adults with (METH+) and without (METH-) histories of methamphetamine dependence. Participants (17 METH+; 23 METH-) performed a probabilistic feedback expectancy task during blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants were given visual cues probabilistically associated with monetary gain, loss, or neutral outcomes. General linear models examined the BOLD response to: (1) anticipation of gains and losses, and (2) gain and loss monetary outcomes. METH+ had less BOLD response to loss anticipation than METH- in the ventral striatum and posterior caudate. METH+ also showed more BOLD response to loss outcomes than to gain outcomes in the anterior and posterior caudate, whereas METH- did not show differential responses to the valence of outcomes. METH+ individuals showed attenuated neural response to anticipated gains and losses, but their response to loss outcomes was greater than to gain outcomes. A decreased response to loss anticipation, along with a greater response to loss outcomes, suggests an altered ability to evaluate future risks and benefits based upon prior experience, which may underlie suboptimal decision-making in METH+ individuals that increases the likelihood of risky behavior.

Altered reward expectancy in individuals with recent methamphetamine dependence

PubMed Central

Bischoff-Grethe, Amanda; Connolly, Colm G; Jordan, Stephan J; Brown, Gregory G; Paulus, Martin P; Tapert, Susan F; Heaton, Robert K; Woods, Steven P; Grant, Igor

2016-01-01

Background Chronic methamphetamine use may lead to changes in reward-related function of the ventral striatum and caudate nucleus. Whether methamphetamine dependent individuals show heightened reactivity to positively valenced stimuli (i.e., positive reinforcement mechanisms), or an exaggerated response to negatively valenced stimuli (i.e., driven by negative reinforcement mechanisms) remains unclear. This study investigated neural functioning of expectancy and receipt for gains and losses in adults with (METH+) and without (METH−) histories of methamphetamine dependence. Methods Participants (17 METH+; 23 METH−) performed a probabilistic feedback expectancy task during blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants were given visual cues probabilistically associated with monetary gain, loss, or neutral outcomes. General linear models examined the BOLD response to: (1) anticipation of gains and losses, and (2) gain and loss monetary outcomes. Results METH+ had less BOLD response to loss anticipation than METH− in the ventral striatum and posterior caudate. METH+ also showed more BOLD response to loss outcomes than to gain outcomes in the anterior and posterior caudate, whereas METH− did not show differential responses to the valence of outcomes. Discussion METH+ individuals showed attenuated neural response to anticipated gains and losses, but their response to loss outcomes was greater than to gain outcomes. A decreased response to loss anticipation, along with a greater response to loss outcomes, suggests an altered ability to evaluate future risks and benefits based upon prior experience, which may underlie suboptimal decision-making in METH+ individuals that increases the likelihood of risky behavior. PMID:27649775

tDCS over the left prefrontal cortex enhances cognitive control for positive affective stimuli.

PubMed

Vanderhasselt, Marie-Anne; De Raedt, Rudi; Brunoni, Andre R; Campanhã, Camila; Baeken, Chris; Remue, Jonathan; Boggio, Paulo S

2013-01-01

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulation technique with promising results for enhancing cognitive information processes. So far, however, research has mainly focused on the effects of tDCS on cognitive control operations for non-emotional material. Therefore, our aim was to investigate the effects on cognitive control considering negative versus positive material. For this sham-controlled, within-subjects study, we selected a homogeneous sample of twenty-five healthy participants. By using behavioral measures and event related potentials (ERP) as indexes, we aimed to investigate whether a single session of anodal tDCS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) would have specific effects in enhancing cognitive control for positive and negative valenced stimuli. After tDCS over the left DLPFC (and not sham control stimulation), we observed more negative N450 amplitudes along with faster reaction times when inhibiting a habitual response to happy compared to sad facial expressions. Gender did not influence the effects of tDCS on cognitive control for emotional information. In line with the Valence Theory of side-lateralized activity, this stimulation protocol might have led to a left dominant (relative to right) prefrontal cortical activity, resulting in augmented cognitive control specifically for positive relative to negative stimuli. To verify that tDCS induces effects that are in line with all aspects of the well known Valence Theory, future research should investigate the effects of tDCS over the left vs. right DLPFC on cognitive control for emotional information.

Deontic introduction: A theory of inference from is to ought.

PubMed

Elqayam, Shira; Thompson, Valerie A; Wilkinson, Meredith R; Evans, Jonathan St B T; Over, David E

2015-09-01

Humans have a unique ability to generate novel norms. Faced with the knowledge that there are hungry children in Somalia, we easily and naturally infer that we ought to donate to famine relief charities. Although a contentious and lively issue in metaethics, such inference from "is" to "ought" has not been systematically studied in the psychology of reasoning. We propose that deontic introduction is the result of a rich chain of pragmatic inference, most of it implicit; specifically, when an action is causally linked to a valenced goal, valence transfers to the action and bridges into a deontic conclusion. Participants in 5 experiments were presented with utility conditionals in which an action results in a benefit, a cost, or neutral outcome (e.g., "If Lisa buys the booklet, she will pass the exam") and asked to evaluate how strongly deontic conclusions (e.g., "Lisa should buy the booklet") follow from the premises. Findings show that the direction of the conclusions was determined by outcome valence (Experiments 1a and 1b), whereas their strength was determined by the strength of the causal link between action and outcome (Experiments 1, 2a, and 2b). We also found that deontic introduction is defeasible and can be suppressed by additional premises that interfere with any of the links in the implicit chain of inference (Experiments 2a, 2b, and 3). We propose that deontic introduction is a species-specific generative capacity whose function is to regulate future behavior. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Living in the moment: Effects of time perspective and emotional valence of episodic thinking on delay discounting

PubMed Central

Lin, Henry; Epstein, Leonard H.

2014-01-01

Excessive delay discounting (DD) has been related to various maladaptive behaviors, and may stem from a myopic focus on immediate gratification. Neuroimaging studies have shown that episodic future thinking (EFT) – vivid mental simulation of future experiences – may reduce DD by promoting consideration of delayed outcomes. However, the EFT manipulations in these experiments may have induced positive affect, which could independently enhance executive functions that facilitate self-regulation. To clarify the mechanism of this effect, 87 participants were randomized to visualize neutral- or positive-valenced events expected to occur in the present or in the future while completing a standardized DD questionnaire. Working memory capacity, inhibitory control, the genotypes of 3 functional dopaminergic polymorphisms (DRD1 rs686, DRD2 rs1800497 and COMT rs4680), as well as an additive dopamine genetic risk score were assessed as potential moderators. The results indicate that EFT reduces DD primarily by shifting the time perspective of intertemporal decision-making, and that this effect is moderated by working memory capacity. In addition, positive episodic thinking may independently attenuate the protective effects of high working memory capacity, high inhibitory control, and lower dopamine genetic risk scores on DD. The current findings dovetail with previous research to suggest that the time perspective and emotional valence of episodic thinking may dynamically shape intertemporal choice, perhaps in part by transiently modulating executive function and dopaminergic neurotransmission. PMID:24512061

The self in conflict: the role of executive processes during truthful and deceptive responses about attitudes.

PubMed

Johnson, Ray; Henkell, Heather; Simon, Elizabeth; Zhu, John

2008-01-01

This study sought to extend previous results regarding deceptions about specific memories by investigating the role of executive processes in deceptions about evaluative judgments. In addition, given that previous studies of deception have not included valence manipulations, we also wanted to determine whether the goodness/badness aspect of the items would affect the processes used during deception. Thus, we compared behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) activity while participants made truthful and directed lie (i.e., press opposite of the truth) responses about attitude items with which they either strongly agreed or disagreed. Consistent with previous results, deceptive responses required greater cognitive control as indicated by slower RTs, larger medial frontal negativities (MFN) and smaller late positive components than truthful responses. Furthermore, the magnitude of these deception-related effects was dependent on the valence that participants assigned to the items (i.e., agree/disagree). Directed lie responses about attitudes also resulted in greatly reduced pre-response positivities, an indication that participants strategically monitored their responses even in the absence of explicit task demands. Item valence also differentially affected the amplitude of three ERP components in a 650 ms pre-response interval, independently of whether truthful or deceptive responses were made. Analyses using dipole locations based on results from fMRI studies of evaluative judgments and deception indicated a high degree of overlap between the ERP and fMRI results and revealed the possible temporal characteristics of the hemodynamic activations.

Emotionally negative pictures enhance gist memory.

PubMed

Bookbinder, S H; Brainerd, C J

2017-02-01

In prior work on how true and false memory are influenced by emotion, valence and arousal have often been conflated. Thus, it is difficult to say which specific effects are caused by valence and which are caused by arousal. In the present research, we used a picture-memory paradigm that allowed emotional valence to be manipulated with arousal held constant. Negatively valenced pictures elevated both true and false memory, relative to positive and neutral pictures. Conjoint recognition modeling revealed that negative valence (a) reduced erroneous suppression of true memories and (b) increased the familiarity of the semantic content of both true and false memories. Overall, negative valence impaired the verbatim side of episodic memory but enhanced the gist side, and these effects persisted even after a week-long delay. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of Emotional Valence and Arousal on Time Perception

PubMed Central

Van Volkinburg, Heather; Balsam, Peter

2016-01-01

We examined the influence of emotional arousal and valence on estimating time intervals. A reproduction task was used in which images from the International Affective Picture System served as the stimuli to be timed. Experiment 1 assessed the effects of positive and negative valence at a moderate arousal level and Experiment 2 replicated Experiment 1 with the addition of a high arousal condition. Overestimation increased as a function of arousal during encoding of times regardless of valence. For images presented during reproduction, overestimation occurred at the moderate arousal level for positive and negative valence but underestimation occurred in the negative valence high arousal condition. The overestimation of time intervals produced by emotional arousal during encoding and during reproduction suggests that emotional stimuli affect temporal information processing in a qualitatively different way during different phases of temporal information processing. PMID:27110491

Measuring thought content valence after a breakup: Development of the Positive and Negative Ex-Relationship Thoughts (PANERT) scale.

PubMed

Brenner, Rachel E; Vogel, David L

2015-07-01

The end of a romantic relationship is a common and serious presenting concern among clients at university counseling centers. Researchers have highlighted the need to understand the nature of thoughts about an ex-relationship, because they may lead to unique clinical interventions. One aspect of thought that may be clinically relevant is content valence, or the positive or negative emotions associated with the content of the thought. Unfortunately, content valence has not been addressed in the romantic relationship dissolution literature. To address this omission, we developed the 12-item Positive and Negative Ex-Relationship Thoughts (PANERT) scale across 4 samples. In Sample 1 (n = 475), exploratory factor analyses demonstrated a multidimensional scale with 2 factors: positive content valence and negative content valence. Sample 2 (n = 509) and Sample 3 (n = 291) confirmed the factor structure in college and community samples. Internal consistencies ranged from .88-.94 for positive content valence and from .87-.94 for negative content valence. In Sample 4 (n = 133), construct validity was supported, with the PANERT factors uniquely predicting breakup distress, relationship preoccupation, depression, loss of self-concept, rediscovery of self-concept, negative emotional adjustment, and positive emotional adjustment. Further, the direction of these relationships suggest that positive thought content valence may be consistently maladaptive to recovery from an ex-relationship, and negative thought content valence may have maladaptive and adaptive features. Implications for future research and practice are discussed. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

How do thoughts, emotions, and decisions align? A new way to examine theory of mind during middle childhood and beyond.

PubMed

Lagattuta, Kristin Hansen; Elrod, Noel M; Kramer, Hannah J

2016-09-01

The current study examined 4- to 10-year-olds' and adults' (N=280) tendency to connect people's thoughts, emotions, and decisions into valence-matched mental state triads (thought valence=emotion valence=decision valence; e.g., anticipate something bad+feel worried+avoid) and valence-matched mental state dyads (thought-emotion, thought-decision, and emotion-decision). Participants heard vignettes about focal characters who re-encountered individuals who had previously harmed them twice, helped them twice, or both harmed and helped them. Baseline trials involved no past experience. Children and adults predicted the focal characters' thoughts (anticipate something good or bad), emotions (feel happy or worried), and decisions (go near or stay away). Results showed significant increases between 4 and 10years of age in the formation of valence-matched mental state triads and dyads, with thoughts and emotions most often aligned by valence. We also documented age-related improvement in awareness that uncertain situations elicit less valence-consistent mental states than more certain situations, with females expecting weaker coherence among characters' thoughts, emotions, and decisions than males. Controlling for age and sex, individuals with stronger executive function (working memory and inhibitory control) predicted more valence-aligned mental states. These findings add to the emerging literature on development and individual differences in children's reasoning about mental states and emotions during middle childhood and beyond. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Action Valence and Race on 3- to 8-Year-Old Children's Social Cognitive Judgments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arterberry, Martha E.; Hughes, Brittany C.; Mejia, Barbara

2015-01-01

The present study investigated children's judgments of actions as a function of the valence of the action and the race of the actor. Three- to 8-year-old children were read an illustrated storybook in which 1 character did not share (a negatively valenced action) and the other character was helpful (a positively valenced action). The race of the…

Simultaneous conditioning of valence and arousal.

PubMed

Gawronski, Bertram; Mitchell, Derek G V

2014-01-01

Evaluative conditioning (EC) refers to the change in the valence of a conditioned stimulus (CS) due to its pairing with a positive or negative unconditioned stimulus (US). To the extent that core affect can be characterised by the two dimensions of valence and arousal, EC has important implications for the origin of affective responses. However, the distinction between valence and arousal is rarely considered in research on EC or conditioned responses more generally. Measuring the subjective feelings elicited by a CS, the results from two experiments showed that (1) repeated pairings of a CS with a positive or negative US of either high or low arousal led to corresponding changes in both CS valence and CS arousal, (2) changes in CS arousal, but not changes in CS valence, were significantly related to recollective memory for CS-US pairings, (3) subsequent presentations of the CS without the US reduced the conditioned valence of the CS, with conditioned arousal being less susceptible to extinction and (4) EC effects were stronger for high arousal than low arousal USs. The results indicate that the conditioning of affective responses can occur simultaneously along two independent dimensions, supporting evidence in related areas that calls for a consideration of both valence and arousal. Implications for research on EC and the acquisition of emotional dispositions are discussed.

Lying about the valence of affective pictures: an fMRI study.

PubMed

Lee, Tatia M C; Lee, Tiffany M Y; Raine, Adrian; Chan, Chetwyn C H

2010-08-25

The neural correlates of lying about affective information were studied using a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) methodology. Specifically, 13 healthy right-handed Chinese men were instructed to lie about the valence, positive or negative, of pictures selected from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) while their brain activity was scanned by a 3T Philip Achieva scanner. The key finding is that the neural activity associated with deception is valence-related. Comparing to telling the truth, deception about the valence of the affectively positive pictures was associated with activity in the inferior frontal, cingulate, inferior parietal, precuneus, and middle temporal regions. Lying about the valence of the affectively negative pictures, on the other hand, was associated with activity in the orbital and medial frontal regions. While a clear valence-related effect on deception was observed, common neural regions were also recruited for the process of deception about the valence of the affective pictures. These regions included the lateral prefrontal and inferior parietal regions. Activity in these regions has been widely reported in fMRI studies on deception using affectively-neutral stimuli. The findings of this study reveal the effect of valence on the neural activity associated with deception. Furthermore, the data also help to illustrate the complexity of the neural mechanisms underlying deception.

Auditory-Motor Control of Vocal Production during Divided Attention: Behavioral and ERP Correlates.

PubMed

Liu, Ying; Fan, Hao; Li, Jingting; Jones, Jeffery A; Liu, Peng; Zhang, Baofeng; Liu, Hanjun

2018-01-01

When people hear unexpected perturbations in auditory feedback, they produce rapid compensatory adjustments of their vocal behavior. Recent evidence has shown enhanced vocal compensations and cortical event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to attended pitch feedback perturbations, suggesting that this reflex-like behavior is influenced by selective attention. Less is known, however, about auditory-motor integration for voice control during divided attention. The present cross-modal study investigated the behavioral and ERP correlates of auditory feedback control of vocal pitch production during divided attention. During the production of sustained vowels, 32 young adults were instructed to simultaneously attend to both pitch feedback perturbations they heard and flashing red lights they saw. The presentation rate of the visual stimuli was varied to produce a low, intermediate, and high attentional load. The behavioral results showed that the low-load condition elicited significantly smaller vocal compensations for pitch perturbations than the intermediate-load and high-load conditions. As well, the cortical processing of vocal pitch feedback was also modulated as a function of divided attention. When compared to the low-load and intermediate-load conditions, the high-load condition elicited significantly larger N1 responses and smaller P2 responses to pitch perturbations. These findings provide the first neurobehavioral evidence that divided attention can modulate auditory feedback control of vocal pitch production.

Pacing Behavior and Tactical Positioning in 500- and 1000-m Short-Track Speed Skating.

PubMed

Noorbergen, Olaf S; Konings, Marco J; Micklewright, Dominic; Elferink-Gemser, Marije T; Hettinga, Florentina J

2016-09-01

To explore pacing behavior and tactical positioning during the shorter 500- and 1000-m short-track competitions. Lap times and intermediate rankings of elite 500- and 1000-m short-track-skating competitors were collected over the 2012-13 season. First, lap times were analyzed using a MANOVA, and for each lap, differences between sex, race type, final ranking, and stage of competition were determined. Second, Kendall tau-b correlations were used to assess relationships between intermediate and final rankings. In addition, intermediate rankings of the winner of each race were examined. Top-placed athletes appeared faster than bottom-placed athletes in every lap in the 500-m, while in the 1000-m no differences were found until the final 4 laps (P < .05). Correlations between intermediate and final rankings were already high at the beginning stages of the 50-m (lap 1: r = .59) but not for the 1000-m (lap 1: r = .21). Although 500- and 1000-m short-track races are both relatively short, fundamental differences in pacing behavior and tactical positioning were found. A fast-start strategy seems to be optimal for 500-m races, while the crucial segment in 1000-m races seems to be from the 6th lap to the finish line (ie, after ± 650 m). These findings provide evidence to suggest that athletes balance between choosing an energetically optimal profile and the tactical and positional benefits that play a role when riding against an opponent, as well as contributing to developing novel insights in exploring athletic behavior when racing against opponents.

Pressure and magnetic field effects on the valence transition of EuRh2Si2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitsuda, Akihiro; Kishaba, Eigo; Fujimoto, Takumi; Oyama, Kohei; Wada, Hirofumi; Mizumaki, Masaichiro; Kawamura, Naomi; Ishimatsu, Naoki

2018-05-01

We have measured the X-ray absorption spectra (XAS), electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility of EuRh2Si2, which undergoes a valence transition under high pressures. A sharp decrease in the Eu valence determined from the XAS was observed at around 70 K in the temperature dependence at P = 1.2-1.9 GPa. In the temperature dependence of electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility, we observed jumps associated with the temperature-induced valence transition under high pressures. The magnetoresistance detected a field-induced valence transition. The results are discussed from the thermodynamic point of view.

The valence bond glass phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarzia, M.; Biroli, G.

2008-06-01

We show that a new glassy phase can emerge in the presence of strong magnetic frustration and quantum fluctuations. It is a valence bond glass (VBG). We study its properties solving the Hubbard-Heisenberg model on a Bethe lattice within the large-N limit introduced by Affleck and Marston. We work out the phase diagram that contains Fermi liquid, dimer and valence bond glass phases. This new glassy phase has no electronic or spin gap (although a pseudo-gap is observed), it is characterized by long-range critical valence bond correlations and is not related to any magnetic ordering. As a consequence, it is quite different from both valence bond crystals and spin glasses.

The allocation of valenced concepts onto 3D space.

PubMed

Marmolejo-Ramos, Fernando; Tirado, Carlos; Arshamian, Edward; Vélez, Jorge Iván; Arshamian, Artin

2018-06-01

The valence-space metaphor research area investigates the metaphorical mapping of valenced concepts onto space. Research findings from this area indicate that positive, neutral, and negative concepts are associated with upward, midward, and downward locations, respectively, in the vertical plane. The same research area has also indicated that such concepts seem to have no preferential location on the horizontal plane. The approach-avoidance effect consists in decreasing the distance between positive stimuli and the body (i.e. approach) and increasing the distance between negative stimuli and the body (i.e. avoid). Thus, the valence-space metaphor accounts for the mapping of valenced concepts onto the vertical and horizontal planes, and the approach-avoidance effect accounts for the mapping of valenced concepts onto the "depth" plane. By using a cube conceived for the study of allocation of valenced concepts onto 3D space, we show in three studies that positive concepts are placed in upward locations and near the participants' body, negative concepts are placed in downward locations and far from the participants' body, and neutral concepts are placed in between these concepts in both planes.

Bond-valence methods for pKa prediction. II. Bond-valence, electrostatic, molecular geometry, and solvation effects

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

Bickmore, Barry R.; Rosso, Kevin M.; Tadanier, Christopher J.

2006-08-15

In a previous contribution, we outlined a method for predicting (hydr)oxy-acid and oxide surface acidity constants based on three main factors: bond valence, Me?O bond ionicity, and molecular shape. Here electrostatics calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations are used to qualitatively show that Me?O bond ionicity controls the extent to which the electrostatic work of proton removal departs from ideality, bond valence controls the extent of solvation of individual functional groups, and bond valence and molecular shape controls local dielectric response. These results are consistent with our model of acidity, but completely at odds with other methods of predictingmore » acidity constants for use in multisite complexation models. In particular, our ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of solvated monomers clearly indicate that hydrogen bonding between (hydr)oxo-groups and water molecules adjusts to obey the valence sum rule, rather than maintaining a fixed valence based on the coordination of the oxygen atom as predicted by the standard MUSIC model.« less

Topological Properties and the Dynamical Crossover from Mixed-Valence to Kondo-Lattice Behavior in the Golden Phase of SmS.

PubMed

Kang, Chang-Jong; Choi, Hong Chul; Kim, Kyoo; Min, B I

2015-04-24

We have investigated temperature-dependent behaviors of electronic structure and resistivity in a mixed-valent golden phase of SmS, based on the dynamical mean-field-theory band-structure calculations. Upon cooling, the coherent Sm 4f bands are formed to produce the hybridization-induced pseudogap near the Fermi level, and accordingly the topology of the Fermi surface is changed to exhibit a Lifshitz-like transition. The surface states emerging in the bulk gap region are found to be not topologically protected states but just typical Rashba spin-polarized states, indicating that SmS is not a topological Kondo semimetal. From the analysis of anomalous resistivity behavior in SmS, we have identified universal energy scales, which characterize the Kondo-mixed-valent semimetallic systems.

Concern as motivation for protection: an investigation of mothers' concern about daughters' breast cancer risk.

PubMed

Neuberger, Lindsay; Silk, Kami J; Yun, Doshik; Bowman, Nicholas David; Anderson, Jennifer

2011-11-01

The present study surveyed mothers with daughters (N = 386) to investigate how mothers' concern about their daughters' breast cancer risk influenced intentions to engage in preventive behaviors. Using protection motivation theory as a framework, self-efficacy, response efficacy, and level of concern were posited to influence protective behavioral intention in distinct ways. Results from regression analyses indicate that self-efficacy, response efficacy, and mothers' concern are significant predictors of intentions to engage in preventive behaviors with daughters. In addition, a content analysis of mothers' open-ended reasons for their concern about their daughters' breast cancer risk yield a list of specific concerns and trends that vary by concern level and individual comment valence. The authors discuss implications for incorporating mothers' concerns into breast cancer prevention messages as a novel strategy for campaign designers.

Concern as Motivation for Protection: An Investigation of Mothers’ Concern About Daughters’ Breast Cancer Risk

PubMed Central

NEUBERGER, LINDSAY; SILK, KAMI J.; YUN, DOSHIK; BOWMAN, NICHOLAS DAVID; ANDERSON, JENNIFER

2012-01-01

The current study surveyed mothers with daughters (N=386) to investigate how mothers’ concern about their daughters’ breast cancer risk influenced intentions to engage in preventive behaviors. Using Protection Motivation Theory as a framework, self-efficacy, response efficacy and level of concern were posited to influence protective behavioral intention in distinct ways. Results from regression analyses indicate that self-efficacy, response efficacy, and mothers’ concern are significant predictors of intentions to engage in preventive behaviors with daughters. Additionally, a content analysis of mothers’ open-ended reasons for their concern about their daughters’ breast cancer risk yield a list of specific concerns as well as trends that vary by concern level and individual comment valence. Implications for incorporating mothers’ concerns into breast cancer prevention messages are discussed as a novel strategy for campaign designers. PMID:22070448

Approximate treatment of semicore states in GW calculations with application to Au clusters.

PubMed

Xian, Jiawei; Baroni, Stefano; Umari, P

2014-03-28

We address the treatment of transition metal atoms in GW electronic-structure calculations within the plane-wave pseudo-potential formalism. The contributions of s and p semi-core electrons to the self-energy, which are essential to grant an acceptable accuracy, are dealt with using a recently proposed scheme whereby the exchange components are treated exactly at the G0W0 level, whereas a suitable approximation to the correlation components is devised. This scheme is benchmarked for small gold nano-clusters, resulting in ionization potentials, electron affinities, and density of states in very good agreement with those obtained from calculations where s and p semicore states are treated as valence orbitals, and allowing us to apply this same scheme to clusters of intermediate size, Au20 and Au32, that would be otherwise very difficult to deal with.

Cheap but accurate calculation of chemical reaction rate constants from ab initio data, via system-specific, black-box force fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steffen, Julien; Hartke, Bernd

2017-10-01

Building on the recently published quantum-mechanically derived force field (QMDFF) and its empirical valence bond extension, EVB-QMDFF, it is now possible to generate a reliable potential energy surface for any given elementary reaction step in an essentially black box manner. This requires a limited and pre-defined set of reference data near the reaction path and generates an accurate approximation of the reference potential energy surface, on and off the reaction path. This intermediate representation can be used to generate reaction rate data, with far better accuracy and reliability than with traditional approaches based on transition state theory (TST) or variational extensions thereof (VTST), even if those include sophisticated tunneling corrections. However, the additional expense at the reference level remains very modest. We demonstrate all this for three arbitrarily chosen example reactions.

Effect of high pressure on the electrical resistivity of Ge-Te-In glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, K. N. N.; Varma, G. Sreevidya; Rukmani, K.; Asokan, S.

2015-06-01

The variation in the electrical resistivity of the chalcogenide glasses Ge15Te85-xInx has been studied as a function of high pressure for pressures up to 8.5GPa. All the samples studied undergo a semi-conductor to metallic transition in a continuous manner at pressures between 1.5-2.5GPa. The transition pressure at which the samples turn metallic increases with increase in percentage of Indium. This increase is a direct consequence of the increase in network rigidity with the addition of Indium. At a constant pressure of 0.5GPa, the normalized resistivity shows some signature of the existence of the intermediate phase. Samples recovered after a pressure cycle remain amorphous suggesting that the semi-conductor to metallic transition arises from a reduction of the band gap due to pressure or the movement of the Fermi level into the conduction or valence band.

Homogeneously dispersed, multimetal oxygen-evolving catalysts

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Bo; Zheng, Xueli; Voznyy, Oleksandr; ...

2016-03-24

Earth-abundant first-row (3d) transition-metal-based catalysts have been developed for the oxygen-evolution reaction (OER); however, they operate at overpotentials significantly above thermodynamic requirements. Density functional theory suggested that non-3d high-valency metals such as tungsten can modulate 3d metal oxides, providing near-optimal adsorption energies for OER intermediates. We developed a room-temperature synthesis to produce gelled oxy-hydroxide materials with an atomically homogeneous metal distribution. These gelled FeCoW oxy-hydroxide exhibits the lowest overpotential (191 mV) reported at 10 mA per square centimeter in alkaline electrolyte. Here, the catalyst shows no evidence of degradation following more than 500 hours of operation. X-ray absorption and computationalmore » studies reveal a synergistic interplay between W, Fe and Co in producing a favorable local coordination environment and electronic structure that enhance the energetics for OER.« less

Absolute total and partial dissociative cross sections of pyrimidine at electron and proton intermediate impact velocities

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

Wolff, Wania, E-mail: wania@if.ufrj.br; Luna, Hugo; Sigaud, Lucas

Absolute total non-dissociative and partial dissociative cross sections of pyrimidine were measured for electron impact energies ranging from 70 to 400 eV and for proton impact energies from 125 up to 2500 keV. MOs ionization induced by coulomb interaction were studied by measuring both ionization and partial dissociative cross sections through time of flight mass spectrometry and by obtaining the branching ratios for fragment formation via a model calculation based on the Born approximation. The partial yields and the absolute cross sections measured as a function of the energy combined with the model calculation proved to be a useful toolmore » to determine the vacancy population of the valence MOs from which several sets of fragment ions are produced. It was also a key point to distinguish the dissociation regimes induced by both particles. A comparison with previous experimental results is also presented.« less

Approximate treatment of semicore states in GW calculations with application to Au clusters

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

Xian, Jiawei; Baroni, Stefano; CNR-IOM Democritos, Theory-Elettra group, Trieste

We address the treatment of transition metal atoms in GW electronic-structure calculations within the plane-wave pseudo-potential formalism. The contributions of s and p semi-core electrons to the self-energy, which are essential to grant an acceptable accuracy, are dealt with using a recently proposed scheme whereby the exchange components are treated exactly at the G{sub 0}W{sub 0} level, whereas a suitable approximation to the correlation components is devised. This scheme is benchmarked for small gold nano-clusters, resulting in ionization potentials, electron affinities, and density of states in very good agreement with those obtained from calculations where s and p semicore statesmore » are treated as valence orbitals, and allowing us to apply this same scheme to clusters of intermediate size, Au{sub 20} and Au{sub 32}, that would be otherwise very difficult to deal with.« less

The role of Sb in solar cell material Cu 2ZnSnS 4

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Xiaoli; Han, Miaomiao; Zeng, Zhi; ...

2017-03-03

In this paper, based on first-principles calculations we report a possible mechanism of the efficiency improvement of the Sb-doped Cu 2ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) solar cells from the Sb-related defect point of view. Different from Sb in CuInSe 2 which substituted the Cu atomic site and acted as group-13 elements on the Cu-poor growth condition, we find out that Sb prefers to substitute Sn atomic site and acts as group-14 elements on the Cu-poor growth condition in CZTS. At low Sb concentration, Sb Sn produces a deep defect level which is detrimental for the solar cell application. At high Sb concentration,more » Sb 5s states form an isolated half-filled intermediate band at 0.5 eV above the valence band maximum which will increase the photocurrent as well as the solar cell efficiency.« less

Homogeneously dispersed multimetal oxygen-evolving catalysts.

PubMed

Zhang, Bo; Zheng, Xueli; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Comin, Riccardo; Bajdich, Michal; García-Melchor, Max; Han, Lili; Xu, Jixian; Liu, Min; Zheng, Lirong; García de Arquer, F Pelayo; Dinh, Cao Thang; Fan, Fengjia; Yuan, Mingjian; Yassitepe, Emre; Chen, Ning; Regier, Tom; Liu, Pengfei; Li, Yuhang; De Luna, Phil; Janmohamed, Alyf; Xin, Huolin L; Yang, Huagui; Vojvodic, Aleksandra; Sargent, Edward H

2016-04-15

Earth-abundant first-row (3d) transition metal-based catalysts have been developed for the oxygen-evolution reaction (OER); however, they operate at overpotentials substantially above thermodynamic requirements. Density functional theory suggested that non-3d high-valency metals such as tungsten can modulate 3d metal oxides, providing near-optimal adsorption energies for OER intermediates. We developed a room-temperature synthesis to produce gelled oxyhydroxides materials with an atomically homogeneous metal distribution. These gelled FeCoW oxyhydroxides exhibit the lowest overpotential (191 millivolts) reported at 10 milliamperes per square centimeter in alkaline electrolyte. The catalyst shows no evidence of degradation after more than 500 hours of operation. X-ray absorption and computational studies reveal a synergistic interplay between tungsten, iron, and cobalt in producing a favorable local coordination environment and electronic structure that enhance the energetics for OER. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Analysis of X-ray adsorption edges: L 2,3 edge of FeCl 4 -

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

Bagus, Paul S.; Nelin, Connie J.; Ilton, Eugene S.

We describe a detailed analysis of the features of the X-ray adsorption spectra at the Fe L 2,3 edge of FeCl 4. The objective of this analysis is to explain the origin of the complex features in relation to properties of the wavefunctions, especially for the excited states. These properties include spin-orbit and ligand field splittings where a novel aspect of the dipole selection rules is applied to understand the influence of these splittings on the spectra. We also explicitly take account of the intermediate coupling of the open core and valence shell electrons. Our analysis also includes comparison ofmore » theory and experiment for the Fe L 2,3 edge and comparison of theoretical predictions for the Fe 3+ cation and FeCl 4-. The electronic structure is obtained from theoretical wavefunctions for the ground and excited states.« less

Brief learning induces a memory bias for arousing-negative words: an fMRI study in high and low trait anxious persons.

PubMed

Eden, Annuschka S; Dehmelt, Vera; Bischoff, Matthias; Zwitserlood, Pienie; Kugel, Harald; Keuper, Kati; Zwanzger, Peter; Dobel, Christian

2015-01-01

Persons suffering from anxiety disorders display facilitated processing of arousing and negative stimuli, such as negative words. This memory bias is reflected in better recall and increased amygdala activity in response to such stimuli. However, individual learning histories were not considered in most studies, a concern that we meet here. Thirty-four female persons (half with high-, half with low trait anxiety) participated in a criterion-based associative word-learning paradigm, in which neutral pseudowords were paired with aversive or neutral pictures, which should lead to a valence change for the negatively paired pseudowords. After learning, pseudowords were tested with fMRI to investigate differential brain activation of the amygdala evoked by the newly acquired valence. Explicit and implicit memory was assessed directly after training and in three follow-ups at 4-day intervals. The behavioral results demonstrate that associative word-learning leads to an explicit (but no implicit) memory bias for negatively linked pseudowords, relative to neutral ones, which confirms earlier studies. Bilateral amygdala activation underlines the behavioral effect: Higher trait anxiety is correlated with stronger amygdala activation for negatively linked pseudowords than for neutrally linked ones. Most interestingly, this effect is also present for negatively paired pseudowords that participants could not remember well. Moreover, neutrally paired pseudowords evoked higher amygdala reactivity than completely novel ones in highly anxious persons, which can be taken as evidence for generalization. These findings demonstrate that few word-learning trials generate a memory bias for emotional stimuli, indexed both behaviorally and neurophysiologically. Importantly, the typical memory bias for emotional stimuli and the generalization to neutral ones is larger in high anxious persons.

Theoretical study of the structural and electronic properties of novel stanene-based buckled nanotubes and their adsorption behaviors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbasi, Amirali; Sardroodi, Jaber Jahanbin; Ebrahimzadeh, Alireza Rastkar; Yaghoobi, Mina

2018-03-01

Density functional theory calculations were performed to investigate the geometrical, electronic and adsorption properties of stanene based nanotubes in order to fully exploit the gas sensing capability of these nanotubes. The strain energy, structural parameters and electronic properties of stanene-based nanotubes with armchair and zigzag chirality with various diameters were examined in detail. The results show that, these nanotubes have a buckled structure, in which the tin atoms were arranged in chair-like honeycomb configuration. Calculated strain energy for considered nanotubes are relatively small compared to some other nanotubes pointed to flexibility of stanene mono layer. It was found that the strain energies for (4, 0), (5, 0) and (6, 0) nanotubes have negative values, indicating their stability with respect to stanene nanosheet. The band structure calculations reveal that the armchair nanotubes are semiconductors with two maximums with nearly same energies in valence band. However, the zigzag ones show both conductor and semiconductor behaviors by direct band gap in ᴦ point. Also the spatial distribution of molecular orbitals in valence band maximums and conduction band minimums were presented and discussed. Moreover, the adsorption behaviors of (6, 6) and (8, 8) nanotubes as chemical O3 detection device were investigated in detail. We found that O3 molecule dissociates into O2 over the considered nanotubes, being an effective strategy to help in the reduction of the concentration of these harmful pollutants in the environment. The results also suggest that O3 dissociation over the (6, 6) nanotube is more favorable in energy than that on the (8, 8) nanotube. The results present a great potential of stanene based nanotube for application as a highly sensitive ozone gas sensor.

Emotional organization of autobiographical memory.

PubMed

Schulkind, Matthew D; Woldorf, Gillian M

2005-09-01

The emotional organization of autobiographical memory was examined by determining whether emotional cues would influence autobiographical retrieval in younger and older adults. Unfamiliar musical cues that represented orthogonal combinations of positive and negative valence and high and low arousal were used. Whereas cue valence influenced the valence of the retrieved memories, cue arousal did not affect arousal ratings. However, high-arousal cues were associated with reduced response latencies. A significant bias to report positive memories was observed, especially for the older adults, but neither the distribution of memories across the life span nor response latencies varied across memories differing in valence or arousal. These data indicate that emotional information can serve as effective cues for autobiographical memories and that autobiographical memories are organized in terms of emotional valence but not emotional arousal. Thus, current theories of autobiographical memory must be expanded to include emotional valence as a primary dimension of organization.

Effects of valence and arousal on written word recognition: time course and ERP correlates.

PubMed

Citron, Francesca M M; Weekes, Brendan S; Ferstl, Evelyn C

2013-01-15

Models of affect assume a two-dimensional framework, composed of emotional valence and arousal. Although neuroimaging evidence supports a neuro-functional distinction of their effects during single word processing, electrophysiological studies have not yet compared the effects of arousal within the same category of valence (positive and negative). Here we investigate effects of arousal and valence on written lexical decision. Amplitude differences between emotion and neutral words were seen in the early posterior negativity (EPN), the late positive complex and in a sustained slow positivity. In addition, trends towards interactive effects of valence and arousal were observed in the EPN, showing larger amplitude for positive, high-arousal and negative, low-arousal words. The results provide initial evidence for interactions between arousal and valence during processing of positive words and highlight the importance of both variables in studies of emotional stimulus processing. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of emotional valence and arousal on the spread of activation in memory.

PubMed

Jhean-Larose, Sandra; Leveau, Nicolas; Denhière, Guy

2014-11-01

Controversy still persists on whether emotional valence and arousal influence cognitive activities. Our study sought to compare how these two factors foster the spread of activation within the semantic network. In a lexical decision task, prime words were varied depending on the valence (pleasant or unpleasant) or on the level of emotional arousal (high or low). Target words were carefully selected to avoid semantic priming effects, as well as to avoid arousing specific emotions (neutral). Three SOA durations (220, 420 and 720 ms) were applied across three independent groups. Results indicate that at 220 ms, the effect of arousal is significantly higher than the effect of valence in facilitating spreading activation while at 420 ms, the effect of valence is significantly higher than the effect of arousal in facilitating spreading activation. These findings suggest that affect is a sequential process involving the successive intervention of arousal and valence.